968 as a regular car

[Costelles]

I am considering a 968 for regular use for meetings etc, always wanted ine. I've had a 964, 987S and two 996s and used them all for work...albeit not every day

Have I gone mad or is this achievable?

if anyone in the Purbeck area has one I can look around or would like a potential swap for a late 996 then let me know

Thanks
scott

 

[Waylander]

as mine is high mileage I use it all the time,

the office is 85 miles away and i use it to go there, I use it to take crap to the dump, I use it 3-4 times a week to pick my son up (32 mile round trip).

yes they are great everyday cars, but you need to keep on top of the maintenance

 

[Costelles]

Ok thanks...Im happy to keep up with maintenance, always kept my other Porsches in good shape.

anyone in the Purbecks?

 

[968CSReading]

Great cars for everyday use. The torque is great on the motorway. I used to use my CS for business. Had to stop after 2 hRd driving to regain the circulation in my legs. That was with the buckets Though. I changed to the sport seats and they were fine.

 

[Chrishazle]

When we bought our 968 tip coupe in Nov 1998 it was as our main car, with a clunker Volvo estate for the odd occasion we needed 4 proper seats. It worked really well, surprisingly good at supermarket runs with the back seat folded, wife loved driving it as did I. Even used it for a camping trip to Le Mans 24 hour, carrying tent etc. without problem - and with space for some shopping on the way home! Routine maintenance was far cheaper than the Rover 820 turbo vitesse it replaced, about £250 for an annual 10k mile service with an additional £400 every 4 years for belts and rollers.

Go for it, you won't regret it - I've owned a 968 for almost 20 years now and am dreading the time when advancing age means I have to part with my cab. Provenance and maintenance history is key, look carefully, you may have to be patient to find a good one, but you won't regret it.

Unfortunately the 968 forum on here is rather quiet, despite Ken's efforts, so it's worth registering on the porsche968uk forum where you'll find loads of active and helpful 968 owners - and often first dips when someone decides to sell.

 

[mcgc0]

Just returned from a 1,200+ mile France trip. 968 this time. Fully laden (wife +two children in back) and a rear boot filled to the brim. Biggest mileage done on the autoroutes keeping up an average 135-140 kph where possible. Performed superbly all the way and when dropped down a gear and floored it still had some get up and go despite the weight handicap. Returned for the whole trip a close 28 mpg - no worse no better than my 911. Oil consumption better than owners manual from new and I topped up with @ 1/2 litre while there. Do basic servicing myself with regular Miller CFS Nano oil changes. Repaired the clock/lap timer display the other week and that's it. New adjustable Konis last year to go with existing M030 installations - awesome fun handling. Corrosion under the side shark fin covers are my only future bug bear which I'll have cut out and repaired some point. Find a nice clean one with good last 5-year service history and it's a keeper - not that many produced.

 

[vitesse]

That's great use of a great car ,Marcus-however why couldn't your wife sit in the front?[8|]

 

[mcgc0]

Ah Colin, How are you? It's so she doesn't touch any controls...

Only kidding. Bless her, she was a bit close to the dash as the kids in the back argue for as much leg room as they can con us for, meaning front seats as far forward as bearable. I don't mind as my position is a bit rally stylie - closer to the wheel than most.

In all the whole drive to the French south west coast and back (with a night stopover each way) set me back 205 Euros in fuel and @ 75 Euros for the different autoroute peages. Happy to pay the peage costs for the entire route, the autoroutes were perfectly smooth tarmac with no surface interuptions and pretty much clear traffic all the way (apart from Rouen and Nantes of course). Kept at a speed that I could afford the on the spot fines

 

[vitesse]

Marcus-I'm good thanks-just a bit jealous of your French drive really-did the French south coast run pretty well every year until our second child ,a girl went to Uni -usually in a Rover Vitesse either SD1,V6 or Turbo,2 windsurf boards on top & always used the Autoroutes-2 stops for us because of our Northern home,so useful to hear the more current cost-however our last trip to Vence nr Nice ( 5 yrs ago) was Easyjet from Liverpool then hire car.
Think it was cheaper than driving & saved nearly 5 days.
Have to say I miss that journey but since we bought our cottage on the IOM ,that's where we go (maintenance mainly as we rent it out.)

 

[mcgc0]

Thanks Colin. The 968 was perfect in that it had enough rear space for all our gear (after years of learning to pack light with two girls) and with clear rear visibility. Don't like any items in the cabin. Ride was comfortable but know that I am probably on the limit of what the girls can put up with being in the back for 3-hour driving stints. Next year probably outgrown the rear seats to be comfortable for long journeys. For Le Mans 24-hours (without family) I will probably use the 911.

Next time I will likely sort out one of those peage in-car payment tags. Little to no opportunity to pay by cash so used the debit card and endured the the rip off bank fees for every foreign transaction by card.

You should sort yourself out some epic European car journey one day Colin

 

[vitesse]

Funny you should suggest that,Marcus-what I would like to do is get the overnight ferry from Hull to Amsterdam ,drive to Einbeck in Niedersaxon ( south of Hanover) & stay there perhaps 2 nights.
This to show my Wife the town where I worked at Arnold & Stolzenburg ( after being acquired by Renold Chains my then Employer.)
Hopefully then visit Stuttgart & Porsche- all this in the grey 924s my Wife uses.

This all depends on management agreement??