996 Turbo vs R8 V8 or anything else
Discussion
I've come in to a little money and have £40,000 to spend.
Looking at performance cars at roughly £40,000, something that won't deprecate "too much".. The car will be garaged and the money's there to maintain properly.
I drive long distances and rack up the miles but I also like a good amount of speed, the car will be used a lot!
I'm driving an R8 V10 and F-Type R in the next few weeks so this could effect things.
I just love the 996 Turbo, and the four seats could be used.
I've read a few of the posts on here but they're quite old now. Through 2024 eyes is there much else I should consider?
Looking at performance cars at roughly £40,000, something that won't deprecate "too much".. The car will be garaged and the money's there to maintain properly.
I drive long distances and rack up the miles but I also like a good amount of speed, the car will be used a lot!
I'm driving an R8 V10 and F-Type R in the next few weeks so this could effect things.
I just love the 996 Turbo, and the four seats could be used.
I've read a few of the posts on here but they're quite old now. Through 2024 eyes is there much else I should consider?
How about something not just fast (with a 2+2 practicality) but rare? Only about 200 ever made.
https://www.autotrader.co.uk/car-details/202405260...
I feel a DB9, DBS, Vanquish or Vantage ought to be considered.
https://www.autotrader.co.uk/car-details/202405260...
I feel a DB9, DBS, Vanquish or Vantage ought to be considered.
Can't say I'm not tempted by that. At the other end of the spectrum i've been looking at Caterham's.
I've considered the older XKr at £15,000-ish, perhaps until I truly decide what I want.
Think it's the 48 year old me thinking back to the car posters of the 80's that pushes me towards the 911. I love the C4S but worry id want more performance.
I've considered the older XKr at £15,000-ish, perhaps until I truly decide what I want.
Think it's the 48 year old me thinking back to the car posters of the 80's that pushes me towards the 911. I love the C4S but worry id want more performance.
Benzooki said:
Looking at performance cars at roughly £40,000, something that won't deprecate "too much"..
I drive long distances and rack up the miles but I also like a good amount of speed, the car will be used a lot!
Won't racking up the miles cause the more exotic stuff to lose a lot of value?I drive long distances and rack up the miles but I also like a good amount of speed, the car will be used a lot!
Benzooki said:
...I drive long distances and rack up the miles but I also like a good amount of speed, the car will be used a lot!...
I love my 996t but find it quite tiresome to drive long distances on our terrible roads. Noisy tyre roar, firm suspension, interior creaks like an old battleship and the steering is quite busy. It's great when you're in a playful mood, but not so great when you just want to waft from A to B. Just something to be mindful of.Hereward said:
I love my 996t but find it quite tiresome to drive long distances on our terrible roads. Noisy tyre roar, firm suspension, interior creaks like an old battleship and the steering is quite busy. It's great when you're in a playful mood, but not so great when you just want to waft from A to B. Just something to be mindful of.
I'll take that in to account. I've been looking at 997's and the 991. I had a day in a 991 4S and that was a fairly relaxed drive. I guess there's a lot to consider. Buy a Maserati Granturismo. No it won't be fast by M3/4 standards, but is certainly quicker than most cars on the road.
It looks good, sounds awesome, and can comfortably fit 4 in.
Buy a good one and it won't cost you much more than most other cars. Buy a bad one and it could be ruinous.
Other than tyres I didn't spend a penny on mine in 2 years.
Buying one for 35-40k should get you something decent that won't lose too much money.
Dicky Grace at Richard Grace cars is the man to speak to.
This one is a stunner!
It looks good, sounds awesome, and can comfortably fit 4 in.
Buy a good one and it won't cost you much more than most other cars. Buy a bad one and it could be ruinous.
Other than tyres I didn't spend a penny on mine in 2 years.
Buying one for 35-40k should get you something decent that won't lose too much money.
Dicky Grace at Richard Grace cars is the man to speak to.
This one is a stunner!
Somewhat biased as I have an R8, albeit a Gen2 V10+, but I have owned two 996's in the past. No comparison in my view, other than practicality if you need the rear seats, the R8 wins on every level (and has a proper engine, not something with the character of a Miele washing machine).
Hedgeman said:
Somewhat biased as I have an R8, albeit a Gen2 V10+, but I have owned two 996's in the past. No comparison in my view, other than practicality if you need the rear seats, the R8 wins on every level (and has a proper engine, not something with the character of a Miele washing machine).
Crikey, are you saying that the turbo's Mezger motorsport engine is not a "proper engine"?!As Andrew Frankel wrote: "I once asked someone high up at Weissach why they were continuing with the Mezger engine when it meant Porsche had to build two entirely different flat six motors of near identical capacities. ‘We know everything there is to know about that engine, it’s a racing engine, it’s almost impossible to break. Why wouldn’t we use it? Which I guess tells you all you need to know about this engine and it’s genius creator too"
Hereward said:
Crikey, are you saying that the turbo's Mezger motorsport engine is not a "proper engine"?!
In charisma and aural character (in 996/997TT form), compared to the R8's V8 or V10, no it's not, it's left wanting - and this is a big part of the enjoyment of a road car. Of course I'm not going to argue about the Mezger's heritage and robustness, both are top rate. If you are thinking Caterham, what about an Exige S3?
Better performance and handling vs the 911
http://www.autotrader.co.uk/car-details/2024052098...
Better performance and handling vs the 911
http://www.autotrader.co.uk/car-details/2024052098...
Wife and I have a 996 turbo, was retrofitted with the x50 pack about 10 years ago by a previous owner at over £20k cost.
I don’t think it is personally a great GT car but for a couple of hours for a blast it is brilliant. For one second just because it has four seats don’t think it’s a four seat car unless you intend to put tiny toddlers in the back. I’m 5ft 10 and need the seat as far back as it will go to sit comfortably. There is no room behind me, you can barely get a hand back here, so much so our two back seats are permanently folded flat and used as a storage area.
We spent a small fortune having Cambridge Audi do a full install of sound deadening, speaker upgrades, new head unit etc. Even with all the additional sound deadening material in place it is still a relatively nosey car to be in.
But boy when you nail the throttle does it make you grin. It should do though, on top of the x50 pack it’s also been mapped and produces according to an old RR printout just over 650 BHP in a car that weights next to nothing.
I don’t think it is personally a great GT car but for a couple of hours for a blast it is brilliant. For one second just because it has four seats don’t think it’s a four seat car unless you intend to put tiny toddlers in the back. I’m 5ft 10 and need the seat as far back as it will go to sit comfortably. There is no room behind me, you can barely get a hand back here, so much so our two back seats are permanently folded flat and used as a storage area.
We spent a small fortune having Cambridge Audi do a full install of sound deadening, speaker upgrades, new head unit etc. Even with all the additional sound deadening material in place it is still a relatively nosey car to be in.
But boy when you nail the throttle does it make you grin. It should do though, on top of the x50 pack it’s also been mapped and produces according to an old RR printout just over 650 BHP in a car that weights next to nothing.
I have owned a 996 Turbo for the last 15+ years, the last 6 of those I've also owned a R8 V10 manual. I have to agree with what Hereward and Hedgeman have said... although I am not comparing the V8 admittedly, the R8 is a much more modern, comfortable, faster car, a nicer place to be when you are not in the mood.
In the Porsche's favour though:
- although not really usable other than for small people over short distances, the back seats are there and provide useful luggage space.
- I have a roof rack for mine, handy for transporting bikes.
- the R8 is a wide car, as such the 996 spends most of its life garaged whilst the Audi does not and town centre parking is easier in the Porsche.
- both expected and unexpected running costs with the Porsche don't scare me as much (although I am looking at new turbos at some point), things like clutch, mag ride shocks are big ticket items that cost more on the R8.
- there are many more Porsche specialists, the lack of a local R8 indie is one frustration of mine.
At your price point I would guess you are looking at the bottom end of V10's; but then again so was I when I bought and (mainly through luck) I didn't buy a nail, so proceed with caution! I would guess you would have a better choice of decent 996TT's in your budget.
If buying with head as well as heart then I think you will be hard pushed to beat either. I struggle to come up with anything to replace either of mine with other than a 997TT.
In the Porsche's favour though:
- although not really usable other than for small people over short distances, the back seats are there and provide useful luggage space.
- I have a roof rack for mine, handy for transporting bikes.
- the R8 is a wide car, as such the 996 spends most of its life garaged whilst the Audi does not and town centre parking is easier in the Porsche.
- both expected and unexpected running costs with the Porsche don't scare me as much (although I am looking at new turbos at some point), things like clutch, mag ride shocks are big ticket items that cost more on the R8.
- there are many more Porsche specialists, the lack of a local R8 indie is one frustration of mine.
At your price point I would guess you are looking at the bottom end of V10's; but then again so was I when I bought and (mainly through luck) I didn't buy a nail, so proceed with caution! I would guess you would have a better choice of decent 996TT's in your budget.
If buying with head as well as heart then I think you will be hard pushed to beat either. I struggle to come up with anything to replace either of mine with other than a 997TT.
UpTheIron said:
- there are many more Porsche specialists, the lack of a local R8 indie is one frustration of mine.
This is a good point. I've been spectacularly unimpressed with service from both Audi and OPC, but living in Herts there were decent indy options for my 996's and boxters.Another wildcard option, G87 BMW M2. It will be over the £40k budget, and it will depreciate more, but will be newer so should cost peanuts to maintain. I have one as a daily (black manual), and it's utterly brilliant, best M car I've owned or driven, and as something that's pretty quick to cover lots of miles in, hard to beat IMO.
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