Hypo of the day!

[hkiang1]

What would you do?
Option 1: Take uber low milage '88 Carrera into premier race engine builder and do top end rebuild to correct for possible premature valve guide wear and while in the motor, have installed the hot parts to make for a hot motor. (Lets say this costs $10K).
Option 2: Sell 911 and buy uber low milage 2003-2004 996.
Option 3: Sell 911 and buy new Cayman S.

Again, what would you do?

[Early_S_Man]

#1 ... but, it might be over $10K!

[htron435]

#1, but I'm an air-cooled guy.

[stlrj]

Option 2 and you'll have your hot motor right now without any tuning or smog issues. Just turn the key and enjoy.

Joe

[Steveinatlanta]

I guess it depends on what you're going to do with it. If the track is in your future, suspension mods are A LOT more fun than engine mods. Even for the street, suspension mods really bring the older ones alive.

If you're looking for comfort, buy the 996.

if you're looking for women, buy the Cayman...

[Noah930]

What's wrong with your present car that you need to do #1?

But if you do want to get rid of your 911, then I'd opt for a Cayman S (the point of the non-S version escapes me). However, seeing as how you live in California, which is saturated with Porsches of every type, I'd probably wait a couple years and pick up a used but beautifully kept Cayman S and let someone else suffer the brunt of the depreciation.

[herman maire]

Thats a tough one....
#1 I would much rather spend the $$$ on a stock low miles 3.6 and sell off the 3.2 motor .

#2 I would only buy this as a awsome daily driver and hope the motor stays together

[jorian]

Yep $10K is 3.6 swap territory.

[htron435]

And worth every penny!!

[EarlyPorsche]

Buy the 996. I have a 997 and an air cooled. Air cooled ones are more fun as you know, but water cooled models are scary fast without you having to turn a single screw. Still rough and jarring like the old ones so you can get that nostalgic feel, except you will have a navigation unit telling you where to go and your butt will be warmed the whole time.

[hkiang1]

Actually, I'm not certain that the car needs to have the motor rebuilt. I don't drive the car very much. It pretty much just sits in a garage. Its a low milage leader and I don't like to just putt it around on routine errands, so I don't. But I was driving it around on Friday in the city of San Francisco and the car was smoking a little bit at some stop lights. I immediately called Rob at S Car Go in San Rafael and made an appointment to have the car looked at this week. When it comes to this car, I'm a bit paranoid. But this past Sunday, I took a real drive with the car - put 400 miles on the odometer! Drove it to Monterey, going through Woodside, Hwy 84, around Alices Restaurant, and miles of sports car roads in the canyons there - Man, this car is amazing to drive. Super strong, making the most incredible air cooled sounds... just howling through the canyons and running a commercial for Porsche. (Actually, it was myself along with a 2007 GT3 running that commercial. I'm not sure who's display was more compelling. I didn't even know those cars were being delivered yet.) I'm hoping you all would have been proud. Anyway, the car ran so well, and I didn't notice any smoking at all during the whole trip, not on start up or at any other time. It just ran like a champ. So, I don't know.

So far as the car is concerned, I pretty much already have an idea of what the car could be, as its been a spare-no-expense item for me as it is. It has only been to 1 DE but I set it up to run that - Bilstein Sport shocks and struts, lowered and corner balanced, sitting on 7&8" Fuchs and Bridgestone Pole Position S03s, rocking a Steve Wong chip, an M&K exhaust, and a fabspeed euro premuffler, etc. So money has already been sunk into the car to some degree, should that need to be factored into the hypothetical.

These 3.2 Carreras are amazing fun, but the hypo still stands. What would you guys do?

[Noah930]

Then go for option 2 or 3. That way, the car (hopefully) goes to someone who will like it more than you do, and you'll (hopefully) wind up with a car you like more than this one. Win-Win situation. The car looks beautiful.

If you only occasionally/rarely drive it (and it smoked) and then you go out for an Italian tune-up type drive and it doesn't smoke (or burn oil, as measured by the dipstick), then it's probably OK.

[jorian]

After reading your last post I would say let sleeping dogs lie. Drive it until you are sure there is a problem. The smoke you saw could have been a an oil leak on the heat exchanger. If it makes good power, good sounds and makes you happy, what's the problem?

I would keep it and save my money.

[petrolblue83911]

Man,

Youre coupe looks and sounds great!!, -my vote = option 4,

-drive that one and enjoy it!! the more you use it, the better it will run, if some day you hit the valve wear or other issue button, then put some cash into that car and do what you want with it!! That carerra can be a super reliable and super fun car, personally I would just drive it!! -low miles, who cares, unless you are looking to make a concourse car out of it, then what's the fun in looking at it, when you can drive and enjoy it!!

[twobone]

I think keep it and enjoy the ocassional canyon blast

If you are at all nostalgic, you will increasingly value the ability to drive an old school beauty like her in the years to come.

A 996 is a great car....but what seperates you from the other folks with modern sportscars?

Having an older porsche means something

It says you have taste and have an appreciation for automotive art and the thrill of driving "old school"

[Hendog]

Do nothing and drive it, or do #1 if you must. "If it ain't broke, don't fix it."

[William930t]

It's a beautiful car, and once out of the city, in Porsche country! I would definitely drive it on weekends, more 400 mile trips and monitor oil consumption.

Get a compression/leakdown test on a warmed engine and post the results here, we can then start a new hypo.

[JMatta]

Very pretty car; way too nice to beat up on the track. If you want to DE/race, buy something you can beat up. I have both a modern Boxster S and an old modified '73. I enjoy them both for what they are. Sunny days with the Boxster; track days with the '73. Take the 10k and buy a 944 for track use.

[strupgolf]

Good point JMatta. Save your car until it needs anything, it looks
GREAT. Buy a older 944 for track use, have fun, and have the best of both worlds. 10 grand will buy a lot of car for whatever you need. But wait, there is the temptation of a 996 or 997. Great car, smooth, quiet, refined: Wow, I dont really know.







reat

[dd74]

I wouldn't do a thing. I'd keep it and drive it. Option #5 is to not park it so close to a corner.