ive had my e46 M3 for about 3.5 years and am a big poster on m3forum -- i know the ins and outs, all the FAQ regarding the M3 and all the noob questions

now i am contemplating picking up my friends 01 tt and need to ask the noobie questions here (i read the stickies but i am not finding any FAQs or must reads first)

i guess the most important questions is what is the maintenance costs, maintenance schedule, common failures, and what to expect for the 01 tt ?

the car i will purchase was bought at a Porsche dealer 2 years ago w/ 29k miles on the clock -- it was a CPO

my buddy had the 2nd gear pop out issue and i believe the entire tranny was replaced by Porsche

the car currently has 42k miles on it and just went off the CPO warranty
its Lapis Blue with a tan interior

my buddy put a pioneer avic system in it as well as an exhaust (pretty sure a Fabspeed) - the rest is stock

what's a fair price also - im pretty sure i am getting a great deal

what are the must have mods as well

Russell

 

nearly 70 views and no advice ?

anyone ?

bueller ?

 

Doing a search on this board will help a lot. Have a experienced mechanic look over the entire car and get a leakdown and compression test done. I think 40k sounds like a fair price.

 

2nd gear popout is it. You may want to change Diverter Valves. Always have a leakdown done just in case. Other than that, the maintenance isn't bad, change plugs occasionally, change oil, get gas, and go.

I guess no one is repsonding becasuse the question gets asked quite a bit. These cars are far less maintenance than M's are with the stupid Vanos and weak clutches etc. (I had one, and loved everything but the maintenance).

Just be prepared to get addicted to mods.

 

That will be the quickest way to end your "friendship"

 

oh i am addicted to mods - i have over $15k on the M -- i think the better statement is be prepared to get addicted to way more expensive mods

the TT also has a porsche oem SSK installed

 

The 911's are a maintenance dream....most reliable exotic in my opinion. Go for it

 

No, actually be prepared to be addicted to mods that actually make your car faster and aren't all that expensive. If you're smart you can have more than the stock block should be handling with 15k. You'll get a lot more power per mod than you would with any M, and a lot less headache to go with it.

I think you have a stigma that Porsche's cost a fortune to own and drive. That is not the case. Especially with the used parts that are constantly being sold by guys who have to have more and more.

 

I'll chime in as a former BMW e46 owner and new 996TT owner:

These cars rock. Period. The TT engine is bullet proof--unlike the earlier NA 996s which had some issues.

There are some small quirks here and there, just like with any car. If you read enough on here, you'll find them--nothing major though, and definitely no deal breakers. If you're handy enough with cars, you can likely do a lot of your own maintenance

Mods are addictive. I haven't taken the plunge yet, but I am planning my attack. Assuming your friend's is a normal turbo, not an X50, you can upgrade your turbos to a hybrid (k16/16g). Or you can put larger turbos in (k24) or get those in hybrid (k24/18g). Exhaust upgrade is a must (unless, like you said, this one already is), as the stock is too restrictive (and too quiet). Then there is the ECU flash, which can easily add 60-70+ HP--for around $1000 or so...definitely NOT a bad way to spend your mod money . You will need to upgrade your diverter valves to be able to handle the higher boost, and the stock clutch will not be able to handle too much additional power--so plan on a clutch upgrade.

Good luck and keep us posted

 

thanks guys

so must have mods are exhaust (which this one has -- Fabspeed), bigger/better turbos (how much?) , diverter valves (i dont even know what they are)

how's the stock suspension ?

what about aftermarket wheels - what are the favorites?

 

Many of us are E46 converts

The Porsche is better in every way including maintenance except comfort.

 

just go straight for the K24/18g upgrade. dont even waste any time or money foolin around with anything else.
the stock suspention needs to be upgraded too. you will want pss10's.
then you will need a new clutch after adding the new power.

this will all cost about $13k to $15k depending on the labor.
then you will have one of the best supercars that money can buy.

 

my bad...i forgot about the larger injectors. add another grand for them.

 

intercoolers also at that power level.

 

you might as well throw some larger brakes on it while you are at it.