Would most people drive a 911 if they could afford it?

[Voltigeur]

Originally Posted by exadius

Porsche makes fine cars just like Apple makes fine computers. And just like Apple they make huge profits by overcharging there loyal customers. I just don't see myself paying a premium just for the name Porsche. The 911 is so good because it has been in development for 40 years. So if they decide to bring there profit margins inline with the all the other auto makers I would buy one tomorrow.

Me too: does irk me. Porsche AG's normal net income margins are 2x BMW (4.7x VW's!).

[gadget]

No. I don't like P-cars. I'd rather streach my budget and get a 430, even if slighlty used.

[Ken37.73]

997 Turbo = Yes (can't afford !)
Anything else = no way

[xxForgedxx]

I think for me anyways it would be tough. I really love the cars but for the $88,000 sticker I saw on the last 997 C4 I may just say F it, save myself $18,000 bucks and get a new zO6... Sorry guys I couldn't turn down saving that kind of money AND having a monster car like that. Too many other options are around to tempt and I think the 911 would be in the shadow for me. Now if you put it in the exotics category with say a Gallardo or Murc or 360 vs GT3RS or something that'd be different because pricing is much less that those other guys and I love the car still. Affording it or not will still be strung around by what costs what

[footie]

Would most people drive a 911 if they could afford it?

Myself and my brother have debated this very question on numerous occasions, usually when we happen to see a new 911 and each have different opinions on this. He loves the look, always has and to him it's handling issues aren't such a problem as he would never be pushing it hard enough. Me, I just don't see the big excitement that people get over the 911, there is much better cars out there from other brands and it could be argued that even in it's own ranks there is two better driving cars.

For me at it's money the R8 steal the show, it looks superior, it handles superior and it's got a badge that doesn't say 'snob' and if you don't care about brand image the GTR is probably better value than both of them.

[xxForgedxx]

Originally Posted by footie

Would most people drive a 911 if they could afford it?

Myself and my brother have debated this very question on numerous occasions, usually when we happen to see a new 911 and each have different opinions on this. He loves the look, always has and to him it's handling issues aren't such a problem as he would never be pushing it hard enough. Me, I just don't see the big excitement that people get over the 911, there is much better cars out there from other brands and it could be argued that even in it's own ranks there is two better driving cars.

For me at it's money the R8 steal the show, it looks superior, it handles superior and it's got a badge that doesn't say 'snob' and if you don't care about brand image the GTR is probably better value than both of them.

I think a lot of people can let supreme fit/finish and feel slide for something that has more pop and a step down in fit/finish and feel.

[Bunkei]

No, not practical enough, and the Porsche styling doesn't move me much. Awesome performance though!

[sayemthree]

only a GT3. but right now i need tha back seat and trunk. maybe after the kids go to college.

still you get MUCH more bang for the buck out of an M3. P cars are $$$$$$ to buy and maintian.

[GnokGnik]

I used to hate 911's. They looked ugly, had an engine BEHIND the rear axle, and were too expensive to compare to cars with similar power. This was all before I test drove one. WOW. Maybe it's my inexperience, but the 911 turbo my uncle let me drive was just awe-inspiring.

That said, 911's aren't practical. Maybe when I am in my 30's or 40's, I'll pick one up for a weekend car.

[Doc]

If I could afford it I would get a gt3 and call it a day.. use it as a daily driver until I keeled over I would strap extra passengers to the roof and put their high heels in the front boot

[Herms]

Interesting Q. I wouldn't at this point because I just love the M3 too much right now, but for the updated GT3 that will come out soon, I would in a second, but only if I had another car as my dd.

Edit: meant to add that cars are just getting entirely too good. My entire life I wanted two cars: The M3 and the 911. When I finally got to the point where I could afford either, I found myself questioning the purchases. Coming from the 335, which is so fun in its own right, I kept worrying that I'd be underwhelmed when I finally got my dream car. Similarly, I always thought my next jump would be from M3 to 911, but with the M3 being so much better now, again, I don't think I'd be terribly impressed if I got a 911 other than the GT3 or Turbo. That's not to say that the 911 and M aren't better than these lesser cars, it's just that the type of performance that was once reserved for elite cars isn't really so unattainable these days from far lesser cars, so it gives one a bit more pause when considering whether 20 grand is really worth a few tenths to 60 and a couple seconds on a lap (especially considering I don't go to the track (yet)).

[kmarei]

i wouldn't
to me the 911 is the mid-life crisis car
all the ones i see are driven by 50 year olds
or if they can't afford a 911
they buy a corvette
i'd buy a boxster or cayman over it anyday
i think they handle better
the only correct place for an engine
unless it's a S14
is the middle of the car

[sayemthree]

Originally Posted by Doc

If I could afford it I would get a gt3 and call it a day.. use it as a daily driver until I keeled over I would strap extra passengers to the roof and put their high heels in the front boot

High heels! FTW!!!!

[GnokGnik]

Originally Posted by kmarei

i wouldn't
to me the 911 is the mid-life crisis car
all the ones i see are driven by 50 year olds
or if they can't afford a 911
they buy a corvette
i'd buy a boxster or cayman over it anyday
i think they handle better
the only correct place for an engine
unless it's a S14
is the middle of the car

You wrote that like it was an awkward poem, lol.

[Captain Scott]

Originally Posted by grizzy727

Well I own a 911 and a e46 m3 and thinking of replacing the m3 with a newer one. 2 enitrely different cars always compared. Look there are faster, prettier, cheaper, blah blah ..cars than the 911 but I dare youy to drive one for a few days and not think its simply perfect. The whole package together is the best. Now the m3 is no slouch and is a great car and is more practical as a car. But for true driving enjoyment the 911 wins. But its comparing a score of 95 to 97.
Btw-last year I paid for a 2 day porsche driving school with professional drivers on a track all day--they were stock 911s no extras--lemme tell you the limits are simply incredible to this car --and doing a hot lap with an instructor such as Hurley Haywood will simply humble your driving ability.
cliffnotes-both incredible cars but 911 has the edge
devo-u make a good point-its alot of money to tie up for a sunday drive(I have 8k miles in 4 years)
Mike

There is no comparson, I did the school as well down at Barber Motor Speedways, what fun.

I had both a 996 and a 997 twin turbo, you cannot put them in the same category no matter which magazine article you read. The M3 is not in the same class,IMHO.


They the 997 tt are OVER PRICED, but the good thing was, when I traded my 997 in on the new M3 I paid cash for the BMW, Bought my son a (NEW) Honda Civic SI, and paid for his first year of collage all in one fell swoop.

What does that tell you? Little better then a 49% residual after 36 months!

Bottom line, My son is more important then 4 wheels and a gas tank!

[M2381]

I would only get the 911Turbo or the GT3 but then once I get up that price range I would also start looking at the R8. I really love the styling of the Porsches and their reliability

To be perfectly honest if I DID have the money I would buy the 911 Turbo over the M3 but despite the fact that I own an E92 M3, I dont feel the urge to want to buy a 911 because I love my car so much.

[george1234k]

I have the following;

2007 997 turbo
2007 E63 amg
2007 toyota prius
2007 MBZ ML350

I'm looking to pick up an 2008 E92 M3, I always wanted a BMW esp. an "M car". with the current 1.9% and discount off the car It's a no brainer for me

I've also driven the M5 and M6, but for now I just want something small and nimble.

[footie]

Drive a 911 in anything other than perfect conditions and then come back and say you still want one.

Incredible grip in the dry and the traction out of any corner is totally believable due to the engine's position but in the wet it's very unpredictable again because of where the engine is. The Cayman is much better balanced car between dry and wet handling, plus it's feel through the seat inspires more confidence.

Give the Cayman the power and LSD of a 997 and it will walk away.

[Gearhead999s]

I am going tommorow night to drive the new 911 with the PDK & DI.When I was growing up(my wife claims I never have)in the late 60's there was a 911s down the street and I can still remembering listen to that thing start up & drive away.They were special cars then and still are today,at least in my world.If they were more reasonable in price in Canada,I would be driving a C2s as my daily driver,but at $60000 more for a equivelently equipped car it is out of reach for myself.Still want one though!

[Gearhead999s]

Originally Posted by Gearhead999s

I am going tommorow night to drive the new 911 with the PDK & DI.When I was growing up(my wife claims I never have)in the late 60's there was a 911s down the street and I can still remembering listen to that thing start up & drive away.They were special cars then and still are today,at least in my world.If they were more reasonable in price in Canada,I would be driving a C2s as my daily driver,but at $60000 more for a equivelently equipped car it is out of reach for myself.Still want one though!

I just checked and the difference is only $45255 more for the C2s than the M3 equipped the same.It still means I will not have one.

[MJC///M3]

Would love a 911 turbo....

my g/f's father is getting one soon....so mabye I could drive his...hahaha

until then....its M3 all the way for me!

[devo]

Originally Posted by Gearhead999s

I just checked and the difference is only $45255 more for the C2s than the M3 equipped the same.It still means I will not have one.

The 2009 997S is not $45,255 more than a comparably equipped 2009 E92 M3.
The difference is more like $30,000-$32,000, dependent on whether the car has PDK or DKG, respectively. The additional cost of Porsche's dual clutch over BMW's may be worthy as many testers consider it a better transmission. (Whether it is or not is in the hand of the beholder.)

i.e. I specced out a very highly optioned 997 C2S and it's MSRP was roughly $105,000. I could have easily dropped the sticker to less than $100k and still have similar options as the M. It's still a lot of dough, but it's not over $45k.