A quickish question -

Porsche 911 etc, what could you get for £20-25k. Modern as possible and I like the kits, big wheels (makes older ones look more modern IMO)

Have seen a few Porker experts on here before so could anyone help...

Matt

 

Providing you want a RHD, that will get a good early 993. You might even get a RHD high mileage early 996 for that. But if it's going to be an every day car, you should take a look at a Boxster S.

I took a few laps in the ring of the new 2.7 240bhp Boxster recently and it just reminded me just how good the cars are.

 

Cheers Dave,

Being not that 'up' on the different types of 911 - have you got any photos of them (not the Boxster)?

I thought you'd be first to post

Matt

 

Not an expert by any means but a Boxter S would be high on my list for your money.

Even from a dealer you are looking at a 30-40K miles 2001/2 model with warranty.

Private even better!

 

Thanks Paul, I agree but its the 911s with the tarty arches and wings etc that Ive seen and really like (this week )

Matt

 

993


996

 

Thanks again mate

Lovin that 996, so that would be nearer £25k and the 993 nearer £20k would it?

Matt

 

The 993 is still the kiddie for me.

In fact both of those were over your budget, but the 993 prices are holding steady and the 996 is still dropping. A good 993 will be worth more that a 996.

 

I'd have neither though......last thing I would want is a slower, worse handling car than I have now

 

eerrrr thanks

 

Just realised that those pics Dave are from a dealer about 5 miles from me. Thought I knew it

 

You mean you dont want people to think you can "only afford a Boxster"

Typical Porsche owner, you'll fit right in

 

You must know me very well to assume all that

Shall I assume that you have a 205 as you can't afford a new Peugeot or because you like the 205



Matt

 

I want a porsche

 

House first...

 

£25k for a 996 dont do it you're buying trouble and not a particularly good car.

You should get into a 993 but the running costs are far higher than the 996, something you must consider when buying into the marque.

Is it looks and a badge you want or the driving experience?

If its the latter may I suggest you forget the 993 and buy a 968 Club Sport the finest front engined Porsche ever made.

£25k will however see you into an early Boxster S yes even a 3.2 and it's as quick as the 996 in the right hands, the Boxster S is a gem.

 

It wasnt called a widowmaker for nothing.

 

Thats rubbish. Nothing is inherantly wrong with them other than the internet fueled RMS issue, which does not cost that much to repair on cars anyway, espcially if you do it at the same time as a clutch.

A 993 is more special though I have to agree.

Dave

 

I'd go with davyboy - I switched from a MY02 to a '99 996 - and have only had one problem (the coolant header tank cracked).

Yes the 993 is more xpensive to service and a bit more tractor like. but both fine cars.

I went for the 996 as the interior was more refined and i love the shape.

Note that some of the early 996 had engine problems that were rectified by 2000/01 - make sure it has fsh.

You are looking at about 30k for a resonable 996.

T.

Oh yeah - only girls get ones with PSM

 

Personally I would not buy a 911 for £20k if you need to use it on a daily basis. It will cost a fortune to run/pamper. I have been down a similar but not identical path and kept the car for 6 weeks. Buy the best car you can for £20k or wait until you can buy a better 911. IMHO

Deep

 

For £20-25k I don't think you'll get a decent modern 911.

The Boxster S is a great car, and may be as quick as a 996 around a track, but on the road where you can't clip the apex of every corner, the massive extra performance of the 996 make it a much more fun car to drive.

If you have to have a 911 and can't stretch your budget to the £30-35k you'll need for a decent 996, I would go for a mid-90's 993. There are plenty of nice cars in your budget, and although it will cost more to service than a 996 I really can't see a good example dipping below £20k anytime soon, so it should be a safe bet depreciation wise. Bear in mind though that it is a *very* different car to drive than a 996 and archaic in many respects.

If you want the big wings rather than the pop-up rear spoiler, then there are plenty of options.

Gary.

 

Leave the big wings to Jap car owners. You dont want people pointing and laughing at you.

 

Thanks all

 

Twas only a joke, but you'd be right in thinking I couldnt afford a new Peugeot, though the 205 GTI is the best car ever made.

 

Disagree with the first quote. As someone who has owned two 993's, and doing a lot of research, you'll get a decent 996 for £25k, although it will have a higher mileage. Likewise, 993's will hold their price. I purchased my last 993 in 2002 and sold it at the end of 2004, having paid £36k from a dealer and sold it for £34.5k - that's with an additional 12,000 miles on it. 993 will hold their value and indeed do, while the 996 are dropping a lot more. Primarily, it seems, because the 993 is the last of the air cooled and in many people's eyes the better Porker to have than a 996 which many thought lost the style. I like 'em both - they are great cars.

I know the Boxster S is a great car but for me the desire was a 911 - regardless of age, it was a car I had dreamt about since a boy and my first 993 at the age of 30 was a dream come true. SO it didn;t matter if the others were better - none was as iconic as the 911.

The 993 is a bit more expensive than the 996, but I disagree with someone who said it was way more - I certainly never found that, and it had major services in my time with it. As long as you knew its foibles (front wishbones degenerating etc) and knew what to look for you were fine.

The 996 did have engine problems in its early years (and has been well documented on a variety of websites) so not just FSH to look for but also to see if remedial work was done on the car to resolve the issue. In 2000 this seemed to be resolved but the early ones did have issues often resulting in very expensive engine rebuilds.

The 993 is the best scenario but you will struggle to get a good one (RHD) for £25k while you will get a decent, but high mileage 996 for that money. And while I agree they are dated (the interior for one), for me that was part of the charm. I didn't mind the air con, while cold, was erratic, or that the dash looked old. It was a 993 and that was to be expected. I do know that with my 276bhp 993, versus my WRX PPP that I have now (so 265bhp), the 993 was leaps ahead in terms of power delivery and felt far quicker than the WRX. That is what I miss and I know I will, probably sooner rather than later, go back to 993/996 ownership. To my mind they will always be a class above a Boxster!

Andy

 

Andy, I agree with much of what you say - particularly with the bit about the 911 being the realisation of a childhood dream. I'd originally ordered a boxster S, but the thought of a 911 kept gnawing away at me, and so I changed the order for something I *really* wanted.

I don't entirely agree with you about 993 residuals though. I'm keeping an eye on the market too, as I'm toying with the idea of getting back into 911 ownership. You did well with your car and timed your purchase and sale to perfection. But the last 6 months or so they do seem to have dropped markedly before hitting a new buffer of £20k for the oldest examples.

Gary.

 

Gary - could well be the case re: depreciation, and to be honest I have not kept up on the costs, although I did flick through my old website links the other day with a thought in my mind of getting another 911, since the only reason I sold the old one was because of the impending arrival of our first kid. Now she is here (and 10 months old) I realise that getting a WRX wagon was not the smartest thing, as it's only got about the same space as the missus 307, and both of them are too small for the amount of junk we carry. So why do we need two semi-large cars when one large and one sports car will do. That's why I thought 996's were good value, and I was looking at about the £25k mark or so.

Interesting that 993's have come down, but it also seems a slight lottery with some dealers who price them widely differently. I've seen a 993 targa (which is what I had) with 20,000 miles (mine had 34k on selling it) and they want £37k. Maybe I jumped the gun but maybe they have just got carried away with the prices. Who knows.... I'll keep looking and one day will return, but the ever-depreciating WRX reminds of why I'm was silly!

 

Patt, http://www.stuttgart9.co.uk may help you also.

 

Personally I always preferred the 993 shape. The 993 turbo is a monster, a lot less refined than the 996t but equally capable - perhaps thats what attracts some people to it. Pistonheads always has some nice examples for sale, this one's going for £27k ....