Carrera as a daily driver/only vehicle

[Canada Kev]

OK, it looks like I will be heading back to university this coming fall. A friend tells me I'm in an enviable position in my life with no spousal unit and/or kids. Kinda looking forward to starting something new but a bit anxious as well. I am nearing the age that starts with a four.

I may take my first two years where I currently live and then sell off the house and most everything else and head out to the (Canadian) west coast. Or I may just start there. I am not committed to either, yet.

Regardless, does the readership here think I would be foolish to stick with a Carrera as an only vehicle? It may get driven daily or just periodically, I don't know yet. Or maybe I should just keep my Cherokee. If I am not in my house, I don't think I could have two vehicles - just too much of a PITA I think. Just a bit of baseline information: I am not one of those that thinks these cars need to be coddled and pampered. I have no issues driving them in the rain and snow. I believe they need to be driven and if cared for and maintained, will give a return on that investment at least as good as any modern car.

All opinions are welcomed. Thanks.

-kevin

[SteveinTO]

If you're not wealthy or handy, it's not a daily driver. And if you're handy, you need a place to work on it occasionally. And a bicycle.

That said, I'd make it a daily driver in a heartbeat. There's a statement the car makes and you can't make it with a Cherokee, even if it's Grand.

[the]

Get a solid, sorted out one, and it is perfectly fine as a daily driver. These are VERY simple, robust cars. It will be pretty much as reliable as any other car its age, probably better than 90% of them. If you need AC, that can be an issue, they tend to not work so well (can be fixed with $$$).

Prices are good now, you can get a nice one, daily drive it and have your costs per mile be the same as many "normal" cars, at least if depreciation is taken into account.

[slodave]

I'm about the same age as you, divorced and not going back to university... My 911 was a daily driver for the entire time my dad owned it (first owner) and I drove it as a daily for about a year. I have to drive to multiple clients a day and can rack up 100 miles in a day, plus I need to haul some minor equip and computers. I bought a used Toyota to use for a daily diver and occasionally drive the 911 to job sites...

I have thought about getting rid of the Toyota, but it wouldn't be practical and I like having a weekend car.

The cars are getting older, so think about it!

[carolinatrophy]

I'm not wealthy or super-mechanical, but I have used a Carrera as an only car for more than two years now with little or no issue. If you think you can live with it as an only car, you almost certainly can.

[therotman]

Do you even need a car at the university?



When I went away to school I didn't have a car, although if I had a 911 I sure would have not gotten rid of it!


I drove my SC daily for a while, but I was in southern california at the time.

[kidrock]

I'm a P-car newbie, so I can't make a truly qualified judgment...but IMO, the 3.2's probably have the "bulletproof" reputation for a reason. I've heard (and believe) that the motors (and G50) will last 200K miles if taken care of properly. If the reputation is true, those qualifications make it a "Daily" for sure.

But I'd be taking real good care of it. I don't think these cars are like Detroit Monsters, where you can let a little thing go without much concern. I'd imagine that a little thing ignored could become pretty expensive, pretty fast...

[slodave]

Far more than 200,000 miles. Even without top end jobs and still pulls 225HP.

[jorian]

Marginal heat, marginal defrost, marginal handling on snow tires not to mention the toll salt takes on any car; Carreras are no match for Edmonton winters. Buy a beater for when the snow flies or keep your Cherokee.

[dw1]

You didn't say what year your car is, but since you said "Carrera", we're talking about a 20+ year old car.

Yes, the car is well built, and yes the car can be reliable, but do you really want to bet that you can get everywhere you need to be relying on a 20 year old car?

No matter how well, it's maintained, parts wear out, rubber/plastic degrades, and entropy has its way with things.

The key to driving a car of this age is obsessive maintenance and repair, which means you need a place to work on the car, and a spare to use while you're waiting for parts.

IMHO, driving a 20+ year old 911 is just like driving a 20+ year old anything else, only a bit less so because of how well the cars were made, the quality of the components, and the overall relative mechanical/electrical simplicity of the car.

You mention ROI - 911's are not great in this regard, unless one assumes a relatively high resale price. A dd exposed to severe weather, road salt, etc., will not have the best resale value.

Here in the US, spending 1/3 to 1/2 the price of a good used Carrera 3.2 will get you a good economy car in the 60k - 75K mileage range, with low maintenance and parts cost, low insurance cost, and lots of life left in them.

911's are not about economics, but about the joy of driving.

Bottom line: Beater + 911

[dimeified]

It's a good daily driver. Mine has been for 4 years with no problems that would leave me stranded, only stupid things. However it has developed a leak from somewhere in the front of the motor, probably a breather hose. The motor will have to come out. But this is easily done over a weekend, and is not leaving me stranded for during the week.

[Vintage Racer]

You need two cars.

[Canada Kev]

Thanks to all the replies.

Just to clarify, the ROI that I mentioned is referring to the investment of maintenance . The return is that is usually works with few surprises. NO car is a good financial investment.

If I am staying here for any part of school, I would keep my Jeep for the daily drudgery of commuting. Probably. Transit here sucks, but there is a fairly major terminal close to me, and for certain the U is a big stop. Plus I have a bike and like to ride.

-kevin

[Macroni]

Carrera.............. Life will require an SUV soon enough. Enjoy where you are today!

[dlague]

My 73 is my daily driver.....but I am in a warm climate. But it is fun to enjoy the car every day. they are made for driving more than Sunday AM.

[911st]

Drive the Carrera and you will get more shots at that family unit thing.

[mca]

I drive my 180,000+ mile "Grand" Cherokee daily and keep the SC for weekends or nice weekdays.

I would use it as a daily driver if I had to. The only problem is that I live a mere 9 miles from where I work. I hate to crank up the SC for such a short trip - 10 - 15 minutes. Not made for that kind of use in my opinion.

Your best choice is to keep both.

[austin552]

Originally Posted by mca

I drive my 180,000+ mile "Grand" Cherokee daily and keep the SC for weekends or nice weekdays.

I would use it as a daily driver if I had to. The only problem is that I live a mere 9 miles from where I work. I hate to crank up the SC for such a short trip - 10 - 15 minutes. Not made for that kind of use in my opinion.

Your best choice is to keep both.

I'm in a similar boat. I want to sell the 03 Jeep Liberty and put some of the money into the 911 making it a daily driver. Battled the wife for a year before she said okay. Now friends and family are saying don't do it.

[88911coupe]

I did this for a long time, first with the '87 cab, then with the '88 coupe. Frankly, it got to be a PITA since there seemed to be little things going on all the time that required attending and I had no intention of taking it to a Porsche Shop every time and having to deal with dropping it off, finding a rental car, picking it up, etc....not to mention this gets expensive. My wife basically made me get an Audi A4 as a daily driver (she's a keeper, the wife I mean)...best thing we ever did. Now, I can work on the 911 at my leisure and I'm not using up most of a weekend to fix the little things. Also, it's 33 degrees and raining here which, for some reason, makes the 911 fog up like a freakin' sauna unless you run the a/c full blast. The Audi HVAC takes the situation in stride. I assume the newer 911's have improved in this area but the older ones truly suck in this weather.

[911JC911]

A 911 is a great car....a practical sports car for sure....but in the grand scheme of things, it's not all that practical.

I'd keep the dailer beater and enjoy the 911 on open roads when you have some free time.