if you could get a 2004 porsche 911 for price of FR-S, would you?
 

Curious on peoples opinions here.

I know someone selling a 2004 porsche 911 coupe with 15k on the engine (new engine replaced by porsche), 86k on body for the same price as an FR-S. (No accidents etc)

Would you do it?

Only if you can deal with the higher maintenance cost (or do the maintenance yourself). If you want to play, you gotta pay.

amen to this

Can you float the occasional surprise 4-6K repair if it comes up? What about 19K for a new motor? Helps if you have a line of credit or something to cover the really bad scenarios. Guys that own them love them though.

That's the ugly 911 with Boxster lights.... also there is cost of ownership. I'd buy an FRS/BRZ instead for sure. It's the most fun car I've ever owned.

DIS ONE?

http://trialx.com/curetalk/wp-conten...sche_911-3.jpg

Edit:

Oh your in ON, lol, is there rust on it?

Wat?
Where did u see that car?

I wouldn't buy that car. Who knows why that engine got replaced and what else got ruined when the engine damage occurred. And I'm not a big fan of ownership costs associated with German cars.

No, I think the fact that the engine had to be replaced should be a red flag about pending costs.

Besides the guaranteed repair cost premium coming your way as mentioned above also because, well, its not a car I've ever really cared for in general.

There are used sports cars I would have considered instead of the FR-S though.

The answer is simple. No. I was looking at them and getting a car thats almost 10 years old for the same prive and cost 10 times more in maintenance is not an option. I use to work in a vw audi porshe shop and drove quite a few different models from base 911 to gt3 to turbos. They are my dream car but i chose to go with the frs. Why? Probably the hype of a new car that no one has just yet

Bring the VIN to a Porsche dealer to look up any history that is recorded for the car. Engine replacement this early does raise questions.

Find an independent shop that specializes in Porsches and knows the weak spots of each model to inspect it. Your local motorsport club(s) can be a good place to find recommendations for the right shop to bring it to. Or check the Rennsport forums.

Ask the technician to give you a pessimistic estimate of what it will cost to fix up any issues he finds, plus expected replacements within the next few years.

If the cost doesn't scare you off, go for it and enjoy!

Oh yes, also get an insurance quote. May be more than you're expecting.

^^^^This!^^^^^

Main reason I got out of my GTI lease. Sure they build them fun, but not reliable compared to Japanese makes, and way more expensive to repair.

Yea, happened to me when I was in my early 20's. I had the chance to literally get a "steal of a deal" on a 15 year old Ferrari from a lady who won it in a divorce settlement. Since I was under 25, the only insurance I could get was about 40% of the cost of the car per year! :mad0259::brokenheart:

In the end, probably saved my life! :lol:

Actually I wouldn't let the engine replacement keep you from exploring the possibility of that vehicle. From 97 to 04 there were actually many instances when the shaft seal would leak enough oil to crater the motor after a short while, lots of warranty replacements on those and many shops still offer a upgrade kit to fix the issue. Other common failures were cylinder wall linings/oil and coolant seepage, so much so that the porsche community jokes the CEL actually stands for "change engine light".

That being said if you're even considering a porsche (and all the servicing that goes with it) I wouldn't even consider a 996, but hold out for a 05+ 997. They are simply better cars in every measurable sense of the word and well worth the extra money. If the price difference between the two is a deal breaker than you'll have more heartache than fun trying to keep the porsche on the road.