Hi,

My name is Justin. I've occasionally lurked around this site for some time now but never had a need to sign up and post until now.

I've been a lifelong car nut, and the 911TT has always been an absolute favorite of mine, how could it not be? I'm currently driving a 2005 Evo VIII and with the current market prices of the 996TT's am considering the upgrade. I find myself not using the extra space the evo has to offer. Also, unlike the Evo's I find that there is a lack of information online so I am reaching out for some help.

I know that the Porsche is a more expensive car to maintain than my evo, but as far as super cars go, the porsche is at the bottom of the list of maintenance costs and they are reliable cars. I want to get some input from owners to see what their experiences have been with their 996's.

If I were to pull the trigger I would be gunning for either a 2001, or 2002. This car would also be my daily grind.

I sure have a lot to ask so I guess I will start firing. Answer as many or as little as you would like. I appreciate any input I can get.

-Do you ever regret purchasing your 996?
-Is there much if any difference between the 2001 and 2002?
-Do you find the insurance costs outrageous? (Obviously when I get nearer to my decision I will get the quote from my agent)
-What are the big service intervals to look out for in a used car? (timing belt/chain, water pump, etc) How expensive are they?
-What would you estimate your yearly average of servicing is?
-Anything specific to seek or beware of in terms of options?

_____________________

In terms of modifying... I won't be going too crazy on this one. My idea is start with a better platform and you can keep it closer to stock. I will not be drag racing this porsche, but I use drag as a benchmark for performance. Currently the Evo (which is a 100% street car, I've only added weight to it) goes 11.1-11.2 @ 126.5mph in its street clothing. It is also a very properly balanced car. It has a small turbo and drives like stock. I would like the 996 to be able to be as fast. Although I know there are other advantages of the Porsche, I don't want to downgrade in terms of performance.

-What kind of trap speeds could you expect out of a mildly modded 996 with the stock K16's on pump gas? I'm talking probably a nice custom de-catted exhaust, an intake and a flash tune.
-At what point will I be pushing the limits of the stock clutch?
-Are 127-130mph trap speed on 93 octane reasonable without pushing any limits of reliability?
-Are these good cars to road course? I know they perform well, but Im asking about cost/fun factor. A friend had a brief stint owning a diablo and had to pay 20k in maintenance/repair after a track day. Not the kind of investment I'm looking to make... not even close.

Besides the obvious (which I am knowingly able to afford) like tires, brake pads, fluids are there other items to look out for or that need regular repair or maintenance?

Okay, I think I've asked enough questions for my first post. I look forward to being a member here and learning what I can from you all.

Thanks

Justin

 

Here are a couple pictures of the evo, some old, some new.

 

where in Chicago do you live? I am in NW burbs...all you need is a ride in my car ...you will forget your EVO.996tt is an upgrade from EVO in all aspects. If high hp is your thing i highly recommend 996tt..you will not regret. These cars are very reliable and maintainable costs are very low, find a good independent shop and you are all set.

Most of the modded cars are in the 130-140 traps speeds here. Off course some are crazy in the high 140's

Oh with just a flash and exhaust you are in the low 120's, with k24/18g high 120,low 130's.

 

I know of (2) 600whp cars for sale...(1) Tip and (1) 6 speed...

 

-Is there much if any difference between the 2001 and 2002?
cupholders in 02

-Anything specific to seek or beware of in terms of options?
2002+ look for "X50" option

-What kind of trap speeds could you expect out of a mildly modded 996 with the stock K16's on pump gas? I'm talking probably a nice custom de-catted exhaust, an intake and a flash tune.
Not 130mph

-At what point will I be pushing the limits of the stock clutch?
Once you drive it out of your driveway. With anything more than stock your clutch will be begging for mercy. Maybe look into a Clutchmasters or Spec clutch

-Are 127-130mph trap speed on 93 octane reasonable without pushing any limits of reliability?
Yes you can do this reliably but it will take more than just bolt ons. I see you used AMS to mod your Evo. Look into their billet K16 kit.

-Are these good cars to road course?
See other threads. Lots of debate on this recently. A lot of people will tell you you need coilovers and a rear sway at the minimum when it comes to suspension

 

oh no i have an 01 no glove box but i did not know about the cup holders till just now..
really i do know of a guys wife who bought a jag because she loved their cup holders.

 

It's not the maintenance, it's the mods that will cost you.

 

Unless you buy a modded car, then it's the maintenance...

 

+1 at least once you get a good clutch in there!

 

I have an 01 TT and I have 2 cupholders.

My insurance runs $60 per month for full coverage. Of course, I'm an old man and this is a 3rd car that was added to our policy.

My car is devoid of most options, exactly as I want it to be as a 3rd car toy. I also am not one to mod, so my car is almost bone stock.

I don't regret buying it for 1 minute.

The maintenance is not overly demanding. Keep up with it and you should enjoy your car with minimal worry. If you have to stretch to afford the car in the first place, it wouldn't take much to push you over the edge with maintenance costs, though.

Never been in an EVO, but I would imagine this will take you to an entirely different level.

Good luck!

 

Justin,

There's quite a few nice examples around here, I'm sure you can hook a ride in one and put you over the edge


ETW,

Did you ever get the forwarded message from GT3 Chuck with my cell?

 

GG386- If you were interested in the Corvette, it just sold. Sorry

 

Justin, welcome aboard. There's several people on here that have come from the Supra and Evo world, so maybe they can chime in on their thoughts. Evo's are certainly cars that are no slouches in their own right and people who think otherwise, usually just don't know enough about them. That being said, 996TT's have a much nicer interior and the attention to detail and how robust the car feels is heads and shoulders above the Evo. As for performance, Evo's are quite a bit less expensive to make fast. 996TT's can be made fast for not too much money as more players get in the game, the latest breakthrough with small K16's is the AMS K16 Billet wheel, so look into it since you're already familiar with them. TT's will take you as fast as you want to go and more, money is the only prohibiting factor lol Lots to learn so immerse yourself in other threads.

 

Evos are great cars, I've always liked them. I've had my 02 996tt for about two years. A year and a half of that was with K24/18gs and the only thing I had to replace were the coil packs. They can crack although there doesn't seem to be much rhyme or reason to when they fail. My car only had 13K miles on it when the coil packs were replaced. I'm currently heavily modding mine now. I mean up toward the silly end of the (bolt on) spectrum and I don't anticipate any problems. My only expense, other than all of my mods, has been oil, filter changes and a new set of spark plugs. These cars are extremely well built and will take anything within reason as long as you're using a good tune, good gas and using some common sense.

 

Justin,

I've done my best to address your questions below.


-Do you ever regret purchasing your 996?
Never, its been a total joy to own. I've had zero headaches relative to other cars i've owned.
-Is there much if any difference between the 2001 and 2002?
There will be a few threads on this exact subject if you search around but to hit the main points the 2001's don't have a glove box (doesn't sound like a big deal but still kinda bothers me ) Early '01's also have front bumper warts, and non-hollow spoke wheels which are slightly heavier than the late prodution 01 and up cars.
-Do you find the insurance costs outrageous? (Obviously when I get nearer to my decision I will get the quote from my agent)
I'm 25 got my car when I was 24 and pay 100.00/month with stuff on my record.
-What are the big service intervals to look out for in a used car? (timing belt/chain, water pump, etc) How expensive are they?
I'm not sure on the costs of the specific things you mentioned but these cars can be maintained very reasonably perhaps even moreso than your standard E-Class Mercedes or 5-Series BMW. If you are even somewhat Mechanically inclined you can do alot of the work yourself.
-What would you estimate your yearly average of servicing is?
Depending on how many miles you intend to put on the car ..... I know you said yours would be a daily I would count on doing 5 or so oil changes .... approx total $400, a new set of tires (cost varies) the other stuff will be mileage dependent to be honest.
-Anything specific to seek or beware of in terms of options?
The options list on these cars is pretty outrageous and you can pick up very nicely optioned cars that were probably north of $150K new for pennies on the dollar. If you wait and have a little room on the price you can almost certainly find the exact car you are looking for. An X50 car is certainly a little more desirable as it comes with slightly larger turbos than the non X50 cars and could potentially save you money IF you decided to get a little heavier into modding.
-What kind of trap speeds could you expect out of a mildly modded 996 with the stock K16's on pump gas? I'm talking probably a nice custom de-catted exhaust, an intake and a flash tune.
As Vince said above I would expect low 120's with those mods and a good driver.
-At what point will I be pushing the limits of the stock clutch?
As long as you don't drive like a total asshat you will be good on the stock clutch until around 525whp for a fairly decent period of tiem.
-Are 127-130mph trap speed on 93 octane reasonable without pushing any limits of reliability?
To get these traps on 93 octane is going to take significant modifications I would guess no less than 20K in hardware alone.
-Are these good cars to road course? I know they perform well, but Im asking about cost/fun factor. A friend had a brief stint owning a diablo and had to pay 20k in maintenance/repair after a track day. Not the kind of investment I'm looking to make... not even close.
You won't get a bill like that after tracking a turbo. I didn't have much fun driving mine on the track until I removed the front drivetrain. It woke the car up a bit and eliminated some of the push.

Besides the obvious (which I am knowingly able to afford) like tires, brake pads, fluids are there other items to look out for or that need regular repair or maintenance? There are cars that were plagued with the 2nd gear pop-out issue. MOST have been fixed though. Always a good thing to check for though.

If you've got any more questions let me know.