Newbie deciding on a C4S...opinions?

Hello all, If you have a minute, feel free to read my ramblings and help me out! I have stumbled upon the car I REALLY want at an excellent price. It is a 2002 C4S (guards red/black, sport exhaust, Bose, Bi-Xenons, small aluminum package, red seat belts, and a few other exclusive options). The car was purchased new by another party and sold back to the dealer; it now has 5K miles. They are willing to sell it to me for 75K (15K below original price)! So here's the decision and life story. My wife and i used to have a Boxster and an Audi S4, until we moved into the city and traded both for an allroad. The allroad is great, but we really can't be happy with anything but a Porsche. So we are considering the C4S as a year-round car. We don't need much space in a car so that is not a problem, but we do live in the city. We have private, off-street parking but it's outside. Should I be afraid to have the C4S because of winter and city life or just suck it up and have some year-round fun? Sorry for the long post, but I need someone to convince me that this is an easy decision!

What's the difference in an all-road outside and a Porsche outside?.

Well, the allroad is less prone to vandalism and I'd be much more concerned with keeping the C4S clean and waxed. Although there is a guy with a 993 C4S nearby who has parked it on the street for 5 years with no problems! </font><blockquote><font size="1" face="Verdana,Tahoma,Helvetica">quote:</font><hr /><font size="2" face="Verdana,Tahoma,Helvetica">Originally posted by Colm: <strong>What's the difference in an all-road outside and a Porsche outside?.</strong></font><hr /></blockquote><font size="2" face="Verdana,Tahoma,Helvetica">

Two separate issues here: 1. Driving a C4S all year round: put winter tires on it and don't worry unless the streets have not been cleared of snow. In which case make sure your front spoiler doesn't become a snow plough for your neighbors. 2. Security: ask your neighbor about any security mods he might have. What color is his car?

Hey Mark...welcome to the best Porsche Forum in the WORLD! I get up to Boston once a week or so and usually see a Pcar parked somewhere. The only problems I would see would be plowing streets...usually not a problem in town, except for a year like this one. Also, if you're leasing it I really wouldn't worry about it too much. If you own it then I guess I would be a bit more concerned about vandalism...but that depends where it's parked during the day rather than at night I would think. Winter tires are a must for winter driving, even with AWD. Hey, got for it!

Thanks for the welcome Don! We would be buying the car, and it will be out in Sudbury at my wife's office all day. Also, our parking spot is behind our house and the plow doesn't come very close. This decision is getting easier Also, the Porsche-recommended winter setup is definately in the cards!

Move to NH ???!!! I wouldn't even take my C4 into Boston, let alone leave it parked outside overnight.

Blech...never There are tons of Porsches in my neighborhood, but those aren't mine to worry about! </font><blockquote><font size="1" face="Verdana,Tahoma,Helvetica">quote:</font><hr /><font size="2" face="Verdana,Tahoma,Helvetica">Originally posted by wwest: <strong>Move to NH ???!!! I wouldn't even take my C4 into Boston, let alone leave it parked outside overnight.</strong></font><hr /></blockquote><font size="2" face="Verdana,Tahoma,Helvetica">

Mark, I've parked my 02 Cab on Comm Ave. and also on Cummington St in the heart of BU w/o problems. I still say you're ok....only reservation at all would be the Guards Red color. I do know that GR and SY ARE much more of a magnet than the sedate colors. I still say go for it!

I think that if I had to park a new Porsche cab overnight in Boston I'd just leave the keys in it to save the thieves the extra hassle. When we travel(ed) in the 78 Targa I try to park it inside where I can leave the windows down as an indication of nothing of value inside worth cutting the top open for.

I live in the city. If I did not have indoor parking I would not have any expensive car, let alone a Porsche. Parking in the city, especially in the winter, is hard on cars, especially those without real front or rear bumpers. as in "Chevy Tahoe". I see this as an opportunity for you to have a real annoying experience. I also don't recommend driving any nice car in the city in the winter. The drivers in this city are not to be trusted even in ideal conditions, and the pot holes are ledgendary.....Other than that you can have a great time driving any Porsche around the boston environs for the other 3 seasons.

Thankfully, living in the city means no driving around the city for us thanks to walking and the Subway. My wife takes the car to the suburbs for work and we often venture out on the weekends. And bumpers thankfully aren't an issue. Street parking makes me queasy! We have off-street. But your point regarding the drivers and potholes is well taken! </font><blockquote><font size="1" face="Verdana,Tahoma,Helvetica">quote:</font><hr /><font size="2" face="Verdana,Tahoma,Helvetica">Originally posted by Gretch: <strong>I live in the city. If I did not have indoor parking I would not have any expensive car, let alone a Porsche. Parking in the city, especially in the winter, is hard on cars, especially those without real front or rear bumpers. as in "Chevy Tahoe". I see this as an opportunity for you to have a real annoying experience. I also don't recommend driving any nice car in the city in the winter. The drivers in this city are not to be trusted even in ideal conditions, and the pot holes are ledgendary.....Other than that you can have a great time driving any Porsche around the boston environs for the other 3 seasons.</strong></font><hr /></blockquote><font size="2" face="Verdana,Tahoma,Helvetica">