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Porsche 997: How to Daily Drive Your 997

For those willing to give it a shot, the Porsche 997 can make a marvelous daily driver. Here's what you have to consider.

By Nik Romano - March 13, 2015

This article applies to the Porsche 997 (2005-2012).

As the mileage goes up and the prices come down, 997s have reached that point where some owners are getting nervous about using them or holding on to them for any significant length of time. Other owners are throwing caution to the wind and using these cars as they were intended, trusting in Stuttgart's quality and engineering and letting the rest just sort itself out.

In truth, there are a lot of reasons that daily driving a 997 is a fantastic idea. First, it's a 911. It looks, sounds, feels, and evokes emotion like a 911. There are few cars that are as pleasurable to drive, and fewer still that can stand up to the abuses of actually being used regularly. Sure, there are some downsides, like cargo space, room for passengers, and cost, which are all real factors that need to be assessed. Let's take a look at what's involved.

Daily Driving Factors

Maintenance

If you are going to be racking up the miles, maintenance becomes even more important than it already was. Porsche provides us with a comprehensive maintenance schedule that, if followed, will dramatically increase the life expectancy of your car and keep it as reliable and dependable as it needs to be for daily use. Bringing your car in for service on schedule also allows the trained mechanics to assess if there is anything abnormal going wrong with the car, so you nip problems in the bud. Porsche recommends bringing the car in for service on this schedule:

Minor Service
Major Service
20,000 miles 40,000 miles
60,000 miles 80,000 miles
100,000 miles 120,000 miles
140,000 miles 160,000 miles

Tires are a large factor of the running costs of these cars. Expect to get roughly 15,000 miles from a set of rears (which wear quicker than the fronts), up to as much as 20,000 if you drive gently. Some owners even adjust their rear camber and toe settings away from the factory specs to improve tire wear, but be aware of the effects this has on the handling of the car; Porsche created those specs for a reason.

If you've done the math, and the running costs of the 997 don't make your legs weak, that's good news! You are one step closer to daily driving your dream car.

Figure 1. Components of a 997.

Interior Space

This one is a bit of a no-brainer. As we are well aware, the inside of a 997 is a bit...snug. Perfectly comfortable for you and your passenger, sure, but when you and three of your co-workers want to go to lunch, it might be best to use one of their cars. With the back seat present as more of an insurance write-off than anything else, it's best suited to small children and people you don't really like. Likewise, if you have to haul around lots of stuff, are a frequent visitor to the hardware store, or buy groceries in bulk, you might have a hard time getting the hood and doors to close. If you have another, larger car you can use in a pinch, or just never find yourself in need of the extra space, then there's really no problem! The 997 is still looking good for you.

Figure 2. 997 interior space may leave a bit to be desired.

Resale

Here's the part that makes a lot of owners uneasy. When you daily drive a car, you are going to rack the miles up very quickly, and with that comes the unavoidable depreciation of the vehicle. This is why many owners sell their Porsches with very little use and subject them to being merely weekend toys, sitting in the garage unused most of the time. This is a shame, really, when you consider that these cars are perfectly capable of lasting well beyond 100,000 miles with proper maintenance, with some examples reaching over 200,000. One owner on the forum has a 997 with over 240,000 miles, and he still tracks the car. If that's not some incentive to get out and drive, it's hard to say what is.

The hurdle to get over here is to accept that you bought this car so that you could drive it. A modern 911 isn't an investment; it will take several decades for appreciation to kick in. So, if you can manage the finances, fit everything you need inside, and truly love driving your 997, go for it! Few cars will give you the same driving pleasure, so why not experience it every day?

Figure 3. As miles go up, depreciation is unavoidable.

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