buying advice:manual or tiptronic?

Hi guys & girls after many years of nsx and ferrari ownership - I have seen the light! Problem is that there is just so many options to choose from, and i need some help. I am looking for a 996 coupe. Queestions: 1. is C4 worth the extra? 2. its going to be my everyday car - should I go for tiptronic, and if so what am i sacrifising? The thought of an automatic sports car seem sstrange to me. 3. what are the must have options on the car? 4. is it worth stretching the budget to a 2001 car? or is a 1999 just as good? Look forward to your replies

Hi ........ I had 3 tip boxsters and have just gone for early 996 manual, I like it but its only for weekends, if you are using in traffic the tip may be very useful. I fooled myself into thinking that the tip would be the same as paddle shift ...... its not, however I found it very good and nothing like an auto, did loads of track days with it and never had a problem, I guess you need to try both then decide. 3.4 or 2001 facelift 3.6 ? again try both, I drove the 3.6 back to back with mine recently and found it to be much stronger mid range, mine was however running a bit sick as I have since found out. If you have 3.6 money .... sports exhaust sports seats 18" carreras Same for 3.4, I like a sunroof but a lot dont. I wanted white or red got red in the end but had to travel far, sadly you may well end up colour wise with something of a compromise. Above all get a warranty that covers the RMS, and Im not being funny. At the moment the new NSX looks the best bet !! Paul

You will have to try them and see which best suits you. Two wheel drive C2 manual is the true Porsche driving experience but on our wet and very busy raods you may prefer a C4 Tip. I drove a 2000 C2 Cab and I must admit that there are many times when stuck in bumper-to-bumper traffic on the Mroads, i dream of having a tip. But then in open roads there is nothing like a manual and the driving experience of my C2. As for 1999 or 2001 well IMHO I would go for the latest model you can find at the money you want to spend. Keep in mind that warranty is absolute paramount.....I don't have any and like tispkj I am hurting bad. If you find something with extended warranty, ensure it covers the RMS. As tispkj said, no joking!

I've enjoyed 911s for 20 years. IMO the perfect 996 is a C2 Coupe with 6-spd gearbox and a few selected options (ie PMS Porsche Sports Exhaust, 18" wheels etc). The 3.6 'facelift' model is worthwhile if your budget will stretch to £45k + as it incorporates quite a few improvements, plus a bit more power and torque. Although there may appear to be a lot of cars around, take your time choosing exactly what you want. These are junior supercars, with superb performance and handling, yet as practical and reliable as a family hatchback.

I recently read in one of the mags that SatNav is also a must...

Make your car REAL and get it with a manual [ ]

yet as practical and reliable as a family hatchback. With a leaking main seal !!

with regards to prices, there seems to be a huge difference between what you could pay for a 2001 car from a private/non specialist dealer (around 38-39K) and what a main dealer wants -45K! Is it really worth paying the extra if say you are only going to keep the car for 2 years, or are you setting yourself up for a huge loss when it comes to selling?

OPC cars will always be the most expensive. They do tend to retail the better cars and they are required to prepare them to a high standard and provide a one year Porsche Approved warranty. Many people will pay a premium for this level of security. Having said that, I am sure that there are many excellent IPCs with equally good 996s. However the best buy could be through a private sale. You would need to find the right car, negotiate the right price, have it thoroughly inspected and take all the necessary precautions. 2001 MY is the 3.4. The 3.6 'facelift' was introduced in the 2002 MY (ie from Sept/Oct 01 onwards).

I have purchased 3 911's from an indpendant near Coventry and had very good cars with no issues, I think if you choose carefully and can find a good IPC who you trust then you will be ok. I would not pay the inflated price that OPC's want, but that is just my opinion. I have a Tiptronic and found it a blessing in M25 Traffic Jams and the like, but I do miss a manual sometimes. I think the 5 speed Tip is excellent though for fun when you put the car into 'manual' Mark

Like most of the others I believe its all down to personal taste and requirements - as I intended to use my car on an occasional daily commute basis I wanted a degree of comfort and civility - for out and out thrills and trackdays you can't beat a GT3 - however IMHO I found that although the GT3 is a cracking drive you need to be very/constantly alert when driving on the road in bad conditions - which can be fun but does get weary after a while - therefore I wanted a more subtle but nonetheless good all-round experience. As I didn't want to wait for a new car I started looking at the options and I believe for most conditions the C2 with PSM is a great compromise - sadly there were none with the other bits I wanted available at the time - so I went safe and bought a 3.4 C4 (where PSM is standard, but of course you can turn it off!) - when that one broke I looked for a later 3.6 C2/PSM but again went for a C4 which so far has met all my expectations. The mid-range punch of the 3.6 is much better than the 3.4 and of course you get a cup-holder!! I tried a few tiptronics and very nearly went for a C4S but in the end decided that I preferred stirring the cogs myself and I also favour the narrow body- again its all down to personal choice and friends who have got used to Tips won't go back. If I intended to use the car everyday in London traffic then, being lazy, I probably would have gone for a tip - but I've held onto a trusty old '93 BMW 540 Auto, thats lost all its value, to take out in city traffic and park without worries wherever I want. You really have to try as many combinations that you can and make your own mind up. Dave

UFO 1, as a good test / guide when you have found the car you want at either the OPC or other, give one of the wanted adds in the back ofthe sunday times a call making out you are selling the car you are about to buy, it's an eye opener to say the least and will give your instant true value of the car .................. then get the tissues out. Paul

Yes, I have already found that out with mine !!! £29K part ex, on forecourt for £34/35K, big box of tissues............ Mark

Just been looking at swapping cars, OPC expects to make between 5K and 10K per used sale!! so offered poor exchange value on mine[ ][ ]

Fine wine and Caviar!!! [:'(]

For the ammount of RMSs they will have to change on the used car I think £5k is about fair. If they end up having to replace the engine then they undercut themselves [ ]