I have made a terrible mistake.

It's been a bit of a crazy few years, I know that many on here can relate. 

Our story involved losing our business at the start of the pandemic, selling the house and moving to Georgia.  Starting a new career that went smashingly well and now 2 years later we're back in South Florida in the town that we really wanted to live in before and with much less financial stress...odd how things like that work.  I believe in a higher plan but that's a topic for another conversation. 

 
Regardless, I'm turning 42 this year, my employer just tripled my already very good compensation at the beginning of the year and I've always dreamed of one day owning a 911.  I grew up fairly poor, ok pretty dang poor, and I'll never forget moving to South Florida after college and calling to tell my dad how many Porsches kept driving by.  I'm 100% certain that the phrase that I used 20 years ago was: "911's here are like Accords back home, they're everywhere!" 

My wife does not share my car affection, she just puts up with my obsession even though I almost always come out ahead.  I've made money on all of my cars, and my last 3 especially have been very good buy's and sells.  I generally fix them up a little, buy them at a good price, keep them for a few years and move on.  I seem to have a knack for things that will be decently popular.  At this point thought I'm looking for something to keep long term as a fun car.  I figure it's time for a midlife crisis.  This has brought on much 911 dreaming.  

The 996 has been something that has been somewhat reasonably priced for at least a decade because of the weird headlights and the IMS issue.  Honestly I think the weird headlights have honestly done more for the price than even the IMS issue, but that's just my opinion.  Even with their relative bargain compared to other Pcars, they were still out of our budget before. Things have changed now.  The funny thing is, I had never actually driven a 911 outside of my time as a valet. So I decided last week that I should make sure I actually LIKE driving a 911.  

So I found a 2003 996 in Delray with 32,000 miles that was black on black with the required 6spd and took it for a ride.  It had been sitting because someone had filled out paperwork to buy it and never sent their deposit.  The sales manager threw me the keys and I drove it maybe 5 miles total down dixie and back.  

I'm going to be honest here- I was floored.  I know there are faster cars out there, but this was amazing.  This had a the sport exhaust even though it was a base carrera but it flat out sounded gorgeous with the top down.  I came back to tell the wife and to see if I could get down her down there to also ride in it.  Also, I wanted to sleep on it.  Well, things got busy at work, life got in the way and it's now sold.  

So, I think that I'm on the hunt for a 911.  I'm not stuck on a 996 but I do like the value, a lot.  I do want a 6spd manual I think, even thought the wife can't drive a stick.  I haven't had a stick since college days and I really miss it.  I love the 991's as well, but I'm not sure the motors are that much better and they are also more expensive.  To me the pricing on a 50k mile decent 996 seems like a no lose money situation.  As much as I'd love to say that I'll buy one and never get rid of it, It's likely that I will want to finagle my way into something better/different in the future.  

My questions for y'all! Is it worth looking for a CarreraS or a Carrera4s (the picture I had on the wall as a kid)? I'm in Jupiter, FL so I'm completely open to a convertible, and likely would prefer it.  How bad is the IMS repair? I have a lift available to me, and a buddy who's been a lead tech at RennTech for many years so I'm sure that's a possibility.  I'm young enough that my heart and pocketbook do not yearn for aircooled, but I would LOVE the hips of the Turbo to be in my driveway, I just don't see that happening under 50k.  I've NEVER spent more than 30K on a vehicle, and that was for my wife.  My current Sequoia DD I paid 10k cash for, but the wife's Lexus was 5 years ago and our financial situation is very different now.  My birthday is May- possible that prices will come down even some by then? 

Thank you for reading my novel.  

TL/DR Drove a Porsche, Love confirmed, looking in lost connections. 

Not a mistake at all. 

Sometimes meeting your heroes is a great idea. I've never owned a Porsche but don't see why you shouldn't. 

And this might help, too:

First-time Porsche buyer's guide: 5 models perfect for scratching that itch

In reply to David S. Wallens :

The classic motorsports subscription I started a year ago maaaaaaaayyyyyy have contributed to this some. 

In reply to David S. Wallens :

Thank you for this. I haven't seen this one yet. 

This might help a bit, too.

I will share this perspective though.

If you go out and drop $40k on a Camry people who work for you or the person you work for will compliment you on how sensible you are and what smart decisions you make.  

Go spend half that or even less than half that on a Porsche and the people who work for you or the person you work for could very easily think you make way too much money or are generally over paid.  

I'm not saying that it's right that they see you this way when it can easily be argued that the Porsche is the "sensible purchase" but trust me when I say, the world around you won't see it the same way.

This perception may not matter in your world but I just wanted you to give it a thought first.  

You don't want a 4s unless you want to drive in snow or enjoy having extra parts to break and be in the way of everything else. And there wasn't a normal S of the 996 generation.

I'm not necessarily saying a 996 is a bad choice, but you should try to find some newer ones to drive. It's one of those things where the value isn't there on paper, then you drive it and the overall experience is just worth it. (I had a 986 boxster and now have a 981 cayman s. On paper it's really hard to justify the ~8x price premium on the 981...but I have zero regrets and you'd have to pay me a lot more than the purchase price difference to go back to the 986) Also note that you only have to go to 997.2 (2009ish) to get away from the unreliable engines.

Also not to be that guy, but if you don't care about the power as much, maybe consider a boxster/cayman. It's "not a 911" if that's a deal breaker that's fair. But if you can get over that, it's essentially the same driving experience and you can get a much newer/nicer car for the same money.

I've only driven 2 porsches(very very different ones) and they both left huge impressions on me. There's just something different that gives me the fizz.

You need this

The car you love is the car you love. In the end, there is only one person you have to justify it to.

In reply to John Welsh :

That is a great point. Thankfully I work remotely and my closest direct report is 3 hours away and our corporate office is in the middle of the Midwest. I'm also the head of sales at a software company so my comp is tied some to revenue. I completely get it though, we were honestly a little hesitant to get the gx460 years ago even though it was a better deal at the time than a highlander. 
Your points are very well taken though. We saw an Aston Martin vanquish today (completely different price range) and wife and I both said it was a little too out there compared to a Porsche. We also have friends with a Lambo and though my son would love it- not happening. 

In reply to dps214 :

Thanks for the advice on the 4s- I have no intention of snow or more parts to repair. I also would prefer the steering to not have that AWD feel. 
great point on the newer ones and perhaps I could sneak into a 997 given my budget. 
the styling of the boxter doesn't do it for me and I think I'd still want a 911 if I got a cayman- although by all accounts they are great cars. 
 

In reply to grover :

I get where you're at. My salary has gone up 25K in the last 14 months and it's due to go up another 5K in July. We are still living at my old income level. We had a financial scare 20 years ago and I've remained cautious becuase of it.

I get to drive Porsches by virtue of instructing at PCA events and Porsches do drive nicely.

I have a 911 in my sights as well but want a G body. I can now clearly afford it but as mentioned I'm remain cautious.

Like anything shop carefully and don't over commit.

I'll add that this is can be a totally emotional purchase--and as someone who's gone that route, that's okay. 

I approve heartily!!!

So, true story.

Several years ago, we did an M3 comparo for the magazine. I came home wanting an E46 M3. Just loved it, and it made so much sense: fast, comfortable, even practical. It was the total package. My brain said yes. 

But my heart said 911. 

Was it faster? No. Quieter? No.

But there's that sound of the flat six, the view over the headlights, the sound the door makes when you close it.

So I bought the 911. That was more than a dozen years ago. 

(And, yes, later I did get my M3. )

I suggest driving a Boxster first honestly. The engine right behind your head makes such wonderful noises! The top down experience is better as well with the wind deflectors.

Porsches are ala cart on options, so if there's something you know you want, don't settle. You can lux up a Boxster with literally every single option available on a 911. 

Also Boxsters have hips for days.

John Welsh said:

I will share this perspective though.

If you go out and drop $40k on a Camry people who work for you or the person you work for will compliment you on how sensible you are and what smart decisions you make.  

Go spend half that or even less than half that on a Porsche and the people who work for you or the person you work for could very easily think you make way too much money or are generally over paid.  

I'm not saying that it's right that they see you this way when it can easily be argued that the Porsche is the "sensible purchase" but trust me when I say, the world around you won't see it the same way.

This perception may not matter in your world but I just wanted you to give it a thought first.  

This is very true. Sad really.

I pulled into a parking lot in my 2007 Cayman a year or so ago and a guy in a new Jeep Rubicon with the 4wp catalog thrown at it laments "I wish I could afford a Porsche". I replied: "Brother you have more in accessories on that $50k Rubicon than I have into this Cayman. It was only $30k in 2016." The look of shock on his face was awesome.

It does not phase me much as IDGAF what people think about my car addiction. I have become a bit of a legend at work for owning cool cars and actually driving them. "Your the guy that drives his Porsche across country all the time?!?!" "Heh, yeah. It's pretty cool man."

OP: Go drive a Boxter or Cayman. You will get a newer model for the same money and will have an arguably better chassis. I get the 911 thing, the itch, the desire, but much like you the ac car of the 80s is out of my price range. That and I'd rather put a 6 into my 914.

Additionally, if you cannot do the work for yourself you will pay a badge tax for parts and repairs.

berkeleying awesome cars. So much fun to drive and remarkably reliable.

Javelin said:

Also Boxsters have hips for days.

That's right.

Terrible pic from my friends dashcam but the only one I have with the wing up without being a poser.

God Blessed you with a tolerant wife, good fortune and the skills to succeed.  You deserve this.

I prefer older air cooled but I'm the guy that also likes LaSalle.  No mistake, take the bride for a ride and be happy.

FCP Euro recently did a 996 buyers guide on their YouTube channel.  FYI. 

EDIT: Link

Y'all are reallly helping me avoid this. Haha. I may have to go drive a boxer and cayman just because I like y'all. 
 

The wife is fine- the only two cars she's interested in are an obs bronco and a blacked out Range Rover. 

Welcome back! We need to go to Zipitios for some tacos one of these days 

I would aim for a Carrera S and try to avoid the C4 as it adds complexity. But at the end of the day, I would try to find the best maintained one you can. 

I will keep an eye out for 911s and send them your way.