Buying a 911 - Page 3 - Porsche General - PistonHeads UK

There is a nice cheap 996C2 on PH classifieds today. For 993TTs, you could try Henry at www.911virgin.co.uk The guy can be a bit of a rude tosspot (vouched for by more than a few PHers) but has extremely cheap cars for sale. What is your budget and do you want warranties etc? Searching the porsche official site may be good for finding an AFN car, like Turbofree did. More expensive but more peace of mind maybe. Cheers Domster PS Glad HH got rid of your Speed Six.

Dom, It's www.911virgin.com - you can't imagine what Google gives back when you type in 911 virgin - basically a load of stuff about Dickie Branson and a load of filth sites

Greg - now why did you type that into google...

My budget is around £50K (will go up a bit for 993). Warranty is required and finance (although this can be arranged separatley). I want something that is at least 3 yrs old so that the depreciation is not as severe as my cerb has just been. The other key point is running costs, how do they vary?

I recently bought my 968CS from Henry at 911virgin . He is quite a character and probably rubs a few people up the wrong way. But, he's straight-talking, very knowledgeable about all things Porsche and (in my opinion) as about as honest as you can get for a second hand car dealer.

Errr, I wouldn't necessarily second the honesty comment, he was very cagey about some things I quizzed him about. He is pretty knowledgable and very straight talking though. For a 50k budget i would search on the porsche gb website, especially as porsche finance is quite good apparently Sorry about the 911 virgin mix up - but it gave Greg an opportunity to trawl for filth, so no harm done eh?

I agree, Henry's Porkers are cheap for a reason, and it's not cos he's doing his bit for charidee!! If you're bored one Sat morning and feel like being treated like a half brained f**kwit then I'd highly recommend a trip down there. If you want to be treated with the respect you deserve when you have £50k in your pocket to spend on a piece of Pork then don't go anywhere near Iver. His cars are cheap I'll agree and if you are happy to make up your own mind on whether it's a good buy (without listening to those years of well educated car salesman bullshite) then you could get yourself a great deal BUT I don't happen to agree with his style and would happily pay the same money (or less) and but privatly from a nice chap who'll make you a cuppa and get his missus to clean your shoes while you chat. I'm not prepared to give details but know a funny storey to prove that his cars are 'not' all he'd have you believe....... He'd hate me saying this here, probably try to sue me for slander but he's treated me like shit enough times so if you're listening H - tough poo matey.

Come on, spill the beans! You can put allegedly every other word if it helps.

Domster knows the storey and studied law at uni so is in a better position to divulge if he feels this is fine I guess this is nothing more than every other second hand car salesman but just underlined the attitude I detest.

I also went to look there when looking for a 3.2 Carrera and was told that for my budget there was 'No way I'd ever get a half decent example'....although he did have some *stunning* SCs that I should seriously consider. Drove straight to another garage and got one of the best examples of a 3.2 I've ever seen and saved £500 from my budget too. Just the kind of shite spiel that works on the uneducated Porsche driver which pisses me off. There's enough pitfalls to car ownership without every t**t trying to pull a fast one over you.

Yeah, we can't slag off people here or tell stories about them - otherwise Ted will get into trouble. But basically, in Scottster's opinion, and mine, Henry is not one of the better dealers we've dealt with.

To say the least.

I went to see him once and he seemed ok to me. After buying a car elsewhere I phoned him for some advice, which he quite happily gave me. I have never had to deal with him though. If you want to start naming names there is an outfit on the A1/41 in Mill Hill......................... Danny

Yeah, we'd better stop there. Contact myself or Scottster off list if you want a personal opinion on Henry, otherwise let's just praise the good guys, and go on recommendations!

Try www.porsche-classified.co.uk/independ.htm for a list of Porsche used car dealer websites

I have bought a few Porsches from Cridfords of Surrey, despite living 400 miles away from them. They are very honest pleasant and well mannered !! They only sell correct cars and have been doing so for a long time. I would thoroughly recommend them. The guy who owns Cridfords is Jonathan Leech. Jonathan is a "proper person" who knows Porsches and exists by selling good cars at the right money. I have put a number of people in his direction over the years and every one of them has been well happy with the car, the price and the help and courtesy shown to them. They can be found on cridfords.co.uk. If he does not have what you want he will find the right car for you. >> Edited by RUF 3 on Saturday 10th August 09:10

thanks for the sites

ERM ... He is an absolute idiot ... I cant believe some of you think he's a "Straight Talker" or "Down the line" I went up there not having had no fore warning about him (a virgin)to view and possibly buy a turbo that he advertised on their site.He tried to sell me a pile of crap, I asked a few simple, what I though were important questions regarding the cars performance (lack of), servicing (No service history, even though it was advertised as having) , clutch that needed to be depressed by hydraulic jack (so stiff) etc .. I have never been spoken to so condescendingly by anyone trying to catch me for a coupla grand, Hell if you are going to try rip someone off at least have the decency to speak to them with a little respect! Hell, I got a better car (unfortunately not a Turbo , I never knew about this forum then!) for a load less ... Ok, I'm done! I feel so much better!

Mate a 996 Carrera vs a 993 turb is realy no comparison in any respect. 993t is realy quick and for £50k you could get a ruf turbo r with a genuine 500bhp and they are very very quick. A standard one rhd should be low £40k ish. A 996 Carrera can be had for well under £30k if you want an early one and even like £26k if you can cope with driving on the left. If you like characterful cars forget the standard 996 it might as well have a BMW (non M)or Merc badge on it, unless you can strech to a 996 GT3 - avail for mid £50k lhd, forget 996 and get a sweet 993t well actually i prefer 993 RS's but yes less grunt but sooooo nice but untracked and sweet ones are rare as hell.. The Iguana.

I presume you are talking about our mate Henry, Richard. The reason he is so rude is that I don't think he takes people for a couple of grand - probably half that - so he feels no reason to be charming! He cars are very cheap after all. For polite service with a smile, AFN are probably right on the nail. To be honest, I'd rather pay the extra to be treated like a human being, but you takes ya choice... Iguana - quite agree about Turbos and RSs. It's not about the power in the RSs - all about the handling. Very good fun.

Kris, My colleague has a really nice 993 T4 that he's going to be selling soon, (I've said this before but he has been waiting for his new 996 T4 and has just heard its coming in Nov) If you want details email me. Cheers, good luck.

Oh dear, looks like Henry doesn't have a very good reputation with you guys - perhaps I'm not such a good judge of character after all. Still, so far I am very pleased with the 968CS, but that didn't cost £50K. I think if I was spending that amount of money I probably would go to a more "recognised" dealer.

That last post by bgoodsell was actually me. I thought I'd changed my nickname, but my old one came back somehow....?

Hi barry, whatever name you're under today! We're genuinely glad you got good service from Henry - his prices are the lowest around and most of his cars are good, honest examples, I'm sure. You're probably a good enough judge of character - I have seen Henry be very pleasant, only to do something rude or arrogant at a later date. To be honest, his sidekick/brother Tom is the bigger problem. Think Henry minus the charisma, add the cockiness of youth, and you get the idea!

Craig Please let me know the details on your friends 993, thanks. Kris

Did anyone see Brian Burrow's reply to a letter by Henry in 911&PW? Quite a well structured put-down I thought.

Kris, couldnt email you so here goes (sorry everyone) 993 turbo4, met midnight blue with marble full leather, 1996 N, 41,000 miles, FPSH(main dealer), all extras, aircon, etc, 6 cd, tracker, porsche pa1000 alarm/immob, its absolutely immaculate and he'd sell it for £48,000 but might take a sensible offer. Cheers. >> Edited by craigw on Wednesday 14th August 13:27

Didn't see it - Basil, tell us what it was about. Sounds fun! Kris/craig - that 993tt sounds great.

Hi Kris, Just seen this thread so hope you don't mind another opinion. As an ex-Cerbyphile who passed over into the wonderful world of 911-dom a couple of years back, I can readily identify with your quandry. Given the Cerbera's tremendous speed, I really think the Turbo is your only option. Lightweight variations on the 911 theme can be quick and handle sublimely but none (even the 996 GT3) will deliver the head spinning accelerative thrust a la Cerbera. This I discovered for myself when assessing a range of alternatives when I made the switch. Frankly, the GT3 felt wonderful and sounded gorgeous but lacked anything like Blackpool's finest poke. The 993TT is the ultimate solution to this, however, with an improvement in handling that will leave you dribbling with joy. Buy one. After all, as EVO state in their listings, "Stupendous all weather super car." Good luck.

There was an article in said magazine about Brian Burrows 964 C4 Lightweight, which is one of 20 produced apparently. Brian doesn't use this car for obvious reasons but has it as one of his extensive Porsche collection. Henry wrote a letter to magazine slagging off Brian for not using the car as it was intended, and said that if Brian ever wanted to know what he was missing he could have a ride round a track in Henry's 964 RS. In Brian's reply he pointed out that many of his cars do get used, including the no fewer than 6 '73 RSs in his collection. The best bit was that Brian pointed out that he knows what it feels like to go round a track in a 964 RS as it is like going round in his 964 RSR only slower. The reply was a bit more extensive, but I thought this was a superb put down line. It made me

LOL - I remember Henry's original letter now. That is a good tack to take for the reply from Brain B. The 964RSR is a fantastic looking car, one of my favourite 911s, although the plain clothes look of the narrow bodied RS has grown on me. Bit more subtle, and less drag as Ruf will testify Cheers Domster

Craig - Thanks for that sounds interetsing. Any chance of emailing any pictures across to me? I also have to arrange finance so will check out how I can do this if I were to buy privatley. Derestictor - do you service your 993t through an OPC or a specialist? What are the running costs like? Cheers

I'm really keen on a late 80's or early 90's 911 (prefer the newer 993 version - who wouldn't ?), nice black or blue model probably. Budget maybe upto £22k depending on trade-in values and partners mood etc. Any advice on reputable dealers, spec, common problems etc. I'd prefer to buy private but fear getting landed with a lemon, so am veering towards specialist dealers, any thoughts ? Many thanks for any help you can give me

Nobody has mentioned Paragon yet, so I will. I bought a car from them recently (picked it up yesterday) and so far I have no complaints about the quality of the car or the service. They have a stock list with pictures at: www.paragon.gb.com I would be nervous about buying a car that would cost so much to repair privately. HPI checks don't necessarily reveal all outstanding finance on a car either. You might get lucky and save a load of money by buying privately. Then again, you might not get lucky.

911newbie - you need to narrow down your search. You have asked some very wide questions, with some extensive answers. 1) search/look backwards in this porsche forum for threads concerning the cars you may be after, these could range from 3.2 Carrera through to 964 and 993. 2) Decide whether you'd like LHD. Again, the arguments for and against have been debated at length previously on this forum. You can save about 30% if you can put up with a slight decrease in practicality. 3) The general rule is to buy the newest 911 you can, but this is muddied with the 911 - the older ones are worse cars, but often have more character. Decide whether you are a character or practicality person. 4) For your money, I would go for a LHD 993 C2 for 22k, no question. Only other ones to consider IMHO would be a LHD 964RS if you can stretch to 24k or a late 3.2 Carrera (1988-89)/964C2 in RHD if you need the steering wheel on the proper side. Look at dennigcars.com for model specs and evolution. You need to start narrowing the 911 question down... coupe, targa or cabrio? turbo or non-turbo? LHD or RHD? Try and drive a few, or at least have a look at a few at a Porsche gathering (PHers here often meet up). Cheers Domster

Steve I remember you from the TVRCC email list, you were a long term TVR'er weren't you? I am looking for a 993t or 996c2/4 as a replacement for my cerb. I know it is early days for you in the porker but i would love to hear your initial thoughts. Also, I have been talking to paragon. They seem pretty helpful, quite competitive and have some nice 996's that appeal to me. I am still in "make my mind up" mode between the 993 & 996 at the moment but paragon are on my list of potential suppliers. Cheers, Kris

For £22k you're only going to be able to get a LHD 993 but could get a RHD 964. If interested then I'd consider letting my 993 go for around that mark. It's a goodun with lots of nice bits (genuine RS front splitter and side skirts, 18" RS wheels, sports exhaust which sounds great, K&N, sports air box, clear/all red indicators, AmD tuned to 285bhp, new engine loom (look under this problem to why they need doing) etc etc) and is in Iris blue too (many think the nicest colour they came in!) with top spec (full marble leather, leather dash, electric seats, A/C etc) Drop me a mail off line if interested. 'Selling due to house purchase' - how many times have you seen that? But this time it's true.

Scottster - get an ad on the classified section, or Ted will whip your tiny arse... It is a nice one tho' (car not arse) - sounds lovely and very pretty it is too in iris metallic blue with light coloured leather trim. If it was a bit faster it would be as quick as my RS, but hey, can't have everything in one car

That's why I said mail me off line muppet boy!! If you want a race Colbeck bring it on, by the time my James Bond style oil slicks have come into action, your sorry aRSe will be in the ditch

Yes, for 10 years, ending yesterday. I was a member of the TVR email list before it even was a list! I was on the committee for a couple of years, developing the club web site, and I ran the Berks region for 3 years. So you could say I was an active club member. There is another thread here with my initial comments about the 993 - all positive so far. The reason for leaving TVR was nothing to do with reliability (almost no problems in 6 years with the last Griff), nor performance. The major part of it was that the TVRs have been weekend cars, but my annual mileage dropped to the point where running two cars didn't make much sense, so I was looking a car that I could drive 365 days a year. It had to have character, which is a rare commodity nowadays, and not so temperamental that it would be a pain in the arse in traffic. It absolutely had to be fun to drive quickly when conditions allowed. These factors are mostly contradictory in high performance cars, but the 993 manages all this and a compliant ride as well. The seat and driving position are superb (offset pedals aside, which you get used to almost immediately). It sounds pretty good too. It may not set off burglar alarms like the Griff did, but it sounds like no other. I can't comment on the 996 but I would recommend you try a 993 for size.

Steve Thanks for comments, enjoy! Cheers, Kris

Thanks for the advice Domster and Scottster. I really can't be bothered with a LHD and as my partner will drive it that's definately out. I also have come to the conclusion that the 993 is a way better bet than the 964 and I'll just have to save up the pennies for one. So I reckon its an early RHD 993 Carrera 2 coupe for me. Everyone I speak to reckons not to touch the targas as they all leak and the cabs are vunerable/noisy etc (have a MX5 right now). Cheers

The 993 targa shouldn't leak, as a competely different design of roof (ie sliding glasshouse, not removable panel). The C2 coupe is a wiser choice, though, as you have summised. Good luck with the search. Paragon always have a ton of RHD ones in. If you can stretch to 40k and don't want the missus to have a go, RSJ Sportscars have a nice LHD 25k mile polar silver 993 Turbo 4 in at the moment... Cheers Domster

Unfortunately choosing between a 993 and 996 isn't something I'll be having to do for a while but... personally I prefer the 993 as it's air cooled - more of a true porsche. Looks nicer too.

I read quite a few road test reports on 993s in general before I bought one. I didn't like the way the trademark 911 rear side window shape is missing. That and the notion that the roof is actually just a jumbo sized glass sunroof instead of the standard letterbox sized one that I have

After a few month at last my Cerbera S6 has been sold. Which nows means that I am in a position to buy the 911 replacement. I am still quite keen on the 996 C2/4 but have started to seriously consider a 993T4 which will be about the same money. Couple of questions, how do the costs of ownership differ between a 996 C2 & 993T4 (want UK spec RHD)? Second, what are the web sites for the best porsche dealers in the UK (not OPC)? I have found Paragon's site but does anyone know of any other good dealers who are likely to stock one of the models that I seek? Thanks, Kris >>> Edited by kris wood on Friday 9th August 13:32