Advice on buying

[rickprice]

Folks,

I want to swap the current sensible drive (Audi A5 3.2L) for a car that can take the small kids, but which might not depreciate as much, or even appreciate over the next 5-10 years. I have a TVR as my main sports car so thinking of something fun with 4 seats and the potential to hold its value...?

The obvious choice would be a 996 as they can be had for relatively sensible money but a local specialist was less than enthusiastic about the normally aspirated engines. So I am probably looking for a 996 Turbo, or a 993.

Is there a buyers guide to let me know what options were available, what to look for, etc?

Thanks,

Rich

[Rockster]

rickprice said:

Folks,

I want to swap the current sensible drive (Audi A5 3.2L) for a car that can take the small kids, but which might not depreciate as much, or even appreciate over the next 5-10 years. I have a TVR as my main sports car so thinking of something fun with 4 seats and the potential to hold its value...?

The obvious choice would be a 996 as they can be had for relatively sensible money but a local specialist was less than enthusiastic about the normally aspirated engines. So I am probably looking for a 996 Turbo, or a 993.

Is there a buyers guide to let me know what options were available, what to look for, etc?

Thanks,

Rich

You can buy a 996/993 and the rear seats will take small kids but unless the oldest is pretty young and the younger one isn't born yet I think by 10 years old the kids will probably have outgrown the rear seats.

The various UK published Porsche car mags have all done good buyers guides over the years. I haven't kept up with them so I have no issues to point you at.

Visit each mag's web site and see if there are any back issues that have buyers guides in them.

Oh, Total 911; GT Porsche; and 911 & Porsche.

I own a 2003 996 Turbo that I have put around 120K miles on since I bought it used with 10K miles in 2009. Nice car but it has proved to be a bit expensive to keep up. Running costs are a bit more than my Boxster, this I expected, but the problems the car has manifested were frankly not expected. And they have been expensive. Earlier this year all 3 radiators needed to be replaced and it cost over $4300. Then a week later new O2 sensors at over $1000. Don't ask about the spoiler, front diff axle flange seals, RMS, 2 sets of idler roller bearings, belt tensioner, water pump, power steering tank, radiator fan motor, rear view mirror, clutch accumulator, slave cylinder, leaking transmission, and busted shifter.

[thegoose]

$4300 for 3 radiators?!!

Someone was pointing out on here the other that the cost of one of them is below £50 these days. even at OPC rates I don't think anyone's ever quoted more than £1000 for the whole job before.

[Yiliterate]

Pistonheads 996 Turbo buying guide:

http://www.pistonheads.com/features/ph-buying-guid...

[jakesmith]

911 rear seats really are pretty rubbish. Ok for 20 mins maybe. I'd look at a C63 or RS4 Avant, they're likely to stay flat or creep up a bit.

[rickprice]

From pistoneads guide:

"reckon on spending £4,500 per year on servicing and replacement parts for a 996 Turbo in good condition with average miles."

So, although it might be appreciating, a good chunk of that is maintenance and replacing worn out parts.

Hmmm....

[Rockster]

thegoose said:

$4300 for 3 radiators?!!

Someone was pointing out on here the other that the cost of one of them is below £50 these days. even at OPC rates I don't think anyone's ever quoted more than £1000 for the whole job before.

The corner radiators were nearly $800 and the center was either a bit less or a bit more. Then there was labor.

Dollar is up and this makes stuff from overseas more expensive.

Had I been home and had the car at my local dealer I think I would have fared better. In fact, had I been home and thus had some time -- with my other car to use in the meantime -- I might have bought aftermarket all alum. radiators but I was 2K miles from home and burning $100+/day staying in a hotel. And I was out of work at the time, too.

[Crimp]

rickprice said:

From pistoneads guide:

"reckon on spending £4,500 per year on servicing and replacement parts for a 996 Turbo in good condition with average miles."

So, although it might be appreciating, a good chunk of that is maintenance and replacing worn out parts.

Hmmm....

The £4.5k figure is a little extreme. Ive had 3 of these cars and like "any 911" or high performance car for that matter you can have the odd heavy bill.
In terms of cars appreciating and then been off set via maintenance that's a fair point made. Even more so with the older air-cooled stuff (again talking through experience) your into major rust issues then which costs a lot more than a set of rads and the odd clutch. A car is never an investment in my opinion hence getting out there and driving the nuts off them!

[hygt2]

Crimp said:

rickprice said:

From pistoneads guide:

"reckon on spending £4,500 per year on servicing and replacement parts for a 996 Turbo in good condition with average miles."

So, although it might be appreciating, a good chunk of that is maintenance and replacing worn out parts.

Hmmm....

The £4.5k figure is a little extreme. Ive had 3 of these cars and like "any 911" or high performance car for that matter you can have the odd heavy bill.
In terms of cars appreciating and then been off set via maintenance that's a fair point made. Even more so with the older air-cooled stuff (again talking through experience) your into major rust issues then which costs a lot more than a set of rads and the odd clutch. A car is never an investment in my opinion hence getting out there and driving the nuts off them!

I think the bill is highly dependent on whether you can DIY some of the jobs and what's the labour rates if you have to pay someone to do the work. Parts prices seem not to be too scary and on par with my old S-Class.

[davek_964]

I'd say £4500 is probably about twice my average annual maintenance costs.

As already stated, you will have the odd big bill and if you need tyres at the same time it bumps costs up. But I definitely have not spent £25k in the five and a half years I've had mine!

[Crimp]

Yiliterate said:

Pistonheads 996 Turbo buying guide:

http://www.pistonheads.com/features/ph-buying-guid...

Interesting reading this 3 yrs on.
The values have moved somewhat