just think . the cost of ownership for a 996 is about the same as a 2.5 boxster . Ims , clutch , water pump almost exact. It just has to be a good one . 996 are really good deal in opinion . My next car car will be a 996 C4S for sure .

Agreed. 996 C4S's are both beautiful and a performance bargain. Years back when I decided to sell my Boxster (Yep, I was the guy who wanted a 911 but could not afford it) it was to either upgrade to a 996 C4S or a 993 Air Cooled 911, BOTH wonderful choices.

P.S. As to some of the other responses.....no wonder JD doesn't bother coming around anymore..................:rolleyes:

We charge the same for everything engine wise. Boxster or 996 doesn't matter, the internals all cost the same.

JD logs in to this forum almost every day. He just doesn't post.

I think his superiors at Strategic Command issued a gag order.

Just sayin'............

TO

I have been on this forum for almost 4 years of which 3.5 years was with ownership of a 2000 Boxster. Loved the car. Sold it and bought a 1999 Carrera. Had it now for 3 months. Very different car and driving experience. Why buy a 99 Carerra? Horse power! Love the performance. My 99 Carerra will leave a 2004S wondering what happened. Porsche has always put the 911 ahead of everything in regard to performance. Now, my 99 would not be able to walk away from a 2013 BoxsterS, but it is a few years older. The Boxster is a better handeling car but the Carerra feels bigger and is a better long distance cruiser. Both are wonderful cars.

P.S. I bought my 99 for $20,000 and immediately put $2,500 in it with an IMS, rms and new rear tires. Beautiful car with only 27,000.http://986forum.com/forums/uploads01...1417404272.jpg

Nice 911fullthrottle52. For the same money you can buy a slightly used FRS. I know which one I'd buy. The 911.

"Pedophile" is the first insult that dread wearing, hippie FSA, leftist nut jobs like to yell out. It fits their sick profile of how everyone who doesn't just see it their way lives. I had a lady cut me off in a parking lot, give me the finger as I honked, then yell "pedophile!!!" as we sat at the next light. It excites them to accuse others of something so vile and it's all they have to say. Disgusting behavior. Obviously no facts, just a word meant to insult with obviously no supporting evidence. Those folks should be banned for saying something so disgusting. Heck, maybe the psyco that attacked me over my [small animal who's name must not be spoken] comment to the new guy will show up and throw out all those same accusations again....I've seen that joke twice now with new member posts and no precious feelings got hurt over those comments. (I thought it was funny, sorry Wayne)

If Jake can't take the heat over his poor spelling and grammar, he can not log in or go elsewhere, but he seems to be doing fine with the pokes he gets and typically deserves. He is very young and this is a more mature crowd. He will look back and agree at some point. Anyone not enjoying the site because of another member's spelling or post content needs to learn to get over themselves and be themselves. If JD wants to post, I'll read it. If not, well, bye! Nobody chased him off. Maybe he's a better man for not just ranting about another member's opinions or post content and just keeping to himself if he doesn't like someone here.

I've been getting a lot emails and calls from non-Porsche people asking about buying a second hand 996 or Boxster/Cayman. I tell them all the same thing, pick the car you like driving not the one you think you can most afford to buy because in the end they are all going to cost you the same to maintain, save for the Turbos those always cost more.

As for the C4S, coming from a Boxster/S, that's a great car to compliment a Boxster but not really a good replacement for one.
To me at least, the latter 997 C4/s's feel a lot more nimble than the early 996 C4's. Overall, in my opinion the 996-->997.1 saw a much bigger jump in performance than the 986 --->987.1
Part of me thinks that the original 996/986 "simultaneous" design was a better fit for a midengine roadster (with lower COG) and shorter wheel base, than a much longer, heavier rear engine set up from the out-going 993.

And when it comes to water-cooled Carreras, there are just so many of them out for sale that if you're patient and look in the right places you'll land a 997.1 C4S for a great price.
Maybe with a bit more mileage but still on the manageable side. There always guys who bought on a whim and the car just barely saw any mileage and that same impluse for the next car causes them to go for a quick sale.
I would hold out for one of those rather than chasing after the perceived lower cost of a 996.

blah my turn to ramble blah blah
 

The cost delta was just a few grand when I started looking 3-4 years ago. I looked at both boxster and 996 cabriolet models, and let a beautiful C4S slide by me without buying at just a little more than what I ultimately paid for my 986s. At some point, I realized that I didn't bite on the C4S because what I really wanted was the boxster..:) The fact that this left a little cash in the toy budget for extras was nice, too.

I too am under the impression that prices for the BoxsterS may have rebounded just a bit, with 996 prices slowly hovering lower.
But dang, I just yesterday saw an 01 BoxS with mileage in the 90K range, equipped with PSC and PSE, plus an Aero1 kit (long tail/dynamic spoiler delete), sell for just under $9 thousand on ebay. So deals are still out there on the 986s. And for now at least, I would still choose the boxsterS over the 996.

Now a first generation well-kept CaymanS.... I might have to expand the stable if the right car for sale tried to run me over. Would probably have to trade in the boxster on a Miata if I also aquired a Cayman, because 2 Porsches in the motor pool just seems decadent (no offense to you heathens that can do this without guilt) and I'm not ready to give up roofless riding.

And you all leave Jake alone, he seems to be more mature than half the posters on this forum, and while I'm not partial to his fluff threads - the point of a forum is to promote dialogue, and his posts seem to achieve that goal, and without being offensive except to those seeking to take offense.
Furthermore, at the rate his grammar and spelling are improving since his first unintelligible posts, he will soon be teaching college English classes! :D

*sigh*

:(


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Now that's just wrong! These days half of it is autocorrect or my lack of attention when posting as I am usually multitasking. @timco don't get me wrong I know as well as the rest of you that my spelling and grammar is not great. I try to keep the delusions of grandeur to a minimum as well ;).

When I was a junior / senior in HS there was no internet, so any interaction with adults was really my parents, teachers, or the cops. No auto-correct or spell check on the typewriter either. There were no adults to read my writing outside of school, and my dad corrected my grammar to the best a drunk iron worker could. When I graduated, I knew the Velvet Creamery job was not going to fund a car, so there were two connections I had. Machinist, or carburetor repair tech, both starting positions and both good jobs. On both apps I did my best to sound mature and like I had experience, and both laughed me out of their companies for writing "buisness law" was a "coarse" I took blah, blah, blah. I didn't get those jobs even though I would have been an ideal candidate.

While this is no job application, many adults have very little tolerance for poor grammar, and it's interesting seeing the interaction. As for critiquing your post content, I can read them or skip them....it's up to me. Keep posting, friendo.

I don't know what that means. :(

Back to the thread topic......

Yes, it does seem that the 996 pricing has dropped under $20k for some cars .

We just bought a beautiful 04 996 Targa for my wife. It was slightly above $20k, but did come with good service records and a stellar recommendation from one of the top indy's in So Cal that had been servicing it for the last 3 years

Now that I have had a chance to do a back road drive with the Targa, I do like it, a lot. That being said, I think I prefer my 986 S more for spirited twisty driving and general fun. The 996 is a blast with its extra power, but it does require more work to drive it. The Boxster is so frickin easy and fun to drive, period. On the twisties, the boxster is just as fast if not faster anyway. The big difference in on straight sections, the 996 just pulls away

Maybe I will change my opinion in the spring after I do the next PDS and really learn how to drive it.

As far as maintaince costs, they will be just about the same. Oil, brakes, filters, same cost. Tires, Well the Targa has bigger tires, so a little more $$. Convertible top vs Targa roof, well hopefully I won't have any problems with either, but the roof is far more $$ to repair

Is it decadent to have more than one Porsche? If it is, OH Welll......
Our long term plan is to hand them both down to our 2 boys anyway. Now they won't have to fight over who gets the Porsche, just which one

996 getting close to 986 prices ?
 

What are thoughts on the price of turbos? Some Porsches are a great deal like a 5k boxster that's near as good as a 17k 04 S, while some deals are not so great, like paying more than what you would for a carrera gt to get a special edition 997 albeit a good one that will fetch a pretty penny but still.

996 turbos seem to have bottomed out in the 35-40K range, although you might find a real beater or fire-sale car in the high 20's
While I think some of the special edition 997's are ridiculous (997 Speedster), I don't think they're in the CGT ballpark...those are still at 400+

A turbo in the 20's is likely going to be a money pit.

I guess the gt3 rs 4.0 is the only thing in that price range.

993 are such great cars, anyone that got one a few years ago is very lucky! Look at the price diffrence between a low mileage 1997 c4s and a 996 in comparable condition. Both great cars but with a gigantic sum of money separating the two.