Actually I have an 04' S2000 as well which IMO is a much more connected and tactile driving experience than any Porsche I have driven. The Porsche, for me at least, and for all the hype and money just didn't do it for me and there are cheaper, faster, and better handling cars. You bought a country club experience and the Porsche is not the end all beat all car that some would like to think it is.

I don't want to flame you but you are talking out your *** and a lot of guys in your shoes are not capable of backing up their bravado with a Porsche or any other car. We're all car nuts here, we are all individuals and we all have different needs.

The bottom line is if the Porsche were that great there would be one in my garage. I know what a sports car is and I also know when I'm being taken for a ride. Do you?

 

Well said 05997s, I had a whole thread running on these forums called "The great Porsche Con Job" and it realted to the prices Porsche charges for the cars and the losses the owners continue to take due to Porsche's marketing techniques, regardless I still like the GT3 myslef as it is the pruist enthusiast machine offered by Porsche.

 

con job or not, the 997 (s) consistently beats the competition according to almost all 3rd party assessors, not just Porsche-nuts.

C55 in recent C&D couldn't even beat the f'ing Cadillac CTS lolol.

 

Your point being? That is not the point of this thread...as well who cares about a Cadillac....the pairing off of the C55 is against the M3 and the S4 those were my benchmarks and having owned an M3 and driven the S4 I choose the C55...a Cadillac never entered my mind. as well for that matter the Viper will smoke a Turbo any day of the week and a Z06 Vette will give a run for 50k....make a valid point...

 

Name a better handling car that is cheaper.

 

my only point is I don't really take seriously people who talk down on the 997 etc. while praising a C55 or S2000 and claim to know what a real sports car is.

The 997 has been consistently praised by most independent non-biased people, for ex. EVO claimed it to be the best car sub 100,000 pounds (something noone has ever said about a Viper/Corvette/C55/S2000). In fact C55 didn't even beat on the CTS (S4 came 1st) in the recent C&D comparo. S2000 competes with the Boxster and the Boxster is better imo.

 

A Corvette, and while the C55 lost out to the Cadillac, the vaunted 997 was losing to a GM product as well.

 

Why is the Boxster better? Because its slower and is outhandled by a 30K Honda? The S2000 has been on C&D ten best as often as the Boxster. I like the Boxster, just like I like the 997, but when it comes to getting around a track in a hurry, or getting to the game on time, there are better cars for the job.
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I personally would go with the 2005 Lotus Elise if sportscar performance was all-encompassing. Quicker, easily modifiable and I'm certain more fun for ~low $40Ks!

 

I have never knocked the 997 I sold my 996 for many reasons which included my headlights being stolen 2x, parking issues and the fact that it is IMHO not a daily driver if you do alot of driving and are in/out of the car all day long as I am. I drove my 2 996's for a total of over 60k and loved every minute of them. However if you take apples to apples in its class I think the C55 is the best of all the cars.

As well I only think time will tell with the 997 as sales will speak about the publics like/dslike of the car and as well its benchmarks, it is too early on to call this a classic.

As well with your other point all 911's have always been the entry level exotic and IMO a bargin at 70-80k (recent prices).

 

I'm sure the C55 is a very fun car, and assuming your Porsches have been manual, do you miss driving the manual transmission?

 

Sometimes, but I drive in alot of traffic back and forth to work so it does not bother me that much. As well the brakes on the C55 I have to say are better then both my 996's. If this car had 15% more road feel it would be a mean machine. The thing from a stand still in drive spins the tires going into 2nd gear it is a real blast! V8 muscle.

 

Yeah I need to do a little price hunting for some cheap Zero Rosso's myself. I'm pretty sure the car is upshifiting at the hands of the electro-nanny as the car surely has the power to sit and spin at will. Have you been able to spin them for more than a moment?

I did manage to get the rear end to kick out for just a second as well with ESP off, but its not really off. I'd like to be able to turn it completely off.

 

No but I have been able to get wheelspin on several occassions while the car shifted itself, I noticed on MB World the majority of AMG guys agree to leave the car in Drive and let it do its duty, I have been doing that and sometimes around town use 3rd or 4th.

On another note I registered on MB World 6 days ago and still can not post any help or thoughts?

 

I stand by what I said above, and your reply further confirms it.