7 Porsche Ownership Tips: Enjoy Your Car, Avoid Aggravation

[@bbkGT3]

Will is by far the best KZbinr in this space. His honesty and transparency with zero click bait brings me back always wanting more (let alone the entertainment). He is the Nathan Merz of “sharing the real ownership experience”. Kudos Will.

[@briani3599]

Great video. Totally agree with ‘buy for use of vehicle’. My first was a pristine garage queen but sold and bought drivers cars and have never regretted the change.

[@jaygillotti610]

All good tips! Here's one more - join PCA. The resources, events and people you will meet are well worth the price of membership. I still regret 7 years of ownership before joining PCA.

[@oneporschefan]

Agree 100% with everything you’ve said here. I’m 67, and have been a car guy my whole life, so including growing up, I’ve been around for all the 911s. However, raising a family, etc., kept me from buying until appx 7 years ago. And even when I bought my first, I never really had wanted an air cooled car, at least until I couldn’t financially justify one. So, I’m a water cooled guy, but I understand the air cooled love. I say let’s be a broad community with open minds and respect for each other and all of our Porsches. Most everyone has a story and we can all learn something. Great channel and great episode. Thanks.

[@JuanDeLaGarza-gq3lp]

Yes I agree with Will on all his points, the video is on Porsche but it really applies to ALL cars/ trucks. I am a shop owner, restorer and can verify through decades of experience in the business that most people don’t understand how expensive and frustrating it will become to take something old and make it look and drive like what they imagined it should be. I once had a client who grew impatient with the progress on his restoration project and threaten to send his attorney to my shop, I advised him that unless his attorney could sand, paint or rebuild engines he would be in the way. The client laughed and said just call him when the car was ready. Three months later it was ready.

[@Rennthusiast]

😂

[@philnleblanc6664]

Great tips! I recently purchased my first Porsche (991.2 Carrera T) and love it. Some of those tips you mentioned were a major factor into why I chose the T. I wanted to something to enjoy daily and put a bunch of miles on.

[@digitaldave137]

I just dived in during covid and got a car from the other end of the country off the back of a friend of mine down there viewing it on behalf. All I did was make sure engine was healthy on compression, leak down and no real visible rust before buying.1982 SC. Fast forward 3 years and its been great. I did have to do aloooooooooot of maintenance, clutch, bushes, suspension etc etc etc but for a 40 year old car it was expected. I only had to pay for parts as did all the work myself as these are pretty basic cars so it didn't cost much at all. Probably 3k parts all up. I haven't gone concourse just made it a driver. Purchased it at the top of the market but loved every minute.

[@erwinshatzen6188]

I own a 1986 Carrera. I’ve owned it for 7+ years now. 2 long term owners and one very short term owner who I bought it from. (There is a story, of course). My experience has been that once you get a good car to a proper maintenance base line, they are not too expensive to enjoy. Oil changes every 3k with samples sent to Blackstone. Brake fluid yearly. Valve adjust at 15k increments. Drive it and enjoy. If you buy and trade often, it will be expensive.

[@carla6872]

You hit the nail on the head with these tips, for many of us have fallen victims to a few of the "gotchas" you mentioned. Great vid!!

[@jonwarshawsky5288]

All great points. One thing to consider is whether you have the patience and dedication to own a classic (ok, old...) Porsche or other marque. Lexus takes a lot of stick from enthusiasts who regard them as dull appliances, but there's a mentality among most car buyers that if anything ever goes wrong it's the end of the world. Lexus knows this. I've had everything from Fiat and MG to Porsche and Ferrari, and they have all been special, fun rides, but stuff breaks and it costs money. Your 20% guideline is a good one. But when you spend that $5000 or $10,000 on repairs and refurbishing, ask yourself if you feel like it was money wasted or money invested in long-term enjoyment. There is no wrong answer, but you have to know yourself. I remember spending $6000+ on the timing belt/major service on my first Ferrari, and I drove off feeling fantastic because I had renewed confidence in my car and had kept it on the road.

[@jackyzhu6381]

Absolutely agree with the don't be OCD with your car especially with hundreds of options choices that Porsche Provides, it will NEVER be perfect.

[@KevinFlory993]

My 993 was mostly stock for 27 years aside from the stereo, BBS wheels and PSS10's until some yahoo on youtube convinced me I should put in a Fister Exhaust and SSK, and Golden Rod. Fortunately it worked out extremely well and the car has never been better. Thanks for all the suggestion Will! Although you did scare me a little when you let go of your 993 after all of those changes. I have kept all of the original parts so everything is reversible, but don't see going back. And I too am a victim of OCD when it comes to my Porsches and struggle between keeping them as close to perfect as I can while driving the crap out of them.

[@Rennthusiast]

Haha yeah don’t listen to KZbinrs period 😂 If it makes you feel any better my current 993 has: Fister stage 3 Golden rod KW V3’s The rest is stock and the reason I wanted to get out of the other and into this white one was because the white one is just so minty. I do have plans to do a couple of slight changes to the car but they’ll be in the spirit of stock aesthetic mods. Stay tuned.

[@somethingclever1234]

After owning a 2007 911S4 for several years I learned the following. Step one before you buy the car, find a mechanic that knows how to work on the car and has the computers to diagnose and fix stuff. If I have to rely on the dealer for maintenance then I'm not buying the car. Step two, do a PPI and have the mechanic (that has the computers) dump the ECU codes so you can see if the car has been over revved. My local repair guy said he could do a PPI in 30 minutes, that was a red flag, others say they spent 4 hours. I'm looking for another shop. Pelican parts generally was a good parts supplier. Hang out with the Porsche club guys, super fun. I wish I still had the car, it was phenomenal.

[@amac8487]

Great advice. When I took my cayman in for its 4 year service (albeit only 15k miles) I was BLOWN away with the 4.5k service bill from Porsche. I totally agree about the “modding” culture. It’s amazing how many people buy a car and immediately add things, throw 1000s of dollars into it, then sell it in a few months. I have a Shelby GT350 which is glorious as is. It’s naturally aspirated high revving American V8…. Why do some feel the need to slap a turbo on it? Why mess up the beauty and uniqueness of what makes the car special in the first place? Those same people, will later buy a turbo Porsche, and say how they wish it was naturally aspirated because it sounds better 😂

[@dianaserchia4524]

Wonderful video Will. Long time follower of your channel. Thank you for your honesty especially when you mention the OCD tip! I definitely tend to fall into that category at times.

[@tvstation8102]

Interesting video. I think most people would be better served buying a car somewhere near the bottom of the appreciation curve (with a PPI) and put 10000 aside to fix anything. Should really be able to get into a very nice Porsche for 60000 tops. Looking at six figure cars is just a bad move, especially if you don't plan of having it as your one car for life!

[@bigmacdaddy1234]

Great video as always! One thing to add...be open to the possibility that a Porsche 911 might not be for you. I owned both a 996 and 997 and both cars were not a good fit for me. I love how they look and the history of the marque but I wasn't happy with how they drove and their interior ergonomics. They both felt floaty at speeds above 65mph and I never liked the seats. On the forums I saw a lot of owners saying the same thing. Even Will said in his other video (992 Carrera T Review) he didn't like the seats. And after trying two different models, I gave up and moved on to a car that better suits me (JCW Mini Cooper convertible - feels like a go-kart at any speed and the seats are excellent). So although I won't ever own another 911, I still enjoy following the news.

[@ThatCaymanGuy]

Great video, a lot of good points brought up. i do agree if you're going to buy something to beat on and really drive, don't buy a concourse condition car. I'm going the well driven but well maintained approach, keep it in mechanically tip top shape but if its a little dirty and rock chips, that's ok. i don't plan on selling it any time soon

[@afoolandhismoneychannel]

How about don't own a car that you feel is too valuable to enjoy! I spoke to an owner of a 997 GT3 recently who said that he hadn't taken it out of the garage in a long time because it's now too valuable for him to risk driving it! What's the point then?

[@Rennthusiast]

Yep. Should have included that as a tip as well.

[@andyjackson5404]

Sports cars are not a good monetary investment. Do the arithmetic with inflation factored in - not great. It’s a much better investment for your soul. Drive and enjoy your car … saving it for someone else. No Way. Just my $0.02

[@alangc76]

@@andyjackson5404100% correct ✅

[@bhopindermahal6481]

A very honest and genuine video. Thank you! ❤. I would say that the whole video is applicable to any sports car experience, not just Porsches.

[@victorrios8947]

Good advice as always. Biggest one in my view is the hobby cost. People ask me is $45k a good deal for a g body coupe? My answer is always it depends on the condition and service history but still add 15 to 20% cost to sort it out and then they pause on the purchase. You may not need that and be happily surprised when you don't but everything costs more than you think.

[@oliverthorne1653]

These are great tips. I fell into too much egginess with a 50/50 result of my excitement once. I hope people understand enough of the gravity that you speak on regarding these awesome machines. 👍

[@gilbertferguson1685]

Good advice. I used to trade cars every four years until I realized the only one making money was the dealer. I now own a 2017 911 which I bought new and have only put an average of 6000 miles a year on. Plan to keep it for awhile. Thanks.

[@jdubmash]

If you buy and air cooled porsche, it will cost you 10 to 20k in repairs if it breaks, and the worst part is its going to be 3 months to a year before you get it back... my 930 has been in the shop since November, I should be getting it back by June... it's been brutality... I've learned this is part of enjoying porsche! Lol.. my payment is 2200 a month... and the bill is going to be little over 13k... It's going to cost 5 to 7k to drop the motor in an air-cooled porsche... while its out you should go ahead and take care of a ton of preventive maintenance.... locate an air-cooled mechanic before you purchase one... I don't care how well they say it's sorted... my 930 had 130k in receipts... it's 30 to 40k to over haul a 930 btw... You will want to own more than one porsche or you will really be depressed... also tell everyone you know to learn how to work on air cooled porsche's because there's like 5 good ones in the whole country/ literally a dying breed... other than that nothing beats owning a porsche when they are running lol... good luck!

[@Rennthusiast]

Everything you’re saying is true.

[@michaels2916]

The waiting to repairs on an air cooled is almost worse than the bill. Both hard to swallow. Should have mine back by July and looking forward to that.

[@jdubmash]

@@michaels2916 yeah it's like they keep your car so long that you don't even care how much it cost you just want it back! Lol... thank God I have other cars and porsche's to drive..

[@jdubmash]

@@Rennthusiast Great video Will... You should checkout porsche palooza in eureka springs AR at the end of the year... I'd love to meet you! There were probably 500 cars there last year, maybe more... Also we have the most beautiful roads...

[@JayCrash450]

Learn to do it yourself and it’ll cut the bill in half. I know easier said than done for some people but it’s all never been easier to learn. Get the hands greasy, start with basic maintenance and go from there.

[@oliverradcliffe7974]

"They didn't really play the tape forward." That's a great turn of phrase that I'm going to remember.

[@keepyourbilsteins]

All good tips Will. Especially #2. I get asked how i can afford to own an air cooled car on a teachers salary often. 1. Its because I can work on it myself. 2. I have this one only because i sold the last one.

[@beartr2626]

the best porsche channel, period. thank you mate, from Istanbul with love..

[@PlatosFather]

1st time Porsche owner here with a new-to-me '21 718 Cayman S. It's my daily driver but also for canyon runs as well as car meets. I'm accepting that it'll get dings and chips and I'm also excited to be a part of the Porsche family! Thank you for the video!

[@williamtidmore8264]

My mistake on texting, it is an 83 Targa,not 84

[@williamtidmore8264]

911 Sc.Try texting with one eye on tiny letters😢

[@SMcda]

Great points, One other point I would make for my experience in owning classic muscle cars and airplanes is that you need to establish a relationship with a reliable and trusted shop. That is an art and it's becoming more difficult every day. The number of qualified mechanics in the air cooled world are diminishing every day. Find a shop that you trust and establish a mutually beneficial relationship.

[@timwilliams2343]

Great tip. Owning any sports car without a decent independent is going to be a financial disaster.

[@SMcda]

@timwilliams2343 Yep, just got a bid from the dealer for some minor stuff on a 99.1 Carrera S Cab I just bought. Independent was 52% of the dealers bid.

[@yorbalindason]

The ownership experience- get in the Porsche, turn key, drive everywhere, big grins. Yes have some extra money but you can enjoy a Porsche at any price point.

[@nfspeedy2]

Nice tips thanks for sharing. Please keep up that great content!

[@porschefan614]

Man you nailed every one of these! Great tips!

[@scottchamberlain5594]

Agree with all of the above. My first Porsche was just too nice.....certainly it was too perfect, too original, and too low a mileage to just drive it and have fun with it which, ultimately, we never did. At least it was pretty reliable, and was one of the few cars that made us money.

[@Rennthusiast]

Upsides to everything I love looking at my cars in my garage…but I love driving them a little more

[@jakkovaningen8350]

The truth... and nothing but the truth 😊 great content as always Will!

[@richiele]

Well said!

[@gbarton800]

Good, honest feedback that can be helpful. Well done, and thank you.

[@allenmartin6708]

Sage advice. Thanks for sharing.

[@morphia001]

This is all great advice. Exact same thoughts I had even though it was buying a different car. Would still love to own a Porsche one day, thought.

[@stranstudio]

Awesome tips, thank you so much Will.

[@NickKlonizos-dq7ks]

Usually a pre purchase inspection from a reputable Porsche dealer or an independent mechanic can look the car over and up to a leak down test ($$) to help you make a sound decision. 😊

[@garypollard6784]

Learning a lot from you.

[@detonator2112]

Last tip is the best. 964 and 993 look best in their stock form. Don't make cheap ass mods to valuable classics and ruin your car.

[@davedave2941]

Looking for a nice 991.2 here in NC Where in NC for a good 911 - great price - and driven / maintained. Current PCA member Macan GTS - 981 owner

[@cgh55]

Curious if you’ve had any misgivings about getting rid of the 997 Turbo. Had some nice shots of it here. Your video on it was a cautionary tale for me but I’m still tempted to try and pick one up.

[@Yooyangs]

I’ve had a 1984 carrera, a 1986 930 turbo, and am now looking at maybe getting a Cayman. I’ve heard the early years suffered from bore scoring, headliner and door panel issues. I’m curious as to what year/block you recommend? Thanks!!

[@Synchromesh123]

Some good points there but one I don't agree with is the watercooled/aircooled part. I love aircooled and have driven a few watercooled, mostly 996s of all sorts and a 997. They're not bad cars, fun to drive and all. But they will never hold a candle to the aircooled cars. This is still true years later after I tried them all.

[@Rennthusiast]

I think what makes that true/untrue is the driving experience someone is seeking. More refined? Water cooled. More raw/analog? Air. Thanks for watching!

[@divertiti]

Great tips my man, with all the Porsches you've had, are you still enjoying the 981 Spyder?

[@Pearl3Drummer]

Great content!

[@anonymoushuman8962]

I love this channel. So many useful tips and honest comments about Porsche and yourself! Very humble! Unlike the Porsche dealer I got my new 911S 992 about 4 months ago. I have one question: is the T on the same platform as all other 911’s 992 Keep up the interesting channel!

[@jamesw1659]

It’s an extension of the same platform that all the other models (except the turbo) are built for any given year. Just different equipment complement…

[@anonymoushuman8962]

@@jamesw1659 I thought so I was a bit confused as I saw your video about the T and you had mentioned the car was too big.

[@jamesw1659]

@@anonymoushuman8962that wasn’t my video, it was Rennthusiast’s, if I’m not mistaken. He commented to the effect that the 991.2s were getting too big compared to the 991.1s. I pointed out that they are actually almost identical in size. He replied and said it just feels larger. But they’re all nearly the same size, and they’re all made from either the narrow- or wide body shell with different nose- and tail caps, and variations in equipment for each specific model.

[@anonymoushuman8962]

@@jamesw1659 I see! Sorry I got the wrong end of the stick.

[@terminatedphil]

If you just wanna drive the damn thing, buy a Cayman from the 981 generation or a 911 from the 991.2 generation with a Porsche warranty and call it a day. Yes it will cost you an arm and a leg but it will be worth every penny.

[@mikemartenson4357]

AMEN, AMEN and AMEN! I am OCD, I know it but I can’t help myself. Do you still have the 981 Spyder? 😎

[@Rennthusiast]

Yep, still have the Spyder.

[@mikemartenson4357]

@@Rennthusiastwould you mind sending me some details? I’m in the market.

[@anom7422]

So I made mistake 1. Bought my dream 911 last summer. A 2014 Turbo S. Only had 4,700 miles. Paid $140,000. It was and still is in pristine condition. Now I’m afraid of driving it too much. Only put 300 miles in 10 months. It’s ok though, I look at my 911 but then just drive my 2008 Cayman haha.

[@mezger918]

Awesome video Will! I would even go so far to change your 10-20% to 10-$20k!

[@Rennthusiast]

lol yeah I don’t want to scare people off but you’re not wrong 😂

[@michaels2916]

Love the air cooled cars, but finding someone who can take care of them is getting harder to find. The good ones are busy, so plan on having your car off the road for a while if work is needed. And the cost of work has gotten crazy expensive. Ask me how I know.

[@billnorblat4047]

Without being intentionally insulting, I gotta say, it's hilarious watching you go through so many cars, especially one you speced from new

[@Encourageable]

If he’s got the money, why not? Getting a new one is so fun!

[@Rennthusiast]

Some like to keep one for decades, some like to cycle them out. As I heard one youtuber say, he values the next experience a little bit more than the current experience. Don’t worry, you can’t insult me 😄

[@billnorblat4047]

@@Encourageable like I said, he can do how he does. I keep my cars.

[@dardog7734]

Good advise

[@jondeauxman]

After years of Italian cars I recently bought a '21 992 Turbo S, is there any room in the hobby for guys with newer cars?

[@iOSAT]

Hey Will! Did you see your T was purchased by a user on Reddit? Very cool to see it pop up and how psyched the current owner is.

[@Rennthusiast]

I knew the car sold but didn’t know who bought but I am really glad to hear that the buyer is stoked about it. That’s great. It was a fun experience optioning it and going thru the process so I’m happy someone will enjoy.

[@iOSAT]

@@Rennthusiast I really appreciate you going through your experience; I was about to pull the trigger on a T also, and you further confirmed my feelings I had from an extended test drive. Any luck on the 997 C2S?

[@Rennthusiast]

@iOSAT I have a couple of leads…still working on it. Want to make sure it’s the right one.

[@iOSAT]

@@Rennthusiast good to hear, I have a 997 Turbo S and was wanting to add a 997 C2S MT just like you were, and I couldn’t find a single one anywhere - I saw it was estimated

[@DarkClosetOfTheMind]

You can also buy a CPO car to avoid that 10% rule.

[@Rennthusiast]

Hell. Yes. Love CPO! My Spyder has 1 year left on it.

[@donjohn2239]

Whats a cpo?

[@DarkClosetOfTheMind]

@@donjohn2239 certified pre-owned

[@MrParadigm1981]

Haha, you were for sure snobby to me! I didn't take it personally and still have the same fleet:)

[@timotheegoulet1511]

Thank you for another informative video there R2DBag... sorry i just had to. I just watched that negative comment video of yours!

[@wizkid7687]

Great advice. Thanks. Let the buyer beware. And don’t buy a romantic dream. Buy a solid vehicle.

[@Rennthusiast]

So many people have these fantasies about what it’s gonna be like…then bam! Reality hits about a week after the car arrives home.

[@hawkinsjd11]

I have $30K into a $20K Boxster S. I get tip #2. And #4!

[@splinefusion6986]

Hmm, how much of the "if you have 100k, spend 80k" advice pertains to just air-cooled turbos that are still priced north of sanity vs. 991.1, 991.2 and up? 991.1 and .2 are currently sitting in that range in the US. Curious if 20k repairs are common in these generations? If so, that's the first I've heard it.

[@Rennthusiast]

Good point. When I said that I had air cooled Porsches in mind, so it was my mistake not to quality that. I did have to put maybe $4K - $5K into my 991.2 after I bought it. 40,000 mi service plus new tires and alignment. But yes, you’re correct in thinking that 10% - 20% is high for a modern Porsche.

[@splinefusion6986]

@@Rennthusiast Thanks much for your insight, as always!

[@sagethomashablian9473]

Will, which is your favorite Porsche 911?

[@Rennthusiast]

Whichever one I just drove 😄

[@randyc2083]

After watching this I can understand why you're selling the 'T' but can't understand you selling some of your past Porsches. I own a '97 993 (about 19 years), a 981 GT4 (since 3months old), an '09 C2S (about 6 years). My wife wants me to part with at least one but I just can't let go. Must be something wrong with me.

[@Rennthusiast]

Yeah, I get this a lot. A couple of thoughts. Even for the Porsches I’ve owned and liked, I feel like I value “new-to-me,” “variety” and the next experience just a little bit more. I have found myself missing my GT4 just a bit lately but since I own the Spyder I really have a lot of that experience covered. I would like to try a GT3…and have a sense that’s on the horizon sometime soon. Thanks for watching!

[@nunyabusiness4188]

It's tough to drop your pants in public, but the advice is great!

[@Rennthusiast]

I’ve learned not to care about what people think of me. YT has helped a lot with that and it’s been freeing…plus the viewers seem to appreciate it so it’s a win/win 😄

[@nunyabusiness4188]

@@Rennthusiast Now, don't sell those great cars. You don't have to drive everything at 110% (997 Turbo) to enjoy them. We're not getting any younger and have less to prove!

[@Rennthusiast]

@@nunyabusiness4188 oh, you know I’ll end up selling one and grabbing another. Can’t help myself. I’ve accepted it. There’s actually a plan to let one of them go in the near future. Stay tuned, and feel free to guess 😂

[@nunyabusiness4188]

@@Rennthusiast I bet I know - we never completed a transaction on the 924. I guess that's moved on.

[@Rennthusiast]

@nunyabusiness4188 it got boring and also didn’t land with the channel. I donated it. Tuning was never quite right. Then I found the blue hot rod and never thought about it again. The channel’s aka is “Porsche A.D.D.”

[@davidmiller1938]

Naïveté is a young person’s luxury. If you live long enough you’ll come to understand the expression, ignorance is bliss.

[@danield7570]

Well, I'd like to add one more advice: Better not to buy it if you cannot afford to drive it like you stole it!

[@curtypachec6055]

Wtf?

[@NickKlonizos-dq7ks]

With all due respect respect the car is 29 years old. Just saying. 😊

[@Rennthusiast]

I mean, for sure…but if you read a lot of the forums and FB groups you mainly hear how reliable they are, how they can take a beating, etc. That’s all true but I learned it takes money to get them there…after the purchase. I guess the main purpose of this vid is to share the aha’s I had along the way…bc I was definitely not seasoned yet when I jumped into my first. But no doubt the age factor is undeniable.

[@NickKlonizos-dq7ks]

I think the 76 broke you mentally jk🤣😂 I purchased a 96 from a local dealer here and they actually went through it with a new clutch, brake fluid change, oil change, brakes, hood struts. That being said I still had a few things to do, other than that this thing is a driving machine! Love the channel brotha😎

[@timw308]

No matter what kind of car you buy it just comes down to using common sense.

[@Rennthusiast]

Yep. Common sense isn’t always common practice though.

[@technician006]

Let's see, pay exorbitant maintenance costs or just buy a Tesla and rarely have to do any maintenance ... Teslas can pretty much smoke all these porsches too.

[@petrhanousek4301]

Americans should stop changing names of things however they want. It is not Porschu! It is Porsche!!

[@4Whopper]

Come on nightmares.

[@frankoch600]

Set aside forty to fifty times the purchase price, these vehicles are money pits, unfore scene money pits more costly than a boat, horse or airplane Porsche is made of of cheap scrummy parts.

[@frankoch600]

Thed ONLY car worst than a Porsche would be a Hugo from the late 70's, Porsche is a piece of crap on wheels, a total scam of a car.

[@jbfinishingsjellebilliau9054]

I learned when it's porsche...you pay,my transmision for my 944 was 6000euro's and it,s a 944🫣