Is a 996 911 Carrera a good daily driver?

[Pankh]

Plan on getting one later this summer as a University student and I'm just wondering if it's all that it's hyped up to be. Find one that's had IMS done, and I should be fine right?

[colingreene]

Do not buy that car as a student.

[CASair]

maintenance cost will force you to stick with ramen noodles.

[racer]

Consider the usual caveats..

1) age.. 15-20 year old cars - depending on how bought, it could need a whole host of items repaired/replaced from cosmetic to mechanical
2) IMS - when this fails, you know have a V8 conversion to ponder
3) Regular maintenance costs - Tires, Brakes, Oil changes, fuel etc.
4) Choose your trans - Tip or Manual?

They are great cars.. They perform very well. But the engines have issues.. some will never have an issue, the other 10-20% will have a full meltdown.

[bweiss1]

I agree with racer. Unless you have a garage, tools, and know-how, these cars can get very costly given that they are 20 years old, parts are expensive, and so are mechanics. Frankly, as a student, I wouldn't want the hassle. That's why I waited till it wasn't my only car.
Good luck to you!

[996AE]

Parts cost will break the bank even if you have time, tools and skills.

[2.7RS]

Do what I did when I was 20

Japanese econoboxes

[996AE]

Used at that!

[ian c2]

It depends upon what your daily drive will be .
There is no such thing as an ideal car , and an even bigger unicorn hunt for an ideal daily driver .

My current commute is 30 minutes , half freeway at 75-85 / half surface at 0-50 .
On the way home it’s approaching an hour stop-start .

Decent surfaces , wind-down and stay in 1-2 lanes coming home , and pass a grocery store on the way home .
Cannot get down the slope into parking lot so park off-site .

I’m using a boxster tip for this commute .
I’d have no more fun and not get there any quicker using a Carrera , and the same problems I have getting home would be the same .

On the way home , a comfortable suv would be better .
( I used to use a supercharged rangerover on my longer commutes , with heated wheel and cooled seats etc. but gas mileage sucked)
Mainly to see what’s going on ahead , and I could fit a weeks groceries in an suv .
I think maybe 5 days in the boxster , and 3 days in a Carrera . And ikea / Home Depot etc is definately out

Then there’s the damage to think about ...
Depreciation , stone-chips , consumables , parking lot incidents , insurance . Etc.

Gas will be cheaper than an suv , but that’s it .
By an econo-box and you lose that too .

I guess you must ask yourself why you want to drive a porsche to school ....

Do you really want to drive a porsche to school , or do you really want people to see you driving a porsche to school ?

Or you just want free net-flix ???

[yelcab1]

Troll !
Ramen Noodle eating troll

[mel9146]

My first car was a 64 911 at age 16. Did help dad was a factory trained Porsche mechanic. Would not recommend any Porsche on a school campus. Today you have to desalination with jealousy.

[Bigtoe32067]

I daily drove a 99 996 from 2001 to 2014 and 100k miles. Did one clutch and rear main seal due to rear main seal leakage. Also did IMS update while engine was out at the same time. This was all at 60k miles. Did a few coils and spark plugs and requisite oil changes in the 100k miles but that was it.
Never not started and never left me stranded in that period and got 24 mpg avg.
One of best cars I've eer owned and I've owned many.
I'd say do it.
Even 5 year old Japanese econoboxes have problems also.
Tony

[991gts6s]

drove 996 from 2001 until 2012,, 159K miles.. Never left me stuck once

Great car very reliable...