Just thinking out loud…
Would you:
(02/03 996TT)
OR
(06/07 Exige S)
+
(lame car)
996 is AWD and way faster than the exige.
Exige looks way hotter, but the interior sucks
Option 2
(06/07 Exige S):tup:
996TT DO IT
Id go for a nice yet year round capable and reliable DD and then a summer car.
lol @ 996 being a year round DD. Have fun with the maintenance on that 
#poop
Option 2 makes a LOT more sense but I have never been one for having a lame dd. I would just move out of buffalo to somewher eyou don’t need a winter car 
Well, when i say “some POS” it would be year round OK and reliable, but not remotely fun or cool.
Exige… no questions asked
TDI Rabbit ftw!!!
if you’re actually going to do track days… then the Exige S. otherwise the 996TT.
If you just want to drive the Exige S around on the street you’ll get sick of it really fast (which is a little of what I’m guessing happened with your elise). don’t make the same mistake twice… figure out your needs first.
IDK, i’ve been looking around and a lot of people DD them fairly reliably…
- rocking hot DD year round > rocking POS 300 days a year and having a go kart to take out once in awhile.
Or just move to Cali and not worry about this. I’ll meet you there.
option2 with not that much of a gay boring car
I would think maintenance and just general damage from the winter would make it not worth it for the 996
buy a white 996
don’t forget to test drive a Cayman S… it’s exactly half way between these two cars (in just about every way) and within your budget.
yeah, i just couldn’t find a good pic of one.
there was one on ebay wth the GT2 aero on it… super hot.
edit:
i vote option 2… but… can’t it be both? 
996TT seems a bit too nice to drive around in the NY salt.
I suppose if you’re looking at a higher mileage used one that’s depreciated considerably it would be ok.
The one you stole the picture of is on ebay for $48.8k. Drive it through a Buffalo winter and it would probably be worth half that. Drive it only in the summer and take care of it and I doubt it loses much value at all. That’s a pretty substantial hit.
I’m not a fan of rocking some econobox 75% of the year though just to have a fun toy.