Your Questions Answered: What Porsche can you buy for $40k?

Is there any legal reason to stop you from disabling electronic safety systems in a car? I don’t like the annoying systems such as speed-limit recognition and warnings that constantly make noises and flash icons on the dash. I am wondering if you can get fined for not having them on. Also, would there be any insurance problems if you had an accident and had disabled the safety systems? – Alex

Answer: Hey Alex, except in one specific vehicle-use scenario in one particular state (which we’ll get to below), there isn’t any legal reason why you can’t disable safety aids such as the speed warning you mentioned. The same applies to some of the other electronic driver ‘safety’ aids, such as lane-keeping assist.

The exception is South Australia, where vehicles classified as Ultra High-Powered Vehicles (that is, cars with a power-to-weight ratio of more than 275kW/tonne, generally supercars) cannot have electronic stability control (ESC) disabled. Even if you are visiting South Australia in a vehicle registered in another state, and have a driver’s licence from another state, this still applies (South Australians have to have a specific U-classification driver’s licence to drive such vehicles).

As for insurance, again there is usually no reason for a claim to be denied because you pressed a dash button that disabled stability control. However, if you proceed to drive like an idiot and subsequently crash, then an insurance claim might be denied because you could be considered to have been driving recklessly. If the ESC system has a failure and an ESC warning light is illuminated, an insurance company might also not cover you if you subsequently send it sideways off the road. It really is on a case-by-case basis, but you don’t want to be that case that reads ‘claim denied’.

Aside from disabling poorly executed safety-assist features (such as some lane-keeping assist or speed-limit warning systems), or when driving a 4WD off-road (where disabling ESC can make it easier to avoid getting bogged), there is no good reason to disable safety systems.

There are some really cool new large portable lithium power banks around. I have been thinking of a safety back-up in case there’s a power outage when I’m travelling and want to recharge at a public EV charging station. Can I use one as a safety back-up for my EV, like you can with a jerry can for a petrol car? – Tyrone

Answer: Hi Tyrone, I’m assuming you mean the type of portable power station about the size of a carry-on suitcase, with up to around 4kWh of energy on a full charge. At first glance it would seem like a feasible idea, but a portable power station is not going to have enough juice to charge your EV much at all.

It would be a bit like carrying a petrol jerry can the size of a hip flask in your boot in case your ICE vehicle ran out of petrol. Except a 4kWh power station is going to take up as much room as a 20L jerry can and weighs about 40kg.

You might get another 30km out of your EV by charging it with a power station, so it really doesn’t offer much back-up in reserve if you get to zero per cent on your EV battery. You have to remember that charging your EV will incur some power losses, so you’re not going to get the full face value of the power station’s energy into your EV, and of course the charging time required won’t be quick.

These power stations are also not cheap, at around $3000. If you have other uses for a power station, such as back-up power at home or when camping, then having one fully charged in the boot of your EV might be of some use as a back-up range extender (albeit a very minimal one), but you would be far better off calculating your range carefully and relying on recharging at public charging stations.

Since I was a kid I have always dreamed of buying a sports car. In particular, I’ve always wanted to own a Porsche. Now in my 50s, with the kids gone and a company lease car for my day-to-day driving, the time seems right to buy a weekend car like a Porsche. But I can’t afford a brand-new or even a classic 1980s Porsche. I have about $40k to spend. Is this a realistic amount these days to get a nice 911 or Boxster worth owning, or will that just buy a whole lot of trouble? Am I better off buying a near-new Mazda MX-5 or Subaru BRZ/Toyota 86 instead? I don’t want an auto, it has to be a manual. – Calvin

Answer: Hey Calvin, that’s a cool choice! Yes, you will be able to buy a Porsche within your budget, but as you mentioned the choices are going to be restricted to certain models from around the late 1990s to early 2000s.

The main thing is to be prepared for a long search. You might find the perfect car the moment you start looking, but you also might find the market is not exactly awash with used manual Porsches in great condition for $40k in your area. It might take a while.

You will probably be able to just get into an early 996-series 911 for $40k or a little more, but it’s probably going to be in less-than-ideal condition, likely be a Carrera 4 coupe or cabriolet with a Tiptronic auto, and possibly be a used import. It won’t be a manual 911, Australian-delivered, with full history, unless you somehow snag a bargain.

You could also get a 2005–2008 987.1 Boxster 2.7, or almost any earlier 1997–2003 986-series Boxster. You’re about $10k shy of slipping into a base manual Cayman of about 2008 vintage.

The trick is buying a car that hasn’t done massive kilometres, has been kept mostly original, been loved by previous owners and has been well maintained, preferably with a documented service history. These basic elements give you a better outcome for reliability and resale value.

Be aware that these cars are all about 20 years old, so there are likely to be older-car maintenance needs (for example, coolant pipes and suspension bushes) and, for better or worse, a lack of technology (such as Bluetooth, which you can upgrade with a new head unit).

Parts and service costs are another consideration. While this era of Porsche is beautifully put together, it is not infallible and, if something big goes wrong, it’s expensive to fix if you’re leaving all the work to a mechanic rather than doing it yourself.

You should always get a pre-purchase inspection done on a used Porsche, and be prepared to wait for a good example to turn up. Don’t be tempted by a car that is cheap, tired or even a colour combination you just don’t like.

A Mazda MX-5 or Subaru BRZ/Toyota 86 are excellent choices, and you’ll be able to buy a nearly new used example for $40k. But if you want a Porsche, get a Porsche. Just be patient when looking for the right one, get it checked out, and have a fighting fund put aside in case of big bills.

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