I currently run a Seat Leon Cupra, and very nice it is too (recommend one to anyone). I have an 80 mile round trip, 4 days per week, plus social stuff, to give context. Recently, I have been finding myself increasingly lusting after Porsche 911's, particularly a silver 964-shape Carrera 2 (be about a 1994). Having looked around, I find I can get one for about £20k, surprisingly do-able. Am I insane to consider one of these as daily transport? I know reliability is good, and they don't live up to their rep of spitting you off at the first corner, but will I live to regret this? Anyone been there and done it?
Advice welcomed!!
Cheers,
Alex.
--
Dr Alex Mears
Seat Leon Cupra
If you are in a hole stop digging...unless
you are a miner.
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Am I insane?
In a word; Yes.
Sure someone will be along in a minute who has experience of how, whilst are an affordable purchase, they are NOT a daily runner.
Good luck and don't forget to ask for a secure unit with internet access once they section you.
;o)
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Work out the running costs, if you can do it and you want to - go for it.
Live is meant to be lived, money is meant to be spent and fun is meant to be had. Otherwise, what's the point?
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Ah, here we are:
www.honestjohn.co.uk/forum/post/index.htm?t=19503
Also have a look at
www.911virgin.com/
Hope this is a bit more helpful than my original effort.
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A friend ran a couple of 911 Porsches of that vintage before retirement. Well he was a solicitor.
The official service and repair costs were extraordinarily high.
I say that even as a valued VW customer.
Minor items like oil pipes in the dry sump scavenging system cost £100's to replace and new cam chains / tensioners £1000's if I reacall correctly. Mind you he did do 40,000 plus miles per year.
Fabulous car to ride in , never got to drive unfortunately.
Perhaps you should buy one for social domestic & pleasure only, find an independent service expert and keep the annual milage down?
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Not sure about your mantra, Bazza. Porsche could be a way to live a short life.
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Are you insane ? Probably.
But I can't see that's relevant. If you want it, if you can afford it, then get it. You'll always regret it if you don't.
I had a Ferrari because I always wanted to. It didn't turn out quite as pleasurable as I'd hoped, and I eventually sold it. i didn't lose any/much money, and I certainly don't regret having it.
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You're not insane to want one. I thoroughly endorse Mark's comments here.
You are insane to want to use it every day. The ride is tuned for sporting performance, not comfort. You won't mind but no-one will want a lift. Not that you'll have much room for passengers if you also have anything of any size to carry. Fuel consumption was clearly not a factor in the design, and regular use will bring servicing intervals round quickly and raise your bank manager's eyebrows. The legendary Porsche residuals are also subject to the car having done Porsche-like mileages.
There is also the problem that if you use it all the time then your licence may start to feel that its days are numbered. Either that, or you will be forever pootling along at 1500 rpm which neither you nor the car will like.
Nevertheless, if you want to and you can afford it then you must - just have a daily car to use 6 days of the week. Happy hunting!
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If you can, do it! Do it now!
Get some fun motoring in before HMG force us all to have GPS throttle control and we're all doomed to drift around in our little padded boxes as in some giant mad Scalextric set.
A chum* lent me his 911 targa for a few days around my 40th birthday (some years ago). Cracking fun, didn't have the car long enough to get the best out of it. Delicious raucous yowl from drain pipe sized exhaust and enough power to inject grin factor into every journey.
* they don't make mates like that nowadays.
Hawkeye
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Stranger in a strange land
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I was looking into these a while back and decided against it.
Too many problems with them. Most folks won't touch a 964 these days. Either get an older and simpler 3.0 SC or save up for a 993.
Good buyers guide here. Get the 3.5Mb PDF
www.porsche964.co.uk/rev_rep/911pw.htm
Main problem is that nearly everything is an engine out job, they are the hardest 911 to work on. Clutch is £1000 engine out job. Ignition system (twin plugs) and distributors fail and oil leaks are the other major problem as they have no head gasket.
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When the time comes to shuffle off this earth, at the gates of St Peters (or old Nick's depending on your destination) is a slot to post your wisheye book. This is where you have written down all the things you wish you had done in life. This book needs to have as few entries in it as possible, because you have no chance left to do them.
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If you have the money and have fully researched the costs of having a car like that and using it everyday then go for it. I would seriously consider having a banger (toyota something) for emergency use for when the Porsche decides it is having a bad hair day and doesn't want a trip to your work place, to the shops etc.
Have you considered something like a skyline gt-r ? For about 12-15k you can have porsche performance with japanese reliability. Plus the skylines are a bit rairer than the usual scooby/Evo.
teabelly
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Thanks for all your input- very useful, and enlightening as ever. As I expected, there seems to be a general split between the 'go for it' people and the 'be careful' people, and this neatly sums up my current thinking (hence the quandry). I'd love a 993, but can't quite afford it at the moment. I also really like the look of the 964 over the 993 (I think it's the (lack of ) slope of the headlights). I really don't like the current 996, those big headlights just put me off. Not sure why! As a second car, a 964 would be ideal, but I don't have that luxury just now.
As an off the wall idea, I could go for the lease car I can get in my new job, and buy an old 911 carrera from the 80's (or even 70's?). The lease car could be fairly ordinary (and therefore cheap), freeing cash for the porker.
Does this sound more sensible??
--
Dr Alex Mears
Seat Leon Cupra
If you are in a hole stop digging...unless
you are a miner.
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As an off the wall idea, I could go for the lease car I can get in my new job, and buy an old 911 carrera from the 80's (or even 70's?). The lease car could be fairly ordinary (and therefore cheap), freeing cash for the porker.
Ooooh yes indeedy, that's the way to do it. The earlier cars are cheaper for servicing and maintenance (less trouble getting to the bits and when you get to them they are much more simple to fix)
These cars make much more sense as a weekend or 2nd car than as a daily driver. Now you're talking.
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Ecellent approach. Go fo it.
May I repeat myself, having now found the link?
www.honestjohn.co.uk/forum/post/index.htm?v=e&t=19...8
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