I've never owned a porsche before and I am looking into a used 911. Any thoughts between the '00-'02 911 models? 1) what years to avoid 2) what to look for 3) avg maintenance cost 4) PPI info 5) Depreciation scale 6) And overall impressions of the car I'm looking for a sports car that I can drive 3x a week avg 5000 miles/year. No headaches, minimal maintenance. Kinda like a vette with more styling. BTW I'm in socal, so if anyone is looking to get rid of their ride let me know: [email protected]
The only thing you need to worry about mechanically is the RMS problem. My 00 996 was fine (about 25K miles) but many others have had RMS problems, sometimes more than once. Other than that, these cars are bullet proof. If you buy from a dealer, make sure it has their certified warranty (6 years 100K miles). Well, there is one more thing to worry about -- the killer depreciation. It wasn't always this way... There was a minor cosmetic change in the 02 model (iirc). The interior looks downright cheap in most colors -- the only one which appeals to me is black full leather but it's personal preference. btw, you'll get a lot more feedback and info on P sites like rennteam and rennlist. Edit: Just thought I'd add this... If I was going to buy a used 911, I'd rather buy a 98 993. Last of the air-cooleds. No RMS issues -- it really is bullet proof! And values are actually going up!
It is a joy to drive. A lot of excitement, and no speedbump scares. Get a six speed IMHO...shifts are so easy. It is the greatest car for zipping thru traffic. You have been to http://www.roadfly.org/ right?
good point, the last of 993s are great cars that are increasing in value...they look better also and sound better, the s wide body and turbo are especially hot
I have a 99 996 Carrera now with 50K miles, I bought it with 29K miles. I drive it to work every day, 60 miles round trip. It is very comfortable and practical when it needs to be and it hauls butt when it needs to. Maintenance has been minimal. Just had an $800 job to replace a cracked coolant reservoir. low $100 range for an oil change. major service at $45K miles cost me something in the $900 range but a big part of that was a mass air flow sensor replacement (check engine light came on and stayed on). A couple hundred bucks for a decent PPI Depreciation has been more than on 993's so far. That is why I bought the USED 996. I was after a 97 C4S but found a '99 with GT-3 Aero Kit for $15K less. It is a better driving car for every day use. I like the 993 body style, especially the S models with factory Aero Kit. In the end, the 996 was a much better deal. because of that, I believe the big chunk of depreciation is behind me. Since I bought it for less than 1/2 the original sticker, I can't lose as much as the first owner even if the car goes to $0. I believe you will find these cars plateau in the low $30Ks so if you can get one now around $40K or less, you have little downside. As for overall driving impression, it is a wonderfully balanced car, a bit more nimble than my 355. It is easy to drive and doesn't convey it's power until you step on it in 2nd gear around 3000 rpm. It continues to pull right up into the 100 mph range and I have had it on a track up to 140 but it didn't feel as stable at that speed as teh 355 would. I absolutely love driving the 996 but I wish it had a bit more engine sound, so maybe the sound package helps. I am partial to the look of the aero with 18" wheels, but then I'm a bit of a pimp...my first Porsche love was my 1985 Turbo-look Cabriolet and I've never been able to get over my love of the big fixed wing. And, oh yeah, I can put my family of 4 in the car...luckily my kids are perfect sized for it at 11 and 8 years old. I HIGHLY recommend the 996 Image Unavailable, Please Login
Random question: I look at roadfly sometimes, but is there some way to view the threads normally, instead of that stupid outline look? e.g. Main thread - reply 1 - reply to reply 1 - reply to reply to reply 1 - on and on and ON!!! It has to be the most ill-conceived message board system I have ever seen! I have tried perusing the preferences, but to no avail.
