If you guys fancy a 911, save up for the the late 997 gen 1 or gen 2. (The interior quality is leagues ahead when compare with 996) You can drive these car everyday (My boss does in his 997 Turbo) but you need to be covered by a very comprehensive warranty. Any mechanical breakdown (Clutch, gearbox), expect 4 figures bill! If you kerb the Carrera Sport 19s and fancy a new one from your local Porsche centre-£850 exc. tyres!
I agree about the quality of the 997 vs 996 interior...but the 996 interior isn't actually bad to live with. The leather scuffs no more or less than the 997 stuff, everything works...it's just less showy.
The 997 looks better inside...but in daily life, works no better...and in some ways the 'cooking' 997s are less 911 like in their drive - so if you want a normal car that looks like a 911 - get a 997.
If you want a car that behaves like a 911 of old with all the nose bobbing, pitching about the diagonal etc that they are known for...get a 996 or earlier.
All Porsche wheels are expensive!
996 GT3 Mk2 / C4S GT3 style wheels are nearly £1000 each...and they are 18s!
The only 996 I will buy is the 996 GT3 (2003 model). Most road tester rate it as one of the best 911 ever. The engine block originate from the Le mans race car in 1997 and had been proven to be very reliable. Although there is not much electric gizmo in the car, this means less thing that will go wrong!
The C4S was also hightly rated as one of the best 911s ever...and costs substantially less to run/repair than a turbo.
also worth considering for sheer point to point pace.
Sadly, it's the additional stuff that goes on 996s - coolant radiators, air con radiators, coil packs...and they are common GT3/the rest...so although getting a GT3 will probably remove the RMS issue (solved in the main part by fitting a revised 997 seal) you are still at the mercy of the rest.
