9974S

groovzilla

My advice is hang onto the car because it will come in handy when the newborn and marriage excitement wear off in about 2 years.
Nothing like a long spirited drive to get away from the wife and kid.

8enny8lack

I do not identify. If this is the case, you should probably sell it and move on. Or keep it and add a miata to your stable, but it sounds like it really just isn't the car for you.

Robocop305

ttreat

I think I can identify with you. I had a '91 MR2 Turbo which I sold for a 996. The MR2 was solid, fun to drive, and cheap to fix. The 996 was so solid and planted that you have to drive way to fast on most public roads to give the same engagement as the MR2. Any remorse quickly went away when I first tracked the 996. It was so much more fun than anything I had done with the MR2. I autocrossed both and probably had more fun in the 911.

I also found the 911 more practical with a couple of kids. Yes, you should be able to fit a rear facing car seat for now and as the kid grows he/she will be able to ride safely in the back which you can't do in the miata.

I sold my 996 and thought about other options including two seaters like the ones mentioned here but ended up getting a 997.

sandwedge

That's my thought too. Can't relate. He's comparing two cars that are miles apart in every aspect there is. If he likes the aspects of the Miata so much that he's even thinking about going back to one then that's probably the right move. To the OP......if you decide to give it some more time, start by modifying the exhaust where the car sounds the way it should without taking it to redline. Hundreds of threads here on that subject with a lot of options. Some very inexpensive. I've had after market exhausts or stock/after market combinations on all three 997's I've owned and you'll get really sweet tunes starting just above 3500 rpm's with the right parts..

4Driver4

Just curious, you guys who are baffled by the OP - have you ever owned a Miata or any type of light weight roadster? It really is a fantastic experience. Not that a 997 isn't a great car to drive, but it's a completely different thing than a lightweight, front engine rear drive roadster. Anyone own or owned both and prefer the 997? Why? Like the Miata better? Why?

Doug H

Some buy 911s, but prefer their pickup trucks for daily duties or sell them and go back to luxo land yachts like Audi S6s because they are used to and prefer a quiet, comfortable ride.

Never owned a street Miata, but I have raced spec Miata, owned an Elise that had about $25k in upgrades and weight reductions, S2000 and sub 3k pound cars such as air cooled 911s, 355 and 360 CS, CGT and a slew of Cup and Challenge cars all of which are phenoms in the handling, feedback and fun categories.

I drove neighbor's new Miata because a neighbor told me I would love it and, well, I kind of faked a smile and tried to make the compliments sound sincere. The car is lacking in performance/limits and drives like . . . $20k car.

The issue may be more of a function of driver ability and comfort level. 911s are world class handling sports cars with refinement and everyday drivability. Miatas are budget sports cars that are great values for the money. Learn to tap into what a 911 has to offer and find some back road twisties to enjoy it.

I will say, nothing is better than top down fun in a 911 and almost all of my 911s these days are cabriolets. Forget how you think they look. It is all about the fun factor and having that world class performance, yet comfortable cruiser with the top down is the perfect combination.

linderpat

I've never felt that way about my 911 (same as OP's - a an 05 C2, but with some excellent performance mods). In my case, the 911 was never my "dream car", so I never felt the pull for one. I've been a Porsche guy for longer than many, but it's always been the 928 for me. Still is, but since I acquired my 997, I now get it - especially after doing Watkins Glen last month - these cars are sublime!

I've had a Boxster and love it. I would think that there is no way a Miata could compare to the build quality and feel of a Boxster, but I could be wrong, not having driven a Miata. Anyway, swap the 911 out for a Boxster and see what you think.

josserman

Blue997_1

Which rear facing seat did you find that fits the 997? I've found one guy on the forum who says the Chico Keyfit 30 seems to work, but the report was a little vague so I haven't pulled the trigger yet, and I don't have a brick and mortar store nearby to try it with. But that is a great point - if I can get my kiddo to fit in the car (and get my wife to agree to it) then that would significantly increase my enjoyment.

Thanks for all of your thoughtful responses! I didn't expect to get so many replies. To answer Uda880, I wouldn't really call this a case of buyer's remorse. I think when I bought a car that cost 4x what my Miata cost, I expected to get a significant amount of additional enjoyment. Obviously there are always diminishing returns with more expensive stuff, but the fact that it was my dream car since childhood just added to the excitement. Instead, what I'm realizing is that I enjoy the car... about the same as the Miata. At least that's how I feel now that the initial rush of the purchase was over. I suppose I'm realizing that I prefer throwing a car around bends in the city and small towns, and the rear engine heavy 911 just doesn't feel as enjoyable doing that type of driving. The 911 seems more in its element on the open road with long sweepers

I didn't test drive a ton of Porsche before I purchased the 911. I tested a 987.1 Cayman S (love the engine, didn't love the design), a 718 Cayman base (love the design, didn't love the engine), and this one. It was the first 911 I drove, and it passed PPI with no issues identified and was in great condition, one-owner, low miles, and seemed like a decent price, so I jumped on it.

I'm leaning towards keeping the 911 for a while longer and doing a few things to make it "mine" (planning on just the Fister mod and Tranzit Blu installation), to see if I bond with the car over the rest of the summer, rather than cutting my losses and go back to a Miata. If I keep the car for a year and sell it for a small loss that's not a big deal, even if I sell it for several thousand less than I paid, since I'd just consider it like I leased a 911 for a year. I don't necessarily mind the higher costs of Porsche stuff, but the difference is that it just doesn't feel like I'm getting that extra enjoyment out of the extra costs. I'd happily pay for unicorn tear washer fluid and engine oil made from a free-range well in Switzerland if it gave me a commensurate increase in fun!

gtvr6

My story is similar to yours - I was at a point in my life where I could get a fun car but my kids are 7 & 8 so I wanted a 4 seat sports car so the whole family could enjoy the car. I looked for a bit and pulled the trigger on an '05 C2. Great car and it's fun to drive but I was expecting "more". My daily car is an '07 335i, manual and sport package and I enjoy driving that car - it is far from slow and not boring. I also feel "comfortable" in the BMW while I'm still trying to find my way in my 911. The 911 is more fun to take on a spirited drive especially if you find some nice curvy roads and I need to fit more of those in but on a public road the limits are too high to have fun.

I won't add anything new here....I would enjoy it for a bit longer and then drive the Miata again. If the Miata still gives you that "feeling" and you don't get it from the 911, there is no shame in moving on. One problem I think is that there's too much built up hype. The 911 is an excellent car.....but there are other excellent cars.

Good luck.

GT3_ISH

I cannot relate either unfortunately.

A 997 GT3 or GT3-RS is/was a dream car of mine since they came out. When I was able to afford a 911 financially, I found out that buying a low mileage C4 that came through my work was the car for me. Adding all the mods and the aero kit pieces has helped me get the looks of the car I've wanted for years. I've never looked back.

I've owned a lot of fast cars, driven some pretty insane fast cars. What I'm learning as I age is that the performance of a 300-400hp 911 is enough for me these days so it "fits" me well now. I've never owned a Miata, but I've driven several. Admittedly I dont fit in them well so the experience is automatically poor for me (im 6'4"). But they do give you something special, for a great price. I'm thinking you're not ready for the long haul of owning a 911 yet, maybe its time to look at getting back into a Miata. Maybe pick up another 911 down the road when you can have both?

Quadcammer

sell it. 911s are good cars, but they aren't for everyone and they aren't that much fun on the street because the limits are really too high to have fun. Lot of 911 owners talk about "twisties" and then you see them doing about 25mph down a great stretch of road and come back online and tell us how great the cars handle.

Doing a few mods to the car won't make you like it better. Sell it, pocket the cash, and find yourself another miata, or s2k or something. My base 986 is as much fun, if not more, than my 911 turbos on the average drive.

bhvrdr

lol, its kind of like posting pics of your car at the "tale of the dragon" meanwhile the tale of the dragon is really a tourist attraction for buying tshirts and fake moonshine and driving in a line of cars at 25mph.

I can appreciate the feeling coming from a Miata to a 911 about not being able to use the limits though. I came from a couple cars that run low 11s though and I actually like how slow the 997s is comparatively as you can really wind it out without going to prison. Its all relative. A 997 is not a 2 seat sports car. Miatas are special. It wont replace it.

Mike