Talk me into / out of this (996tt vs SC)

[Deschodt]

The SC is a fairly slow car for track duties as is... Not to say there is no room for your skills to grow, but it's tied to a post compared to more modern cars. Even when you make the fast group, are asked to become an instructor, your SC will still be tied to a post next to a 997/987/whatever... I know because I tracked mine for 15 years... You can bump up power and put the car on a diet but you are hurting its resale value, likely... and it's not making a HUGE difference for the $. Some, but not huge.

Now a 996TT is also a pretty bad choice for the track IMO. Heavier, 4WD, a fantastic cruiser and straightline car, yes it turns OK, but you hardly see any on track days (GT3s galore).

So depends what you want. The SC will appreciate, lower your track day expectations.
Decent driver tired of giving point-by (it's annoying, I agree), get a cheap 996/987S and have fun,

[JacobS911]

Originally Posted by Deschodt

Now a 996TT is also a pretty bad choice for the track IMO. Heavier, 4WD, a fantastic cruiser and straightline car, yes it turns OK, but you hardly see any on track days (GT3s galore).

If you do go the 996tt route.. do a rwd conversion and put coilovers on it and lower it to gt2 specs or better Just go all in on a 996 GT2 replica!! All the fun and without the guilt of thrashing a actual gt2 on track!

[bhmkv]

I would vote keep the SC. Driving a slow car fast is fun. Driving a very fast and heavy car at the track will be less fun. Will probably destroy tires as well.

[Deschodt]

Originally Posted by bhmkv

Driving a slow car fast is fun.

I object to that statement, tongue in cheek... It's kind a true on an empty canyon road, but on a racetrack, it's a pain in the a$$. Unless you are a jerk (mobile chicane), you want to keep an eye on the mirrors to let faster cars by. And that's all you do with an SC in the fast group ;-) It's hard to focus on your lines when you are constantly getting passed. Maybe in the beginners group? In the fast group, ugh...

I always thought driving a fast car fast was a lot of fun too ;-) But I still agree with keeping the SC. Or trade for something else, if you feel the urge (after all you only live once). I'd recommend Cayman S for a good combo of track and city fun (you'll still be giving point-by but a little less often).

[ischmitz]

get a 914 for the track, get a Camry for the child seat and leave the SC the way it is.....

[shipfaced]

Keep the SC! Learn to drive it, it is a LOT of fun to get a point-by from a "faster" car!

[Alex973]

Buy TT, keep the SC it is a cool car (yes SC is cool)

[Jdub]

Paul Newman started in a Datsun 510 in order to learn to drive fast. When he finally graduated he had the skills and now a fast(er) car.

Learn to drive your SC fast and then graduate to the 3.6 swap or another Pcar. That is what I would do anyways (or build in a third slot in the garage?).

[juanbenae]

I have just picked up a 996tt after selling my 78SC than went from a garage queen sunday car to a full blown spec911 racer in the 15 years I owned it. after autocrossing & DE'ing for a number years I went the racecar build route starting in 09 after have tracked it with sticky tires and suspension mods and loved it. thing was until it went full track car I had plateaued at the three local tracks and finding more speed was pushing me beyond 9/10's which a DE car should aspire too. even at 9/10's lapping faster than GT3, or other more modern, faster cars is a rewarding feeling that skill is on your side.

I sold the racecar taking the funds and buying an 03 996tt around a month ago. have barely driven it even on twisty roads due to the rain we've had and it needing tires. but it's fast, dam fast but to this point I am missing the raw of the SC. I will need to check back in a month from now after ive driven it some to update. I did have a track day planned but other stuff came up so this sat is a no go. from the slight amount of driving the TT will be less fun on the track than the SC even when I just DE the SC. I just don't expect the blast of a turbo with PSM, antilock brakes & AWD down a straight will be as rewarding as getting a well set up older 911 into a corner & having your reaction to it breaking loose go before you actually lose traction. that's not nanny controlled fun, it's you & the car!...

[DougZ]

Before I bought my 83 SC couple of years ago I was very much into getting 996TT. Prices were reasonable. I also liked the fact that 996TT didn't have the infamous IMS bearing issues like non turbo 996 cars. I loved the exterior looks but interior is not very attractive in my opinion. I also didn't like that there were so many made. My wife didn't care for the headlights. I test drove only couple of cars. They are quick and fast.

I am very glad I choose 83 SC. Its not a fast car but to me it's good enough. I also like the fact that air cooled cars have appreciated a lot. Doing better than 401K investments. I don't even think about getting a 996TT anymore

[autobonrun]

You have a nice looking SC with a great color combination. My opinion based on your description is I would keep the SC. Instead focus and work on the driving skills. Like me, there's room for improvement with those skills. Smoothness on the track with all your inputs will make up somewhat for power. Work on smoothness and taking the correct lines. The SC is great for that and actually less forgiving with no nannies to help.

Currently I own a SC, 993, and 996 TurboS. My opinion is the SC is a blast to drive, and has been for the 32 years I've owned it. The 993 is equally fun, not as raucous as the SC. Both sound better than the TurboS. A turbo will never sound as good as an air cooled, normally aspirated car. I've learned to accept that and also accepted the fact that there's nothing wrong with the sound of a turbo, it's different but still sounds like a Porsche. You do get the whine of the turbo and the whistle off throttle.

Power is no contest. The 996 TT is just stupid, go to jail fast. My turbo is tuned to 550HP and about 570 ft/lbs of torque. In fact, I just ordered a new GT3 RS 4.0 clutch kit to handle the additional power. The stock clutch slips with the tune. Another shortfall is the mid 2000's is about the time Bluetooth really took off so the 996 turbo's info system difficult to upgrade.

Also, if you've tracked prices, you know that $40k is near the bottom of today's 996 turbo market. Low mileage and top condition TurboS cars are in the mid 50's to low 70's range. I've had my S for a year and it only had 24k miles when I bought it.

Again, my opinion would be to keep the SC and plan for the turbo later. There will always be ones for sale.

By the way, do you know if the turbo you're looking at has had the coolant hoses pinned or welded? Some tracks will not allow a 996TT on them until this has been done. To do all the coolant lines, the engine has to come out. This is a $2500 - $3500 exercise that you would need to include in cost to own.

Here's a few photos of mine.

[RSBob]

Now go over to the turbo forum and ask the same question.

[Alan L]

I got an SC and 930. I track the 930 - dedicated for that. But I have tracked the SC and a 996TT.
The 996 TT is a great car and a great buy in current market - you get a LOT of car for the current values. But it is going to depend on what spins your wheels ultimately. I still love my SC as much as the day i got it a decade ago. And for long haul trips it is a pleasure to drive - raw , simple, predictable and basic to maintain (relatively speaking) and more or less bullet proof. Mine has never let me down in 10 yrs on the road.
The 996TT has to be tempting and offers much more in performance and creature comfort. But the Q I ask myself (I have considered both a 996 TT and a GT3 upgrade) is whether I will really ever use the extra performance except on track. And the running cost will definitely be higher than the SC. Basically, how much track time do you want to do, and how much more performance can you use on the road without loosing your license. Don't know what it is like in US but here, down under, 25mph over limit (town or open road) instant license gone - on the spot.
So, I am happy to keep the faithful SC and track the 930. And I worry about my license every time I drive the SC!
My friend who has the TT has in the last yr or so had bills that would have purchased another SC - some on-going issues down as deep as the crankshaft. I hope it was not my track time :-).
Alan

[Buechsen Gustl]

That SC is def a keeper... In the straight line the TT is a monster but on track it will be only a monster which eats tires :-) Due to the weight some other components will be affected by that.

TODAY you can't go wrong with an air cooled pcar, you can literally see the worth of an air cooled car rise ;-)

I would keep the SC if that's in your budget and perhaps buy a 996tt but there are better cars to track, for instance an E46 M3 ;-)

[kagangen]

go best of both worlds, put the 3.6 in the sc

[wachuko]

Pretty much everything has been covered. The 996TT is stupid fast. And it is the right 996 to buy due to the engine/transmission... and price wise, I think they have reach their bottom. So you get a lot of car for the money.

I just could not deal with the interior... I hated how Porsche cheap-out in that generation.

Do not get me wrong. I had a blast with mine... saw 185mph a few times... took it to Sebring and had a blast there... I just could not deal with the quality of the interior and feeling completely disconnected from the road... the exterior was fine.





Not sure if it is because I am getting old or what, but I enjoy an SC, 964, 993 a heck of a lot more than the modern versions...

Video of me at Sebring with the 2002 996TT that I had



https://youtu.be/HLgl9t9Ffak

So to the OP... keep your SC... save and add the TT later... or you will regret it.

[gliding_serpent]

Keep the sc.

My 110,000 mile 8000$ Stock 2010 mazdaspeed3 hunts down 996tt's with ease.

[motofoto]

Like others have said, it boils down to what does it for you. I tend to like simpler, older, lighter, more feelsome cars even if they're not the fastest thing in the world. I like to feel engaged even at slower speeds. I had a very nice e46 M3 with some great track mods, and while it was technically better and faster than my 86 911 and my 74 Alfa GTV, it just sat there while I passed it up for one of the other cars. I only used it when I needed a bigger trunk or AC. That was a silly use for an M3, so it left, and the 911 is a keeper. I get passed on track more than I did with the M3, but I'm having much more fun. Both of my classics are also more fun on the street. It wasn't often on the fun roads around here that I was able to deploy even the full power the M3 could provide, never mind another 100hp from a 996 TT. If you can afford to keep the SC while you try out the TT try to do so, as you might find it's not your thing. I only learned that about myself by trying out a different type of enthusiast car. There's a reason the older cars are getting more expensive even though the newer cars are technically superior. Logic doesn't weigh in. :-)

[KNS]

Originally Posted by motofoto

Like others have said, it boils down to what does it for you. I tend to like simpler, older, lighter, more feelsome cars even if they're not the fastest thing in the world. I like to feel engaged even at slower speeds. I had a very nice e46 M3 with some great track mods, and while it was technically better and faster than my 86 911 and my 74 Alfa GTV, it just sat there while I passed it up for one of the other cars. I only used it when I needed a bigger trunk or AC. That was a silly use for an M3, so it left, and the 911 is a keeper. I get passed on track more than I did with the M3, but I'm having much more fun. Both of my classics are also more fun on the street. It wasn't often on the fun roads around here that I was able to deploy even the full power the M3 could provide, never mind another 100hp from a 996 TT. If you can afford to keep the SC while you try out the TT try to do so, as you might find it's not your thing. I only learned that about myself by trying out a different type of enthusiast car. There's a reason the older cars are getting more expensive even though the newer cars are technically superior. Logic doesn't weigh in. :-)

I wish Porsche would see this! We don't all want a 500 HP Nurburgring conqueror. Imagine if Porsche took on a project like a lightweight Subaru BRZ?

[dzik]

I also vote to keep the SC. For me, it is a hard car to learn with and get speed with, but it will be worth it at the end. I had the prior owner of my car (KTL) take it for a ride on the track with me once, I was amazed how much speed I was leaving on the table. He had no problem hunting down more modern machinery with the 87. Plus like others have said, it's so much fun on the street, a lot more engaging, and it feels more special. Its a car that will reward great driving and remind you when you suck.