Oh yea, I forgot from my PDE, that "Wart" really helps with owners of "Tips"!!!

Thanks for reminding me that Ronmart!

 

Here we go again...someone who has spent all of 5 minutes in a tip concludes that it's no good.

I traded in my SL after 45000 miles. I now have almost 9000 miles on my 997. So I know what I'm talking about. I've lived with these cars for a while.

Read the posters original comments: he was dissapointed at the low end torque of the 997 compared to the SL. Well I don't know about you but I don't have a "torque-meter" in my butt. All I can sense is how these cars perform and accelerate. 60 mph comes at 6.1 sec for the SL500. It comes in at 4.8 - 5.0 sec in the base 997 with tip. Now in 0 - 60 times one second is an ETERNITY. If you can't tell the difference then something is not right.

In reality we shoud be comparing the 997S (without X51) to the SL500 as they are much closer together in MSRP (about 95 - 105 K each). Using that comparison the performance gap is even greater.

MB may well make the Porsche slushbox but so what does that prove? The gearing is different, it's mated to a completely different engine, it has 5 gears compared to 7 in the newer SLs, the mapping is completely different. To conclude that they should be the same is simply mindless.

Now if someone were to come along and say "hey I prefer the SL because it is more luxurious, the vario roof is very cool, arguably it has more "prestige" than the pcar" etc. then I would say fine,, all legitimate arguments....to each his own. To compare these two cars performance wise and choose the SL is simply nutty.

(hey I have nothing against MB in general..I still have and love my 2004 S class for inclement weather driving).

 

My mom bought a '99 SL500 in the spring (next door neighbor's) and the thing is sweet. Only 36000 km but by no means can you mistake it for a sports car. It is a great grand touring convertible and build like a brick sh**house. It is perfect for her.

For me., my 997S is more than I can handle at the moment - 6 speed manual is a basic element to the car.

 

The only car in the mercedes lineup that would give a 911 a run for its money is the slk55. If you HAVE to drive an automatic, thats the one to have.

 

I have the Tip 997S with Sport Chrono. That package is very befitting of the Tiptronic and gives it plenty of response.


Jay

 

The SL55 and 65 would more than give the 911 a run for its money. They would probably flat out beat the pcar. But the SL500? Forget it.

 

Emphatically yes. If you buy a Tiptronic without Sports Chrono, that's a big, big mistake. The two are definitely made for each other.

 

Why does the wife not drive a manual trans?
Take some time, teach her, how hard could that be?

Performance wise a tip and stick are not that far apart, no big deal.

The SL500 is a fat and heavy pig, hard to compair the two>

 

MJones, tell us what you really think!

 

Do you take ne of your cars over the past/present to DE's? Regards. Mike

 

Boolala: Where did you get the info that I've only had five minutes driving a TIP? I owned a 2001 911 Cab with a Tip for almost a year and then I had a 2002 Turbo with a Tip for over a year. I've driven them enough to know what they are all about. The SL has lot's more torque than the 911 and makes it at much lower RPM. I never said the SL was a better sports car than the 911. You can twist things around anyway you want but that was never my intention. For the record....I gave the SL500 to my wife and am now driving an E55. I do plan on getting a 911 but have concluded that it would not be worth it to ME to own another one with a TIP. I stand by my observation that the base 997 with Tip is not a good combination due to the lack of low end torque. I am pretty sure that a 997S with Tip and Sport Chrono would be a worthy package but still I think I would be somwhat disapointed. Therefore, I am going to hold out until I can get one with a 6 speed.......We now return you to your regular ranting posts.

 

MJones: I've tried a few times but the ole dog aint learin any new tricks.

 

So you drove a tip for a year. Was satisfied enough with it to buy another one and drove that for a year. Suddenly you test drive a 997S with tip and you decide it's no good?

Weird.....

 

boolala: The first one I had was my first experience with a Porsche so I really had nothing to compare it to. The second one was a Turbo so it had plenty of power and torque to overcome the TIP's shortcomings.

I did not drive a 997S...it was a base 997 and I determined that it was not enough performance for me to justify getting another TIP. They have not changed anything on that transmission for many years now. Like I said, the 997S would probably be OK with the sport chrono package but I'm going to hold out for a while and try to get one with a 6 speed. It seems like they will be easier to find when I'm in the market too.

 

Boolala: I read your post (#17) again and want to point out something:

I wasn't comparing 0-60 times. And you got the 997's wrong anyway. 0-60 is 5.2 seconds with a Tip according to Porsche. And in order to get that kind of number you would have to start off in first gear and take the thing up to redline before shifting. That would really attract a lot of attention in everyday driving situations. The SL has nearly 300 ft-lbs of torque at only 2000 RPM. Much more usable in everday driving in my opinion. That's what I was referring to in my original post.

I'm trying to contribute something to the collective knowledge that is available here and don's think anything I've said is "mindless" or "nutty". You ought to be a little less antagonistic with your adjectives.