Hmmm... as 996 prices drop they keep looking better and better. This is ok for $17K

[TechnoViking]

$10K is race car money. Per my original post. Just sayin.

[Dottore]

And next year the new 991 hits the streets.

A guy I know in Stuttgart claims it will be so good that all preceding Porsches will suddenly look very old.

[slow&rusty]

Originally Posted by Dottore

And next year the new 991 hits the streets.

A guy I know in Stuttgart claims it will be so good that all preceding Porsches will suddenly look very old.

That guy has been saying that with every new model ready to make its debut...that's the thing with old (or older) Porsches, they are wonderful machines that make the marque so highly sought after. Heck this thread is talking about the desirability of the least desirable 911

[epbrown]

Originally Posted by Dottore

And next year the new 991 hits the streets.

A guy I know in Stuttgart claims it will be so good that all preceding Porsches will suddenly look very old.

Yeah, right. Porsche changes are evolutionary, not revolutionary - it'll be a bit better than the last one, same as the one before.

[aigel]

Originally Posted by Dottore

And next year the new 991 hits the streets.

A guy I know in Stuttgart claims it will be so good that all preceding Porsches will suddenly look very old.

If that picture is a preview, I have to say, there is nothing new there. You show that to a non car person, they won't know the difference between it and the 997 and some may not even notice the difference to a 993. Seriously, I had non car people ask me if my 993 was a new model Porsche ...

George

[Rick Lee]

I have no beef with the 997 or 991. They'll trounce my cars any day in performance, but never in looks or sound.

[Dottore]

Originally Posted by Rick Lee

I have no beef with the 997 or 991. They'll trounce my cars any day in performance, but never in looks or sound.

Your 993 is gorgeous. You'll get no disagreement from me on that.

[porsche4life]

Originally Posted by onewhippedpuppy

Tim, keep an eye on the Oklahoma Foreign website.

They have some good ones occasionally... They always seem high to me though....

[89911]

Originally Posted by Rick Lee

I have no beef with the 997 or 991. They'll trounce my cars any day in performance, but never in looks or sound.

There is still a part of me that wants a 993. I see lots of new Porsches around but if I see a 993 in a lot, I will make the trek over to it and check it out. Maybe wait around for the owner and compliment him on such a nice car. Bashing new Porsches is easy and the argument can go on and on of technology vs driving experience. To me, some cars have and some don't.

[speeder]

Rick's 993 looks great because it's the right color(s)/wheels/etc... I'm extremely finicky about cars in general and Porsches in particular when it comes to aesthetics; ie. if anything is wrong to my eye, I don't like the car. 98% of 911s of any age do nothing for me and most stock 993s bore the **** out of me on sight. I've never liked those cars w/ stock ride-height and wheels at all and I've never understood the great love for that model. This one floats my boat, however:


My 996, (beat-up as it was), had the *right stuff* aesthetically. Both visually and aurally, exhaust note has to accompany visuals:

[speeder]

Here is a photo of my 205k mile, never re-covered drivers seat on 996. The previous owner was a big steroid-monster meathead. I've never seen a 911SC or Carrera w/ 125k miles w/o split seams and/or destroyed bolsters on a stock leather seat. And I've seen a million of them. This is Porsche quality improving.

[pwd72s]

Originally Posted by Rick Lee

I have no beef with the 997 or 991. They'll trounce my cars any day in performance, but never in looks or sound.

Maybe the 996 is such a dud because it's the first of the water cooled? Yep, the 993 was the last of the 911 line...

[speeder]

Lastly, these stories of $15k repair bills on a $15k car are bananas. Just buy another one, for chrissakes...

And a $25k rebuild on a 3.2???

You can buy one of the best 3.2 cars on the planet for less than that w/ cash in hand. The whole frucking car, down to the cigarette lighter and the owners manual. In showroom condition. Some of these stories (and arguments) belong in the nut house.

[Schumi]

Denis's 996 was the epitome of 'the deal'.


And for those considering a 1999 996 - the 2000 Boxster S can be had for a few $K less, arguably handles better, and can be made just as quick. It was a no brainer for me - pristine 986S or beat up 996... such similar cars.

[Eric Coffey]

Originally Posted by speeder

Rick's 993 looks great because it's the right color(s)/wheels/etc...

+1

Some 911's (993/996/997/etc.) just have it (presence), and some don't.

Originally Posted by speeder

Lastly, these stories of $15k repair bills on a $15k car are bananas. Just buy another one, for chrissakes...

And a $25k rebuild on a 3.2???

You can buy one of the best 3.2 cars on the planet for less than that w/ cash in hand. The whole frucking car, down to the cigarette lighter and the owners manual. In showroom condition. Some of these stories (and arguments) belong in the nut house.

And a big +1 on that as well.

[David]

I keep saying I'll pick up a 996 or 997 one of these days, but I find it harder and harder to part with my money as I get older. I don't like the fried egg headlights on the 996, but $20K for one makes the headlights much easier to live with

[Dottore]

Originally Posted by speeder

Lastly, these stories of $15k repair bills on a $15k car are bananas. Just buy another one, for chrissakes...

And a $25k rebuild on a 3.2???

You can buy one of the best 3.2 cars on the planet for less than that w/ cash in hand. The whole frucking car, down to the cigarette lighter and the owners manual. In showroom condition. Some of these stories (and arguments) belong in the nut house.

That may be so. As I said, it depends where you live. In this town there are four—possibly five—shops to which you'd take your 3.2 for a professional rebuild. Top end alone will run you between $10 and $12K. (They may quote you $8K or $9K—but it always ends up costing a few K more.) Complete rebuild, top and bottom and refreshing all tired parts will cost twice that. Easily. Mechanics rates here run around $130K per hour—or more—and that's regardless of whether its the senior guy or the parts washer. It's a "shop rate".

In Germany you will pay even more for a good rebuild. (I've had engines rebuilt on both sides of the Atlantic.)

Of course there are currently cheap 3.2's available. But if you really like your car and have a lot of money into it already and need a rebuild—and have neither the time or the inclination or the skills to DIY—what are you gonna do?

[gwood]

"$130K per hour"
That's a lot of money.

[Rick Lee]

I'm sure they've raised their prices since I was there in 2004. But Ruf charged something like 72 Euros per hour for labor. They were boring out a 3.2 to 4.0 when I toured the workshop and I'm sure it was a fraction of $25k. I've been quoted 40 hours for top end rebuilds and not a lot more for a full top and bottom. When I did my SC, I think the whole bill was under $5k and that was adding SSI's and 964 cams. Though I had a friend do most of it for me in my garage while I was in China. I paid him around $1800 for his trouble.

BTW, here's my 993's interior.



There is just no sound like an air-cooled flat six with Fabspeed MaxFlows. Of course, I removed the soundpad and drilled the airbox.

[azasadny]

My next Porsche will be a Cayman S, but it will be a few years (priorities, you know)...