Do I stick with Porsche or move to a Maserati/Audi

st124510 · 19 Oct 2014

Porsche 996 C2 Tiptronic with GT3 bodykit and wheels factory fitted 130K miles - full engine rebuild 14K miles ago at Hartech and Gearbox rebuild 25K miles ago.(full service history at porsche dealer and independents)

Looking for input here

Ive had a noise on the 996 for years, basically when the Tiptronic was rebuilt and put back on the engine it gained a grinding type of noise when in gear and didn't damage or make a difference to the car but annoying, not a metal on metal noise but a whirring or grinding, no clunking or jumping of gears.

Hartech rebuilt the engine after bore went (I knew it would go at some stage, engine lasted about 6 years before it popped)

Engine back together and I hoped noise was part of the engine falling apart but sadly not it was still there.

The thinking is that it could be the torque convertor that has got damaged and is making the noise, but well no one can diagnose in the shed.

So I have the dilemma.

Im fed up the noise, can't diagnose it and thinking car is looking tired just move it on and get 6-7k for it.

Or I put effort in and take a change get torque convertor changed, do the tappets at same time and then do the following

Body wrap
Spray wheels
Upgrade exhaust
Fix interior - tidy it up.
New rear LED lights
Running lights at the front

Or I move it on and go for a 996 Turbo S with X50 upgrade for 30K mark and enjoy the fun

Or move away to Italy side and get a Maserati GranTurismo 4.2 or 4.7 / Audi R8

Present car paid off years ago and engine rebuild paid off years ago... so stands me at whats on the drive which Ive put a chunk of money in but hey thats owning a car.

Anyone else got to the point where fed up as car just seems to have problems more than driving it.

Stewart

Speedy · 19 Oct 2014

Hi Stewart.

From what I hear, i would not put any more money into current car, why, because I think it has lost the interest for you, it has problems, if you start repair costs always end up higher that expected, if you wrap it, change alloys, Eric, at end of day it is an old car you are trying to give it another image, it will never be a new car and you will never get your money back.

In terms of what Other car, I had R8 in mind but then it is a two siter only so that ruled it out and I moved from 997 to 993. MZaragoza, Aston, I love them all but when I read reviews in terms of reliability then it persuaded me!

I suppose Which Car comes to what you want and use it for. What may be right for you maybe totally wrong for me!

Hope this helps.

T8 · 19 Oct 2014

If you're even considering spending more money on your 996 and keeping it I reckon you're a true Porschephile and won't be happy in anything else.

I doubt if you'll find a Turbo S for £30k and you might struggle to get an X50 but if you like your 996C2 you'll find the bog standard 996T great fun.

If your budget was going to stretch to an R8 surely a 997T would be a relevant alternative.

st124510 · 19 Oct 2014

Hi

Indeed it seems Im drawn to the porsche badly, can't let go lol. The turbo X50 I drove a few years back and nearly sunk 45k into one but didn't have the money at the time (new fiancé didn't like the budget )

Thinking is Ive sunk 7.5K into engine rebuild so I now present car will be sound if I could get the noise fixed Id be happy.....

Turbo S x50 found one at 30k with 60k miles on it and Im drawn to go and take it for a spin as I know it will make me love it.

Maserati or Audi R8 - do the love the V8 rumble but haven't driven and yes its down to whats next, either large chunk of cash to drop into Italian/German V8 or keep with the Porsche and rely on the Turbo being a better engine and car.

st124510 · 19 Oct 2014

Quick pics - present look

New997buyer · 19 Oct 2014

Ultimately your choice but I'd read this thread first:

http://911uk.com/viewtopic.php?t=97360&postdays=0&postorder=asc&start=0

Can't see too many Maserati or Audi drivers feeling the same way about their marque, IMHO :thumb:

Alex · 19 Oct 2014

My friend has one of these

He's had it for 4 years and apart from the normal tyres, oil & MOT cost, all he's spent on it is a set of wiper blades and some new pads on the front.

Both he & I have been gob-smacked on what a fantastic reliable car it's been after all the Maserati horror stories you read about bring grown men to tears.

clarkycat · 20 Oct 2014

Are we in a bubble here?
:dont know:

Windscreen rust and chassis rail rot on 993's, terminal body rot on 3.2 and SC cars, Bore scoring and IMS failures (google 996 and the first page is all about this), 991 models catching fire...

Problems with other marques?????? If one in 20 Maserati's has an engine failure that costs more than the car is worth, then that's what we call 'a small number' right???
:grin:

New997buyer · 20 Oct 2014

clarkycat said:
Are we in a bubble here?
:dont know:

Windscreen rust and chassis rail rot on 993's, terminal body rot on 3.2 and SC cars, Bore scoring and IMS failures (google 996 and the first page is all about this), 991 models catching fire...

Problems with other marques?????? If one in 20 Maserati's has an engine failure that costs more than the car is worth, then that's what we call 'a small number' right???
:grin:

Probably! But how many early mass production Maseratis and Audis out there attract the affection, valuations and expertise to keep them on the road? Sure it is a bubble but it's a 50 years old one :thumb:

jonttt · 20 Oct 2014

alex yates said:
My friend has one of these

He's had it for 4 years and apart from the normal tyres, oil & MOT cost, all he's spent on it is a set of wiper blades and some new pads on the front.

Both he & I have been gob-smacked on what a fantastic reliable car it's been after all the Maserati horror stories you read about bring grown men to tears.

I must admit a Maserati is on my shortlist for my next company car, next door neighbour is a long term owner and he loves them :thumb:

cheshire911 · 20 Oct 2014

Difficult situation! You a have sunk a lot of money into the Porsche, now there looks to be a torque converter issue.

Can't answer if you should sink more money - none of which you will recover.

On the Italian front, do what you think is right. Porsche are not cheap supercars - they go wrong. If you have a NA car the engines are affected by the equivalnt of ebola virus that sees them haemorrhaging their way to destruction. Corrosion affects the older air-cooled cars. The list is not clean for Porsche issues!

Bear in mind though that Italian parts are dear and there are limited choices through places such as Euro Car Parts. The Audi R8 is nice - but will lose shed loads on depreciation and is a clinical machine - it is largely ECU programmes and little driver interventions. But a great car.

The Maserati - well it always seems to me that it is the under-dog to a Ferrari - but purely my personal opinion. Probably a good car, but lacks the razzamataz of a prancing horse - especially in Rosso/Crema colour choice with a manual gearbox with that steel gate.

Good luck with whatever you decide.

st124510 · 20 Oct 2014

How do you find the Turbo x50 @cheshire11 ?

Im looking at one at present and going to test drive that and the Maserati in next few weeks, the Italian stallion has the rumble but need to feel if it has the driving fun of the 911.

The 996 Turbo X50 I drove a few years back and it practically ripped my face off.... but you could still drive around town like my C2 with ease.

cheshire911 · 20 Oct 2014

It is the Dr Jekyll and Mr Hyde of powerful sports cars. I can potter around town safely within speed limits and still get around 21-23 mpg. Go out of the town and onto the country roads and the car transforms into a snarling tiger able to show blistering speed and acceleration.

It runs larger turbos, a modified (factory-set) ECU, strengthend gearbox and clutch (if memory serves me) and has around an extra 30bhp and more torque than a standard 996 Turbo. I've never had a side-by-side comparison with a stock turbo, but when I go out driving with guys in a stock turbo, they remark about the ability to be there one minute and then just put a huge distance between me and them in the blink of an eye (it maybe due to the fact that I have a manual car where others have a tip auto).

Forget the b&ll*cks people may comment about larger turbos = more lag and a narrower torque band (2500-3500 rpm). ALL academic.

The 996 Turbo is just blisteringly quick all round. How much quicker is an X50? I honestly don't know. But desirability of the X50 is growing - in both 996 Turbo and 996 Turbo S guise. The Turbo S you can expect to pay around low £40k's as it has ceramic discs that will cost you a package if they have to be replaced (c£10k - £12k).

There will be others who tell you that you can re-map a stock 996 Turbo to X50 for a fraction of the differential between a stock turbo and an X50 turbo and that you can tune it well beyond the X50 for more fun.

True, but it doesn't have that all-important option code in the service book or under the front lid - X50.

On the point about Maserati and a 996 Turbo, that would be a personal choice. If I went Italian, it would have to be a Ferrari from the outset.

st124510 · 20 Oct 2014

The one Im looking at is Tip, Im coming out of a 996 C2 Tip and remember the Turbo x50 I drove was a tip as well.

Looking online the 996 X50 is getting rarer and Im hoping the engine is more rock solid as it says it is.

Italian wise like I say Im going to have to have a drive and see which one I get out of smiling the most.

cheshire911 · 20 Oct 2014

There is no discussion around engine being more reliable in the X50 than in non-X50 form. The reliability issues are the NA cars versus the Mezger engine of the turbo (X50 or not X50). It is the Mezger engine that stands the Turbo out from the normally aspirated cars in the 996 water-cooled range. However, you are quite correct when you state that there are not that many X50's around. Remember, the X50 was an £8k factory option!

The engine issues you had with your NA C2 simply are not there in a 996 Turbo.

The Tip box is a good match to the torque and power of the Turbo. I drove a colleagues Tip and was pleasantly surprised. If you like the Tip, stick with it - there are more Tip cars than Manual (and a manual car commands a premium around £3k-£5k in price over a Tip - based on advertised prices, NOT actual realised prices which I would not know).

Italian-wise, you'd be able to land a reasonable Maserati around low to mid £30k's. Forget Ferrari - they start around high £40k's but most are low-to-mid £50k for a 360. Check out Ferrari on their forum.

Do I stick with Porsche or move to a Maserati/Audi

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