Porsche 911 997 - Station runs in my 997

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Sun 12 Oct 2014 14:48
Porsche 911 997 - Station runs in my 997 - perleman

I now have a job that involves commuting from our local station. In winter months I will not be cycling to the station so will drive. I'm not concerned about theft or damage in the station car park as a few people have told me that it's fine for that, but am more concerned about the mechanical impact of the journey - it is one mile so the car will only be started, driven there, stopped, and same home later thus never getting warm.

I have no issue doing more frequent oil changes & might get the stuff to do them at home, maybe every 5k or so, but am also considering a small cheap car like a £1k golf to do the run in.

I have to re-emphasize that I'm not concerned about damage or anything, the car park is full of expensive cars. Mine is a 997 C4S BTW.

Thoughts please?

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Sun 12 Oct 2014 15:01
Porsche 911 997 - Station runs in my 997 - gordonbennet

I'd spend a max of £400 on an old banger, and use the Porsche during dry days only (minimise salt attack) on longer runs to keep it running nicely, might as well find something useful such as an estate or Suzuki WagonR type for tip runs etc if you have use for such, only going to cost pennies to run anyway, and might be worth keeping under 1500cc and older than 01 to get the cheap tax.

I wouldn't subject such a car as your Porsche to such treatment as a 1 mile commute for months on end.

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Sun 12 Oct 2014 15:16
Porsche 911 997 - Station runs in my 997 - perleman

my issue is even with a cheap as chips car & presuming it stays reliable, I'd be spending minimum of £280 on insurance, £200ish on tax, £50 on MOT so that's about £50/month on running costs. Is the station cmmute that bad for the car or is that somewhat exagerated?

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Sun 12 Oct 2014 15:26
Porsche 911 997 - Station runs in my 997 - SlidingPillar

One mile = twenty minutes walk

I'd not submit any engined vehicle to such abuse. If one really is a bit lazy, get a folding bike and take it with you.

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Sun 12 Oct 2014 15:37
Porsche 911 997 - Station runs in my 997 - gordonbennet

my issue is even with a cheap as chips car & presuming it stays reliable, I'd be spending minimum of £280 on insurance, £200ish on tax, £50 on MOT so that's about £50/month on running costs. Is the station cmmute that bad for the car or is that somewhat exagerated?

Under 1549cc VED for pre 1.03.'01 registered is £79.75 for 6 months or £145 for 12.

I was suggesting you bought a long MOT'd car for less than £400, tax it 6 months and flog it on again in the spring.

Should cost you only the insurance, 6 months tax, and whatever falls off it in the meantime, however having an old banger you don't have to worry about is quite addictive, you might find it becomes a semi permanent feature...nights out with parking worries, supermarket shopping, tip runs, slabs to collect, wardrobe strapped to roof etc.

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Mon 13 Oct 2014 14:48
Porsche 911 997 - Station runs in my 997 - Gibbo_Wirral

Even cheaper is a little 1.3 diesel Punto. £20 a year road tax.

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Sun 12 Oct 2014 19:31
Porsche 911 997 - Station runs in my 997 - csgmart

I had a similar dilema (although in my case it is an SLK on a fixed 20k pa mileage and I do 30k+ pa typically).

I got myself a 2001 vintage VW polo 1.4. Cost me £1500 two years ago. Apart from oil changes and the like it's cost me nothing more than petrol and tax to run. I could probably still get £750 for it if I wanted. It's only just done 70k miles so plenty of life in the old girl yet.

I tend to use in winter months to save the SLK from getting abused by road salt etc and it also gets used for tips to the trip and short runs locally. In many ways I prefer it to the SLK as I really don't care where I park it. It's great for supermarket shopping. I can park it any of the spaces and don't have to worry about someone opening their door into the side of it. In the SLK i drive to a quiet part of the car park and ensure no one is parked either side of me so as to avoid car park dings etc. Even then for some reason you get people parking right next to you even though there are plenty of other free spaces.

I think tax is around £150 a year and it does around 45mpg (I tend to do longer runs on the motorway cruising around 60/70). Cheaps as chips to run and really is a less stressful way of motoring.

Like someone has already said - if it's only a mile to the station I really would consider walking - an easy 20 minute stroll and good for the heart....

Edited by csgmart on 12/10/2014 at 19:33

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Sun 12 Oct 2014 20:59
Porsche 911 997 - Station runs in my 997 - Manatee

If you must drive, there's nothing to stop you making it a 5 mile journey. Or drive to the next station.

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Sun 12 Oct 2014 21:34
Porsche 911 997 - Station runs in my 997 - Ethan Edwards

Buy an old 50cc scooter. Cheap as chips to run, insure tax etc. Good fun too. Unfortunately I started with a 125cc and ended up with an 1100cc motorcycle. .its a bit addictive. Parking is a breeze as well.

Edited by Ethan Edwards on 12/10/2014 at 21:35

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Sun 12 Oct 2014 22:28
Porsche 911 997 - Station runs in my 997 - Bromptonaut

Cycling in southern UK winter's a cinch.

If you're only doing a mile then it'll take less than ten minutes. Good clothes will keep you warm and either watrproof or rapid drying. Good lights cover the see/be seen angle.

Weather wise, doing two or three miles each way that in Central London, I got more than drizzled on maybe 6 mornings in a whole year. Geting drenched on way home was not a problem, going to a train where I soon dried; another function of the right clothing.

Would be be even less of a problem if final destination was home>whisky>bath.

Snow/ice were a no no but the money you'd save on fuel, never mind wear/tear on the Porsche, would over the odd taxi.

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Sun 12 Oct 2014 22:42
Porsche 911 997 - Station runs in my 997 - Wackyracer

Brompt, That reminds me of a neighbour who claimed that his wife used her car soo little that it would be cheaper for her to just go by taxi.

I'd cycle or walk too.

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Mon 13 Oct 2014 10:08
Porsche 911 997 - Station runs in my 997 - kiss (keep it simple)

The exhaust will suffer badly. If it never gets hot enough all the nasty stuff just sits in there as liquid rather than evaporating off. One new exhaust for your Porsche will cost more than a banger and then some. I have a 2004 Mazda 6 which I rarely use for short runs if I can avoid it. Guess what, still on original exhaust with 138k on the clock.

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Mon 13 Oct 2014 12:17
Porsche 911 997 - Station runs in my 997 - skidpan

it is one mile so

Walk it.

Will take 20 minutes. By the time you are in the Porsche, negotaited traffic, parked it, bought a ticket (if needed) it willl have taken you nearly as long.

We live about 1 mile from the town centre, just as quick to walk it. Only go in the car if there are heavy or bulky items to collect.

Walking will be better for you as well as for the car.

Forget the weather, as a wise man once said, no such thing as bad weather, only the wrong cloths.

Edited by skidpan on 13/10/2014 at 12:18

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Mon 13 Oct 2014 13:22
Porsche 911 997 - Station runs in my 997 - Manatee

Why not walk it? I'm surprised nobody has suggested that already!

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Mon 13 Oct 2014 13:47
Porsche 911 997 - Station runs in my 997 - alan1302

Why not walk it? I'm surprised nobody has suggested that already!

They have! :-)

Is possible the op can't walk a mile for physical resaons.

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Mon 13 Oct 2014 14:48
Porsche 911 997 - Station runs in my 997 - Manatee

Why not walk it? I'm surprised nobody has suggested that already!

They have! :-)

Is possible the op can't walk a mile for physical resaons.

Quite.

Why do people so often post exactly the same answer, as if it's a new idea - not even "I agree,...)?

Just wastes time when readers are looking at "new" posts. My first instinct was to suggest walking too but it had already been done, so I didn't bother.

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Mon 13 Oct 2014 14:49
Porsche 911 997 - Station runs in my 997 - Ethan Edwards

Surely the OP can sit on a 50cc scooter and twist the throttle with his right hand.

Twenty minute walk versus five minute ride.....I know which I'd choose.

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Mon 13 Oct 2014 14:48
Porsche 911 997 - Station runs in my 997 - Doc

Why not walk it? I'm surprised nobody has suggested that already!

He does not want to walk (or cycle during winter months)

Edited by Doc on 13/10/2014 at 14:50

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Mon 13 Oct 2014 15:05
Porsche 911 997 - Station runs in my 997 - thunderbird

During the 40+ years I have been working I have never been fortunate enough to be within 1 mile of the office or 1 mile of relaible public transport.

If I had I would have happilly walked (which the OP never said he did not want to) or probably bought a bike (if there had been somewhere safe to leave it).

I have to consider that since walking 1 mile is well within the capabilites of most able bodied persons (since he claims he cycles he must be able bodied plus getting into a Porsche must be near impossible for a disabled person) that this might just be yet another troll posting.

Who in their right mind would even consider running a Porsche a mile each way every day.

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Mon 13 Oct 2014 18:16
Porsche 911 997 - Station runs in my 997 - SteVee

There's a Tesla in my station car park, I'd guess that any electric car would be ideal for those short runs to / from the station. Cycles, Scooters and even walking are far from weather-proof. (The tesla's not mine unfortunately - I always walk)

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Mon 13 Oct 2014 19:39
Porsche 911 997 - Station runs in my 997 - Alby Back
Cheapest small petrol car with 12 months MOT and a sensible service history you can find. So cheap its disposable if necessary. Leave your bike and a warm coat in the boot in case it won't start one day ! Old mk 1 Panda type thing maybe if you can find one which hasn't disolved.
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Mon 13 Oct 2014 20:21
Porsche 911 997 - Station runs in my 997 - Doc
Cheapest small petrol car with 12 months MOT and a sensible service history you can find. So cheap its disposable if necessary. Leave your bike and a warm coat in the boot in case it won't start one day ! Old mk

Something like this: tinyurl.com/l5uasee


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