996 as a daily driver?

Hi 996 owners - I am coming over from the 944 board to ask for advice. I have owned my 944 for 24 years since I bought it new. I babied it in the beginning but now I drive it daily for work. I had a short commute to work but after I moved 8 years ago I now have a 80 mile a day round trip. I drive the 944 for this and I have really put some miles on it. I bought a 2nd 944 3 years ago and the wife drives that one. I have always wanted the 911 model and when I joined the PCA a couple years ago there are definately more 911's than 944's in the club. I talk to the owners about their cars and they only bring them out of the garage on the weekend or for special events. I am seriously thinking about getting a 996 and I am not sure this a car I can drive daily to work. I need others who drive their car as a daily driver with a long commute to let me know this is something that can be done. I would get the 4S for the all wheel drive and get winter tires. I appreciate any advice from those who own the car and know better than anyone else. Thanks

drive it 3+ x per week 120 miles round trip commute to work....put over 10K per year on the car....if it wasn't for tracking it, the maintenance would be negligible....

Excellent car as a daily driver, except in traffic where shifting between 1st and 2nd can get tedious. If you have a heavy commute (not long, but heavy), I'd advise getting a Tiptronic model. Otherwise, it's a brilliant and relatively maintenance free car.

I used to drive 50 mile roundtrip days a week plus weekends...I've moved and I've been driving 140 miles roundtrip 3 times a week plus weekends...basically 2k+miles a month No major problems and I do have a separate set of winters on a C2

Daily driver in my 2001 C2-tiptronic. 66miles round trip every day. No problems. Cost would be an issue if I took it in for all the service at each 15k milestone. I do this maintainence myself and it does not cost that much to do it. 3 years and 63K miles (purchased 3 years ago with 17k).

Oh yea...forgot about gas...996 takes 300-350 bucks a month just in gas

I drive mine everyday and its the best daily driver I've ever had. I really don't mind the 6 speed in traffic.

Mine is a DD and is currently on a round trip from New Orleans to Atlanta and back. When I get back home it'll get back to it's duty as taking kids to school

Put snows on it and you will be fine.

Mine is a daily driver, except for the heavy hail and snow. I have a dedicated vehicle for that here in Colorado. Mine is a 6 speed and fine with me for traffic and driving in rain. I have plenty of room in it and imagine my C2 would do fine in snow with some snow tires....but I do not trust the other drivers.

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Daily driver (2002 Trip) 70 miles round trip on weekdays during the now RECORD Texas Heat Wave..no worries and the coldest A/C EVER!

Great daily driver! 23k in less than 2 years. Just made a trip to FL and back. 1000 miles in a day - each way. Fantastic highway cruiser.

If you tend to own your cars for a long time.... and if you insist on a 996 and could live without a 6-speed... maybe you should consider the 996 turbo and get the more robust MB sourced tipronic while avoiding the M96 engine.

Former 944 S2 owner here...I use mine daily and it goes to the track occasionally. Great car with all of the performance of your 944 (and then some) plus very reliable if you take care of it. You won't be disappointed!

I bought mine to drive it every day. I have another car that I'm probably going to use during the Winter although I love driving it so much that I'm not sure whether or not I'm going to have the will power to garage it when the temps drop to the freezing point! -Eric

Fire it up! Grab some snows for winter.. and you may need to be mindful of rear tires needing more frequent replacement than on the 944. If you DIY, costs can be in reason. 17 and 18" tires can be more costly as well.

Daily Driver, Roadtrip Warrior, Track (DE 2 per year), 365 days a year. Owned car since 2004. Bought it with 5500 miles on it ('99 C2 coupe 6-speed). Car crossed 76,000 miles today. Original RMS/IMS and no leaks. Sold my SUV 18 months ago because the 996 gets better gas mileage for my 50 mi round trip to work every day. I am NOT planning to replace the SUV. I have learned that there isn't anything other than towing that the 996 can't do well. I have put over 15k miles per year on the car over the last 3 years. I have had far fewer "issues" with the car since I started driving it every day instead of leaving it parked and using the SUV in order to "save" the car. If you own a 996, you should be driving it every day. Period.

The 996 forums is super active and anything that might happen to your car, you will be able to gather the info you need to fix it for cheap. The parts cost more or less the same as with any other car...expensive but labor is always the killer. As far as driving daily, it is a fantastic car and I don't see any drawback unless you like to carry tons of junk in your trunk.

03 996 C2 6 speed, DD and my only car. This will be the first winter I use it. My bridgestone blizzaks are on the way! I don't have a long commute (8 miles each way) but by performing all the maintence and repairs myself, cost of ownership has been very reasonable.

80 miles a day is a bunch of miles to put on a 911! Maybe get a commuter car that wont lose as much value as a 996 if you put 20k miles a year on it? That said, a 996 will make your commute fun!

My C4S has been my daily driver since 2008. When I bought it, I lived in Indiana and my daily commute was 36 miles each way. I currently have just about 105,000 miles on the car. I have a set of dedicated winter wheels and tires. It's a great DD in all conditions with the only exception being deep snow. Anything over 4 inches can be a struggle because of ground clearance. Now that I live in Colorado, I am shopping for a winter vehicle because of the snowfall that we get up in the mountains.

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What about the P!g?

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The P!g is awesome in the snow! In fact, my new snow tires just came in. I'll be having those installed in about 3 weeks. I can't drive it every day though - it's my wife's DD.

I switch between cars (996 and Audi) during week. Sometimes I will take the 996 for an entire week. Love the fact it gets better gas/mileage than the Audi (V8). No issues whatsoever. I will say great DD.

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You sure are right about that. When I post questions on the 944 board I wait a couple of days then go back to see if there are a few responses. Thanks

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Thanks for a reply from someone who let their 944 go and didn't regret it. This is going to make pulling the trigger easier. I just love the handling of my 944.

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+1. Rear tires will be your biggest issue.

2003 C4S, daily driver, 100 miles a day M-F, snows in winter. Go for it!

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If you do a search on the 944 forum from about 2 1/2 years ago you'll see my "goodbye" thread where I do a comparison between the two. I loved my S2 but don't miss it after going to the 996. The 996 is more comfortable, faster, and has a better engine sound. It feels just as nimble and handles just as well as the 944. Granted at the limit the 996 can be a little more tricky but with the wide tires and updated suspension it really takes a lot to upset a 996 to a point where it will lose control. The 944 is known as being well balanced, which it is, but the 996 is a lot more capable than people give it credit for. It just requires a slightly different way of driving it. The first time I threw it into a corner I got freaked out by how light the front end felt, but now it is second nature for me. If you have any specific questions and need a comparison, let me know!

While I like my 996, I miss my 944. The stock seats on the 996 are awful compared to the 944 ones, especially 944 sport seats. The storage capacity in the 996 is nil compared to the hatch in the 944 as well. I'm also really nervous about the 911 getting messed up too. If 944s weren't so old and just randomly breaking like mine was at 172k miles, I think they would be a better DD due to the better gas mileage, less wear on tires, and being a bit more under-the-radar. I also found the 944 had an easier to operate clutch and the seating position more comfortable. It is nice to have the car not rattle and leak when it rains though, as it is to have a nice stereo, and oh 345hp (: Did I mention the gauges work too? I would try out some 996s but don't discredit a cayman either. It's not like you can use the 911 back seats anyways. Buying tires for the 996 also sucks, and the alignment isn't as adjustable if you're into that sort of thing. It is definitely way more expensive than a 944. I will say that I would highly recommend trying to get a used GT3 suspension. The best driving 996 I ever drove was a fellow lister's in Raleigh that had GT3 suspension on it. It drove almost just like my 944 did with the m030, except better in every way. The stock suspension is too high for my tastes coming from a m030-lowered 944.

Hello again fellow Rennlister! I've owned several 944s in the past and though they're charming, well balanced and unique cars, the 996 is more crisp, more comfortable, more fun and far faster. Of course they're also more expensive. Technology come a long way since the 944 was produced and it shows. I've driven a 996 daily for a few years now. My current car has 164k miles and I don't hesitate to jump in it for a cross country trip. Also all original RMS/IMS, etc. They've been supremely reliable in my experience but so are well maintained 944s. Good luck and cheers.

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Nicely done, Fernando! I loved my 951 and track a 928! However I also greatly enjoy the different driving dynamics of my 996 and it's performance is outstanding!

I guess you guys were wondering what ever happened to that 944 guy that came over to the 996 board and said he was thinking about getting a 996. If the PPI goes well tomorrow I will be bringing it home Saturday morning. I have been seriously looking recently and test drove a few and finally found one I loved everything about. I will have 5 cars with 3 being Porsches until I get the Black 944 ready to sell. Now I will be jumping back and forth from the 944 to the 996 board I hope I can keep myself straight. Here is a teaser photo until I bring it home.

Nice car. Make sure they rotate the car for you before you get in it, or your change will fall out the passenger side door.... Good luck. My guards red 944 was sold to a friend, in place of a shiny C4S. Love it.

Very nice, congrats on another Porsche. What year, how many miles?

Looks like your tires are holding well on that steep banking. Nice looking car and good luck with the PPI, hope it works out.

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2004 38K I think the prior owners took good care of it.

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Monday morning 9:00 appointment and I will be watching my phone all day until I get the call.

My C4S has been my daily driver since 2005, but I have a short commute. It's such a great car and able to keep a good pace under all conditions. The maintenance costs are kind of high but that's expected on a P-car. I budget about $1,000 per year for maintenance and repairs at the dealer. Sometimes it's more in years when there's a scheduled major maintenance.

I have owned a 924 and a few 944, I just bought a 996 as a daily driver

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997 or 996 are normal DD cars. You are in MD - you do not need 4WD version. best bang per buck now is to find reasonably fresh 996 GT3 car, so you would not have to deal with any M96 engine related issues. it will last probably as long as 993 cars do, with reasonable rebuilds from time to time. all you need to check for your DD routines are steep inclines, garages with bumps and etc stuff as front bumper sits very low and scrapes everything. also, not a best idea to keep any porsche parked in a public garage if there is no security there. just be realistic, it is a bit flashy car and general public has no idea about 996, 997, c2, c4s, gt3, gt2, etc. social implications are always more problematic than technical ones, with co-workers, managers, etc. my wie makes me park well away from her work when I take her out for lunch as she does not want anybody to know we have this car, even if most of her co-workers drive SUVs that cost more than my C2. it just does not matter.

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From the picture, it looks as if you're already a little sideways! Looks great! Best of luck! -Eric

Well the PPI went smooth. The ad for the car said it needed brakes. That was info from a state inspector. The shop that did the PPI said the brakes had 80% life left to them. It had a leaking front axle which we had the shop that did the PPI go ahead and take care of it since they had the car. Pictures to follow Updated my signature