question for porshe 911 enthusiasts?

[subtona]

decision time is still a year away... but inevitable none the less.

wtb a used porsche 911 (10-20 years old, new one is not possible)

criteria are these 2 points:

1)should be fit to be a Daily Driver (not that i drive that much.)
and
2)which model/year would be my best bet to be the most reliable, maintenance free and /or ease of maintenance of the choices.

if possible, essentially, i want to be able to drive the snot out of it and i don't want to deal with excessive service visits and costs.

in the tv series californiacation, david duchovny drives a 911 that is banged up and missing a headlight ... thats the kind of beating i expect to give the car, it may get that way after a few hours parked in the streets of nyc... but i would have the light fixed.

[bayerische]

I think a 993 is the best looking 911, and should be solid as a rock. Still air-cooled too! Early 996's have had a lot of troubles with the cooling. (water cooled)

[GoldenBear]

I have had my 1st 911 for just over a year, I love it. I look for excuses to drive places. I bet you could find a 10 year old garage queen for a very reasonable price. (Why people would own a sports car and NOT drive it is beyond me...). Good luck.

[Trewth]

Originally Posted by GoldenBear

I have had my 1st 911 for just over a year, I love it. I look for excuses to drive places. I bet you could find a 10 year old garage queen for a very reasonable price. (Why people would own a sports car and NOT drive it is beyond me...). Good luck.

I guess the same reason why people own watches and only wear them on rare occasions? If you got it like that and love a pristine car/watch..why not.
I am not fortunate to own a 911, but i used to collect shoes, Jordans to be exact, had them BNIB and filled up my closet, then 9/11 hit and us on the forum said "Let's wear them" why are we saving stuff that wont go with you when you die. So wear/drive it I say, it will not go with you when you leave this temporary place.

[subtona]

Originally Posted by bayerische

I think a 993 is the best looking 911, and should be solid as a rock. Still air-cooled too! Early 996's have had a lot of troubles with the cooling. (water cooled)

Originally Posted by GoldenBear

I have had my 1st 911 for just over a year, I love it. I look for excuses to drive places. I bet you could find a 10 year old garage queen for a very reasonable price. (Why people would own a sports car and NOT drive it is beyond me...). Good luck.

Originally Posted by Pix

Depends on air vs water cooled...good history and a ppi is a must. check out 6speed online and rennlist forums.

Originally Posted by lhanddds

Buy the newest you can afford. I've owned many models (82,89,95,99) but the water-cooled was the least problematic for me.

youve owned a good many of the range im looking at, does the water cooled versions create much more complicated servicing?

Originally Posted by Beek

993 all the way. The last real Porsche and best looking 911.

i have so much learning to do... 993 is essentially 911? they are not ALL air cooled?

Originally Posted by Trewth

I guess the same reason why people own watches and only wear them on rare occasions? If you got it like that and love a pristine car/watch..why not.
I am not fortunate to own a 911, but i used to collect shoes, Jordans to be exact, had them BNIB and filled up my closet, then 9/11 hit and us on the forum said "Let's wear them" why are we saving stuff that wont go with you when you die. So wear/drive it I say, it will not go with you when you leave this temporary place.

i agree, you cant take it with you!




cheers thanks all so much for the input, what else have you all found to be important?

[KJacques]

Originally Posted by bayerische

I think a 993 is the best looking 911, and should be solid as a rock. Still air-cooled too! Early 996's have had a lot of troubles with the cooling. (water cooled)

Are you speaking from experience or hearsay? I've owned every 911 version since the 911 SC and neither experienced any water cooling problems in the early 996 nor saw it in other cars. Any water cooled system in any car can have a problem, and all Porsche 911 versions have some issue or another and that includes every one of the air cooled versions. The 996 was no different but many of these are overblown myths. The 996 is a superb car.

[Swearengen]

Originally Posted by KJacques

Are you speaking from experience or hearsay? I've owned every 911 version since the 911 SC and neither experienced any water cooling problems in the early 996 nor saw it in other cars. Any water cooled system in any car can have a problem, and all Porsche 911 versions have some issue or another and that includes every one of the air cooled versions. The 996 was no different but many of these are overblown myths. The 996 is a superb car.

Porsche M96/M97 have a weakness regarding the IMS, this is well known. But still it is fairly rare now as a lot of the problem motors have been weeded out by natural slection

[Power Play]

Having wished for a 911 since I was a kid, I finally pulled the trigger on a 2006 Carerra Cab in pristine condition with only 8k miles. I paid about half of the original cost.

This car was a life-changing event. I couldn't wait to get up and drive to work in the thing. The sound of the engine on start-up, the feel of the clutch and shift lever, the unbelievable steering feedback, the smell of the leather dash and the ungodly beautiful rear fenders in the rear vew mirror were absolutely amazing. Cost of ownership was very moderate and there were no unexpected service visits in the two years I enjoyed this work of art.

IMHO, the 997 series, which began in 2005, is one of the best ever and is eminently driveable and enjoyable as a daily driver.

Unfortunately, the need to continuously carry big hockey bags meant that the 911 needed to be replaced by a new Cayenne S, but that's another story entirely.

I'm really glad I had the opportunity to own and enjoy such an amazing machine and such an icon of automotive history. I hope that you get the same....

[Pix]

Depends on air vs water cooled...good history and a ppi is a must. check out 6speed online and rennlist forums.

[lhanddds]

Buy the newest you can afford. I've owned many models (82,89,95,99) but the water-cooled was the least problematic for me.

[Beek]

993 all the way. The last real Porsche and best looking 911.

[conrail]

Originally Posted by Beek

993 all the way. The last real Porsche and best looking 911.

x2. Loved it in Bad Boys.

EDIT: Oops, just saw it was a 964 in Bad Boys - well close enough ;-) Still an awesome body style.

[Kingair]

Originally Posted by Beek

993 all the way. The last real Porsche and best looking 911.

Freek . . . only if it is a 4S . . .

No just kidding I love the 993.

BTW last trip I visited Magnus Walker . . . if you talk about the classic Porsche 911 . . .

http://magnuswalker911.blogspot.com

Or have a look here when he is together with Jay Leno

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=D9lAsSZNVnU

Need to visit him again for a drive around LA . . .

Belgian chocolats do miracles . . . .

HAGONe

[FiftyTwoEighty]

993 or 993 tt has been on my radar to add to my stable for the last decade. It has been mentioned, but check out rennlist, tons of great information.

SOOOO much fun on the track!

[Rsvrider]

993 is the best for what you want. Stay clear of the 996 ( horrible issues).
964 is the forgotten child but great little car, tons of upgrades over my next suggestion.
Classic look the '80s Carrera (84-89) no issues at all but they do require the valve clearance adjustment, not a big issue but later cars were free of this expense.
Earlier cars are very nice but CIS injection can be an issue and cost tons of money to sort.

Always make sure to doa PPI. Pelican Parts has a very good guide you can print. Don't skimp on it nd DO walk away from not desirable cars. There are plenty out there.
Other than the 993 TT S, the most desirable car is the 993 C2S. On the 964 look for the America version. As for the 911 there was a Cup version and a Club both very nice.
Most think the true 911 died the day water was introduced into the mix. I feel he same, nothing better than a true boxer engine.

[subtona]

Originally Posted by Rsvrider

993 is the best for what you want. Stay clear of the 996 ( horrible issues).
964 is the forgotten child but great little car, tons of upgrades over my next suggestion.
Classic look the '80s Carrera (84-89) no issues at all but they do require the valve clearance adjustment, not a big issue but later cars were free of this expense.
Earlier cars are very nice but CIS injection can be an issue and cost tons of money to sort.

Always make sure to do aPPI. Pelican Parts has a very good guide you can print. Don't skimp on it nd DO walk away from not desirable cars. There are plenty out there.
Other than the 993 TT S, the most desirable car is the 993 C2S. On the 964 look for the America version. As for the 911 there was a Cup version and a Club both very nice.
Most think the true 911 died the day water was introduced into the mix. I feel he same, nothing better than a true boxer engine.

a big fan of the classic lines, absolutely no whale tail (i like this car with a tiny ass), also a big fan of the beautiful round headlights, the slant nose style was not for me.

i am completely unfamiliar with 993 are there subtle differences from 911 or drastic?

"PPI" ?

i didn't know there was a liquid cooled version of the 911? what year did they make the change?

my bmw was a air cooled boxer motor, and as much as i am a huge fan of its balanced performance, i have come to dislike its lack of ability to handle a hot day in traffic.

Originally Posted by FiftyTwoEighty

993 or 993 tt has been on my radar to add to my stable for the last decade. It has been mentioned, but check out rennlist, tons of great information.

SOOOO much fun on the track!

thanks, i put rennlist on the to do list, not ready to dive into the porsche forums yet, too time intensive for this OCD guy at this time.



again thanks all for all the great information

[esm]

Originally Posted by subtona

not ready to dive into the porsche forums yet, too time intensive for this OCD character.
a big fan of the classic lines, absolutely no whale tail (i like it with a tiny ass), also a big fan of the beautiful round headlights, the slant nose style was not for me.

i am completely unfamiliar with 993 are there subtle differences from 911 or drastic?

"PPI" ?

i didn't know there was a liquid cooled version of the 911? what year did they make the change?

my bmw was a air cooled boxer motor, and as much as i am a huge fan of its balanced performance, i have come to dislike its lack of ability to handle a hot day in traffic.




again thanks all for all the great information

PPI - pre purchase inspection.

What's the general view of 964 vs 993?

[subtona]

Originally Posted by esm

PPI - pre purchase inspection.
...

its so overwhelming to not have a clue
thanks

[The Joker]

You guys got me looking at porsches now.

This is on autotrader for £26k

[bayerische]

Originally Posted by The Joker

You guys got me looking at porsches now.

This is on autotrader for £26k

Horrible, stay away Wes.

Absolutely wonderful.

[onkyo]

I agree with staying away from 996.... due to multiple significant problems including engine issues.

Keeping a Porsche on the streets of NYC is tough. Someone hit my 997 parked on the street within 2 months and didn't stick around to apologize.

[FiftyTwoEighty]

I think the only 996 that has swayed me is the 996 Turbo, with the x-50 package. In a nutshell, it does not share the engine block with the normal 996.

From a "value" and best bang for your buck standpoint, all my P-Car friends keep telling me that this the one to own and track.

Im sure other P-car owners can chime in...

[iLLGT2]

Originally Posted by FiftyTwoEighty

I think the only 996 that has swayed me is the 996 Turbo, with the x-50 package. In a nutshell, it does not share the engine block with the normal 996.

From a "value" and best bang for your buck standpoint, all my P-Car friends keep telling me that this the one to own and track.

Im sure other P-car owners can chime in...

Ehhhh, to the hardcore rennlist enthusiasts and track guys , such as myself... It's a stout car but not one you'd want to track IMO.. I had a 996TT modded, converted to RWD and with the rare no sunroof option,, It was lightened up a bit and don't know, it just blah... Hence what I needed was a GT2 :)
For the avg person who will enjoy it however on weekends/street and occasional track? Yea can't be beat, it's such a well rounded car...

For the original poster, honestly, I would go with the newest you can afford as someone else mentioned.. They are rock solid, and damn near bulletproof but not fully which is to be expected, and can be very costly to maintain/repair pending what may go wrong..

My RUF GT2 has been SOLID for almost 7 years, it's spent most of it's life on the track and just for weekend blasts. I recently a year ago took it down to FLA to daily drive, and well, oddly enough some things were starting to fail or needed to be replaced.. Things add up, and they weren't major by any means ! But for the most part it's been a headache free ownership, especially for what it's been through...

If you are driving this in NY, is it a daily driver all year round? if so, you need AWD, NY winters suck and I know it all too well...

[DMac225]

Originally Posted by iLLGT2

Ehhhh, to the hardcore rennlist enthusiasts and track guys , such as myself... It's a stout car but not one you'd want to track IMO.. I had a 996TT modded, converted to RWD and with the rare no sunroof option,, It was lightened up a bit and don't know, it just blah... Hence what I needed was a GT2 :)
For the avg person who will enjoy it however on weekends/street and occasional track? Yea can't be beat, it's such a well rounded car...

For the original poster, honestly, I would go with the newest you can afford as someone else mentioned.. They are rock solid, and damn near bulletproof but not fully which is to be expected, and can be very costly to maintain/repair pending what may go wrong..

My RUF GT2 has been SOLID for almost 7 years, it's spent most of it's life on the track and just for weekend blasts. I recently a year ago took it down to FLA to daily drive, and well, oddly enough some things were starting to fail or needed to be replaced.. Things add up, and they weren't major by any means ! But for the most part it's been a headache free ownership, especially for what it's been through...

If you are driving this in NY, is it a daily driver all year round? if so, you need AWD, NY winters suck and I know it all too well...

I live in Dallas (RUF Home Town) and the TT RUF GT2 is a beast...and not meant for inexperienced drivers. Enjoy her in good health...that's one hell of a car!

[iLLGT2]

Originally Posted by DMac225

I live in Dallas (RUF Home Town) and the TT RUF GT2 is a beast...and not meant for inexperienced drivers. Enjoy her in good health...that's one hell of a car!

That's where I bought it from , ha.... Thanks, it's such an animal and the longest car i've ever kept!

[FiftyTwoEighty]

Originally Posted by iLLGT2

Ehhhh, to the hardcore rennlist enthusiasts and track guys , such as myself... It's a stout car but not one you'd want to track IMO.. I had a 996TT modded, converted to RWD and with the rare no sunroof option,, It was lightened up a bit and don't know, it just blah... Hence what I needed was a GT2 :)
For the avg person who will enjoy it however on weekends/street and occasional track? Yea can't be beat, it's such a well rounded car...

So true, and I'll be the first to admit I'm just the average person. I used to track regularly, but have not had much seat time in the last ten years. I'd love your GT2!

I had a '91 RS America in 1994 and really miss that car. Living at 8,150 ft during the winters a two wheel drive car does not make sense.

[G8RDPM]

I'm on my second 911. Both have been daily drivers.
Do a lot of research. It's a lot like "which Rolex should I buy"question that is a constant here on TRF!

There are many models for different "needs".
6 speed vs Tip/PDK
2 wheel drive vs 4.
Cabrio vs Coupe.
NA vs Turbo.
Go drive a few!

[bayerische]

Just a side note, the 993 is a classic, due to low production numbers, was in production for about 3 years?... If I remember correctly. The 996 is all over the place, so it the 997.

993 is the car Will Smith had in the first "Bad Boys" movie if my memory serves me.

[esm]

Originally Posted by bayerische

993 is the car Will Smith had in the first "Bad Boys" movie if my memory serves me.

It's a 964 wide body turbo

[Rsvrider]

Originally Posted by bayerische

Just a side note, the 993 is a classic, due to low production numbers, was in production for about 3 years?... If I remember correctly. The 996 is all over the place, so it the 997.

993 is the car Will Smith had in the first "Bad Boys" movie if my memory serves me.

964 T "S"
2:09 best shot