Buying a Porsche! - Page 1 - Porsche General - PistonHeads UK

I take it that you *need* a 911? For that money you could get a Boxster S of reasonably recent vintage. Upside: Its a Porsche. Most of the power of a 996. Better handling (?). Open car. Cheaper. Downside: Hairdresser's car image. (Bollocks to that I say...)

Everyone has different opinions. For same money as you, I chose to buy a late Varioram 993 C4 ( but I wanted the air cooled engine and more dramatic lines of the 993. The dash is still a disgrace relative to a 996 but I did not buy it for that aspect. I got mine from an independent dealer called RPR 626 in County Durham who came with a good pedigree. He even delivered the car to me in N.E. Scotland. He has a good website.

The only way is to go out and test drive the cars (ho hum...) Really, a 996 is different to a 993, which is different to the earlier cars as well. Your best bet is to drive as many as possible, in the circumstances which you will normally drive them and see what they feel like. Or, for that money buy an old 928 GT, a 944S2 or Turbo and a 1980's 911.... Hmmmm! Happy hunting Will

Hang in there with your £35k and wait for a 996 in RHD to turn up. I bought one 4 weeks ago, for £37 with 24k miles and full loaded - sports seats/suspension, sat nav etc etc. I've posted more info of my car in the price guide section. cheers.

Everyone here is right - you need to make up your mind which KIND of 911 (or Porsche) you want to go for. They come in a myriad of different flavours. Now, for 35k I'd go for a LHD 993RS. Arguably one of tne best handling 911s of all time, can do track days in it, doesn't depreciate it, looks fab... BUT Don would say invest in a Boxster S, wonderful balance, great speed, all mod cons, roof off action etc. Derestrictor would say go for a LHD 993 Turbo 4, which does 0-100 in 9.1 secs out of the box, has four wheel drive blah blah blah And the 996 owners will quite rightly suggest you get a curvaceous modern shape 911, which is a 170mph barhnstormer with an up to date refinement, driving characteristics and refinement. So, you can see your problem coming on here and asking a question like that... Best bet is to read a lot of reviews, online or in magazines, comparing different 911s. See what shape you like, which ones fit your needs better. Do you want rear seats in a 911 - if so forget the RSs. Do you need 4WD? Could you live with the classic looks of an earlier shape car, or is this your real reason for getting one... the sound of an air cooled flat six? Do you want to do track days (RS would be great)? Do you need to commute in it (RS not so great). Finally, subscribe to PCGB for about 50 GBP per year and get Porsche Post - lots of cars for sale. Otherwise check the PistonHead classifieds here. If you want to go to a dealer, it often depends on what car you want to buy. Henry at 911virgin has a colourful reputation - basically you get what you pay for, and his cars are at the cheaper end of the market. Please bear in mind that Henry isn't particularly greedy, and doesn't make a fortune on his cars. But he does sell them as seen and doesn't spend a fortune prepping them like some dealers.

Just to reinforce some of the advice on offer. Porsches are among the most seductive cars on the planet and if you had to have just one, its the icon - the 911 -that represents whats special about them. The choice needs to be based on the head ( logic factors) and the heart ( you love your choice and will ignore what others think) Its worth thinking in terms of having a Porsche AND an everyday commuting/shopping/parking dent collector/giving more than 1 person a lift/taking rubbish to the tip/moving large objects/cheap to insure type vehicle. Also I'd seriously recommend taking your time on this and try to curb the instinct to rush out and get fixed up right away. Once the 35k ( or a decent wedge of it) has been invested in Stuttgart's finest you wont find it so easy to turn your 'investment' back into hard cash of similar amount. I am a fan of the 996, early cars now comparatively cheap whether LHD or RHD , they drive well. I also succumbed to the dark side last year and got a 964RS ( LHD of course) which is great if you serious about driving sensations and willing to learn car control in extremis. Either are in your budget, but you'd definitely need a second (proper) car with the RS

Well thanks for all your replies - i've looked into the boxster/boxster S and even took one on loan for a weekend (only problem i was in jersey!!), just didn't do it for me, don't get me wrong it was a nice car to drive and having the roof down was great but it's the 911 shape that gets me. The new shape seems to have lost the classic look in my eyes which is why i like the older style. I do need the 2+2 style as well as i have a little baby, which is another reason why so many cars that i've been looking at have ben dropped off of my list. I don't feel i'll need a car for track days as i want the car for a long time and don't want to trash the pants off of it. The question i need answering with all your help is what is the best one to go for in that price range? difficult question i know. In some ways the only way is to test drive but you guys/girls own them and drive them now so give me some knowledge on what to expect on each one, why are they so different.

Ok, if you are not in Porsche Club GB, then go to their website www.porscheclubgb.com and get the info on joining, you can sign up on the phone. Then contact your local rep or go to next meeting. You get to see real live cars and nice helpful people who will give a lot more direct feedback maybe even take you out. They may even be planning a car change giving you a buy-in opportunity. As previous contributor said, the club mag is a good source of cars. Your money on a Porsche means a used car, the best have been owned by enthusiasts - go find. If this is too much like work, not fast enough, then go buy a 993 Carrera 2 /2S RHD low mileage from a private seller in the colour you want. Easy!

thanks for that old timer!!

OK, picking one car for your needs and budget I'd say: 993 Turbo 4, in LHD This is just within budget, and as you live in Jersey you are half way to LHD anyway If RHD was essential, a C2 as Oldtimer says, would be good (coupe, manual, sensible colour if you are worried about future resale). I would avoid the C2S as these are a bit overpriced for what they are (despite looking quite nice), but consider a C4S as these are like Turbo without the turbos, or a C2S with decent brakes and 4WD, if you see what I mean.

thanks for domster, but i don't live in Jersey - i was just over there for a wedding and decided to do it in a bit of style, i come from Benfleet in essex. I've been looking at a C2 which does look very nice. Don't want to go into my life story here but spilt from parner, made lots of money on the house, so why i have the chance i want to enjoy life for a good year before getting back into it again (so to speak!) Just looked on the porsche club website and it looks good, so i'll take old timers advise and join up. Is there any pit holes to look out for when buying a porsche, any common faults or areas of concern?

Lots. Always. Varies hugely depending on model. Best bit of generic advice is always get a PPI (pre purchase inspection) either througha respected independent or an official porsche centre (OPC). I would say that if you want to live a little, go the whole hog (no pun intended ) and get the Turbo 4 993 in LHD. Monster of a car. If you want cheaper thrills, I'd recommend a 964RS (about 25k) or a 968CS (about 12k) and spend the money you save on an estate car and labrador. Sometimes two cars work out cheaper and better. The 964RS arguably has the most 'essence of 911' in its genes ever, apart from the legendary 2.7RS from 1973. (Normally aspirated engine revs to 7200rpm, easy to decat etc.). All IMHO tho' as I am biased towards them as I own one. Cheers Domster

adainty As a new Porsche owner, I recently bought a 993 C2 -- a relatively high miler -- for a bit less than your budget. Maybe worth considering as a first 911, then see if you want the Turbo and/or C4 experience.

Manek, Good to hear you are now driving a car which has the "correct" wheels being driven! Shame the engine is in the wrong place..... Danny

ADainty - best advice I can give you - go along to the Essex Region PCGB meet before you buy - it's at the Regiment Way Golf Centre, Little Waltham Essex (the other side of Chelmsford from you), second Tuesday of every month ISTR - its run by an enthusiastic guy named Martyn Molyneaux who ownes a 996 C4 as it happens, and there you'll find 993, 996, 964, 356, 3.2, SC owners plus some water cooled guys too. Between them I'm sure you'll get loads of advice and indeed a ride out in the cars. ISTR some of them live in your area too. you can mail Martyn at [email removed] - I do have his contact 'phone numbers too and will mail them to you through here if you want. For what you want your car for, IMHO buy a 996 rhd - practical as an everyday driver and a little larger than a 993. you can mail Martyn at [email removed] - I do have his contact 'phone numbers too and will mail them to you through here if you want.

rubystone, That would be great if you could send me the numbers, i was indeed thinging about going to a Porsche club/meeting, as this surely is the only safe way of going about buying a car like this. The main problem i have is that i'm not mechaniclly minded at all, so i wouldn't know a ringer from a find!! Just like driving. I know you can get RAC, AA checks done but i've been told that there not all that good if something goes wrong. Also, when buying a car that's 5-6 years old i can safely say that it's been pushed to the limit a few time because of the car that it is!! I do very much like the C2 1996 model (Just before the new shape) as i beleive this is a 911, the new one has lost the style to a curent degree. so please give me all the details!

adainty - I am in my second 911, both of which have been the classic shape air-cooled cars, firstly a 911 3.2 Carrera SSE Coupe and now a 993 C2 Coupe. I have the need to carry a couple of little ones around in the back seats, so the coupe is the only real option! I thought about going on to a 996 recently and drove a couple of them. The biggest difference to me was the feel. In the air-cooled cars, every drive feels special! You want to open the windows, kill the stereo, hear the induction roar and listen to the exhaust note! In the 996 I felt completly different, I expected to be more comfortable. I wasnt looking for all those rough and ready bits, I noticed that the A/C worked and all the buttons and dials felt as though they were in the right place! If you forget about performance for one minute, and if your budget wont stretch to 993 RS or the quicker 996 derivites, I think it is down to what you expect the car to provide. If you want to use it everyday, park it in multi-storey car parks, if you want it to be warm in winter and cool in summer and you want to hold a halfway decent conversation at 70+ mph - buy a 996. If its emotion, fun and a challenge (plus the occasional fright) that makes you smile - get a 993 - In my opinion they are more engaging! But beware, your £35K budget is in that border-line area between very good 993`s and very poor 996`s. Whatever you do, look at and try out, loads of cars. Dont buy the first one you see, even if it appears to be the dogs nuts. Once you start to play one off against another its suprising what you find. I bought both of my cars privatly through PCBG`s Porsche Post. Both took absolutly ages to find, but I had them both inspected by well known respected Porsche specialists. Those guys tend to look straight through the shine and badges. Remember they spend their lives taking them apart and putting them back together again. If you want to read a good comparison between 993 and 996 in your price range, get a copy of 911 & Porsche World May 2003 edition. You can get a copy through their website at www.chpltd.com, it takes about 48 hours if you order on line. Porsche 911 ownership is all about driving quickly and piloting one of the best engineered cars of all time. So look deep and find a well sorted one, that has a faultless history and has been owned (for more that a year)and driven by an enthusiast. Not an unloved high mile company car leased to a top sales Jonny, before he moved on! Remember these cars are so practical and reliable people commute in them everyday! Good hunting!

Makes it more challenging, mate! Mind you, bits don't keep falling off...

Adainty yhm. 993 - lovely car - never seen one in Rubystone mind - want it checked out - easy - Alan Rouse/Ken Campion at Autostrasse Coggeshall 01376 562922

I have arround £32-£35,000 to spend on a new/used car, and i've always liked the porsche 911. Been looking arround the usual area's like auto trader, exchange and mart to find out what i can get for my money. It looks like i can get a new shape 996 carrere 2 that in my price range but it's left hand drive.....or a nice 993 but it's nearly 6-7 years old, can anyone help with advise as to what could be the best option to go for? i've looked at a website call 911virgin but people have advised me that this is not a good company to go to, can anyone give advise on that too?