Bought my dream car (997) but not totally enamored.
06-18-2018, 10:49 AM
#31
Intermediate
Join Date: Dec 2012
Location: Buffalo NY
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The best thing about the 997 over the miata is that you can put the kid in the back when you want/need to. My kids love taking the Porsche to run errands and go to grandmas house. If I had a two seater car it would move even less than the Porsche does and that's not very much.
06-18-2018, 02:18 PM
#32
I bought a C2S coupe in ‘11 my 1st 911 as it was my dream car too. I sold my 300zx twin turbo 430rwhp for it. I felt the 300zx was more fun, more raw, etc and could not enjoy the 911 for its strengths and kept comparing it to the faster in a straight line much cheaper car. I ended up selling it a year later because commuting in it felt like a waste of a 911.
Now years later I’m back in a C2S cab and the experience is so much more. I’m enjoying the the 911 for what it is and excells at- the sounds, the solid build quality, the handling, the way it makes you feel push it.
I suggest you keep it, the dream is rarely as good as reality but there’s a reason why you chose it. If you sell it you may regret it, it better yet pick up a cheap Miata and keep them both.
good luck !
Now years later I’m back in a C2S cab and the experience is so much more. I’m enjoying the the 911 for what it is and excells at- the sounds, the solid build quality, the handling, the way it makes you feel push it.
I suggest you keep it, the dream is rarely as good as reality but there’s a reason why you chose it. If you sell it you may regret it, it better yet pick up a cheap Miata and keep them both.
good luck !
06-18-2018, 03:41 PM
#33
Racer
LOL, I get it. Bought a used 2011 Cabrio 2S PDK. I was driving an SL-400 before. I jump around cars a lot, trying different things every few years. Decided to try the 911 after looking for a while when the lease was up on the SL.
I really enjoyed the SL. As a daily driver, it is really a great car. Every creature comfort you can think of and the entire vehicle is just damn pleasant. It just is. Mercedes finally put the SL on a diet in the R231 generation and it really helped turn it from a brick into something enjoyable. Hard top convertible with a decently sized trunk, a roof that turned clear or opaque at the touch of a button, well-integrated electronics and GPS/Nav/infotainment, an air conditioning vent in the glove box, anything you might think should be there - it was already there and heck, it had seat massagers too LOL.
The 911 is a very, very different car. Hands down, the 911 handles better, accelerates better and in top down mode, is surprisingly more comfortable in the wind. For all of the mechanical brilliance in the suspension and powertrain, there are parts of the car that puzzlingly miss thought. Minor annoyances in everyday use that make you wonder whether whoever designed it that way had never driven a car and perhaps commuted to work exclusively on public transportation. Little rinky-dink stuff like the keyless remote. It has one button that locks or unlocks the car. Most cars have a lock button and an unlock button. One never really is sure walking away from the car, whether he's engaged the lock or not - unless you are in position to see the signal lights flash twice. The Bose audio sounds like poo it is just crap. The PCM 3.0 maps now out of date and very costly to update and can only done by a dealership, at the risk of the the PCM 3 failing and needing replacement (reputable dealer recommended against a map update as about 1 in 5 PCM-3 systems don't survive the update). Sticky *****. Flaking material on the interior (yeah, I have the base interior), painted plastic door handles that scratch easily (replaced mine) the completely radically over-designed cupholder that is extraordinarily fragile and all but useless, to the console compartment that's too small for anything bigger than a matchbook. The boot - which in the 997.2, is still greatly occupied with plastics from the 997.1 that cover large empty spaces that held modules in the prior .1 model iteration, and could benefit from any additional space that could be made available. Not a day goes by that I look at that PCM3 and think it bad enough to replace yet not quite broken enough to motivate me to do so. On the other hand, it drives really well despite being butt-heavy and it is a lot of fun.
All you can do is enjoy the car for what it is. If you don't - sell it and move on. Give it a chance and the 911 will grow on you in its own peculiar ways.
I really enjoyed the SL. As a daily driver, it is really a great car. Every creature comfort you can think of and the entire vehicle is just damn pleasant. It just is. Mercedes finally put the SL on a diet in the R231 generation and it really helped turn it from a brick into something enjoyable. Hard top convertible with a decently sized trunk, a roof that turned clear or opaque at the touch of a button, well-integrated electronics and GPS/Nav/infotainment, an air conditioning vent in the glove box, anything you might think should be there - it was already there and heck, it had seat massagers too LOL.
The 911 is a very, very different car. Hands down, the 911 handles better, accelerates better and in top down mode, is surprisingly more comfortable in the wind. For all of the mechanical brilliance in the suspension and powertrain, there are parts of the car that puzzlingly miss thought. Minor annoyances in everyday use that make you wonder whether whoever designed it that way had never driven a car and perhaps commuted to work exclusively on public transportation. Little rinky-dink stuff like the keyless remote. It has one button that locks or unlocks the car. Most cars have a lock button and an unlock button. One never really is sure walking away from the car, whether he's engaged the lock or not - unless you are in position to see the signal lights flash twice. The Bose audio sounds like poo it is just crap. The PCM 3.0 maps now out of date and very costly to update and can only done by a dealership, at the risk of the the PCM 3 failing and needing replacement (reputable dealer recommended against a map update as about 1 in 5 PCM-3 systems don't survive the update). Sticky *****. Flaking material on the interior (yeah, I have the base interior), painted plastic door handles that scratch easily (replaced mine) the completely radically over-designed cupholder that is extraordinarily fragile and all but useless, to the console compartment that's too small for anything bigger than a matchbook. The boot - which in the 997.2, is still greatly occupied with plastics from the 997.1 that cover large empty spaces that held modules in the prior .1 model iteration, and could benefit from any additional space that could be made available. Not a day goes by that I look at that PCM3 and think it bad enough to replace yet not quite broken enough to motivate me to do so. On the other hand, it drives really well despite being butt-heavy and it is a lot of fun.
All you can do is enjoy the car for what it is. If you don't - sell it and move on. Give it a chance and the 911 will grow on you in its own peculiar ways.
06-18-2018, 04:04 PM
#34
agree with Quadcammer, if you are asking the question you already know the answer. My wife has a Miata and it's a fine car, but hardly like the 911 in any way shape or form. dunno if it will ever "grow on you"
06-18-2018, 04:09 PM
#35
My first car in high school (1980's) was a 1976 Fiat Spyder 1800 cc. 2 Seat convertible with miniature seats in the back just big enough for a duffel bag. An "Italian Miata" before Miata's existed. I loved that car, but you know Fiats = Fix It Again Tony ! I cut my teeth working on that car every weekend and it was cheap to fix, but a pain in the butt every time it would break down for something silly like a fuel pump or strange electrical issues. Super fun to drive in a nostalgic kind of way and as a convertible looked really great. Had all kinds of personality. I also owned many 4 cylinder Japanese cars in the 90s. I enjoyed those too, but after owning Porsches for a while I just had my fill with 4 cylinder buzzy engines. No matter how many balance shafts they put in the 4 cylinder engines, I just do not like the buzzy vibration of those designs any more. I guess I got spoiled with the smoothness and the intake/exhaust sounds of the flat six. I don't think I personally would ever want to go back to a japanese 4 cylinder engine, no matter how small or light weight the chassis, but that's just me.
Although my love for 2 seat roadsters never faded that lead me to buy a 1998 Boxster in 2000. Things that impressed me most about it was the mid engine handling, steering feel, smoothness and high quality feel of the engine. Plus the way it sounds when you rev it to redline was a big surprise and made me smile big time. I still own and love that car 18 years later, although highly modified now, but it ticks all my "convertible/roadster" boxes. Small, some what light weight, and top down fun. My C4S 911, which is much heavier, ticks a whole other set of boxes for me and I find it a bit more exciting in different ways, but both are amazing fun to drive. Coming from the Boxster allowed me to Appreciate the 911 in a whole new light. The Boxster is probably a better choice for someone coming from Miata's. It's a very similar top down 2 seat roadster experience, but way more refined and better handling. I had a close friend at work who owned a 2006 Miata and was a huge Miata fan. He swore up and down it was just as good as a boxster, even though he never drove a boxster. He asked me to swap cars with him all the time and he would let me drive his Miata. After he drove my boxster through the canyons the 1st time he decided to sell the Miata a few months later and get his first Porsche. Now he decided to go for the same 911 you have, 997.1 C2, for his 1st Porsche instead of a boxster because his ego got in the way a bit and a "Porsche has got to be a 911" mentality, even though it was the Boxster that won him over. Although he did fall in love with his 911, he also misses the top down experience and chuckability of a 2500 lbs miata. He has since gutted his interior trying to get his 911 to be as light weight as possible. There are definitely mods you can do to capture some of the excitement without having to do ludicrous speeds. Sound and weight loss mods are easy and do make a nice difference in how the car sounds and feels.
Like my friend, your priorities in life have changed quite a bit with the arrival of your 1st child. Owning a Porsche is not cheap and this can cause undue stress and resentment when your money and time is tight and being allocated to higher priorities. My friend is going through a similar situation. As money and time gets tight or family issues take priority for him he talks about the good ol' cheap miata days where a brand new engine or tranny cost $2500. He didn't care about where he parked or what could go wrong with that miata. Brakes and rotors for all 4 corners was like $250. 4 brand new tires was like $400. Heck, he ranted about how he could buy a race prepped miata for $5k and beat the living hell out of it with no worries of crashing it.
If that sounds like you, then maybe a cheaper miata is best for you. If you want to stay in the "Porsche" family then maybe test drive some Boxsters and a Miata back to back and see if that is more your liking. Yet just remember, no matter what Porsche you own, Porsche Parts are Porsche Parts $$$ Expensive!!!
Any relationship needs time and the right circumstances to grow and remain exciting. If you are not getting good seat time in your Porsche 911 revving it out in the canyons or on the track, then it is not being used in the way it was intended. Then it just becomes another expensive car that is just ok driving on the highway doing mundane daily driving. Like riding a thorough bred horse on pony trails. Even that get's boring no matter how much potential, power, and handling that horse is capable of. Well, maybe you can recapture some of that excitement getting out and driving the heck out of the car. If not, then there are plenty of other options out there that may fit your life style better. But you may also find out now after owning a 911, That there really is no substitue
Although my love for 2 seat roadsters never faded that lead me to buy a 1998 Boxster in 2000. Things that impressed me most about it was the mid engine handling, steering feel, smoothness and high quality feel of the engine. Plus the way it sounds when you rev it to redline was a big surprise and made me smile big time. I still own and love that car 18 years later, although highly modified now, but it ticks all my "convertible/roadster" boxes. Small, some what light weight, and top down fun. My C4S 911, which is much heavier, ticks a whole other set of boxes for me and I find it a bit more exciting in different ways, but both are amazing fun to drive. Coming from the Boxster allowed me to Appreciate the 911 in a whole new light. The Boxster is probably a better choice for someone coming from Miata's. It's a very similar top down 2 seat roadster experience, but way more refined and better handling. I had a close friend at work who owned a 2006 Miata and was a huge Miata fan. He swore up and down it was just as good as a boxster, even though he never drove a boxster. He asked me to swap cars with him all the time and he would let me drive his Miata. After he drove my boxster through the canyons the 1st time he decided to sell the Miata a few months later and get his first Porsche. Now he decided to go for the same 911 you have, 997.1 C2, for his 1st Porsche instead of a boxster because his ego got in the way a bit and a "Porsche has got to be a 911" mentality, even though it was the Boxster that won him over. Although he did fall in love with his 911, he also misses the top down experience and chuckability of a 2500 lbs miata. He has since gutted his interior trying to get his 911 to be as light weight as possible. There are definitely mods you can do to capture some of the excitement without having to do ludicrous speeds. Sound and weight loss mods are easy and do make a nice difference in how the car sounds and feels.
Like my friend, your priorities in life have changed quite a bit with the arrival of your 1st child. Owning a Porsche is not cheap and this can cause undue stress and resentment when your money and time is tight and being allocated to higher priorities. My friend is going through a similar situation. As money and time gets tight or family issues take priority for him he talks about the good ol' cheap miata days where a brand new engine or tranny cost $2500. He didn't care about where he parked or what could go wrong with that miata. Brakes and rotors for all 4 corners was like $250. 4 brand new tires was like $400. Heck, he ranted about how he could buy a race prepped miata for $5k and beat the living hell out of it with no worries of crashing it.
If that sounds like you, then maybe a cheaper miata is best for you. If you want to stay in the "Porsche" family then maybe test drive some Boxsters and a Miata back to back and see if that is more your liking. Yet just remember, no matter what Porsche you own, Porsche Parts are Porsche Parts $$$ Expensive!!!
Any relationship needs time and the right circumstances to grow and remain exciting. If you are not getting good seat time in your Porsche 911 revving it out in the canyons or on the track, then it is not being used in the way it was intended. Then it just becomes another expensive car that is just ok driving on the highway doing mundane daily driving. Like riding a thorough bred horse on pony trails. Even that get's boring no matter how much potential, power, and handling that horse is capable of. Well, maybe you can recapture some of that excitement getting out and driving the heck out of the car. If not, then there are plenty of other options out there that may fit your life style better. But you may also find out now after owning a 911, That there really is no substitue
Last edited by qikqbn; 06-19-2018 at 03:55 PM.
06-18-2018, 04:12 PM
#36
Rennlist Member
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?
06-18-2018, 07:44 PM
#38
My exact thoughts as well. I have been struggling on whether to keep my car or not. There are a lot of things I like about my C2S but it needs at least another 60-80 ft/lbs of torque to be exciting on normal daily drives.
06-18-2018, 07:58 PM
#39
Instructor
I understand where the OP is coming from - the Miata is much more 'fun" to drive at legal speeds on the road. IMHO, modern Porsches need "go to jail and throw away the keys" speeds to generate that same "fun".
Having owned several other Porsches, I went into the purchase of my 997.2S with my eyes open on this. My priority was a sports car with some rear seats for the kids, that had a modern self-shifting transmission that I could use as a summer daily driver. I did not see it as a substitute for a manual transmission Miata, which was is not a practical DD for me. And with many years of driving increasingly nicer cars, an NA or NB Miata does feel "cheap" and "basic" and I want more sophistication in my daily drive. I do really enjoy the performance of the Porsche the odd time I get to take it on some fast, twisty roads.
That said (and as much as I love my 911 and don't intend to sell it), the one car that I truly miss and regret selling of the thirty-something that I've owned is my 1992 Miata. Unlike when I was 25, I know that today I would hate to drive that car every day. However, I think that as an occasional "Sunday morning" car it can't be beat. That's why I'm looking for a good rust-free NA or NB (preferably NB2) Miata to add to the stable.
Having owned several other Porsches, I went into the purchase of my 997.2S with my eyes open on this. My priority was a sports car with some rear seats for the kids, that had a modern self-shifting transmission that I could use as a summer daily driver. I did not see it as a substitute for a manual transmission Miata, which was is not a practical DD for me. And with many years of driving increasingly nicer cars, an NA or NB Miata does feel "cheap" and "basic" and I want more sophistication in my daily drive. I do really enjoy the performance of the Porsche the odd time I get to take it on some fast, twisty roads.
That said (and as much as I love my 911 and don't intend to sell it), the one car that I truly miss and regret selling of the thirty-something that I've owned is my 1992 Miata. Unlike when I was 25, I know that today I would hate to drive that car every day. However, I think that as an occasional "Sunday morning" car it can't be beat. That's why I'm looking for a good rust-free NA or NB (preferably NB2) Miata to add to the stable.
06-18-2018, 08:17 PM
#40
Ever think about an Audi TTRS? Kind of a cross between a Miata and a 911.... can toss it around and it sticks— lots of fun, well appointed and can take it to the track and autocross all day long— plus it’s AWD if you need it in the winter
06-18-2018, 08:35 PM
#41
Drifting
consider this for a moment - because this kind of echoes from everyone that has commented so far
as you get older, you will appreciate 911 so much more
like most, 911 has been a dream of mine to have, and like you, my pay finally allowed me to afford one, and I was SO happy to see them go back to the "older" 911 styling that I just HAD to have a 997 - and it has been a blast so far, but I think if I had this car ~10 or so years ago I wouldn't appreciate it as much, and while my brief ownership of a AP1 S2000 and loving every minute of it, the 911 is just … so much … more
as you get older, you will appreciate 911 so much more
like most, 911 has been a dream of mine to have, and like you, my pay finally allowed me to afford one, and I was SO happy to see them go back to the "older" 911 styling that I just HAD to have a 997 - and it has been a blast so far, but I think if I had this car ~10 or so years ago I wouldn't appreciate it as much, and while my brief ownership of a AP1 S2000 and loving every minute of it, the 911 is just … so much … more
06-18-2018, 09:14 PM
#43
Rennlist Member
Little rinky-dink stuff like the keyless remote. It has one button that locks or unlocks the car. Most cars have a lock button and an unlock button. One never really is sure walking away from the car, whether he's engaged the lock or not - unless you are in position to see the signal lights flash twice.
Not a day goes by that I look at that PCM3 and think it bad enough to replace yet not quite broken enough to motivate me to do so.
06-18-2018, 09:18 PM
#44
Rennlist Member
06-18-2018, 09:35 PM
#45
Rocky Mountain High
Rennlist Member
Rennlist Member
I fall into the "I don't relate" camp. I've owned three 911s, and I still look for excuses to take the car out for a drive. I love driving it, owning it, and even looking at it. I can't imagine a day when there's not a 911 in my garage.
