dallison

well, that time has come. Within the next couple years the wife and i are planning to get a new toy. The 2 cars we have come down to are the 996 or the nsx.
We want to stay under 35k with decent miles.
We like the nsx b/c of the reliability, but there really aren't too many around to even look at. But on the other hand it is a bonus that there aren't many around.
The 911 is readily available for under 35k with under 40-50k miles for a 99-01. The one problem i see when looking at rennlist is that the motors seem to have an issue with failure. The only option is to purchase a new motor for around 13k.

Insurance is only 650 per year for the 911, but i didnt check on the nsx.


I am pretty sure the 911 is the one i want err..... we want as long as there aren't any little crumbsnatchers running around.

what are some cons and pros of each and what would you choose for 35k and under

Zippee

I am told that the water cooled 911's do have problems, but that a late air cooled will run forever.

iTimmy

If you were talking 997 I think it would be an easy choice, but I would go NSX over 996. Any reason you haven't considered the 987's?

CLpower

911....but only if it's the bigger motor of the 996's


There really is no replacement for a porsche, and I do love the NSX


Personally, i'd get a Boxster S before a 996

nokiaman

Get an 05+ Boxster. Go test drive it, it drives better than you'd think.

CLpower

my brother had a 986 Boxster S.....to this day it is the most well balanced car I think i've driven.......esp. up in the canyons

stright-(paint)balling

I've never been a Porshe fan. if it was me I'd go with with a new 2010 TL-S or new S2K.

Crazy Bimmer

Tough call.

Personally I dont like how the 996 aged but cant deny how balanced it is. How much does it cost for routine maintenance on them?

CLpower

maintenance isn't bad.....but you have to remember with oil changes they take like 12 quarts

CLpower

thanks for some comedy on a saturday morning

Will Y.

It's a question of which you would like to drive more and whether you are comfortable with Porsche vs. Acura maintenance and major service prices.
Try test driving an NSX and a 911.
If it's about just the driving experience, you might consider a Boxster per CLpower, as I don't think used Cayman prices have fallen yet (not near as much room as a 911).

phil2

Porsche for me.

Oh and water-s you are completely retarded!

nokiaman

The Cayman is in his price range, depending how far he's willing to travel for it. As much as I like the 996, it's starting to show it's age and I think the Cayman/Boxster is a MUCH better value.

(http://www.autotrader.com/dealers/dd...aler_id=781242)

RaviNJCLs

iTrader: (4)

I like the NSX, but there is something about a Porsche that I LOVE.

minkl81

iTrader: (2)

911 is nice, but i'd go with NSX

dallison

this i do not know, i know you change the oil every 15,000 miles with mobil one.

the nsx's that i have seen for sale, look like they have been modded at some point or another

dallison

i've also heard that a rsx-s is fun too.........



like usual, you haveno clue. what i am going to be looking for is a completely different class of car. I am not looking for a daily driver

dallison

the wife likes the cayman better than the 911. The newer boxsters look better than the older ones but not as much as the previous 2

synth19

There are alot of pluses/minues to both cars, but I'll go with why I would pick up an NSX:

1. Exclusivity
2. Timeless design
3. Build
4. mid engine
5. reliable
6. more collectability potential

But starting a thread two years before purchase will give you plenty of time to figure it out.

Oh, if I got a 996, the FIRST thing I would do is to do a 997 front end conversion.

teranfon

I like both cars, but would probably lean towards the NSX. I've been researching the NSX as of late, and it appears to be a very enjoyable and reliable car. In my eyes at least, it has a timeless design that still looks great today.


Terry

dallison

it looks like the only nsx's that would be in my price range would be 91-93. the 911's that have been floating around are 98-01.

checking out nsxprime, cars.com and autotrader seem to confirm this

synth19

^ prices have been pretty stable for NSX's the past several years....but has gone recently due to the economy. I expect them to go back up a bit in a few more years.

dallison

mrs. dallison thinks i am going to buy a car before my desired 2-3 year wait, i think she may be right

Fishy

Okay, Ayrton Senna had a role in the NSX's design and IMHO he was the greatest driver that ever lived.

The 911 was not the best car that Porsche could make, rather it was the only car that Porsche fanatics would buy. A rear engine, rear wheel drive can, with massive engineering effort, be made to work. But it will always be a sow's ear, even if the purse now has titanium handles and carbon fiber bag.

Fibonacci

He was one of the greatest and a great person too.

I think that assessment is a tad severe. The 911 is iconic for its design and continuous improvement. I have always appreciated P-cars, but never lusted for them. I almost pulled the trigger on a Cayman last summer, but the latest iteration of the 997 is very compelling.

As for dallison, my vote is NSX over the 996.

supraken

iTrader: (1)

I vote for the NSX. Personally I think with the Porsche's, it's either the latest generation or go with something else. Plus the NSX is a lot more exclusive, you'll definitely get more stares. Also the NSX is the most reliable supercar.

nokiaman

Your TL-S must be miles better than arguably the most iconic sports car.

majin ssj eric

Iconic doesn't necessarily mean great. I'm no huge Porsche fan myself and would definitely go in the NSX direction....

nokiaman

I agree, iconic doesn't necessarily mean great, but if you drive a recent Porsche 911, Porsche fan or not, you couldn't argue to it being extremely capable both in performance and reliability. If you read my previous posts in this thread, you'll notice that I said a 99 Carrera is NOT the best value in my opinion. A Cayman or Boxster would be a better buy for 35k. The NSX is another great choice. It'll depend to what he likes to drive best anyway.

Fishy

Well yes, I was being a bit dramatic for drama's sake

But its a fact that the Porsche engineers themselves recognized the limitations of the design and I can only praise them for what they were able to achieve over the years.

The 911's iconic stature killed the 928, a much superior car. If those brilliant engineers had been allowed to continue development of the 928 then Porsche would have uncontested superiority over decades.

As it is, their best and latest 911 still shows it inherent weakness at the limits, thereby ceding to Ferrari, Chevrolet! and now perhaps even Nissan!!!.

dallison

any other major problems with either car that i should be aware of? I know the nsx would be very reliable and the 911 has an issue with the motors.

Joe@WorldSport

If you would consider spending closer to $40K you can possibly get a turbo 996. I would not get a NA Carrera as it takes MAD $$$$ to make any horsepower at all. I'm talking about $10K for a supercharger kit that adds 80hp.

Steer clear of the air cooled 911's unless you have a large budget for maintenance. My 93 964 Turbo cost me about $2500 a year for maintenance.

Stay FAR away from the boxsters. They just plain suck. Look around to who is driving them. Women and 60 year old men.

NSX is a nice car, but also cost MAD money to make power. Expect to pay over $10K to surpass 400hp unless you use nitrous.

If you plan on leaving the cars relatively stock (power wise) then definitely get the NSX. You can't swing a dead cat without hitting 3 996's. NSX's are rare and beautiful.


Summary: Unless you can get the Turbo 911, get the NSX

Just my $.02


Edit: The 99-01 NA carreras had rear main seal problems. The problem was fixed midway through 2001 so 2002+ you would be safe. Also, the Turbo does not have the problem.

agranado

while both cars have their merits, ban games makes a compelling arguement.. would anyone agree?

And I'd probably be leaning towards the NSX myself... much rarer and I always get excited when I see one down here.

Ken1997TL

Nsx

Yumcha

No brainer for moi here: NSX.

black label

The 996 is the second most labor intensive 911 in existence (only the 964 requires more scheduled maintenance). They are very reliable, but costly to maintain.

Like others have said, check out the Cayman S and Boxster S. They are the best handling Porsches out there for under $150K.

The 997 is the most reliable 911 ever but it probably bumps the price out of your desired range.

My old shop forman drove a 92 NSX as a daily driver unless there was snow on the ground. The last time I checked he had 157000 miles on the clock. My Lawyer has a 964 Carrera 4 S (I believe its a 93) he daily drives it no matter what the weather and has roughly 160,000 miles on it. Both cars are incredibly reliable but the NSX is much less costly to maintain.

In the end, I don't think you can make a bad choice here.

black label

On another note, I would guess that the Porsche would hold its value better than the NSX. A buddy of mine bought a used 996, drove it for a year and sold it for exactly what he paid for it.

There has been an upswing in interest in the air cooled Porsches recently.

synth19

There has always been an interest in air cooled Porsche's after the 996 came out. And there is no way a 996 holds value more then an NSX. I'll have to pull some stats later, but 996's are a dime a dozen compared to the NSX. One buddies experience does not define the overall resale value of a 996.

zeroday

10 years from now the nsx will still be getting looks and the 911 will look like you're trying to be something you arent.

zeroday

both are slow however...