Should I drive this 996?

When COVID hit, I sold my Tesla and got the car I had wanted since childhood, a 911 (well, a 996. The older ones were too expensive!) I took my time, found a nice one, and when I moved across the country, I had it shipped with me. My problem is that I don't usually drive it. Why? It's a low miles unit, and I usually only drive it on weekends or to events. I don't have a garage so it's stored at a storage unit and it's a hassle to get to/fro to use it. I always drive it gently until warmed up, which is usually at the point I've reached my destination! It's a convertible, perfect when it's nice, but here in NC we have at least 12 seasons, maybe more. I do have a hardtop on it as well. I still work from home so I just go to the gym, store, etc. On the weekends I'm usually using my truck for Home Depot runs. I guess what I'm asking is this. Given a 2001 C4 Cabriolet with 55k miles, how much of a hit is value going to take if it hits 75k. 100k? My son just got an E82 BMW 135i and this thing has 300hp stock, with almost double that easily available (N54 motor) and I wonder if I'd drive something like that more often. I ended up getting another Tesla (Model 3 Performance) a while back but sold it when I saw prices starting to tank. Love the speed, but it has no feel.

55k is hardly collectors miles. I'd drive that thing. Mine has 45k and I intend to drive it as much as I can (though it needs to be repaired first!). First, those cars are there to be driven. I don't think you get much enjoyment out of it being stowed. But you probably will if you drive it. Second, as a potential buyer, cars with too low a mileage make me wary: were they maintained well? What's going to break when I buy it and start actually driving it? Third, with your use case you've got plenty of time before you hit 100k, and by that time 100k will seem plenty acceptable for a 25+ years old car. As for the 135i, I drove a remapped 128i E82 with 270hp and found it completely boring. The turbos surely help though. But why would you drive that more than a 911? Plus, N54s don't exactly have a reputation for reliability (you might say they're BMW's M96 )

Drive it. The 996 is misunderstood. It's the ultimate 911. Some of you may disagree with me on this, but it's the ultimate because of its ubiquity and disposability. Notable exceptions notwithstanding, your garden variety 996 is unlikely to ever become a valuable collector car. They just made too many of them, something like 3x the number of 993s. They're cheap and they're going to stay cheap. So why does that make it the ultimate 911? Because it's the only 911 variant a normal guy can drive and enjoy as it was meant to be used. Meaning, put gas in the thing, throw the kids and the dog in it, and put the pedal down. It's got an alarm, put the hardtop on it and park it on the street. The dash is going to get scratched up, seats are going to wear, who cares. Is yours too nice to use that way? Sell it and buy one you don't care about so much. Cabs are all over the place. I daily drove a 968 for a couple years, I put some miles on that car but man was it fun. 996 is an even weirder and amazing car, with more character, its easier to get parts and even easier to be price and wear insensitive. JMO.

Drive the car (or give it to me, and I'll drive it.)

OK, so you got the dream car you always wanted. Now you need to rearrange your life so you can drive it past the gym and into some twisty NC roads. You are only here once. I can assure you that if you died while your car was in storage and you looked down from heaven, you would seriously regret it. Your car isn't going to lose any value as long as you maintain it, so get your life in gear and drive that car!

Quotes source post: 19254410

It sounds a bit like me, I also have a cab. I don't drive much, I either work at home detailing cars or at my part-time job a mile away. I also have 55k miles on mine and I don't consider that collector's mileage but it's not high mileage. I have a 03 Cobra that realistically has close to double the power but more than double the squeaks and rattles. Porsches can be used every day and I think that is what is great about them, just wish I had somewhere to go. I told myself this is it, after 5 years if I don't use it more regularly I am selling it. It's a great car that still feels solid over 20 years later, no reason not to drive it.

Did you buy it just to resell it or did you buy it to drive it? Drive the Damn thing.

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Now this is good advice. I've been here almost 3 years and have yet to see the Blue Ridge parkway or any of these roads I've heard about for years.

Quotes source post: 19254410

I have to ask did you buy it thinking it was an investment? I dont know who buys a 996 and thinks is it going to take a value hit, honestly most are freaking out about the IMS and other "FEAR items" owning a 996. I had a air cooled 911 and sold that a while ago, took me a minute to get back into the 911 and 3 months ago sold my SUV and ended up buying a 04 Targa and I cant stop driving it, but its also my daily drive. I mostly work from home as well and take drives to the gym as well and have to drive it around until it gets warmed up past the 190+ notch, the extra miles I put on my 996 are mostly from warming it up and I dont mind, because the feel and sound of this 996 is it. Plus everyone looks at it as if its a newer 911 and the waves from 911s, 993s, 996ers and some 991s are just acknowledge as we share the passion of Porsche. I cant driving the car and sometimes I need to say it needs a break and so do you lol

My opinion is if you're actually worried about losing a couple thousand dollars you should just sell the car. If not, keep it and enjoy it. You can't take it with you.

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No, not as an investment. But I saw prices of 993s hitting the stratosphere and thought "it's now or never." Having grown up with not a lot, I also have a problem getting nice things and when I get them, I tend to set them aside, because you know, they are nice I did my research and had a PPI (which sucked) then had another, then did my own to be sure this was the one. I've already done clutch+RMS+IMS+AOS so that's not an issue, and I know there is no bore scoring. I guess I'll try to use it more and see how it feels.

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993 is the last of the aircooled, those that waited to get them back in the day like myself are kicking ourselves....Lets hope the 996 gets that way since I plan on keeping mine

Why not just take a day off every once in a while, plot a trip with some nice roads and just drive? A few of my cars are primarily A-to-A and that�s totally fine. You don�t always need a destination!

You don�t know the next owner of your car! Why deny yourself the pleasure of driving yours as much as you can in order for a stranger to have a pristine car?😂

As some have said 55K miles is not collectible territory. Cabs are not exactly the top price getters either. Put the top down and drive it. Get it fully warmed up, at least 1/2 hour, each drive. Make sure to something that makes you smile each time you're on a drive! Keep up with maintenance. Change the oil every 6 months or 5K miles whichever comes first. That's what I do. I'm at 117K miles, just added 1,000 driving from PA to GA including some awesome roads in NC and TN. I'll repeat the drive in a few days.

Is it really your �dream car�? If it were, you would likely drive it more. If you are not emotionally compelled to drive it then buy something g that does move you. No wrong answers here.

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It was. But I like lots of cars and can probably have as much fun in a 500 Abarth as in a 996. I've started dailying it for now to see how it feels and hardwired the Uniden R7, might add carplay too (fully reversible of couse!) And I need to find some of those good local roads. Thanks for the feedback all.

Get out to Asheville dude! There's so many good roads in your area!

They were meant to be driven, not looked at. I got my 996 4s in 2019 with only 21.7k miles on it and it now sits at 67.7k miles. I feel as if I liberated the car's soul, it surely did mine. The driving experience is so awesome that I added an 09 4s in 2020 and have put 33k miles on that one.

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Supposedly true story from the wayback machine that is my brain. Dr. Ferdinand Porsche toured the Harrah Museum (back when there was one) and when he came out a reporter asked him, "Dr. Porsche, what do you think about there being no Porsches in the museum?" to which the good doctor replied, "I did not expect to see any. Porsches are made to be driven!"

Imma gonna drive mine until it blows up, or I do.

Another vote for the 100,000 mi plus club. The sooner you get there the better. Remember to recognize the smiles per mile value.

Just an update that I've been driving the car and just did a 1000+ mile road trip with my son over Tail of the Dragon, Suches Loop and other southern roads where it turned 60k

That's the spirit! Drive it until the M96 blows up the wheels fall off

I too just got a 2002 Cab. 92k miles. Ive always wanted one and saw it sitting on the lot here and said F it and got it. I havent stopped driving it since. The PO put 3k miles in 6 years! Ive put close to 1k in a month... I just love getting up in the morning and driving it wherever... no XM radio , dont care... I just love taking the top down and driving . in the winter here in Wyo I will drive wherever I can... no snow of course but it does come with a hard top. ill probably upgrade or replace suspension as needed and as I can afford. I do have a 12 Cayenne that I love... but this is a completely different car to drive. I plan to drive it from Casper to Victoria BC next month if I can

Agree with many who said drive it! I rode a motorcycle for fun for 26 years and never got hurt on one. That is to put it mildly, "unusual." Sold it and bought a 996 for cheap, knew it needed some work and have done that. Now I just drive it and enjoy it, top down it gives me nearly everything the bike did, almost. What I love about the platform is it's tractability, analog feel, sheer willingness to please. Porsche itself says drive it, Do Not baby it, rev it out, learn it's limits and yours. I can tell you it is a worthwhile pursuit! I live in California, many great drives available, the Pacific Coast Highway, Eastern Scenic Byway, Route 66, Avenue of the Giants, etc.. But while riding a bike I have rode through NC on the Blueridge Parkway, into Tennessee for amazing barbeque, through Arizona on Route 66, Colorado and the Million Dollar Highway, Montana, Wyoming, South Carolina, etc.. The point is, Enjoy The Ride! Your 996 is an incredibly capable car, IF you let it be and learn to drive it. If you do, you will understand, and likely never sell it.

I take may 103,000 mile daily driver to the track. Autocross is fun and pretty low stress. You get real good at changing wheels and pads real fast. Catching people’s funny looks when I drop groceries in the frunk is always amusing. Drive it and love on it!

Simple solution buy 2, keep one as a collector, just in case, and drive the hell out of the other, as an owner of four of them not sure what my plan is 😀 Rich

7k+ daily driving 10 months later and now 110+ weather in AZ and I still cant stop driving it. Its been a champ and so much fun....It needs some suspension work and a new clutch and while you are there stuff but all in good time (soon) ....The 996 was meant to be driven

Your mileage is similar to mine. I just try to split the difference between driving it all the time like I want to and keeping it nice. I got mine in 2020 with 37K miles. Did 7K-9K miles/year the first 3 years and that was with working from home and my Subaru as a DD. It's at 67K miles now and I shoot for 5-6K miles/year. I drive it to the gym or errands on weekends, maybe 1 or 2 trips to work in a week. I take it to Vegas (that trip alone is 600-700 miles), I do some autocrosses and a few track events as I want to learn to drive it well. I want to enjoy it but I also want to keep it nice and under 100K miles for a while. I agree these aren't going to be collector's cars in our lifetime and they will always be cheaper than other 911s. But 10 or 20 years from now I think the well cared for MT coupes will be sought after.

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Ha! You�re perfectly fine. Plan? You don�t need no stinking plan!

I went from daily driving a highly modified BMW 135i to my 996 back in 2017. I decided to keep both. After several months of just sitting in the driveway, I sold the 135i. The 320hp 996 was much more fun than 450+ hp 135i. Now the 996 is closer to the 135i HP and it's even more fun.

Quotes source post: 19552892

Funny, my son drove his modified 135i on the trip and it's way, way faster than the 996 but I'm sticking with the latter for now. I may get a 135i to play with in the future though.

Yes, my 135i was faster, but the 996 is more fun. It’s even more fun now with the new motor. The N54 is a great motor that is easy to mod for lots more power. But the constant electrical issues prompted me to buy the 996. I think about getting another 135i occasionally, and then remember all of the issues I had. The 135i was towed home 6 times in 2 years of ownership. Three times on a freeway it died while driving and failed to restart. I got tired of weird electrical issues.