How to buy the best pre-owned Porsche 911 - used car buying guide

Prices of these have been unfairly held down by the engine issues that affect normally aspirated 996s, so this is the only 911 Turbo that you can buy for anything approaching £25,000. Powered not by the standard 996 motor but the entirely unrelated ‘Mezger’ Le Mans-winning flat six, it delivered 420bhp before the popular 450bhp ‘X50’ upgrade was fitted. In bog-standard form, this is a sub 4.0sec 0-60mph car with a top speed of almost 190mph. And it’s a Porsche 911 Turbo.

4 - The investment - 993 Coupé

We’d be very careful about suggesting that any 911 prices are heading up in the short term. But if you buy to keep, a 993 is as good a shot as there is. Rightly seen as the ultimate development of the original, air-cooled 911, 993s blend the 911’s key talents — ease of use and driving pleasure — better than any other. Go for an early ‘pre-Varioram’ car and keep it simple: a rear-drive, manual coupé if you can, with as good a history as you can possibly afford. Currently, from around £35,000.

5 - The nearly new - 991 Carrera S (gen 1)

Can’t quite stretch to a brand-new Carrera S for £85k, or just don’t like the idea of the turbo motor? Then save yourself £30,000 and go for a first-generation Carrera S with a fabulous normally aspirated engine. You’ll lose a couple of tenths to 60mph but, given the saving, is that so important? And for once, avoid the manual gearbox. The seven-speeder is the 911’s worst stick shift since the old 915 ’box died in the late 1980s.

6 - The widowmaker - 964 Turbo

Some people love old 911s not despite their flaws but because of them. And the 964 Turbo is arguably the most flawed of all. The last of the single-turbo Turbos and with rear drive only, it combines immense turbo lag with an almost comical shortage of chassis balance. Understeer and oversteer are available in epic proportions, but get it right and you’ll feel a greater sense of achievement than in any other 911 you can buy. Rarity means massive prices: £100,000 and up.

7 - The all-rounder - 997 GTS

As complete a 911 as you’ll ever find. It combines most of the performance of a GT3 with the best ride quality of any pre-991 911. Hydraulic steering provides the feel that modern 911s have yet to recover and subtle cosmetic upgrades make it look the part, too. As ever, avoid four-wheel drive, cabrio roofs and PDK transmissions if you want the best to drive and the best investment. Manual rear-drive coupés are hard to find but worth the effort. Pay £50,000 and above.

8 - The classic - 911 SC

For a long time, SCs were unfairly dismissed as blue-collar 911s, and their prices stayed low while others flew. No longer: the market has woken up to the truth that these were the best-built, most reliable 911s of all, with more mid-range punch than the technically quicker Carrera successor and all the crazy ergonomics and charm of the early air-cooled cars. Go for a late model with the 204bhp engine and expect to pay £30,000 or more for the right one.

9 - The motorsport car - 997 GT3 (gen 2)

If you’d bought a brand-new 997 GT3 in 2009 and used it regularly ever since, chances are that you’d still get your money back today, meaning that you’d have enjoyed a free GT3 for six years. But they’re worth it. Although they’re nothing like as fast as modern GT3s, for sheer driver involvement combined with sufficient everyday usability, these GT3s remain unrivalled.

10 - The jewel - 997 GT3 RS 4.0