IDEAS FOR REPLACEMENT CAR OTHER THAN 996

What other car who you buy other than 996?? Ive had my 99 996 Cab4 for 7 years, she has 120,000 miles and still looks good. Shes starting to nickle and dime with minor repairs, what if any other car if U had to would U consider buying if U sold your 996? I like replacement to be a cabriolet if I decide to sell.

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S2000 all the way! Cheap to maintain and reliable and a lot of fun. One of the best shifters around

I would go for a 997 2010 or later model.

I went with a M Coupe.

Well, i guess the Ones i have Now! always Good to have a Different Experience when you get out of one & get into another, kind of like how you feel that morning when you get up. Unless you're just wanting to STAY in the Porsche line & that just Depends of whether you like Water OR Air!

Take a Subaru BRZ for a spin. It's like a 2015 porsche 944. Light , quick and tuneable . Not too expensive either . Toyota and Sion sell basically the same car as the car is a joint venture , but the Subi is the best equipped , but if I was just building a track car , I'd go for the basic Sion . Frount engine , rear drive , manual . What's not to like? And it has a boxer 4 ! But if it's a convertable you must have , an earlier , low milage boxster 3.2S is worth a look . You could sell your 911 and pick up a boxster s and have some cash to tweak it with . Another worth looking for would be a 968 cabriolet . Great cars, if I could find a nice low milage manual one I'd snap it up. I'd go 968 over boxster , it's hard to go boxster after 911 and the 968 is not as claustrophobic with the top up. It's better on long journeys too If you want new , the Subaru is a blast

The Boxster is a great alternative - a very well balanced and fun car for a lot less expense but still has that awesome Porsche driving feel.

Jdjones, what are your thoughts on the Viper?

I had an S2000 for 11 years before I got my 996. Would consider another one. My 911 is a Targa and I miss a convertible.

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2002 & older are a pain to drive after 30 min. of urban driving you are ready to get out. Enough torque to break loose the rear tires anytime you're below 50mph can be problematic too! 2003 models are better but far from comfortable. These are not daily drivers or ride around for pleasure vehicles.

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All true, problem is you never stop shifting!

MB's C63s

The Viper is one of those cars that everyone WANTS, but most folks who get one soon start looking for excuses to get rid of it. It's cool for what it is, but DDing a Viper is like using a flammenwerfer as a cigarette lighter...a bit over the top for everyday use. There's a guy in my neighborhood who was DD'ing an Elise for about six months. Not a small guy. You could tell that he was having a blast at first. As time wore on, he was less and less enthusiastic, and then the Elise disappeared. Elise Dude looked much happier in his M3.

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I've owned two GTSs ('96 supercharged & '99 ACR). Love the cars, they will literally destroy a non-turbo 996, but they are barbaric and you have to embrace that or you'll hate the car. IMG_0963_zps0ba363fa.jpg

Yeah its the crudeness to it that appeals to me,LOL. It wouldn't be a dd if I got one so that doesn't bother me.

Crude and real power!!!

I'd suggest buying another 996 with less mileage. I'm on my second one. 997s are quite nice. A bit...squared off in the interior, but its hard to meaningfully ding the overall vehicle.

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It all depends on your reasons and budget. Another older Porsche could cost you way more in repairs than yours, you never know. And a newer Porsche will more than likely cost you more in future depreciation than you're apt to spend on those nickel and dime repairs on yours. In fact a 997.2 or late-model Boxster will likely depreciate as much over the next 5 years as it would cost you to put a remanufactured engine in yours. If you want another Porsche but get something else, and then regret it and sell it, that too could cost you as much as repairs on your 996. If you're just tired or bored with Porsche and truly want something different, then the possibilities are vast. Some good examples have been given, but there are many others, like an RX7, Mustang, Camaro, Corvette and so on. Personally if I were looking for a cab I would not want one with a soft top. So I would be considering a Bimmer or Merc with retractible hardtop. I saw a Merc SLK250 recently that I loved...4 cyl turbo with good power and great gas mileage...black on black with red leather seats...6-speed manual. If I didn't have to have some kind of back seat for emergencies I might've gone for it (and I have a 997). And then there's always an air-cooled Porsche. They may or may not continue to appreciate in value but more than likely will not decline much if any.

Thanks Much for your extensive responses. I think what Im going to do in next couple of months is get the vehicle mechanically sound, approx repairs-$700, (starter and secondary air system leak) reupholster front seats approx $800, get dings repaired on aftermarket wheels-approx $400, paint calibers, then reassess my options. Once complete, I may sell or do a few mods- upgrades and keep her. If I sell, the Bimmer CLK, SLK and Merc 331 n 431ix hard top convertibles look really nice. My high end budget is $55k. A used Porsche-cab is still an option. Darn Decisions!!! If I sell/buy looking at Spring of next year.

Mercedes SLK 280/350 - 2 huge problems 1. The seats are awful after about 30 minutes. 2. The honking great rearview mirror with all the electronic junk on it creates a huge blind spot for forward vision. No, you can't switch it out for the normal size Euro one. Otherwise ,avoid the 90 degree V6 and research crankshaft problems A really nice SLK32 may be interesting?

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Mk I 996 is the best value in the market today for a "fun" car

Cheap Sports Car -- Audi TT, get one in the early 2000's for about $5000. 1.8L turbo moves quick! Medium Expensive -- Cayman, Early 2010's for about $30,000 Expensive -- A Mercedes that says Kompressor on the side (Supercharger in English) Expensive -- BMW M3, big engine, turbo, a really fast sedan Much too expensive for my budget -- Red Ferrari I have had in the past 99 Mustang and a 79 Trans Am. Both good American muscle. Really good for demonstrating horsepower in the lower speeds, like burning a patch of rubber. They were both fast in the top end, but in America, you can't go German Autobahn speeds without taking chances with the law and safety. I am really enjoying my '99 996 in Germany, the car stands out and I get lots of compliments. Even in Germany, there are not a lot of Porsches on the road.

99 to 2004 Lotus Esprit. V8 power , exotic look , and fantastic cornering ability . 0 to 60 in 4.3 seconds . Not the most comfortable on long drives but get it in the twisties and you won't care

+1 on the Lotus!

Alan, how reliable has your Lotus been? There was a beautiful low mileage Esprit for sale locally here that I was looking at, but was talked out of it by a knowledgeable car guy guy who was going on and on about unreliabilty. I think they are fantastic looking cars.

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My friend has one of those Subaru's. It's a really nice car, he is really happy about it, and it seems to be good to drive around. Plus, I guess there are tons of aftermarket parts for them if a person wants to go down that road.

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Mine is a four cylinder with the turbo and chargecooler Mike. I can't really comment on the V8's other than what I see over on Lotustalk. There are guys who use their 8 bangers as daily drivers. As to my own experience , I've used mine as a weekend toy only . The first year of ownership was expensive. To the tune of about 6K . The last 4 years have been very reasonable. Normal maintenance and upkeep. The V8's are supposed to be much more dependable. Look at Lotustalk/Esprit section , or Espritworld for more info on the V8's. I'd be happy to tell you more Mike in a PM or another thread. Don't want to derail the OP's thread