Considering a 996 Cab- Talk me out of this

Hello All, I don't post as much as I used to but I need a quick opinion here. I am looking at a 99 Cab white with graphite gut and top (gray). Needs wheels and tires and front seat upholstery. Front bumper has paint work otherwise its clean. 55k and runs good, good clutch etc. No signs of leakage. I can get the car for around 24k but won't be able to go the PPI route as this is a bank car. (auction) I am not thrilled with the colors but think I can make a nice car out of it. I know its a gamble. I do most work myself so there is a little help on that end. It has memory seats, BOSE, that's all I noticed. Very unremarkable as far as options go. Go or no go? Seems cheap enough to make a gamble worth it?

Get a coupe.

Sure sounds cheap for a cab, but I guess it's an auction car. I would spend another $6-7k, get the color combo you want and a car with history that is well sorted.

I agree...buy a coup�. White is a tremendous colour for Porsches (it is a racing colour) but not for a cab, IMHO.

I saw an Glacier White/ Graphite Cab and thought the color combination was one of the best I've seen. As a motorcycle enthusiast and Cab driver, I'd say it sounds like an awsome deal. I'm sure any Cab driver would tell you the same, some people need a roof over their head all the time and don't like the open air feeling.

Cabs are nice :-) and the price is very good.

You can get a MINT BoxsterS for $25K nowadays. Much more reliable and better handling than a 99 Cab... Great slot car for the track.

If you want it, buy it. If you don't like it you can probably get your money out of it on the open market.

when there's a coupe/cabrio combo, the coupe will always look better than the cab. the boxster S looks better and drives better than the 911 cab, but it is not a 911 which is a huge problem.

It's correct that the Boxster S is a better handling car than the 996 Cab but only true if we speak about an average driver. In the hands of someone who knows how to drive a 911, the 996 Cab is a better handling car and much more fun to drive than a Boxster S. I guess generally spoken newer is better in terms of reliability but an equal old Boxster S should have the same quality pros and cons like a 996. My only issue with the Boxster is, I never know where the front end is. The car looks the same from both ends.

My vote.....

Unless it's a gorgeous day outside . To stay true to the thread... It's all personal choice. The car you are looking at sounds like something you'll have to spend time tinkering with. If that's the budget, and you have the time, go for it! I'd probably prefer a Boxter at that level. The handling is similar, and the extra power the 911 has isn't intoxicating. With the 911 cab, your paying for the brand, and extra 2-seats. PS: I needed the extra seats . thanks, Amir

mmm nope in the hands of a skilled driver a 986 3.2 BoxsterS will outhandle a skilled-driven 99 Cab as well...hard to hack off the roof on a sports car and not lose handling/rigidity. From the seats forward, it's basically an identical car to 99-01 Carrera, if you take a look at the part numbers they mostly start with 996. A very smart move in terms of profitabillity for Porsche. IMHO if they had just branded the BoxsterS as a Carrera Roadster they wouldn't have had to put smaller engines and inexplicably tall 1st gears in the either Boxster or Cayman. This type of marketing has worked well with Cayennes that run the gammut in price and power from $50K to $120+K. Porsche could have priced the "Carrera Roadster" at the low end and the plusher "Carrera Cab" at the high end. But the mid-engine question has always been a touchy subject at Porsche...they simply won't put allot of power behind it unless it comes with a $500k price tag. The results so far in FIA GT2, with the mid engine Ferrari F430's winning every race this season might become a problem if the once dominant rear egined Porsches can't pull out the 24H LeMans either.

"You can get a MINT BoxsterS for $25K nowadays. Much more reliable and better handling than a 99 Cab... Great slot car for the track." Oh, are you looking for a girls car??? My wife loves hers and 3 other women in the neighborhood drive them. Not necessarily more reliable, handling is subjective, 996 is more fun to drive fast and push thru the turns IMHO, had both for over 4 years, still do.

Best handling .... hmmmm .... which one has the highest cornering g-rating?

and my gay hair dresser Vincezno drives a 996 Cabriolet(tip)...so what??? anyhooters... statisically and according to Consumer Reports tracking by model year, the 2.7 and 3.2 Boxsters are indeed more reliable than the 99 Carreras or 96(Euro)-99 Boxsters. The Valmet Finland Boxster/S builds are perhaps the most realibale Porsches ever made. and whether driven by a girl or an insecure guy, in equally skilled hands, a 3.2 BoxsterS is quicker than a '99 Cabriolet. Anyone who spends even a little amount of time participating in grassroots motorsports will not disagree.

+1 If you really want a cab get a Boxster, It's a better convertable IMHO.

I find that spending a ton of time and patience "fixing" a car that is meant to be driven can lead to frustration and eventual hatrid of said car! Spend more and get more, I say. Also, with no history, a car with ripped seats and messed up rims couldn't have been taken care of by the PO. Just my opinion.

I love convertibles and needed the back seat. If I didn't need the backseat, it would have been tough to choose between the Boxster S and a 996. Needing the back seat made it simple for me. A white 996 Cab looks great and the price is right. Good luck with your decision.

Hey, who let that Boxster guy in on the 911 forum? Seriously, I used to work at a bank HQ, and I was talking once with our collections manager and I said "if you ever come across a nice car that I can buy for loan payoff, please let me know". He said it would never happen - cars that are repossessed are typically beat all to hell. What would you do if you stopped making payments? Would you treat the car well, continue to maintain it, wash it, pamper it? Or would you let your friends borrow it, flog the crap out of it, abuse it, and generally "get your money's worth" out of it before the repo man shows up? I'm not talking about the average Rennlister, I'm talking about the average consumer. I'd pass on this one. Wait for a nice cab that is what you want. Or even a Boxster, if that's your cup of tea. Michael ------------------------------------------- '02 cabriolet

You must have missed my signature. I've got the best of both worlds!

Hmmm, I agree that the 996 C2 is a good choice of the Porsche world but I'm not sure about the Tundra. Did I miss something?

Thanks all!! I passed on the car, I figured if the cosmetics were that bad, the maintenance would be sketchy as well I wound up buying a 98 993 Targa with 75k on it. Prices on all Porsches was insane today at the auction. The only weak candidates were 99 and 01 tiptronics, they seemed to do a little less money...otherwise they were all high. Here is an interesting observation....... For 996's....EBAY seems to be low wholesale pricing. All the 996's and 997's I saw today at the auction would have been cheaper on EBAY. Crazy but true. False market

Excellent choice!

I would take a 2000 Boxster S with 30k miles, in perfect shape way before I'd even TOUCH that PIECE OF CRAP!!! Seats need to be re-upholstered? Cmon now, don't be dumb!

I have a Cab and hardtop. It is like having the best of both worlds living in Michigan.....

was this at Manheim? I was planning a trip there to see what was doing for 996 TT's. Any CaymanS? By your pricing reports sounds like getting on flight to visit an Ebay seller is the way the to go vs. the auctions..who knew.