Interested in buying a 996. Advice appreciated!

I've long dreamt of owning a Porsche 911. I've finally graduated school and have enough savings and disposable income that, from the little research I've done, I could swing a 996. I can spend about $45,000 max (including initial repairs and maintenance off the bat). I've always heard get the newest you can. I'd like to make it a daily driver. I was initially worried about being able to drive it in wintry conditions (I live in Minnesota), but a search turned up this thread and this picture thread so it's clear Porsches can handle the snow and ice, especially with proper snow tires, and even more so if I get an AWD model. So how do you recommend I divide up the $45000? The IMS/RMS issues I've only read about briefly are a bit concerning, so I at least need to budget for some preventive work to be done. What can I get for that amount? I want to get the newest I can to minimize maintenance and repair costs. I can do oil, coolant, brakes, etc. myself (and I enjoy it), but I don't see myself dropping the engine or doing timing belts or water pumps. I want to get this car to keep, at least for 5-6 years or so, until my income balloons and I can afford a new one.

That amount of money should be enough to get a nice one C4 , at least in Spain

I'd by a $40k 911 turbo and spent the other $5k on a winter beater. You are not going to want to drive a nice car like a 911 in a nasty, salty Minnesota winter because 1. it will rust, and 2. if there's snow on the ground you will be scraping the front bumper/lip all the time and damage it.

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The only part of this post I agree with is the part about buying a turbo.

Your budget should enable you to find and purchase a newer 996, either a C2 or a C4. You are also near a turbo price as well. I don't advocate a CPO Porsche, however, that may allow you to own a Porsche without the concern of repair costs. You ought to be able to get a much newer 996 with your budget so...go out and drive a handful so you can narrow down your specific wants in your next 911. GL and keep us posted.

I know several folks who own 996/997s here in MI and there is a 50/50 split between those of us who store in winter and those who drive. Among those who drive in winter, I think most will tell you that a C4 is the "only" way to go. In fact two C2 drivers I know sold their cars to buy a C4 so they could use them year round. One claims it was the best safety decision he ever made -- he just couldn't do it with a C2, but many do. Also, you truly need to budget pure winter tires into your purchase plan. Forget about year-rounders. Also budget for the cardiologist visit you will need after your heart skips a few beats the first day in December when you look at the car after it has followed a salt truck down the highway for 10 miles. That really is a heartbreaker. I store my C2 - but if I wanted a year-round driver in MI, I would go with the newest model C4 I could afford.

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Yeah I think I have about decided on a C4. Since I want to drive it year round, I think the all wheel drive is necessary. They are good about clearing the roads but almost everyone here has at least front wheel drive and many have an AWD vehicle. So what price range should I look for in a 2003 C4? What about with a turbo? About how much of a premium does the CPO add? It might just be worth the peace of mind.... I don't have a lot of free time to handle unplanned car repairs. Thanks. You guys have already been very helpful.

Wise move to focus on a C4. One thing you might want to do is look at the CPO checklist. I think you'll find that it's not the most rigorous. You might get more from a good PPI. But I fully understand the idea of buying piece of mind. You can only get CPOs through a Porsche dealer, I believe. Cars.com literally has hundreds of C4s listed -- a great place to research price and variables. My guess is that mid-40s will get you a very nice 2003/04. The Porsche.com site allows you to search for used CPOs by make. 2 great places to start. As you would expect, you'll likely pay more at a Porsche dealer. Even for air.

You clearly can get into a 01-02 Turbo for that money and it is a great value. I started with a 03 C2 and bought the 03 Turbo and really like it. Good luck...

You could find a decent 01-02 Turbo in that range, search some more to find an 03, but IIRC there is a nice C4S FS here on RL (bjones?, actually zroadhouse, but he just posted it sold..)and there was another C4S FS here, car was in Cali. In the high 30's.(auto kennel). GL in your search, you may even find a nice Cab( w/ hardtop).

Do all turbos come with all wheel drive?

Yes it is. One thing to keep in mind is the insurance cost on a turbo vs non turbo. I found the turbo to be almost double hence my decision on a 2004 anniv.

For that kind of budget you are jumping to 997 territory. I have even seen some clean 997s' online for that range But if 996 is your choice go for a TT

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Yeah I was thinking this might be the case. I currently have a turbocharged VW and the insurance when it was newer used to eat me alive. And I was also under 25 then too, which didn't help. I think my bigger problem right now might be finding the right car, even after I've figured out what I want. Slim pickings for me, even within 200 miles. Might have to extend the radius to include Chicago.

To find the best car/price I searched the whole country. Was looking at C4S's due to the looks but found a anniv and living in socal it was perfect for me as I don't need all-wheel drive. It took about a month to find, talked with the owner for a bit (over a week) about the car/history. Had a PPI done and once that passed, flew over paid the man and drove it back 1000K miles. If it was on the other side of the country I probably would had it shipped. Point of the story - Take your time, do your due your diligence, and you will find the right one no matter where it is.

Fully agree. You need to go countrywide. Especially those of us who live in the MW, where per capita Porsche ownership is pretty low. Took me several months to find the car I wanted. But it was well worth it. The other thing is that you will learn a tremendous amount as you search. The car you thought you wanted at the beginning of the search may not be quite what you want/need by the time its over.

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I just (1 week ago) purchased an '03 C4 from a Porsche dealer in the Atlanta area........I'm now the 3rd owner......full service history......75k miles......5k miles on new tires......looks perfect from 3 feet away.....built-in $3k radar detector........$33k.

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Yes.(not the original 930).

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That sounds like a decent deal to me.

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I thought so. But the prices of these things seem to ba ll over the floor

With your $45K you can easily get a 2003 C4S, non-CPO plus if you want to (waste) spend the money like I did, get an aftermarket policy, plus a few extra tweaks if not already on the car (clear-bra) plus have money for the sales tax (if you live in a silly state with tax), and buy yourself a new radio and speakers and/or a nav system, and.... Bottom line is that it's great to have a bottom line of $45K if you want a pristine C4S '04 or '03, and you'll have cash left over, if you don't want the turbo.

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Great deal. Atlanta is a long way from me but it would be a fun road trip back no doubt. Thanks. I'm leaning towards getting a 2004, just because it's a little newer, and I want to keep this at least 6 years. I'm clearly going to have open the search up to most, if not all, of the US to find the right car. I'm in no rush though. Want to do this right. What are the repair records like on the 996? If I adequately maintain it, can I easily get 6 years out of one? Any big issues? I've read a little about the IMS/RMS issue that affects some.

I would be less concerned about repair records and more concerned about maintenance, parts, and repair costs. The cars you are looking at had MSRPs above $70,000... some going above $100,000. A drop of oil on your garage floor could end up costing several thousand dollars to eliminate (RMS, IMSB, valve cover, etc.) since there are numerous preventative repairs and updates to do "while you are in there"... If you want to drive a Porsche and you want to invest ~$45,000 do what the experts here are suggesting you do, i.e. spend less on the initial purchase and use your reserve cash to make the car your own.