What's the best sports convertible for $60K in cash, new or used?

Bill Hart

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May 11, 2012
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Last year 993TT or 996TT , fast reliable cars .......
Agreed, particularly re Porsche, more love for 993 than 996 and less love for turbo'd cars. More money, but if it's more performance that's needed, how about an early 997 based GT3? (sans boy racer stripes if possible).
 

JackD201

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Apr 20, 2010
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A lot of the cars mentioned here. Enjoy!

 

Bill Hart

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you cant find a clean 993 tt out here for less than 75k, a real high-mileage beater for 60k - maybe. besides, the OP said "convertible"
Picky, Picky, ok, so buy one of what I've got in the garage, a late 993 C4 cabrio- a good one is 40k or so; add Bilstein kit, lower springs, fresh convertible top, and miscellaneous work you're still in under 50k and have a car that might actually hold value and is a total ball to drive. Did I ever post a pic of mine? Out of all the exotics I've had, this is the only sports car I still have. PS, slightly bigger rubber, and MY 2000 wheels; factory RS splitters in the front too, but real ones are costly!
 

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Peter Breuninger

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My 993 was a 96 arena red cab. Titanium package, top stereo sys, black interior. The two best days of my life with it... the day I bought it and the day I sold it (how do you spell speeding tickets and insurance). The fastest I had it to was 144mph on the AC Expressway just before exit 7 going east. There was a 3 miles stretch where both shoulders were cop car limited. It was fun but very impractical living in the high population Philly main line burbs. I have a pic somewhere of it... the plates were PA "high-End", now that was nifty.
 

Bill Hart

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My 993 was a 96 arena red cab. Titanium package, top stereo sys, black interior. The two best days of my life with it... the day I bought it and the day I sold it (how do you spell speeding tickets and insurance). The fastest I had it to was 144mph on the AC Expressway just before exit 7 going east. There was a 3 miles stretch where both shoulders were cop car limited. It was fun but very impractical living in the high population Philly main line burbs. I have a pic somewhere of it... the plates were PA "high-End", now that was nifty.
I've found it to be pretty reliable, not crazy expensive to get fixed (at least by an good independent mech, rather than a dealer), and great fun to drive, not so much for sheer speed, but nimbleness, great steering, handling, road feel, comfort and sort of the final, most refined version of the old Porsche before it went water cooled. The only major issue with the cars that I'm aware of is that 96 forward had OBDII, so that whole issue with the secondary injectors triggering the Check Engine Light can be a problem, particularly if the car has been used for a lot of stop and go local driving without letting it fully warm up. The 95 didn't have OBD II, so even if you had a clogged secondary injector, it didn't screw you up for state inspection. Also pretty well built. As to speeding tickets, well, that's a personal choice, and a bit of (bad) luck; insurance, think it really depends, I was able to insure a Ferrari living in Brooklyn for less than a Volvo, and both were parked in reserved slots in a public garage at the time. There was a special rate for collectibles or whatever, and there was no mileage cap. That was back in the 90's though, and I have no doubt insurance rates are higher, and perhaps the 'deal' for exotics or collectibles is no longer available. (It was through Chubb, I think, at the time).
PS: I used the 993 as a daily during non-winter months with no issues, and NYC commuting is not easy on cars. Interesting how we had very different experiences.
 

puroagave

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Sep 29, 2011
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Picky, Picky, ok, so buy one of what I've got in the garage, a late 993 C4 cabrio- a good one is 40k or so; add Bilstein kit, lower springs, fresh convertible top, and miscellaneous work you're still in under 50k and have a car that might actually hold value and is a total ball to drive. Did I ever post a pic of mine? Out of all the exotics I've had, this is the only sports car I still have. PS, slightly bigger rubber, and MY 2000 wheels; factory RS splitters in the front too, but real ones are costly!

picky? we're going to split an atom together :) the wheels on your carrera are actualy MY2002 - i know i had a '00 996 with 18" turbo twist i updated to the just released '02 C2 wheel. 993's will always be more desireable than the 996 b/c of high parts comomonality with the boxster and mass production short cuts with Hondas know-how (at the time, quite a blow to the german ego) i like your car but being somewhat overweight as a cab/all-wheel drive it will get brutalized on the track by even an entry level cayman :eek:
 

Bill Hart

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picky? we're going to split an atom together :) the wheels on your carrera are actualy MY2002 - i know i had a '00 996 with 18" turbo twist i updated to the just released '02 C2 wheel. 993's will always be more desireable than the 996 b/c of high parts comomonality with the boxster and mass production short cuts with Hondas know-how (at the time, quite a blow to the german ego) i like your car but being somewhat overweight as a cab/all-wheel drive it will get brutalized on the track by even an entry level cayman :eek:
Yep, of course you are right re the wheels, my mind is going, my going... my what?
Oh yeah, wouldn't even consider it on a track. I had my 550 Maranello on Watkins Glen once, it was embarrassing. All the hype about how these cars are 'just like' a race car. Not even close. I felt like i was driving the family station wagon from the 60's. Too big, too heavy. I think those Caymans have gorgeous lines. Too bad they don't make a convertible version :)
 

Peter Breuninger

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Jul 20, 2010
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Whart,

Mine was a garage queen that I drove to the shore house and around town once in a while. I made the mistake of tracking it and it was then I realized it's full potential was not tooling around in SUV soccer mom country. Also the clutch was stiff and the 1st to 2nd shift took a couple months to get smooth... I ground some coffee for a while getting it in the groove. It was a great car though!
 

Bill Hart

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May 11, 2012
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Whart,

Mine was a garage queen that I drove to the shore house and around town once in a while. I made the mistake of tracking it and it was then I realized it's full potential was not tooling around in SUV soccer mom country. Also the clutch was stiff and the 1st to 2nd shift took a couple months to get smooth... I ground some coffee for a while getting it in the groove. It was a great car though!
Well, I'm sorry you got rid of it Peter, though I'm at a point where, as Puro is, all of these cars have gotten bigger and heavier for safety and comfort. Even the 993 is a chunk compared to the early 911s. I'm actually thinking about getting a Morgan at some point for the best/worst of both worlds- new car with old car character or a modern sports car that behaves like something from the 1930's. :)
 

DaveyF

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Jul 31, 2010
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Well, I'm sorry you got rid of it Peter, though I'm at a point where, as Puro is, all of these cars have gotten bigger and heavier for safety and comfort. Even the 993 is a chunk compared to the early 911s. I'm actually thinking about getting a Morgan at some point for the best/worst of both worlds- new car with old car character or a modern sports car that behaves like something from the 1930's. :)

I think this is still a great time to get into a 356. An A, B Or C coupe can be had in great condition for appx. $60K. Will most likely not only hold value, but likely increase over time.
 

Peter Breuninger

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Jul 20, 2010
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I drove a std. 72 911 while my 993 was in for a $400+ oil change, that's right folks. It was just an oil change. The 72 was a well used daily driver that was a little rough around the edges. As soon as I shifted into 2nd and gave it some gas around a slight corner I was in heaven. It felt like I was a kid on my Flexible Flyer going down the neighbors yard. There was a well defined "on rails" sensation that my 993 just didn't get. No wonder the big buck 73s get the big bucks. BTW, I found the photo of the 993, now I have to find the scanner!
 

Bill Hart

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May 11, 2012
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I drove a std. 72 911 while my 993 was in for a $400+ oil change, that's right folks. It was just an oil change. The 72 was a well used daily driver that was a little rough around the edges. As soon as I shifted into 2nd and gave it some gas around a slight corner I was in heaven. It felt like I was a kid on my Flexible Flyer going down the neighbors yard. There was a well defined "on rails" sensation that my 993 just didn't get. No wonder the big buck 73s get the big bucks. BTW, I found the photo of the 993, now I have to find the scanner!
If i buy another older Porsche, it will probably be one from that era. I'm not interested in a 73 RS, a plain old 911 S will be just fine. There are a few restored ones around here. Pretty much my favorite.
 

Shaffer

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Nov 2, 2012
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NYS
Personally, looking for a roadster, I'd buy a the cleanest S2000 I could find and pocket the rest.
 

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