If you can only have 1 Porsche....

If you could only have one car and you wanted that car to be a Porsche what would it be? 996? Some other 911? Macan? Pano? Pepper? I ask because I'm trying to decide if a 996 can be a good DD. Our other car is a Q7 for family hauling. Ideally I'd like a 911 and a pick up but I'm getting resistance from the spouse. Mainly due to our parking logistics at home. We have two kids - teen and pre teen. Thoughts appreciated. My current car is a '15 A8. Cheers.

Teen kids = Pano hands down.

I daily drive my 996, plus it is a grocery store/hardware store runner. Now I'm biased, but my 996 has been faithful and reliable. My 99 (date 7/98) has 146,808 miles. Sure I've had to do some work on it, but it has been a good car. Don't let the teens near it without some parking lot practice! Oh..and also wanted to mention, it is a 911 with the classic 911 shape. That really draws me in because there is nothing else like it. I still get compliments on the car because most people just see a 911. They can't tell one from the other and think it is new. They are floored when I tell them it is 21 years old.

I know it seems far away but your teen will be driving soon (take it from a father of two teens). Will he be getting a car? Using the family car? Driving the sibling around? Driving the Porsche? You might want to put that into your equation. I use my 996 as a daily driver. It's reasonably practical. I have had three six foot+ teens in the car so you can pick up in a pinch. It's a manual so it's basically my car (I taught the oldest how to drive a stick but he refuses to drive on the road with it). He has our old van as his primary and my wife has a rav4. Interestingly because the 996 is old and undervalued the cost of insuring my son was actually more for the RAV4, but expect to be shocked by the bump in insurance. It costs more to insure my son than me and my wife combined. M

I hesitate to agree with your wife, but a 996 isn't the most growing family friendly car, which might be some of her objections. It is a sports car with a vestige of a back seat, at best. In addition, living where you do might push me towards buying some sort of SUV for better all around use and seasonal capabilities.

I have one in college(online this semester) and a teen in high school(home schooled) now. They never ride with me unless it is just one of them in the front. Neither could fit in the back seat so last year I deleted the rear seats and installed the rollbar. We have a mini van for the family to go places in. My son in college has his "own car" a 2006 Mustang. My car is just for my commuting to/from work and enjoying weekend drives. My wife normally rides with me in my car once or twice a year. When I had a 4 door car(and younger kids) I probably had the kids in the back once every 6 months. If you have young kids, you probably need to have that capability. If they're high school aged, especially if they can drive themselves, they probably won't ride with you...maybe ever. My college aged son has ridden with me a few times lately, just because he enjoys riding in the Porsche. I have taught him to drive a manual transmission in my 996. He needs some practice...but he can get that in another car...when he buys it himself.

I had my 996 as my only car for about 2 or 3 years. It does work - I moved apartments with it twice, went grocery shopping (to Costco, nonetheless), and I could carry 3 people in a pinch. I would recommend, however, getting a beater you could street park without worry. If I could only have one Porsche, it would be my C2 996 or TT. You can live with it, but if you can afford it, get a beater.

If I could only have one car for myself and I had two kids; I�d get a different brand because I�d want something with a stick and a bigger back seat. My wife appreciates my 996 but even getting in with our 6 year old and her makes her sometimes roll her eyes because it�s such a tight fit. She�s got a hybrid hatchback and I also have a BMW X1. But if all of a sudden it was necessary for me to have one car- I�d get rid of my 996 and X1 and find something between the two with a stick and that alone would pretty much disqualify Porsche from my list.

I would have a hard time giving up a truck, so I would say 1 vehicle would mean having a truck unfortunately. If you can have a crew cab truck then get whatever other car you wish because you always have the truck to carry or haul whomever or whatever.

I used to have a 1994 3/4 ton diesel Suburban, got about 110,000 miles out of it before disposing of it, loved that thing. Great for large family trips, taking kids to college, anything. Other drivers yield to its size, another nice benefit. Now i dd my 03 4s and love it even more, but my kids are grown so its just me and the mrs. Don't think it would have worked well as a family car when my girls were teenagers. If my 1 and only had to be a Porsche, i'd go with a Cayenne turbo or turbo s.

I work out of a box truck. The wife has the mini van, and the 996 works fine for what it is, fun.

Think it depends on how much kid hauling you need to do. If you drive the kids around a 996 isn't going to be that comfy. My 10 year old fits fine in the back but wont for long I am sure.

If I could only have one vehicle, it would be the pickup truck. Modern crew cabs ride well, get decent mileage and are very versatile. That's the practical me. HOWEVER..... In other parts of my life, I have had a 900cc motorcycle as my only vehicle (for over a year!) and a Triumph Spitfire (18 months - probably the most unreliable vehicle I ever owned... lol), so I'm not sure if I would listen to me..... smile...

I don't have a pickup because I need one infrequently and I don't have a place to put it. When I do, it's $20 at U-haul for the day. If I had a family and already had a Q-ship for big family hauling, I'd get the Panamera, with a manual transmission (impossible now, I know) . It would be more fun to drive than the big things and still able to move peeps about. (along with small project stuff). Do not get a 911 if one of your kids will be driving it. My son roasted the tires off our Matrix XRS 2 times. Only advantage was that he taught all his friends how to drive a manual.(what advantage is that?) Get the 911 for when they are on their own or have their own wheels. Good luck!!

Pano Turbo S is a beast on the track and on the street. GTS version with PSE is not far behind. Both should peg your fun meter.

If I could have just 1 Porsche, it would be the most expensive 911 on the floor but, not having all that much $, I'm happy (for now) w/my 996 although I am thinking about selling it or trading it for something else, including but not limited to a 996TT and Panamera.

If money wasn't an option, I'd want a Gunther 993 or a Singer. To be fair I've only owned my 996 for 2 months and I've been deployed for 1.5 of that time.

It depends on how often you would need to take your kids along when your wife is already away with the Q7. Teens will not fit comfortably in the back of a 911. On the other hand, you already have a family car, so it makes sense to pick a "fun" car for yourself...

seems a lot of people didn't read the question. If you can only have 1 car, and it has to be a porsche, I'd have to go with a Cayenne Turbo. No, its not a sports car, nor is it anywhere close. But it looks nice, is fast, handles reasonably well for an SUV, and is practical. I've had 911s and a boxster for going on 12 years, but I've always had another practical car. As much as you can use a 911 for your only car, its going to require some sacrifice and the *** pain of having to borrow, rent, or otherwise obtain a larger vehicle when I need to carry anything bigger, dirty, etc is just not worth it. Furthermore, using a 911 as your only car is going to make it feel like a regular car pretty quick. 911 as a daily driver when you have a 2nd car for other tasks= hell yea porsche sports car as only car with kids/house/pets, etc....not worth the aggravation

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I get it now and that being said... Panamera Turbo Sport Turismo. I have a poor man's Cayenne, a VW Touareg TDI.

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Carrera GT of course! I did! it may not make practical sense but it's my answer and I'm sticking to it.

My personal preference is an early 80's 911SC. I love the style and refinement of them. And biased cause I had a 1980. My 996 is so far good and I like it, despite a less than 1 year relationship to date. For a modern P car, I would likely be going for a Taycan if the retirement funds allowed for it. With having the kids and such - look for a Cayenne. They can be awesome. Good luck. I do own a truck and would never consider it a 'must have' vehicle. I only have it cause it is better to haul 'dirty crap' than my Forester. jb

Porsche is not a one-car kind of car. There has to be something else.

I�m going through this right now. I sold my 944 and bought a Subaru to race on dirt. It�s a lot of fun! I have a 996 and 986 S both still. I didn�t want to destroy an M96 on the track, so I bought another inexpensive GM product for that. So that means my Miata and one Porsche will be going by the end of March. I�m going to keep the 986 S. I love having a convertible, and a 3.2 engine core is way less than a 3.4 engine core if things go wrong. So my 00 Guards Red full leather M030 996 will be for sale soon.

One car? I'd make it a new Cayman or a newish 911 variant depending on my budget. I would immediately divorce my wife and sell the teen kids to the Gypsies. Don't expect to get much money for them no matter how much you might love them. The market for buying and selling teens is not very vibrant. But you're not really asking about "one car" since, presumably you're gonna' keep your wife and your kids and you're wife already has a nice SUV with plenty of seats for the family. So, I think, the question is which Porsche would be a good choice to replace your A-8. Of course, the best person to answer that question is YOU, not people like me. But since you asked, I'll toss out some thoughts. Smart move would be to keep what you have but if you feel the urge to own a Porsche, buy something for YOU because that's what owning a Porsche is all about. DO NOT let your teen(s) share your Porsche. Teach them to drive it but make sure they know that it's Dad's car. Watch the move Risky Business and Ferris Buellers Day Off and be careful where you keep the spare keys. Then get an older car for a teen training car but not so old that it doesn't have air bags. I'd shoot for something inexpensive and I'd definitely buy something which is less than perfect. I'd let that be the training vehicle for the teens. I'd announce this plan well before they're old enough to drive and tell them they're expected to buy into this vehicle if they expect to drive when they're old enough. The amount they invest need not be large, but some kind of effort on their part to earn and save a bit of money which they put into a car will be a good idea. Just giving a teen a car, no matter how rich you are, is nearly always a bad idea and a horrible idea if you buy them a nice new car. If you give your teen kid a new Porsche, you should be arrested even if you're a successful rap artist. That pick up truck you mentioned might be a good choice, especially if you have a need for one. Ask for the kid's input on what vehicle to buy, but let them negotiate with you only to the level of their financial commitment. Spend some time explaining to your wife the wisdom of your plan and work out the parking logistics one way or another. I've got too many cars at the moment so next week I'm having a guy widen my driveway. Get together with the teens and teach them how to perform the basics on their car, like oil changes, brake jobs, and so on. Maybe buy some neat after market components and install them; stereo system, junk-yard seat swap, dent repair, fancy wheels and/or tires, etc. You get the idea. This will pay off in the future. I shared my Mom's cars before I left home and I was in the minority because as a teen I did NOT wreck a car, but I don't know why. For a few years I was a self-taught racing driver learning the limits of adhesion in Mom's car, one of which was a Corvair......... Yikes! Most parents can almost guarantee that one or more of their teens is going to have a significant wreck. Do you REALLY want that to happen to YOUR Porsche? Let them use/share the pick up truck or whatever kind of basic vehicle you choose and after a few years of responsible driving, you can decide (or not) to let them use your car for special occasions. So the question remains. What flavor of Porsche? If you use the back seats of your A-8, then a Panamera would be good. I own one and to tell you the truth, the driving experience is a little different from my Cayman, but just as enjoyable. The Panamera has a surprising amount of zip and outstanding handling, especially considering the size/weight. Still, it's not a real sports car (even though it nearly feels like one), so if you feel an urge for something sporty and if you can use your wife's car for family events, consider a Cayman or a 911 variant depending on how much money you can justify spending. Any Porsche is going to provide an improvement over the driving experience associated with your A-8. Any Porsche which isn't super exotic can make a good daily driver.

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I have been looking for Gypsies, but most want me to pay them to take the kids.

This is my stratedgy + no kids

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Here's a better image scan of the Porsche "instant freedom" ad for you.

Well, I am just selling one, but the 944/968 body can be a pretty practical daily driver that is also a lot of fun at the track. the 968 is especially robust and reliable and you can fit lots of stuff in the huge rear glass atrium. But I am starting to think about a 996 C4 as not my one and only Porsche, but rather a replacement to my normal everyday car which has been a 530ix 6spd manual sedan. Having only one kids and she's big enough to drive herself places, I'm trying to decide if I can give up two doors and a comfortable adult back seat. Given that there will still be other vehicles around to use when something bigger is really needed, I think a 996 might be a good change for me as a daily driver soon. But alas, which one? A C4S? A C4? Or should a Porsche not be 4WD - I've never had a four wheel drive P-car before. And then a cab or coupe. Coupes are always great, but with no rags tops in my garage, a cab is a thought. Back to the question: Just one Porsche - I would stick with my wonderful 968 race car. I hope I never have to part with it.

I picked it... this is the one... semi low mileage and a six speed manual... fun every time I drive the car

Beautiful car!

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You can have two! See my sig block, former 968 owner here, best handling car on the planet! I loved throwing that thing around on twisty mountain roads, what a blast!

Only 1? a newish GT3

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One that�s under factory warranty.

The one I've got

You already have your hauler, Get a Macan S or Turbo for your daily driver, You can enjoy the sports car feel, participate in PCA activities, and when you get the garage space, add a 997 or 991 to your stable.

I love my cayenne GTS, has been my DD for the last 4 years. Wife and kids love it too. My 996 C4S just got added, will be a project/toy.

Me 2 Me 2 , but for you...... I suggest the Cayenne S or Turbo for hauling those teens. You can haul Toys if required with it. (Boat, Ski Doo. Motorcycles, etc. Plenty of room for family trips, like College visits, Besides what teen or wife wouldn't want to be seen or diving that beast. If you never drove one, your missing the Porsche experience in a different flavor. Reasonable lifetime reliability if maintained like any P car. Depreciation set in on Great used ones. Reason of Car parking can be a pain with a DD 911 that doesn't get dedicated garage space.

Surprised nobody mentioned GT2 w/MT

Leaning towards the Macan GTS or Turbo - likely a 17 or 18. Maybe consider a '19 S model. Also may look at a '14 - '16 Pano GTS. Not 100% on the looks (maybe 80%) but very compelling in many ways.

That said, my heart says 996 C4S!

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My exact sentiments. My situation is similar as my wife has a Cayenne for her and our two kids when we travel as a family and I have a C4S for my daily + track occasions. The kids are now 12 and 14 so I removed the back seats and installed a roll bar. Of course only 1 can ride with me now but that is kind of nice for them and me. I chose an AWD Porsche so weather wouldn�t be an issue. I chuckle at the people who post so proudly �never driven in the rain�. I love driving mine in the rain. No regrets as it truly is the perfect compromise car, in my mind.

The 996 can be a good daily driver. Mine has been a half-time daily for almost 4 years. It is fairly easy to maintain and most common items are readily accessible. However, I've had my '84 928 for 12 years. For the first 8-9 years it was my daily driver. For my one car, it is hands down the best compromise of family car/GT/sports car etc. of any car I've had. I have twin daughters and could load up all their crap, and even a compact MacLaren Twin Triumph stroller for a weekend get-away when they were little. At the 24 hours of Daytona I can put the girls in the back seats, load up a full size cooler/food/etc. in the hatch, throw three travel bags in the passenger seat, and be good for a 3-day weekend. It has significantly more room than my 996 and still lets me drive a sports car without having to resort to driving an SUV. About 3 1/2 years ago I picked up the 996, and now I split driving duty between the two - usually one week in one, then one week in the other. I've done a fair number of track events and autocrosses with the 928. The 996 does handle better and feels lighter on its feet. But if I'm running out the door and just reach for a set of keys, its instinctively the 928 that gets picked. Its the only one that can do all these things with some grace and never break a sweat.

easy ......996 GT3

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The pictures are very cool! I recognize your car as we have been in the Rolex 24 Porsche parking paddock for at least the last 12 years. We went this year and froze our asses off. Typical Rolex weather. 2 days before it was 80. Last year the local PCA sponsored a benefit run at the track in October. $20 donation and we got to do 5 laps around the Speedway track. What a remarkable blast that was. We were not allowed on the high banks (did not want to do that anyway) but the blast up the track to the bus stop was incredible. Lots of fun there and good memories.