Which one of these cars should I buy?

I am a 22 year old college student and searching for a car around 20k. I live in Massachusetts where it snows. What car should I buy out of these 2. http://www.choiceautocenter.com/2003..._251162398.veh http://www.choiceautocenter.com/2004..._253868611.veh

This thread should be fun. Lots of helpful tips coming your way.

If you are going to law-school definitely get the 996.

oh btw, you are about to never ever buy a Porsche. Once this thread is done....

Frankly, you don't sound like you can afford either of these cars. The annual upkeep is probably going to be beyond you.

A Honda S2000 or Subaru WRX/STI

Neither. But the Mercedes is by far the worst decision out of the two.

I'm only going to be driving 5k miles a year. Why can't I buy one of these ? Is it because of the snow, expensive repairs, and car insurance?

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I second the above. The S2000 will be dirt cheap to maintain if you find a clean unabused one and it will also hold value well.

When I was 22 I had a VW Beetle. What's wrong with this picture?

Well if you have to get a Porsche or Mercedes, what about a SUV? Maybe buy a Camry too, so when your Porsche/Mercedes is broke down you have something to drive. -Jason

What does mom say? I'd go with that, since she writes the check.

Your about to make one of the worst financial decisions of your life. Good luck!

Buy the one you like and buy a good set of proper winter tires. Save up some money for maintenance.

The Porsche is easier to park, gets better gas mileage, has idiosyncrasies that'll tamp down your roommates' Requests To Borrow, and has a more passionate secondary market when comes the time to sell it / part it out.

Buy a Toyota...any Toyota...

No sure why everybody is dissing the Porsche. Is it because of the horse power factor? The ability to quickly wrap it around a tree? He could survive with very little maintenance bills on a 996, change the oil and go. If everybody is saying "do not buy it" because you are afraid he will kill himself in it trying to be cool, I get it and agree. But as far as I am concerned, these 996's are super practical and cheap to maintain if you choose to maintain it at all. Do what most college kids and change the oil once a year and have fun. That said, the Benz will haul more frat buddies :-).

Not dissing the 996. The old adage, "Cheap to buy, expensive to maintain" always comes to mind. Not sure what financial situation the OP is in, but if he is independent, paying his own tuition and living on his dime...a very tight dime, I would tell him to get something more practical. Every non DIY repair on my 996 was expensive. $250 oil changes at 5,000 miles vs $40 at Jiffy Lube year is just the start. And then there are the big things. If the OP has the means, then go for it. If he is scrambling to buy books next semester then the Porsche can wait. Besides, he will get more tail with bottle service at his favorite night club. After all, you can't take the Porsche into the bar.

I'd get the benz personally. That engine is rock solid according to my BMW/MB guy. I'd PPI either car first though, with that much mileage on each, you could be due for quite a bit of maintenance.

Oh come on! The correct answer to any "Which of the two should I choose" question is always: "The one with the biggest ****." And, oh, "I live in Massachusetts"? No, I think you really live in Houston, Texas, now don't you?

Comes to the 996 boards and asks if he should buy an AMG? Grabs popcorn and sits back to watch

I'd suggest you buy the one that makes you smile after a long ride in each. Are you a college senior?

I currently have a MB so I'm use to synthetic oil changes and extra little costs. I was just seeing if you can drive it with light snow and if the miles on this particular model is considered a lot.

Also what do you think of the price that 911 has been at the dealer for 10 months do you think I can get it for 20k flat? I plan to pay it in cash so I don't have any payments.

Apples to oranges. I had an '03 E-Class, gave it to my son a few months ago. 130K on it, looks and runs like the day it was new, no rattles, squeaks, leaks, nada. However I always maintained an extended warranty on it and they replaced more than twice their cost in expensive repairs which I'm thankful I didn't have to pay for. Mine was the V6 though, which are legendary for going 300K miles. No idea about the AMG. Or how that one was maintained or thrashed around. Also until '06 (or maybe '05) the E's had a brake-by-wire system which is horrendously expensive to repair if something goes wrong. But the 5-sp automatic in the early years are, according to my indie, more reliable than the 7-sp ones in the later years. The other strong advantage to the Merc for a college student is it seats 5 easily. With the Porsche the rear seats are really not usable for adults, it's basically a 2-passenger car. The Porsche you're looking at is a cab, and the top and mechanism are added expenses if something happens to them. It's also a tip (automatic) which is much less fun to drive and much harder to resell. And it has fairly low miles on an engine with some known risks. Both cars are RWD so neither are outstanding in winter weather. I can think of dozens of cars I would recommend for a college student, and neither of those would make the list.

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I'm so not the do-as-I-do-not-as-I-say because right out of college I bought my dream car - a 15 year-old 1966 Corvette - and not the car my parents thought a broke, June-grad engineer, should. After replacing wheel bearings, a shorted engine harness, wiper motor that only worked when it wasn't raining, a tach that always read 0 RPM and so on, it turned out they were correct. I sold it within a year and bought a newer car with warranty. So... I recommend to do as my parents suggested, get a newer car and then buy the Porsche when you can afford to have it as a second car. Hindsight is 20/20. Best of luck to you.

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Neither : 1. Do you have 20000 cash or are you planning on financing? 2. If you're financing, $12000 the most a certified Corolla will get you from A-B, affordable insurance, cheap maintenance and extremely reliable. 3. If you still want German go with a Mercedes Diesel, E class if you can find one in decent shape.

Maybe you can be the guy who can learn from other's mistakes. Right out of college I bought my dream car - a 15 year-old 1966 Corvette - and not the car my parents thought a broke, June-grad engineer, should. After replacing wheel bearings, a shorted engine harness, wiper motor that only worked when it wasn't raining, a tach that always read 0 RPM and so on, it turned out they were correct. I sold it within a year and bought a newer car with warranty. So... I recommend to do as my parents suggested, get a newer car and then buy the Porsche when you can afford to have it as a second car. Hindsight is 20/20. Best of luck to you.

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Well, do you want at Sports car or a Grand Touring car?

You need this one.

Or as Connery put it... photo509.jpg

Buy a Jetta or gti (or Subaru wrx) and forget 13 year old cars. I lease a 2015 Jetta sport 1.8t for commuting to work and own a 2002 996tt. These cars are expensive to own (on a college student budget) you may need to drop $2-3k to get it right after purchasing it. At that age and mileage all the accessories will begin failing. They aren't the greatest winter cars unless properly set up with winter tires. You will thrash the full leather interior as a daily driver (especially in the winter) Finally it costs me $23 to fill up the Jetta and I get 36 mpg where as I get 15 mpg in the 996. Good luck.

I'm not much older than you, 29 right now, I bought my 2004 996 C4S cab this year. My previous car was a 2008 S550 and before that a 2011 Scion TC, and a Subaru Outback (That I drove through university). You have to consider a lot of options. The MB was great, lost ****loads of money on it though. The maintenance is similar to the Porsche in terms of pricing so you're used to that, however think of the little things. Brakes cost an arm and a leg.. Oil changes aren't bad since the intervals are a little longer than a standard car, but you're still paying over double every visit. My Scion cost me 75 bucks from the dealer (That's Canadian, for a synthetic oil change) and gas mileage was on point. its hard to provide advice without a background on your financial situation, but being completely honestly, unless you have a good solid job, then buying one of those cars is probably not your best bet. You can always get something cheaper and reliable for a couple years, then dive in when your ready, financially. Think about plans to buy a house/apartment etc. right now as that's really where you'll have fun at your age. Hope that helps a bit... small sacrifice now will mean for better decisions and results in the long term... Probably not what you hoped to hear, like most of the recommendations on here, but they come from experience, it would be wise to pay attention to others mistakes.. but then again.. you're only 22 once...

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Are you really only averaging 15 MPG? I'm at 21.5MPG right now......

You asked for our advice, and I would suggest you listen to us. Don't buy either of these cars right now. There are lots of better, and fun, car choices for you at this point in your life. that will leave you with funds for other things. Sounds like you might have the resources (parental or your own) but even so you need, at this point in your life, to start getting your priorities in order. You couldn't tell me anything at your age, but I was lucky enough to have an uncle who I respected that convinced me that having it all in my 20's might not be the best life plan. I'm glad I listened. I almost bought a '75 911 when my son was only 2. I could have afforded the payments, but couldn't afford to have ANYTHING go wrong for awhile. I wanted that car [B]AD, but I'm so glad I passed. If you're determined, I'd say get the Porsche. But do your homework first. Even if a 996 is your destiny, find the right one. It DOES make a difference. Good luck!

I hate to read too much into these posts with so little info. The OP volunteered his age and the fact he was a college student. Those tidbits of info make me think about what would have been best for my boys. I sold my oldest my old Jag S-type for crying out loud. I felt so bad about his many trips to the dealer, I picked up the service tabs out of pure guilt. With $20k in the bank I am going to assume college is paid for and no student debt. So not to discriminate against his age, nor make any further assumptions about his financial stability and wherewithal to own a 996, I will attempt to answer to his main question... Can you drive a 996 in the snow? I'm from Scottsdale, AZ...how the hell would I know?

Yes, around town I drop to 15 and about 17 on the hwy. If I try really hard I may be able to hit 20 on the hwy on a long trip in 6th gear. The tt is a pig.

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14.3 here You gotta show your 3rd gear some more love

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In snow the 996 won't really be all that great, and it's a automatic... I'd pass, and the other car doesn't really interest me that much. If you want a all season car take a look at some 996 C4 with higher miles. They can still be affordable, can be dependable, and would be a lot of fun.

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I'm at around 15 in stop and go city driving, on the hiway it's mid 20's. Also going through a clutch at the moment, these cards do not like stop and go freeway driving every work day.

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There is a ton of excellent advice in this thread but another thing to consider is not throwing all your cash into a car that depreciates. If I were in your shoes, I'd be looking to invest around half of that or hang on to it for a down payment on a home or investment property out of college. I know that I wish I'd saved some of the money I wasted in college on car related stuff. +1 on #3 above. I have an 05 E320 CDI (W211, same as your AMG linked) that I put 150 miles a day on. The SBC is a known concern on an W211, but can be done for $1500ish so as long as its budgeted for, its not a deal breaker in my opinion. Mines currently got 112k on it and I'm hoping with all my highway driving the first one will last until around 200k. I see a lot of these being done in the 90-130k range though. I'd stay away from the W210 chassis, especially up north due to the rust they always develop. Good luck with whichever way you decide to go.

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Yes and no. Depends really on the job they are going to get later. Plus, putting money into a car such as a 996 would be a great investment in "fun" and that has to count for something. That and unless wrapped around a tree, and barring any major changes in gas prices, these cars should hold some value in 5 years.

Few of life's lessons are free. A few thousand dollars of loss (maintenance or depreciation) at that point will not really hurt you in the long run. Leave yourself a cushion or you will be constantly trying to catch up financially. You might do the maintence yourself, learning along the way. Could be a lemon...just more stuff to take apart and figure out. Used parts are plentiful in the age of the internet and eBay. You might get a few speeding tickets....another lesson. Go in the ditch during a snowstorm...great memories of your friends pushing you out or overcoming mother nature with the help of a stranger. Life's short...my favorite piece of advice: most decisions can be undone. Where's the enjoyment in a Camry?

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Agreed, that was part of the reason I didn't mention/don't regret spending the money at the bar that I did in college. That was worth about every penny I spent. Also hear you on the depreciating less than some other vehicles, that was a factor when I purchased my diesel MB a year ago. Over the 60k miles/year I put on it I feel that it will lose less value than an eco-job from Japan. Plus I'm a diesel enthusiast and would rather spend 2-3 hours a day in a comfortable German sedan than a plastic ecobox. Like you said, that has to count for something. I'm going through a similar exercise trying to figure out what I want for a non-DD. The 996 and 996tt are both on the list as well as the E55 and M3/M5, which attracted me to this thread. I'm a BMW guy at heart but have enjoyed the W211 MB. I'm thinking it might be time to try something new with the 996 however. That said, I have a lot more disposable income now than I did in college. While both of those cars would be on my dream list in college, I would likely not have pursued them. Often we find that the smart thing to do and the fun thing to do aren't the same thing. Finding the right balance of those two is the real challenge. FWIW OP, my W211 has been excellent in the Iowa winter with snow tires.

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I'm considering, once my current 996 is paid off, to get a really cheap high milage c4 to use around here in the winter. Doesn't have to look pretty, cylinders can be scored a little, just has to be solid enough to move forward, stop, go in reverse, and not totally break down. =)

Thanks for the advice. I currently have an e320 4matic w211. So it would be kind of foolish to spend 20k on an e55 that looks the same just because it's faster. I haven't had any problems with it since I bought it 4 years ago. It has 160k miles and is probably worth $5,000. Maybe I can just keep it as a winter car and drive the Porsche for warmer months. The problem might be that car insurance will be so high with those two cars. I found another 911 that is far less money. Why is this one so much cheaper? https://providence.craigslist.org/ctd/5346084130.html

This idea just sounds worse and worse. For a college kid to keep two high maintenance vehicles is just dumb. For you to keep a high maintenance, high insurance cost Porsche around for summer use just borders on stupidity. The wise choice would be to complete your education, get a solid job, then worry about "extras". Unfortunately wise choices are usually only learned from experience, something you don't have. Since your obviously going to ignore everything anyone posts here, I say just screw it. Buy the Porsche and live it up. At least given your young age, you wont stroke out when you get the insurance bill and repair bills.

Gotta agree with KK. If the cost of insurance is a concern, move along as you aren't in a position to deal with the inevitable stuff that will come up. While I don't buy into the paranoia about engine failure, but there is some risk. What is it going to do to you if you buy it and the engine eats itself? Are you in a financial position to spend $20k-ish on a car and have it turn into a $5k roller or need $10k+ of a new motor? They are good cars and can be a dream to own, but they come with risks and costs that the purchase price doesn't accurately reflect.

Get an insurance quote, figure out what it will cost. I'm paying the same rate for the turbo as I am my wife's Toyota! House/multi car discounts etc.

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Lmao jags

The MB would be the more "practical" choice but the Porsche more fun in the sun. That said of you are set on a German manufacter I would look at a ML or Q series SUV. Much more functional. I have had SUV's as my DD for over 20 years. Always good to have the versatility. Plus less chance of getting keyed or screwed with in parking lots in a SUV.

At 22 and in college, I would highly recommend something a bit more practical, like this car. Also, it will serve as a great pick-up line. Tell the girls you want to show them your wiener. .

When I was OP's age and in college, I was working 3 jobs and trying to keep my burgundy Tempo running...so it's difficult to craft a response that doesn't sound catty. However...at 22, you have 80ish years on your side. Since you're a student, figure out what 80 years of compound interest on 15k works out to, and see if it's worth driving a $5k beater for a few years...

At 22 I had a way more powerful than a 22 year old needs turbo RX7.

I'm sure by now the OP has dropped out of college to pursue his 996 ownership dream.