fat_louis

Hello All
Thought about the 911 since 1999. I am not trying to start any ****. Just an honest questions based on my observations/resale values over time

It is just my opinion, but it seems like it takes time for Porsche to get things right.
1. The 997.1 was a great improvement over the 996 in terms of interior and exterior design.
2. The 997.2 took care of some problems the 997.1 had and improved exterior aesthetics somewhat.
3. I think the 991.1 didn't have the right proportions and the LED running lights/turn signals just looked awful. (I think this car is the 996 of the 2010's and will be real bargains)
4. The 991.2 looks much better than the 991.1. I would seriously think about getting one once much of the deprecation is done.
5. 992 just released sort of looks too big. Brain still trying to figure out what I think about it. Like the 991.1. a lot of the factory rim choices don't look quite right.

So again, it is just my opinion, but why can't Porsche get things right the first time? The 911 is their flagship product. You would think they would research buyer preference before they release a product only to improve it drastically with what I assume is buyer feedback for a "mid-cycle" refresh/technical update. Do they kind of go out on a limb to try different stuff only to back track when it doesn't seem to resonate with buyers? Shouldn't Porsche know that in general their 911 buyers are more interested "purity" then design fads/gimmicks?

Any thoughts?

cheers
Fat-Lou

cwheeler

All manufactures have these issues. Moreover, Porsche believes in evolution, so as things evolve and they push the envelope of particular designs, issues arise. Lastly, no model, is ever perfect, it's impossible. You liked and taste may not be the same as mine, so some of the "issues" you have raised, are subjective.

Cw

Bruce In Philly

2009 C2S 154K miles

Porsche is a consumer products company that relies on mass production for low costs. They do the minimum. They build to a price point and put into the product the bare minimum.... Porsche still has the highest profit per model of any car company... (no you should not be proud, you are paying too much!). The bigger they are, the less specialization... the profits are just too big when you make the same thing by the zillions. Small producers can specialize as there are small markets that care about this or that... but the maker has to charge a premium. But they all lust for growth.

In the '80s I had an acquaintance that sold product to the big three in Detroit. One of the jokes about GM was "if the consumer doesn't see it, it ain't in there". GM was (is?) the master of making the bare minimum... of course now they have competition thanx to the Japanese, so they adapt. Said another way, the nicer interiors in our Porsche are the result of Porsche adapting.... under force of market pressure. Sports cars, NIke shoes, Slim Jims..... all the same.

Peace
Bruce in Philly

propchef

It isn't just Porsche

e36 M3 - poor cooling system, oil pump nut comes loose and pump fails, rear shock mounts tear, rear trailing arm pockets tear
e46 M3 - Exploding VANOS, questionable SMG reliability, rear sub-frame tears, cooling system
e9x M3 - Crank/connecting rod bearings
e60 M5 - carbon fouling/failed injectors
Every BMW with a turbo (all of them now) - heat soak, failed waste gate, cooling system


This is what keeps thing interesting.

coaldrag413

I'm partial, and not trying to pick a fight, but I feel like Porsche got the 997.1 pretty much got it right. Don't get me wrong, I like the 997.2 although (Although the taillights looks a bit wonky to me). The 997.1 wasn't perfect for sure, but what issues are we talking about? I minute few had IMS issues and others had bore score, and the headunit aged poorly? Otherwise, perfection.

I feel like the 991 looks bloated and I'm not all that excited about the 992. But still, other than styling, what is the issue?

Also, its pretty much agreed upon that the 911 is notoriously reliable in general. So yeah, can you expand on this?

Doug H

Porsche got the 911 right many times throughout the years based on then existing technology.

The 930 was an mazing car in the 70s and early 80s, but got a bit dated in the late 80s.

The 964/65, 993tt was one of the best cars ever, the 996tt is an amazing car.

I HEVER had any issues with the 996 interior, but I focus more on driving characteristics. I also really liked the 996tt exterior back in the early 2000s.

I personally do not like the 991 after having owned both a 991.1 Turbo and a 991.2 Turbo. I think the 992 is an amazing car and have a 992 Turbo coming.

LexVan

Fat_louis, have you:

Driven a 996?
Driven a 997.1?
Driven a 997.2?
Driven a 991.1?
Driven a 991.2
Driven a 992?

You're mentioned all six of these cars. Which have you drove?

wc11

Same can be said for any brand and model.
It's about constant evolution, improvement, technological advancements, etc etc

JW911

Porsche 911 sales have been increasing consistently and significantly since the 996 was first introduced while they have jacked prices through the roof over that time. The 911 performs better and better with every update. They sure do seem to have the formula for success and "getting it right". Continuous improvement is how all car manufacturers sell new cars year after year. Rest assured that Porsche spends millions on consumer research to keep their momentum going.

LexVan

And why didn't Apple just give us the iPhone X back in 2007....why did we have to wait 13 years??

wjk_glynn

For comparison, can you list other car manufactures’ flagship models where that did get it right the first time, and have maintained that standard over the years?

Thanks.

Karl.

Dennis C

You’re exactly right.

When the 996 was launched, the automotive press loved it. It was a huge step forward in design and engineering. You can still find some of the early reviews on youtube. The second generation 996 added a few new things, and refined the design. The same was true for the 997; it was a big step forward from the 996. Each new generation of the 911 or each mid-cycle update is an evolution of the original. It’s the same for the 991, and for the 992.

LexVan

Big Lou (he's on drugs too) whatever you do, don't buy a 992 or the upcoming 992.2. Wait for the 99X. Because it's going to be the best 911 yet.

fat_louis

drove a 997.1
own 997.2 GTS
test drove 991.1 (don't like that it has a sondikator pipe from intake to dash, much bigger car but cramped cabin, can't see engine)
haven't had chance to drive 991.2 or 992.1
I assume a $130K car will have performance, but I enjoy the aesthetics and design a lot more than pure performance/track enthusiast porsche owners.
if something looks funny to me, I don't buy it.
to each his own.
peace
FL

Dennis C

If you look at the data, you’ll see that it’s not bigger, and it’s actually lighter than the 997. It has more cabin space than the 997 too, not less.