986S to 996 C2 - Should I do it?

[Boxsum]

996 no brainer 👍

[brillomaster]

does the aircon work in your current 986S, if not, then i'd get that fixed. then you can use the car all year round, and on the nice days when the temperature is between 17 and 19 degrees, you can drop the top too.

personally i prefer a boxster anyways - i have no use for rear seats, i'd rather have the engine in the middle and a boot at either end.

[RedBarediver]

19 hours ago, Jon61 said:

You may be being a bit unfair on your car. The original 2.5 specification top speed was 149mph, so even if yours has lost a few horses in the interim it's probably good for more than 136. 

You're right! I must have been thinking of my 147. That makes it even more of a good deal for me. The 911 does what - 175mph top speed? And the 986S does 162mph top speed? Granted the 911 is roomier and is regarded as the more "grown-up" Porsche to have, and in a perfect world I would have both, but the 986 is certainly not any less of a sports car than the 911. Buying a really good low-mileage 986S will set you back £10,000 or maybe a bit more. You can get higher-mileage well taken care of examples for a lot less. A similar 911 will almost certainly be double that. 

All for 15 mph faster? And it's a moot point in any case as those speeds are illegal and mostly undoable. Unless you live next to an Autobahn, and even on an Autobahn you will have other vehicles to consider so you're unlikely to ever see that top speed.

Bottom line is buy what you like, and enjoy it. Doesn't matter what anyone else thinks or says. Usually when people ask others for their opinion they have already made up their mind.

I'd be willing to bet that even if you do end up getting the 911, fantastic car though it is, you'll miss the Boxster.

[Menoporsche]

@antjrice Care to comment? I mentioned you've been tracking ownership expenses, but I didn't link your thread.

[Cybot7]

I went from a 2001 996.1 manual coupe to my current 986.2s and I don’t regret at all. The 911 was a great drive but I find the Boxster a far more relaxing and engaging and it’s probably quicker cross country. 

[Rav]

Thanks friends. All very useful information. 

I decided to take the plunge and arranged for Nick Giles to conduct an inspection on the car. I informed the dealer who told me that an inspection was strictly not allowed. They find that inspections place a tension between customer and trader which is not needed. 

I decided that I value £10k far too much not to get a £200 inspection done, so i let the car go.

 

[fizz]

50 minutes ago, Rav said:

Thanks friends. All very useful information. 

I decided to take the plunge and arranged for Nick Giles to conduct an inspection on the car. I informed the dealer who told me that an inspection was strictly not allowed. They find that inspections place a tension between customer and trader which is not needed. 

I decided that I value £10k far too much not to get a £200 inspection done, so i let the car go.

 

That's the first time I've heard a inspection be rejected. That really does make you curious as to what they are trying to hide. 

Since you have let it go, would you mind sharing the link here for the car. 

[CMA]

52 minutes ago, Rav said:

Thanks friends. All very useful information. 

I decided to take the plunge and arranged for Nick Giles to conduct an inspection on the car. I informed the dealer who told me that an inspection was strictly not allowed. They find that inspections place a tension between customer and trader which is not needed. 

I decided that I value £10k far too much not to get a £200 inspection done, so i let the car go.

 

Sounds like a good choice to let it go, anyone that refuses an inspection would set alarm bells off for me. 

[Menoporsche]

1 hour ago, Rav said:

They find that inspections place a tension between customer and trader which is not needed. 

Speechless. 

[½cwt]

13 hours ago, Rav said:

Thanks friends. All very useful information. 

I decided to take the plunge and arranged for Nick Giles to conduct an inspection on the car. I informed the dealer who told me that an inspection was strictly not allowed. They find that inspections place a tension between customer and trader which is not needed. 

I decided that I value £10k far too much not to get a £200 inspection done, so i let the car go.

 

It may create tension (AKA there are faults to find and the price to be knocked down), but not allowing removes all trust and thus no deal...  I imagine they want someone who doesn't quite know what is involved in a 996 to walk in and pay their money over at sticker price, no questions asked.

As we say to people looking for a Boxster see lots, drive a few, then buy one, if you still want one.  Condition and history.

Edited June 3, 2023 by ½cwt

[Menoporsche]

On 5/30/2023 at 10:41 AM, Rav said:

I dont often use the 986 in the winter due to the hood

Now spend a bit of that 10k to address this, and feel good about it 👍

[Mattman42]

On 6/2/2023 at 7:40 PM, Rav said:

Thanks friends. All very useful information. 

I decided to take the plunge and arranged for Nick Giles to conduct an inspection on the car. I informed the dealer who told me that an inspection was strictly not allowed. They find that inspections place a tension between customer and trader which is not needed. 

I decided that I value £10k far too much not to get a £200 inspection done, so i let the car go.

 

Have a read of Tameracingdrivers thread on pistonheads. That inspection 'may' not be that great.

[½cwt]

6 hours ago, Mattman42 said:

Have a read of Tameracingdrivers thread on pistonheads. That inspection 'may' not be that great.

Do you mean that car or that inspector, or would you prefer not to say...?

[Mattman42]

1 hour ago, ½cwt said:

Do you mean that car or that inspector, or would you prefer not to say...?

In this case, it appears the inspection didn’t pick up a major issue

[RedBarediver]

On 6/2/2023 at 7:40 PM, Rav said:

Thanks friends. All very useful information. 

I decided to take the plunge and arranged for Nick Giles to conduct an inspection on the car. I informed the dealer who told me that an inspection was strictly not allowed. They find that inspections place a tension between customer and trader which is not needed. 

I decided that I value £10k far too much not to get a £200 inspection done, so i let the car go.

 

Good decision I think. If someone expects you to drop £10k on a car without getting an independent inspection then you're right to be suspicious and walk away. I certainly would. 

And as others have said, don't hesitate to post the link to the advert. Who knows, you may help someone else avoid an expensive mistake.

[the baron]

Sorry, bit late to the party, but I have been communicating with @Rav via txt and my advice was to walk away if that’s the attitude towards an inspection.

I am lucky enough to have both a 986 and 996, you can’t really compare them, they are just different even if they look the same from the front., you can’t really co pare mid engine and rear engined Porsches. I love both for different reasons. However  if I had to choose one to keep forever it would be the 911. It’s faster, handles better if driven properly prettier, bigger in side, better in the winter, stiffer and more of an occasion to drive, and the chances are from an investment point of view you are more likely to get any money you invest in the car back as the 996 is really starting to be appreciated by People wanted a classic Porsche that drives like a 911 and looks like a 911,

in terms of 911’s I will leave you with this quote, in a hide tide all ships rise, the 996 is starting to be loved for the great car this is, grab one while the prices are still relatively low.

[Rav]

I'm sorry all. They pulled the advert down very quickly. I am glad i didn't jump for this as i enjoyed driving the boxster topless (car not me) today, bar an issue which i will post about...