Looking to get into a 996...some questions
 

Here I am, a true Porsche newbie. I currently have a 1998 Pontiac Trans Am as my play car, but I am growing out of the stage of LOUD crazy cars, and want to get into something classy and fast and a true driving experience. Ive turned to Porsche, and I know for certain I am going to get a 1999 or newer 911 (996). Im looking at the standard Carrera, but if I run across a decently priced Turbo, I might consider it. I plan on keeping this car forever, using it until I can no longer comfortably drive it, and then pass it on to one of my sons.

Sorry for the preamble, but I just want everyone to know where I am coming from. The thing is, I have NO idea what the maintenance is like on these cars. I am smart enough to realize any dealership work will cost more than my Pontiac does, but what type of service schedule do these cars have? Is there a crazy maintenance schedule every 10,000 miles? Anything specific I should know about?

Also, the reliability. I want a sportscar I can keep for a LONG time, giving my sons a chance to own it later on. Would this be a car that would run for 100,000 miles if properly maintained? Most of the used cars Im looking at have around 25,000 miles on them already.

I think some of these thoughts are stemming from the well known fact that exotics (Ferraris, Lambos, etc) are horribly unreliable and hugely expensive to maintain. I do not hold Porsche in the exotic category (unless buying the Carrera GT), but very close to exotic.
Any help anyone can shed on my questions would be appreciated

John

RE: Looking to get into a 996...some questions
 

later model years 1999-now, type 996/997 is the most reliable of all Porsches. find one and have it check out my the dealer. it should give you many years of enjoyment. if you maintain it well, it will last for 100k+ miles; intimes to pass to your sons. ;) Porsche is simi exotic but is able to hang with the big boys (Ferrari and Lambo) on the canyon runs without feeling out of place. I have some videos of it on my link.

RE: Looking to get into a 996...some questions
 

The newer 996's are great cars, reliable, and fun to drive in a stock application. Keep in mind that when you do need service, you can easily drop a grand or more at a time. Parts and labor are expensive, and unlike the trans am, you drop the motor to do a lot of the work, expect to pay over $100 an hour in labor at a qualified porsche shop you can trust. For instance, a clutch is something like 25 hours (IIRC) labor plus parts. As long as you aren't afraid to pay the scheduled maintenance as you go, the car can last a long time.