scoobygaz1

iTrader: (3)

Boss had one of these for the weekend took me out in it mehttp://www.hrowen.co.uk/bentley/approved-used/2897/#

B0DSKI

iTrader: (17)

No ta. Looking it's age again. Much like DB7s do now.

Continental GT really doesn't do a thing for me either

Dingdongler

I have no idea why journos rave about this car. I had an extended test drive of one a few years back and apart from the excellent dct gearbox it was uninspiring.

The steering is actually really really poor, no feedback at all. Feels a bit like the steering in my mum's Honda Jazz.

The engine has no low down torque and then makes lots of noise but never feels fast.

Pile of cack imho.

Matteeboy

Nowhere near as quick as they should be either. Same peak torque as our van too...!

Never really appealed but dare to question that hallowed full fat M badge and you'll get a stampede of purists claiming anything M is the lords own car.

Mine's only 30% M but they seem to have used the better bits.

Maz

iTrader: (34)

That's crossed off the list. I've never driven one but have to confess I had an itch for the M3 V8. It seems a running theme in the newer BMs, steering devoid of feel.

Carnut

My brother in law has gone 6 cylinder m3 to v8 m3 to rs4 to 6 cylinder m3 and money isn't the issue for this bloke. He has also just bought a rare 3 series alpina.

fatscoobfella1

iTrader: (1)

Bodski..

Bore scoring has nothing to do with manual or tip box.. Its due to bad design within the engine coolant path.
The engine has spots,effectively the heat can "squeeze" the liners due to to expansion,causing negative piston clearance in the bore. They can actually "micro seize" and release whilst running. This can also cause "D" chunking,have a read up on that one..lol..

I have had all kinds of cars... I now drive a Z4M coupe and was going to recommend one,but they only have 2 seats..
Rare,very quick and have cast iron residuals.. The S54 is a stonker of an engine and moves the Z4M coupe along quickly due to its low weight..

If you spent all of your 20k,you maybe able to buy one and get an ESS supercharger kit. I think that gives around 450-500 bhp.. Nothing will catch you,and i mean nothing...lol...

Here is mine..

jonc

Quality, prestige, build quality, torque, job done.
http://www.pistonheads.com/classifie...o-2003/2681131

Carnut

Wow, great looking car you have there fatscoobfella.

zip106

I agree entirely.

Tried one 4 years ago looking to change my 996 turbo, but found the engine very lacking.

zip106

Build quality?

fatscoobfella1

iTrader: (1)

+1

Every car was built on a Friday afternoon.

Seriously,the 996 has mediocre build quality at best..

Saxo Boy

996 seems like a really bad choice to me. Horribly dated, questionable quality and reliability and unless you spend £30k (in which case you might as well go the whole hog and get a 997 or a GTR) you will almost certainly be buying a 10+ year old car with multiple owners and high(ish) mileage. At every pricing point for the 996 I can see several more viable alternatives.

If you could get a 2002-3 with 75k, a few owners and in reasonable nick for £16-19k (and it not be a one off) then it might make a case for itself. However, I see no evidence that you can pick one up for that sort of money.

jonc

I came from a Renault Clio! Seriously I thought Porsches were built to last!

maff125

iTrader: (1)

Mate had one of these rr'd at 538bhp, v very quick especially at 100mph.

Things went wrong were I drive module, £1000, throttle butterflies, £1400, set of tyres £1000+ gearbox update £500, lovely sounding cars but he sold it because he couldn't fix it himself as he is a mechanic by trade, and that's even with another friend that was a bmw employee for years so had all the contacts!

His 420bhp classic is probably quicker below 100 anyhow:-)

chocolate_o_brian

iTrader: (22)

The bold bit doesn't make sense fella...

B0DSKI

iTrader: (17)

996 Turbo is a LOT of car for the money and in my opinion prices have hit the low point.

The age thing keeps cropping up though. As people have said they are an old car now and things will need replacing as and when they fail.

Friend of mine had one and the gearbox shat itself and had to fight with the help of a solicitor to get some of the cost paid by Porsche (although it had spent it's entire life being serviced by a main dealer and had a Porsche extended warranty on it) final bill was £18k.

Those sort of things and the faults listed above by Fatscoob. Not to mention RMS, bore scoring and input bearings are putting me off.

maff125

iTrader: (1)

What I meant was everything is electronic so needs a main dealer to do the job, as in the I drive problem was a dealer job only, he could not buy a part and fix it himself. Again sticking throttle butterflies, that's why they are such a lot of car for the money, they cost a lot to get them running a1

zip106

Mine cost me a small fortune in the two years I had it.

Never again.

B0DSKI

iTrader: (17)

What problems did you have?

zip106

All 5 front rads replaced, the centre one twice due to corrosion or stone damage.
RMS, which is rare on a turbo but cost £1k+
Clutch master cylinder
Window drop micro switch
A few other things but it was 4 years ago so I can't quite remember...

It had also had the front coffin arms replaced a year before I bought it, as well as a complete PCM system.

Rear spoiler rams started playing up just before I sold it - this is quite common as the car gets older.

Only option at the time was to change to a fixed aero spoiler for a few £k, or buy new rams for a few £k!
Luckily a bit of WD40 kept them moving enough.

Add in a set of tyres too.
What you need to realise is that my car was cherished by the two previous owners who I knew, and had only done 30k miles in 6 years when I bought it.

It's all very well buying one of these for £20-30k, but they still have £100k running/repair costs.

fatscoobfella1

iTrader: (1)

The thing is Bodski...

A turbo doesnt have a lot of the engine malodies of the NA car... They are a different engine totally. So thats a really good thing.

The problem is with 20k you are really just into entry level 996 ownership,you will buying a scruffy high miler,the really poo end of the stick.


A friend of mine recently sold his M5 and bought a low miles 997 turbo at £43,000. Now he aint a rich fella but could afford the repayments so he went for it.

He did a set of tyres in the first 6 months,best part of £2000.. He did the front pads and discs,that approached £1000.

Then the car developed a water leak... Anyway it was discovered that a pipe had detatched from a housing near the turbo cooler. Ok.... Engine and box removed and repaired the water leak.. £2600

All in first year of ownership and the car has done under 40k miles...



Also,have you actually driven a 996 turbo ? You say they are a LOT of car for the money,but the only thing they are is fast...

Antiquated,uncomfortable,cheaply appointed and noisy...

Sorry

B0DSKI

iTrader: (17)

Not at all mate. It's exactly this sort of advice I'm looking for. From people who have experience of these sorts of cars.

I've pretty much ruled out a Porsche of any sort. Too many potentially huge repair bills.

Maz said to me on Facebook. Better the devil you know. I've owned Impreza's and have a good working knowledge of them. Found a nice white Hawkeye spec C for sale. Maybe I'll be back in one of them?

Jamo

iTrader: (23)

Cayman s

B0DSKI

iTrader: (17)

Scored bores James my boy. Lots of failures out there on cars before 2008-9

scoobyboy1

iTrader: (16)

Thats the trouble Bodski, you will have a million cars in your head that you would like to buy/own and then you weigh up the negatives and the "ifs" and "buts" and do a full circle and end up looking at Imprezas again!!

Been trying it for years to get away from these Impreza's and I keep coming back, I would love a Audi RS4 but then the high road tax, the fact people keep saying there boring and you will be looking at close to £17-18k for one with high-ish mileage.
You comapre the price in Impreza-terms and your looking at mint hawk spec c money(in white), and you think to yourself side by side what car would you rather take for a quick blast, the white spec c or the Audi RS4???

B0DSKI

iTrader: (17)

I don't want to answer that question

hodgy0_2

It is exactly this that bothers me, you can do all the due diligence you like, 1000's spent, one owner, low miles, dealer history, no expense spared - enthusiast owned, known forum member etc etc (which I am sure is all true)

And still let yourself into a world of financial pain

Expensive cars are expensive for a reason I suppose

Would still quite like an M3 though

LUCKO

iTrader: (3)

going from a car that cost £140 a year to tax to a car that may cost £500 a year to tax

how things can change in a year my friend

B0DSKI

iTrader: (17)

lend it back to me whilst you're not using it!! I'll even detail it for ya