I'd love to get some opinions on what to do with my car. It is a 2007 C4 that has been my daily driver since new. It currently has about 30,000 miles on it. I am building a new home and my commute will go from about 8 miles to about 17 miles. Further, I'm moving to the top of a mountain (at least for CT). While the C4 with my Pilot Alpins has been a great winter car, I'm thinking it's days as a true DD are almost over.
That being said, my thoughts are to keep it and buy a mini SUV (Ford Escape, etc) or possibly get rid of it and buy a leftover Boxter S for around 50k and add a nicer SUV (Audi Q5, year old Cayenne, etc.). I'd like to keep my total vehicle investment in the 100k range, so I really don't want to keep the 997 and buy a Q5 or similar. My primary fear is that as good as a Boxter S is, it just won't elicit the same emotion that I still get from looking at the 997 even though I have has it for 2.5 years. Any thoughts?

 

For my money I'd keep the C4 and lease whatever SUV you wanted for your DD. Lease the car for the same term as the warranty on the car and you have no repair expenses and get to turn it for a new one every 3-4 years for a new one. Costs a whole lot less in the long run than buying a car and taking the hit when you trade it in. Only works if you drive it less than 15 K miles year. But you'll want to drive your PCar when the weather improves anyway so that should negate the mileage issue.

 

that c4 may be good to keep around in all this nasty weather we are getting...

 

Although we got less snow up here than you did in NY, I went out this morning just remind myself what all the guys who garage these cars for the winter are missing.

 

I would personally not want to take the depreciation hit on the C4, which would be 40% + at wholesale I would guess, plus the fact that you would be moving down the Porsche range to a Boxster and not up because you like another 911 model better than your C4.

In this economy I would guess that you could likely lease a Q5 or almost any SUV on favorable terms, and be better off economically, (and emotionally if you love your C4!), by keeping the C4. The worst scenario IMO, would be to sell the C4 now and buy the Boxster, then regret the decision as well as taking a big depreciation hit, and a few years from now want to buy another 911 .

 

How about we do a trade... My 2008 Cayman S for your C4
the cars a hoot to drive...

 

I only think that ford escape will have worse traction than C4 if your reason to get SUV is traction alone. If you need money it`s a different reason otherwise selling perfectly nice C4 does not make much sense.

 

I'd keep the C4, they're such wonderful cars...

 

Well, I think I am one of the heavier daily drivers on this thread. My commute varies from 30 miles round trip one day to 100 miles round trip some days. I enjoy every minute of it. I figure if I am going to spend a lot of time in my car, I might as well really enjoy it. That being said in the next year or so I might look for a used dd sedan like an A4 because if I am going to put a ton of miles on my car I rather it be at the track.

 

My C4 is my DD April-Nov, and my Landcruiser is my DD December-March. We do a fair amount of driving on snowy mountains here in Colorado, and the C4 does fine (I have the same tires as you) until the snow gets too deep for it.

 

I would imagine that your C4 is not worth too much more on the market then a new Boxster S, I would keep your C4 and drive it when you want. I would also look at a good 1-2 year old SUV (with CPO) for those days that the C4 isn't practical. I have an older Touareg, but it only has 45k miles, and is covered for another 4 years of warranty (just bought an extended warranty). If you are looking at a Q5 or Cayenne, look at the Touareg, perhaps a nice CPO'd V10TDi, it will give a Cayenne TT a run for it's money, and will get great milage at the same time, for a lot less money.

 

I've considered the same move as you... until my wife knocks me upside the head and threatens my ongoing existence with the ol "why would you go from the 911 to a boxster? that doesn't make any sense and you just want to do it to make a change... any more talk about it and i'm putting you in timeout..." Bottom line is- i'd prefer a lesser daily driver + 911 over nicer DD + Boxster. About this time last year my self-imposed budget for a DD was $<15K - and considered older Infiniti QX4/G35, Acura TL/RL, Lexus ES/GS. Didn't trust an out-of-warrantee 5 year old BMW or AUdi, and leasing in Chicago never makes sense because of paying sales tax on the entire vehicle price up front. Now thinking about trading in the GS300 (which runs perfectly and is a very, very comfortable drive) for something nicer, like the new 2010 S4, but afraid to run it past the wife... for now-

 

I'll second the Touareg vote. We've had our '05 V8 since 1/05 and with over 77K on it, it's been great. You'd be hard pressed to beat the off road/snow capabilities in another vehicle for the money. Check out low mi., late model used ones for the best deal. And definately go with an extended warranty.

Then, keep the C4 for a week-ender!

 

Can you clarify why you do you think the days as a "true DD" car are over? Is your rationale, that you'll put too many miles on it?...or it won't be able to handle the snow/weather? Or is it will be too uncomfortable to drive 17miles each way?...or do you think the car will fall apart?..or will it cost too much? Please elaborate. Thanks.

RJ

 

I also would recommend the Touareq. I have a 2004 Touareq V8 with 64k miles and it has been flawless. It tows my mastercraft in the summer and it's my winter vehicle. You can pick them up for a steal but I would avoid the 6cyl they seem to have problems with them. If you can find a V10TDi I would jump all over that!