Car appreciation... the aesthetics, the engineering, etc

I stuck a Lambo exhaust on my 205

I very nearly stuck a TVR Tuscan exhaust can on my Mini in my early years of driving. Good job I never went through with it as, in hindsight, it would have looked shit.

I've crossed some sort of line, it would appear - I am now genuinely looking to buy a Porsche.

Mental image is of a non-metallic blue 996, dusty, vignettes down one side of the windscreen, dent in one wing, bike carrier on the back and GT3 engine/suspension/brakes.

If you want GT3 engine/suspension/brakes then the easiest and cheapest starting point is going to be a GT3.

And in other car news, if everything goes to plan, I'm off tomorrow to check out a couple of RS6 Avants. To replace my Porsche. I had my mid-life crisis early.

If you want GT3 engine/suspension/brakes then the easiest and cheapest starting point is going to be a GT3.

I had a feeling that that would be the case. I should say that I'm not looking to spend GT3 money.

Affilate has S line A6 Avant. Not sure about rear end / light clusters.

What about the opposite direction? A 996 on raised suspension with A/T tyres? Couple of spotties on the front as a homage to the rally era?

Hefty might set starving dogs on me

TBH, not really bothered about rear end/light clusters. Seriously attracted by twin-turbo V10, 572bhp, and an enormous load space.

Nope. I'd probably nosh you off if you had something that cool.

Now there's an unanticipated benefit.

The GT3 engine is loads more reliable than the standard one, but not that much quicker and the clutch is a faff in town. Just put a noisy exhaust on a not-GT3.

From a look at Autotrader the 996 seems to be 12k and the 997 22k. Blue manual coupes this is.

You should get one.

Agreed. Everyone should own a Porsche at some point. And 996s are silly cheap at the moment.

986s handle better.

986s handle better.

Two types of people say this:

1. Journalists who think it makes you them sound clever
   
2. People who have never driven a 911
   
   

Honestly. It's rot. Go out this afternoon and test a 911 the same age as your Boxster.

If 996, is mileage the thing to aim for or service history and "not owned by mad Dave the doorman"?

Both if you want it to be a 5+ year investment, the second one if you want to drive it and break even.

Generally good advice is to get something that's done the same sort of miles you will do. So if you do 4000 a year and you're looking at a 15 year old car you should aim for one that's done 60,000 miles.

Realistically there are so few good ones about you cant be that fussy.

What would it cost to rectify a poor one- more than simply buying a 997?

Actually, fuck that- not buying a doer upper, I don't have the time.

Neil, I test drove this 996 on Pistonheads 3 months ago when I was sniffing around before I got the M3. It has some kind of sports suspension upgrade (not Gt3 tho...)
Seller and car seem genuine and I thought it was lovely, but didn't quite have the money.
Since then he's knocked £3k off.

Don't buy a doer upper unless you're going to do it yourself.