Very well said.....
I would not have added (or left) anything else in every aspect (dress code, preference of coupe, cost ...etc.) and I am sure that you enjoy it as much as I do.
I am refusing to change my job to a closer site in my city as I would loose my daily drive of 100 mile either way! (if my wife knows about this, she will add to my list of things that I dissapointed her in- and the list is very very long )....

Yes you need to be somewhat able to afford the maintenance cost to keep these things running.....

 

It depends on what breaks...

It is still a porsche so you will pay out the rear for anyone else working on your stuff. If you do the work yourself, it is cheaper and you can work that on a 30K salary. Find a nice example for 12-15K. That is cheaper than a new KIA in some aspects.

 

Have you considered an S2000?

 

Not really knowing what it looks like, I did an image search and it looks nice in terms of exterior styling and front grille/headlights. It's no Porsche in terms of looks, but it still looks above average and it's a lot less expensive to buy outright than a Porsche.

Is the Honda S2000 basically a direct competitor to a Mazda MX5 Miata, since it looks very small in size, and is around the same price range for a year to year model?

I figured if I can't truly afford a 996, I will wait for the 2016 Ford Mustang and either get the base V6 or the EcoBoost (which is supposedly as fast as the V8, but doesn't sound nearly as mean). I like the new 2015 Ford's styling since it reminds me of a Aston Martin Vantage V8 from the side, as well as the old fastback Mustangs which I really like.

Seen a 987 Boxster tonight, and it was covered in dry dirt from all the melting snow and water, but it still stood out (in a good way) and so I STILL want a Porsche; either Boxster or a 996 Carrera.

 

S2k has more hp than Miata ... I think it was designed more as a Boxster competitor. Early models were high revving and maybe a bit of a narrow power band; later cars are said to be somewhat more drivable. IMO, the S2000 might be a good car for you to consider because they are fun to drive, reliable (at least in sorts car terms), and should hold value or maybe even appreciate.

 

Would like to add in since the talk seems to be about maintanence at the moment. I decided to buy a b7 Audi and was able to afford the maint on it, although it seemed to be a lot of stuff for the car ( only 60k miles and had it for 2 years) I decided that the cost of ownership wasnt far off from the 996 besides the oil change cost. If you really really want a porsche but unsure if you can afford it, look into a german car such as a b7 Audi s4 or even a c55 amg. Enjoy that and if you can afford it easily and not stress , than look into a porsche.

 

Looking for a Porsche 911 between 8 and 12 grand plus you only earning 30 grand a year. Get real man. Stop right there and re-think your goal. And I see you are preferring the cabriolet. Young man you are living in Cuckoo Land. Maybe a roller at your prices, but even so, you will be lucky haha. Now I am looking for a wall to bang my head on.

 

Interesting responses. I'm an A&P (airframe and power plant) mechanic wrenching on DC-9s and 737s and I KNOW about the cost of things. It's not unusual for parts alone to run $100K+. From the sound of things, it may not be a bad idea to create a "slush fund" and put some money back every month, like a private aircraft owner should do...very prudent! Between my military retirement (26 years USAF) and my current job, so I should be OK. It cost me a couple grand, but I DID opt for a 2 year/24K mile extended warranty thru the dealership I bought it from (Lexus). I had already told myself I NEEDED to do that.


In the meantime, I'm gonna drive the shyte (as an Irish friend says) out of it and wring it out. Beautiful car and it's working perfectly so far...I'm fully aware "Murphy" doesn't accept overtime and is on the clock 24/7, but it's better to accept the annoyances of a 10 year old car and save up for the major things.


BTW, this thing is even more addicting than my 2006 F-150 FX4....I love both of them! As far as dress code, who cares? I'm either in work clothes or jeans and sneakers.....I'm the one making payments anyway


Phil

 

Mentioning income scares me. No matter how frugal you are, disaster can strike at anytime: IMS failure, job loss, medical issues, deer collision, drunk driver collision, etc. Do you have a 6-8 month salary emergency fund? Do you have savings (please don't tell us amount, there is no need)? There are plenty of other luxury brands that will give you those looks you want affordably but doesn't come with the maintenance.

Until you are ready to comfortably take care and ENJOY a Porsche, you won't be worried about what clothes to wear, who gives you dirty looks, and wonder how long you can hold off on a new set of tires.

I'm sorry to be a debbie downer but Porsche ownership becomes an addiction, not to be played with just scraping by.

 

I would advised against it heavily. I clear mid six figures, and while I can afford it, the maintenance on these, or fixing something that breaks, still shocks me! I feel like I spend 30K a year (I obviously really do not) on the Porsche alone.

In regards to how often I drive it, I drive it maybe at most once a week. I own a distribution company, and I love dirty jobs, so I'm in the back working with my employees, this means I dress like a slob. I bought the 996 as a track car, but usually take it out on the streets. I usually have C-class benzs try to race me, nothing stupid like a honda, nothing serious like a lambo. People are NOT shocked when I drive it, people do not break their necks.

If you're looking for attention, and you're in the 12-25k price range, find yourself a nice Late 90s Early 2000s G Wagon. Spend your time bringing it up to date. The body has barely changed from the late 90s to the 2013 model. Plus maintenance is as much as any mercedes, not too high. Sourcing parts is easy too. Then, people will be shocked, I get it all the time when I'm in the G Wagon or F car.

 

This is an interesting thread so I'll add my .02 worth. For this price range, and not trying to be captain obvious here, the lower end will cost you more in repairs. The higher price will reduce (not eliminate) your chances of high repairs.



Yes, the car attracts quite a bit more attention. I also drive a GTI, Boxster S, Infiniti JX, Mercedes and X5. The Boxster comes close in attention, but EVERYONE looks at the 911.


How I dress doesn't matter. I will be seen in sweat pants and suits just the same in all cars.


The 911 causes quite a *bit* more envy or dirty looks than the other cars. It's actually a very interesting social experiment. When I had a basement renovation, I had 6 contractors provide estimates. 3 contractors went through the house to get to the basement. 3 contractors went through the garage (with both Porsches parked inside) to get to the basement. The first contractors prices were from $15k to $22k. The latter were $35k to $45k FOR THE SAME EXACT JOB. So now, what do I do? I hide all the other cars anytime I have someone doing a quote.


People at work also causes issues when they realize you have a 911 vs. any other (even more expensive) cars. The 911 clearly has a stigma and attitude attached to it.



Seriously, if you need to ask what kind of income does one need to own something, trying to be realistic for you, you need to look at a different car. At $30k/year, even if someone gave you the car for free, there are other facets of ownership that $30k is not enough. I'm assuming you're on the "younger" side of life. My opinion is that you should aspire to get a 911, work towards it, then reward yourself with it.


If you buy a $9000 car, there could be so many things wrong with it that your ownership experience would not be good. I don't care how frugal you are, it's not financially feasible unless you're still living out of your parent's house and DO NOT have a girlfriend/boyfriend (don't know if you're male or female).

 

Hahahahahaha I thought is was only me. I had several HVAC contractors come over for estimates and had the same experience. Two of them stayed at my house for over an hour talking about cars.

 

Don't do it. It's just a car. Don't let it define your lifestyle. As for costs, you need about 3k a year. You can't afford it on your salary. The engine could fail so you need to have 15-20k saved just in case.

 

Ill sell you my 1999 carrera 2 cabriolet manual 84000 KM ( canadian ) for 22K impulse offer... LMK

 

do it because you love the cars, not what you wear and what you look like. I have owned almost everything from a 100k GT3 to my current 5k 318ti and I could give a s*$t what anyone else thinks.

If you think the car will get you a hot girl, great job or looks than you are doing it for the wrong reason.