Porsche Decision Guide: What Is the Perfect Porsche for You?
Raw speed or raw emotion? We look at that question and others to help you find the perfect Porsche for your needs.
Porsche shoppers need help. And this is how I know this. Just about every day on some Porsche social media site someone will ask a question like this. “Hey, I am close to finally buying my first Porsche. I am deciding between the 991.1 Carrera S and 991.2 Carrera S. Which one should I get?” First, it is a bit of an odd question. It is like saying: “Hey, I am close to finally going on my first date. Should I go with a blonde or brunette?” The only sensible answer here is to go with what you like. In the case of the Porsche, drive both cars and buy the one you like best is the only real answer. That will be your perfect Porsche. But inevitably folks jump in with answers like 991.1 because of the sound. Or 991.2 because of power potential from a tune.
All answers to this question have their merit. But the true answer to what is your perfect Porsche lies within you. And for you to answer that question you need to understand yourself a bit more. What kind of person are you and what do you want from your Porsche? I like to try to help my fellow Porsche enthusiasts out so I thought I would spend some time putting together a little Porsche decision guide for you. After reviewing the individual sections, you may learn a bit more about yourself and what Porsche will put the biggest smile on your face.
Speed or Emotion?
Do you care more about raw speed or raw emotion? Do you want the fastest Porsche you can afford or the one that speaks to you the most? Let’s look at an example. The 1980 Porsche 911 SC. It is a lovely little car. The iconic shape, the air-cooled feel, the smell of gasoline, the lightness, the simple dash, the build quality. There is no doubt that the 911 SC is an emotional car. It’s one of the best 911s in history. It is also quite slow.
A new base Macan will outperform a 911 SC in just about every performance category. The Macan is also more efficient, more practical and will come with a full warranty. But as much as I like the Macan, it can’t hold a candle to the 911 SC in the emotion department. So, in this scenario are you an SC or Macan person?
Turbo or NA?
This is another question that you can ask yourself when trying to find that perfect Porsche. When Porsche came out with the 718 Cayman and replaced the glorious naturally aspirated flat-six with a turbocharged four enthusiasts lost their minds. The sound and the power delivery of that wonderful 9A1 engine was replaced with a four pot. Yikes. But many people didn’t care. The new 718 was more powerful and faster than the outgoing 981 model. And to some folks, that is all that mattered. They wanted the faster car, end of story. Do you care more about the sound a car makes or is it all about power and speed for you? Answering that will get you one step closer to your perfect Porsche.
Air or Water?
Do you think the last true Porsche made was the 993? Or maybe you think the 356 was the last true Porsche. Are you all about the air-cooled life and would never get behind the wheel of something that dares be cooled with water? The sound and experience of an air-cooled car certainly has a unique appeal. I owned a 1970 911 T Targa and I wish I still had it. But the newer cars are massively more powerful. And yes, with the newer engines you hear stories of IMS bearing failures and bore scoring. But the air-cooled engines had their problems as well. So, are you the type of person that wants the newer technology or do you like to keep it old school?
ICE or EV?
Taking the next step from air to water, we now move to electricity. This choice may eventually be made for us as more and more EV models come from Porsche. But given the choice, do you want one? The Taycan models range from quick to organ spinning fast. They have a futuristic look and feel to them.
And of course, no gas. But are those advantages enough for you? Will you be happy sitting in a very fast pod that can embarrass many other sports cars but is also very clinical in feel? Do you love cutting edge tech? Or do you think the internal combustion engine is the only way to properly power a sportscar? For now, you still have a choice. What will yours be?
Manual or Automatic?
Ask this question on a public forum and the slings and arrows really come out. But remember, you are looking for the perfect Porsche for YOU. Not the perfect Porsche for someone with the screen name ‘manualordeath’ on some forum. The good news is that if you are looking at a Porsche sportscar from the last dozen years or so you will get the excellent PDK which is a wizard of a gearbox. I drove manual transmission sportscars exclusively for about 20 years.
Then I test drove a 2016 Cayman S with the PDK and I was sold. If you are looking at any of the RS models, then you must accept the PDK transmission. PDK is faster, end of story. And of course, if you go with an EV, you lose all the ability to interact with a transmission. Again, do you value speed or feel?
As brilliant as the PDK is, it can’t replace the involvement of rowing your own gears. My current Porsche is a PDK and as much as I love it, I am looking for an inexpensive manual sportscar to add just so I can row my own gears occasionally. The appeal of a manual is real. So, do you want the involvement of a manual or the convenience and speed of the PDK? The choice is yours.
Coupe or Cab?
Do you love that wind in the hair feeling? Do you feel that the only true sportscar is an open top sportscar? Or does the idea of the extra weight and complexity that comes with a convertible bother you? Do you live in a cold or rainy climate that makes owning an open top car less appealing? These can be important questions to answer when you are looking for your perfect Porsche. Can’t decide? Buy a Targa.
New or Vintage?
Deciding on a new Porsche or a classic Porsche goes far beyond how the engine is cooled. For example, you can buy a well-kept 1987 911 Turbo for about the same money that a nicely equipped 992 Turbo will cost you. Which is more appealing to you? Performance wise the 992 Turbo will wipe the floor with any G-Series Turbo.
The 992 will also be safer, more efficient, have much improved technology, and likely require less maintenance. But an old 930 is just so drool worthy. The iconic looks, the power delivery, the rarity, and specialness. These are things the 992 just can’t offer. The new versus vintage comparison is not limited to the 911 Turbo cars by any means. New cars have advantages, and old cars have advantages across the board. Which do you prefer?
Base or Top Model?
Do you HAVE to have a GT4 RS or will a base Cayman be enough? Do you really need a 911 Turbo S or is a base 911 plenty? You might need to do a bit of soul searching for this one. The natural inclination is to go for the ‘best’ model offered. But does the extra expense really make sense with how you plan to drive the car?
Consider this, a base 911 can hit 60 mph in about 3.5 seconds and reach 182 mph. That is not slow. A base Cayman will hit 60 mph in about 4.5 seconds and reach 170 mph. Also, not slow. When you step back and look objectively at the performance stats these cars are plenty quick for the street. They are also all you really need to have a lot of fun on the track.
There is nothing wrong with grabbing a top tier Porsche model of course. But you will do yourself a favor if you ask yourself if spending all that extra money is really worth the extra performance and cache over a more basic model. Ignoring markups for the moment a GT4 RS with the Weissach Package is going to cost about $100,000 more than a base Cayman.
Including the markups, it will probably cost $200,000 more. Now, the GT4 RS will always be worth more as well. And it will turn more heads and it will set faster lap times. It is brilliant. But so is the base car. I think often people get so star struck by the GT cars that they ignore the basic goodness in the base cars.
Driver or Flipper?
Which are you? Another question you see asked a lot is: “I am looking to buy a 911, which model do you think would be worth the most in five years?” You should buy a car you like. If it goes up in value, fine. If it drops in value, fine. Either way you are driving something you like. Buying an investment car is OK if that is what you want. But if you want a car you can drive and enjoy don’t worry about value.
The value will come with the miles of smiles you get out of it. Your pristine investment car sits under a cover afraid to ever see the light of day. However, next door your neighbor is driving the wheels off his old 944 and having the time of his life. Money or driving thrills, what matters most to you?
Listen to Yourself
If you decide that your perfect Porsche is a 924 with an automatic transmission, painted pink with yellow wheels, then buy it and enjoy it. Don’t listen to anyone else. It is your money, and your car.
Life is short. Buy what makes you happy. Hopefully answering the questions in this guide directs you to what is your best fit. But I already told you at the beginning of this article the only real answer to the question of what Porsche should you buy. That is to test drive them and buy what you like the best. Happy shopping!
Images: Joe Kucinski
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