Thinking about a used Porsche 911

[Steamfitter]

I've been researching porsche 911's, and they appear to be above average quality for a German vehicle based on what I've read. I've been thinking about buying an early 2000's 911, they look to be a good deal, and they definitely retain their value better than Mercedes/BMW. Anyone here drive a Porsche or have an opinion? I think toyota/lexus are the best cars overall personally, since i value reliability, quality, and resale above all else... But if I do like German cars for their styling and performance. Anyone here own a porsche 911 or have an experience/opinion to share?

 

[4Running Daily]

My dad owns a 1990 Porsche 911. I'm an avid Porsche enthusiast.

I would personally stay away from the 996's (1998-2005) just because they are hideous looking. Most Porsche enthusiasts look down upon them due to the ugly headlights. However, if you can get past that, they are a great value when it comes to power/drive-ability/price. All 911's are very hard to work on yourself, as time goes on they get harder and harder to work on. Oil changes and air filters are about the only things you can do yourself unless you are VERY mechanically inclined.

Over all, my Dad daily drives his 23 years old Porsche and it's been running great. They are a great driving car. I highly suggest you buy one and experience the fun.

 

[T4R2014]

I would get the 993. The last of the air-cooled 911's. I haven't been around the Porsche crowd in a while, but from what I hear the values are going up. Maintenance will always be pricey on these cars no matter which one you get.

 

[KCcarguy]

I've been researching porsche 911's, and they appear to be above average quality for a German vehicle based on what I've read. I've been thinking about buying an early 2000's 911, they look to be a good deal, and they definitely retain their value better than Mercedes/BMW. Anyone here drive a Porsche or have an opinion? I think toyota/lexus are the best cars overall personally, since i value reliability, quality, and resale above all else... But if I do like German cars for their styling and performance. Anyone here own a porsche 911 or have an experience/opinion to share?

A friend of mine is a Porsche mechanic When it come to repairs and maintenance he said "if they open the hood, it'll cost you at least $1,000". Just remember that it's a $100k car and even if the value has depreciated, the parts and labor will still be up in the stratosphere.

Also keep in mind that even if it's a reliable car, a ten or fifteen year-old car is inevitably going to have it's issues. If you're willing to accept those things, go for it! And I agree with the other guys....especially if you're looking for a toy/ investment, go for an air-cooled car.

Oh yeah, GET A PPI! It's worth the money on a car like this.

:cheers:

 

[lilsid112]

^^^Nailed it! By far the best advice anyone could give. Im currently helping a family member look for 997 and all I have to say is PPI.

 

[Hog1983]

Budget... That is the biggest consideration, IMO. I mean you can go spend 40k on an old Ferrari or that same 40 on something newer but not as exotic... And financing or cash? If you have the cash in hand you have the ability to spend a lil more for upgrades... I would rather have a crazy insane fast and cool ss that's mine and I upgraded where I wanted than a stock z06, for example...

IMO the best bang for the buck car out there is the Nissan GT-R. 100k and you have a sub 3second 0-60mph car... AWD... The handling is great! And chances are if you're a member of this forum you're a fan of Japanese cars??

 

[inthepipe5by5]

If you're set on a p-car, remember that reardless of selling price or year, they are all $30,000 maintenance cars. Where you put the money into it differs on both type and year (rms for example on 996 among other things, electrical and carbon issues on 993s etc.). Remember, just like other German cars worth driving, once issues are sorted out, the experience is very rewarding. Get on rennlist for actual in-depth data.

 

[Quatre Coureur]

Checkout the November issue of Car and Driver. It's dedicated to 50 years of 911 history. 33 pages of facts, figures, prices, advances and problem areas to look out for. Complete year by year analysis.

 

[CookieRoe]

I love the 911. However, I never had any love for the 996. Looked like a Boxster, but out performed it's replacement, but it just wasn't the same (according to many publications). Anyway, yes, the 911 is a very expensive piece of machinery to maintain, but those are "the rules". You want to play, you have to pay. Yes, it's a better than average reliable car, but that is "relative". Getting back to the 996 (it apparently suffers from shaft bearing failures........ when this happens, you'll be cursing in German and other languages that you are probably not fluent in).

Porsche class action suit, Autoweek column - Autoweek

2001-2005 Porsche Boxster & 911 IMS Bearing Class Action Lawsuit? | German Auto Works of St. Louis Park, MN

..............google it and you'll find plenty.

This is probably the only 911 I would stay away from.

 

[Cricoid]

I drove a '06 911S cabriolet for several years. Don't be afraid of the maintenance costs. Of all the high end marques, Porsches are the most reliable. In four years, I took it to the shop one time for a faulty water pump. I think the 30k mile service with new plugs and the whole shebang was about $1200. If you have any mechanical skills at all, you can change your own oil and fluids pretty easily. Find a local wheel and tire shop that can do a proper wheel balance and alignment...the 911 is pretty picky about that sort of thing.

Buy the newest one you can afford and enjoy. And yes, a PPI is always a good idea.

 

[WallyP]

I have a 2000 996 and it has been very reliable. Just be sure the IMS bearing has been replaced with the upgraded unit. And yes, the headlights are kind of ugly ¯\_(ツ)_/¯

 

[Bumbo]

Go for it!

Over the past few years the wife and I have actually started to entertain the idea of buying a Porsche... and as much as I like the 911 and some of their other cars, ill probably end up with a Macan GTS. Everything I hear, read, and watch about it keep tempting me. It's got enough sports car in there for us and still pretty usable.

I actually read an article recently stating that it's Porsche's best selling vehical now, which I found pretty interesting.

 

[Kove32]

I'd say go for it! If you like the look, it'll def be a blast to drive!

 

[Bumbo]

The wife and I went car shopping over the weekend and decided to stop into a Porsche dealer just to take a look around… Ill be honest it’s been a while since I sat in something that actually really excited me. A Macan is absolutely in our future. I’m absolutely in love with the thing. Very comfortable, very nice craftsmanship.

Also went to Lexus and found a used 470 and 460 which is basically why we went out to the dealers but everything changed after sitting in a Macan… now I am questioning the GX purchase and my need for off-road capability.

 

[Muzzle of Bees]

I have a 2002 Boxster S that is a blast to drive, but can be pricey at times. As others have mentioned, if you are not going to do the maintenance yourself it will be costly to own. The older vehicles need attention and Porsche does not make it easy to access all the little bits that fail.
I have replaced water pump, window regulator, top, many small interior bits, plugs, brakes, belts and coolant. Probably missed some, but the are needy once they reach a certain age.

 

[AKmoney]

I recently sold my 2010 911 Carrera S (997.2). It was four years old when I bought it and I owned it for just about another four years. The car was spectacular to drive on twisty mountain roads but in nearly every other driving scenario, it was too compromised and frankly not a pleasant place to be. It has limited cargo capacity, the nose scrapes everywhere, it rides rough, it's very loud, it squeaks and rattles and the first-gen PDK transmission is either too sleepy in normal mode or too hyper-aggressive in Sport/Sport+. If you go for a stick - which you should - the clutch pedal is very heavy and you'll be cursing after 10 minutes in stop and go traffic.

On the plus side, it was pretty reliable. I also did all the basic maintenance myself and saved quite a bit of money.

I sold it because the car turned into a garage queen. I had to look for excuses to drive it and in the end, I didn't want to have so much money tied up into something I rarely used.

 

[Bodhi327]

Agree

I recently sold my 2010 911 Carrera S (997.2). It was four years old when I bought it and I owned it for just about another four years. The car was spectacular to drive on twisty mountain roads but in nearly every other driving scenario, it was too compromised and frankly not a pleasant place to be. It has limited cargo capacity, the nose scrapes everywhere, it rides rough, it's very loud, it squeaks and rattles and the first-gen PDK transmission is either too sleepy in normal mode or too hyper-aggressive in Sport/Sport+. If you go for a stick - which you should - the clutch pedal is very heavy and you'll be cursing after 10 minutes in stop and go traffic.

On the plus side, it was pretty reliable. I also did all the basic maintenance myself and saved quite a bit of money.

I sold it because the car turned into a garage queen. I had to look for excuses to drive it and in the end, I didn't want to have so much money tied up into something I rarely used.

Same for me, 911 Conv/stick...dream car.... 2 years later sold it. No storage, rough ride and not a great daily driver. Much nicer to look at than be in it every day.

 

[K9 HAULR]

I say go for it - my 997 has been flawless. Not driven excessively, but it's never let me down. Nothing better than top down Spring-Summer-Fall cruising thru the Northern CA mountains in my 911.

 

[WhiteBoomer04]

I was a Porsche addict for seven years while i lived in Hong Kong. I even started a Porsche Club for the area (New Territories) where I lived, and we used to drive every Sunday morning together.

I had several in the driveway including a race 964 (all wheel drive) with a factory built 3.8, 911 ragtop and a turbo wide body, and 993. Every one of them different personalities.

I can say, the best years of my car/truck life was owning Porsches. I love my 4R but the driver car is a Porsche. I drove a bunch of BMW's, a few Ferraris a Lotus...but none compared in my mind to Porsche.

Enjoy the thrill

 

[T4R2014]

Nowadays I have my eyes set on a 997 Turbo.