qirex

Heya guys.

I'm a newb to the forums but have been considering a 997S.
Well I got a test drive yesterday at Pioneer.

I went out with the sales guy. After watching him r/l the thing, i did the same and he asked me to stop at 6K.

First the good

Great looking car
nice interior, much better than the 996
Great exhaut sound
Good amount of power...engine makes more power the further up you rev (duh).

Now the bad (or not so good)

$92K as I want it.
Doesnt *LOOK* like $92K
Doesnt really *FEEL* like $92K
*only* 355 HP.
Interior doesnt really look all *that* great (it was a black on black - I'm thinking red/camel)

So there you have it.

Well, I must admit that after i got back in my Z and drove home, it felt DECIDELY slow. However, i guess i really wanted the 997S to really kick my ***. I'm torn - really. I guess I've gotten spoiled. I got my Z when it 1st bowed for $40K, the thing is that I know of several Zs with ~$7K invested in them that will absolutely clean the 997Ss clock. I know that its never fair to compare stock to modded, but i dunno - I guess that i still remember the days when porsche and ferrari were in competition. The 997 just seems like a VERY plain way to drop 90K. The car was great no doubt - but worth 3 Zs - hardly. Maybe its just the styling. I kinda think that both the Z and 997 share similar proportions - yet the Z winds up looking (dare i say it) better.

I guess what really left me pissed off was the fact that after beating the crap out of the car,listening to the salesguy tell me how he beat on this particular car (at the track even!!), and the car having 450 miles on it...the stealership insisted that they were selling the car as a *new* vehicle.

But i guess that someone will end up buying it...
Me, I'll be holding out for the AMV8 vantage i think.

frayed

You can mod practically anything to be faster than a 997S. But, no amount of modifications will ever turn a Nissan into a Porsche. You can't change the basic DNA of any car with bolt-ons.

The Vantage looks great on paper and the initial hype sounds good, but it is being created by a company w/o the sporting heritage of Porsche. Rather, it's coming from an ultra-luxury car maker, now owned by Ford, utilizing a Jag motor. I remain skeptical. Then, there's that pesky issue of British build quality. After being on the wait list for the Elise for a year, I'm not too keen about hopping onto another waitlist for a british car.

Finally, Posche never will be nor has ever produced great performance values. That's left for Chevy, Subaru, and Mitsubushi.

qirex

see...i was expecting a response like this.

Its simply not enough that it says "PORSCHE" to justify my purchase.
I'm not a porsche-junky.

I'm not trying to imply that a modded nissan is better than a porsche.
It doesnt need it - the Z stands on its own merit.

I'm lucky enough to have the problem of figuring out how to spend a spare 100K on a car.I was really revved up to get a 997.. The problem isnt the cash - its just that it doesnt seem to do *it* for me.

I really want to fall in love with the car.

I always swore that no matter how succesful I become - I'll never buy anything simply for *status*. After driving the 997, its seems to me that the porsche badge is just a status thing. See! look at me! I can spend $100K on a car thats really only worth $60K.

Yeah, I'm skeptical of the AM build - but the little details of the vantage show me where the money went.

Dont get me wrong, I still dig the 997 - its just I was expecting a little more...p.s. the Sport button seemed to make no diff in the ride quality - hell I'll leave it on sport all the time!!

Philip in AL

That's crap! I've never heard of a reputable dealer selling a car with that many mile on it, as new. BTW, I was told, and have also noticed, that the first several batches of 997s have come out highly optioned. Three of the first four I saw (all blk/blk) had bases of $79K, and $20K worth of options. I would either order a new one, or just wait a couple of months. Here is a new one for $87K
http://www.dupontregistry.com/search/srDetails.asp?itemid=185591&sessionkey={EEAE8D9E-16D7-4F53-B348-360F212A2240}

MJones

PORSCHE.... there is no substitute!

When you drive one as intended that is where they shine!

Bill_C4S

Here's an idea...invest your $xxk for a few months....sign up for PDE at Barber Motor Sports whence they've got the 997...then decide whether or not the 997 floats your boat

Suspect this is a rather better test than a 6k limited turn around a neighbourhood...

qirex

Thats exactly what I'm thinking.

I'm sure that the car has the goods where it counts.

Is a PDE a "Porsche driving event"?

Phil in Al, I couldnt beleive it either. 450 miles is certainly NOT a new car - *especially* when you consider that 450 likely is composed of 225 2 mile tortures. The funniest thing re: this issue is that when I questioned the salesguy re: the driving - he said "Porsche's are designed to handle this kind of use".

hehe.

MrBonus

I've never been a Porsche junky and had previously owned all Domestics (C4 'Vette, '01 Cobra, 96 Impala SS, '95 Z28) until I had my Evo, so I was unbiased approaching the test drive. Initially, I was unimpressed. The power was smooth but not overwhelming and the car was finished off but I couldn't justify the cash.

Then, the salesman took me on some back roads, pressed the SPORT button, and told me to downshift to 3rd and punch it through the upcoming turn.

As my signature will attest, I am no longer unimpressed...

docjackson1

my advice-try an 02 or 03 low mileage twin turbo-for the same price as a 997s, you will feel that your money is well spent. or, if you like a nissan type product, get a new c6-for 50k, and 400 hp, how can you beat it?

Bill_C4S

for the Porsche Driving Experience:

www.porschedriving.com

frayed

Oh please, give me a friggen break. So, let me recap:

1. The 997S is not worth the money.
2. Your Nissan can be modded such that '$7K invested . . . will absolutely clean the 997Ss clock'
3. You are mad at the salesman.

Your post is a true revelation.

If you don't like the 997, don't buy one. No need to troll around and look for people to convince you otherwise.

Mike in Chi

Drove one, an S, two days ago. The gear box is amazing.

The car felt very quick. Not necessarily nimble, but very quick and aggressive. I just drove it in the sport mode. Yeehah.

My coupe is concerned.

mooty

only 355hp? i thnk most people have trouble handling 100 hp.

qirex

no need to get ruffled...or frayed.

I'm just trying to make the most educated decision.
Yeah, I have 100K to spend on a car, but unlike you, my money is VERY dear to me.

I dont know a whole lot about porsches. I'm looking for *constructive* information regarding this VERY important purchase.

Docjackson and mrbonus, thanks for the helpful info. The C6 vette was on my list, but the C6 interior IMO is inferior to my Z.

I guess the thing that turns me ON about the 997 is also what turns me OFF. i.e the "everyday supercar" nature of the porsche. Most certifiable exotics make poor daily drivers. Sadly, the turbo isnt an option ( i think) as I have a disdain for AWD sports cars. I guess I'm a hooligan that enjoys power oversteer.

What type of driveshaft losses do 911s usually have...15%-18% I'd imagine that with such a short drivetrain, a 911 would have higher RWHP than a comparable car with a FR layout. Is this the case? What sort of RWHP do 911 usually show?

rss997

I can see his point a bit...You can get a low milage c2 996 for 45k w warranty and or spend 90k for a cr that is only a hair faster at best (Dpending on mods done to 996). I don't see his point about the other cars he mentioned though...I bought my car to dirve and learn to really drive not to blow some bozzo off the line in front of my daughters school!

I am not trying to **** anyone off as I believe you should do as you please with your own cash...But is it really worth twice as much??? Some yes some no..

I hope to have a 997S in a few years, but will buy used and let someone else get beat up on the initial depreciation...

Just my .02 - Aren't these discussions fun!!!

Robert