Running a 996 is becoming an expensive hobby...

Having owned my C4S for 1 year (and 2 days), I've just had her in for some remedial work that was picked up on the last service. Having now just got a bill for £2k I thought I'd tot up my expenses over the past year. This most recent bill brings my Year 1 costs to over £7k, which is hugely frustrating as I was about to look into selling the car on. The latest job involved replacing both power steering hoses (front to back) and replacing the water pump amongst other things, all jobs that need doing but I'm feeling a little unlucky that they've all fallen in my ownership. My man maths had this car as being one I could run for 12-18months and come out of fairly clean, but alas not to be. I guess when it does go someone is going to get a pretty sorted car, but I'm going to enjoy it for a while yet and see if I can have the next 6 months or so without having any additional expenses. The car owes me £31.5k, if i told my Mrs she'd go nuts. Anyone having similar, or perhaps had zero costs in the last year? I just wanted to vent because I'm a little frustrated right now....

No such thing as a free lunch unfortunately. I've owned mine for 2.5 years and although I haven't added it up, I'll have almost the £13k purchase price in it again on top, if not more. And I do a LOT of the work myself. There'll be folk who say you can run them for peanuts but I guarantee if I bought their car it would need most of the things mine has had. It depends on your approach and how "right" you like things. Regards mine, I'm not in anyway pee'd off about the costs but I've owned 911s since I was 25 and I'm 41 now. I buy cars I genuinely like and never buy with a view to sell. That way values and all that jazz never affect me. I know what they cost and if that bothered me too much I'd buy something different. Your costs don't sound too bad really. Enjoy the car and the fact you aren't in a scrimped on example. The longer you keep one the more the bills settle down. Engine blow up excluded and I very much doubt I'll spend £5k over the next 5 years now. :thumb:

I've had my C4S for under a year and in that time I've needed: Clutch/flywheel Water pump Lost the locking wheel nut lug, in the end replaced all studs I need a new exhaust too New rear tyres Other bits done/to do this year: Carbon bits for the interior Full paint correction All 4 wheels refurbished Service I feel your pain.... admittedly I knew some bit needed doing Man maths says spend now and enjoy the next few years relatively pain free

Any old car will need constant spending, Porsche parts and labour are not the cheapest. Even more so if you want it "mint". Sometimes I think people on this forum are crazy, they should have just bought a far newer 911 and shouldered a bit of depreciation rather than shell out for specialists and constant parts to keep their 20 year old one running sweetly. OK upfront capital cost may be higher but lots on here seem to have deep pockets. I've easy spent 6k in 5 years, that is just parts I did all the spannering and servicing myself. I don't spend money easily, but it has to drive right or there is no point to owning it.

You've got to have your eyes open, any car that's approaching 20 years old will need work, sure there's a bit of luck involved but you've got to expect regular bills if you want to keep it well maintained. Also as said bills are normally front loaded as you get your car to the standard you want, especially if like me you didn't have much option but to come in at the lower end of the market. Hopefully things will settle down as you tick off the big jobs. If you follow my 3 tips for classic car ownership you won't go far wrong. 1. Do as much work yourself as you can. 2. Never add up your bills. 3. Never ever tell your wife how much things cost 😂

:thumb: MC

:yeah:

I'm saying nothing on this thread

^^^^ :grin: Wasz - I see your point but for me personally the only 911s newer than a 996 that I'd own would be GT3s and they cost way more than I'll ever have in my 996. Plus GT3s cost a fortune to keep right as they get older. So yep if any 911 will do, then buy the newest one you can with an OPC warranty. Job jobbed. But if analogue and classic are your thing, which they are very much for me, then big running costs are just part and parcel of 911s. Plus you can't tinker much when you have an OPC warranty dictating things. I'd go even older if I could, back to a 964.... and 964 bills would give 996 bills the sh*ts. :grin: Like I say as long as we are buying cars we like because they excite us or whatever then it's generally win-win, once you get past the costs. If someone buys one as an "investment" though, or to run for nothing then flip it, well they're probably in for a bit of a learning experience. :wink:

OP - what was wrong with your power steering pipes?

:sad: yep 3.and half grand this year on it feel my love affair is over now its just a moody moaning wife divorce round the corner

Just had a quick look at my spending. £7,800 in 4.5 years including ALL maintenance, servicing, MOTs, tyres, tarting up & mods. £9,100 if I include 5 years insurance . Jobs done are: New rear bonnet strut - self Repaired horn - self Painted wheel bolts - self Refurbished rear discs - self Unblocked all water drains - self Full service: oil, filters, plugs - garage Both aircon rads - self Vac'd out and gassed up - garage Replaced balast resistor - self iPod integration - self Tracking - garage New wiper blades - self Retrofit cruise control - garage Mesh grills - self Repaired secondary air unit - self MOT New rear brake lines & fluid change - garage 2 new front tyres - garage New radiator - self New engine coolant - self Replaced Gearbox Oil - self Fixed leaking rear window - self New heated wing mirror Glasses Refurbished inside of 1 wheel - self Front LH CV boot - garage Repaired washer motor - self New stainless exhaust manifolds - garage Hardtop including respray - garage Front bumper respray - garage 4 new speakers - self Renovo Soft Top Kit Diff. unit rebuild - bearings, gears, seals - garage Full major service - Oil, filters, gearbox + diff oils - garage 2 new rear tyres - garage 6 x Bosch Coil Packs - self MOT - garage 2 x Falken Azenis FK453 295/30 ZR18 - garage Skimmed up rear discs and fit new brake shoes - self 2 x New Engine Mounts - self New Clutch, IMS bearing sorted, leak fixed, Gbox oil - garage Short-shifter fitted - self Amberectomy - self Side Amberectomy - self Skimmed up front discs Service - oil & filters New Coffin arm and exhaust clamps OS rear handbrake cable Reverse light switch Wheel centre caps & dust caps Philips Xtreme Vision Headlight Bulbs 2 x Falken Azenis FK453 295/30 ZR18 - garage Service - oil, filters & plugs Powerflex Gearbox mount insert Top Gear Back box fitting Driver's side window regulator Aircon pipe replacement and regas 2 x Falken Azenis FK510 225/40 R18 - garage Xtrons TL702P Double Din Head Unit + Fitting Kit 2 x Falken Azenis FK453 295/30 ZR18 - garage Replace faulty LH rear wheel speed sensor Fit new Cabriolet top Service - Shell Helix & filters Fit 2 x track rod ends Fit rear Mintex brake pads Refurbish Alloy Wheels I'll be honest, I don't like spending money and don't get fleeced.

As I say to anyone who asks me about buying a Porsche, be prepared for a £10,000 bill out of the blue at any given time :sad: I`ve, so far, been lucky with my pair over 4-5 years only servicing costs, which I do myself, a set of disks and pads on the Boxster which now is broken with a waterpump failure, which I will replace tomorrow :thumb: Could be worse, I`ve just been round to help a fellow 996 owner who has recently had an £11,750 bill for an engine rebuild, but still loves his car :grin: If Porsches were cheap to run, everyone would have one wouldn`t they :?: As they say, "Porsche, There Is No Substitute" :thumbs:

The return pipe was leaking at the rack (it was mentioned as being on way out at the service in June) the other one was ok but there was no additional labour doing them both as the subframe has to be dropped. I'm ok with the costs, it's just the timing as I was considering moving the car on as I use it far less than I'd like. If I need to enjoy it for another year I can live with that, it's a brilliant car and it will be pretty sorted soon. I just calculated the monthly cost of ownership so far and it's scary.

OP - your thread title clarified the issue - Porsche ownership is never going to be anything but an expensive hobby...but at least you can drive it and enjoy it and share it. Some people spend more - much more - on lesser cars... and watches... I have mine just over a year - I could have spent nothing, but I chose to spend either out of preventative maintenance, upgrading, or restoration. I haven't done the numbers for the reasons pointed out above, but it's probable 3k and I did 99% of the work myself. If I didn't spend it out of choice this year, it would break in the next year... Your next year of ownership should be cheaper - so keep it and drive it!