Tried asking this over on Rennlist, but there are just way too many mean and spiteful people posting there.




To begin the Accord is about 30K MSRP the Porsche is about 110K. I can do the simple math to come up with 80K more. But since I have not owned a Porsche I don't know what else to expect.

What is the Porsche going to cost me to operate the next 10 years/150K miles?


Here is what I pay for a Honda:

Gas: 87 unleaded; 16 mpg around town-26 highway (in CA some stop and go)

Maintenance:
Every 5K Oil change: $30
Every 15K Filters (air,cabin): $40
Every 30K Tune up 5 fluids (oil, trans, brake, coolant, ps) & filters: $400
Every 60K Tires: $600-700 set of 4 quality tires
Every 90K Timing Belt: $400

Insurance: Full Coverage - Average cost for CA. About $1200 year in CA.

Worry: Low, I don't worry about parking my Honda a the airport parking garage or in the street. People tend to leave them alone. Also, in Los Angeles the roads are littered with trash. So at least once a month I run into a tire retread or a box that fell of of a truck. (yes, this car will be my daily driver)

Fun: Medium; the V6 is quick 0-60 in about 6.5 seconds due to the high hp and low weight. They handle better then most domestic cars but it's not a BMW. It's easy to drive the car for 3-4 hours and not feel worn out. I drove a Mustang rental car and could not wait to get back to my Accord.

Tickets: This car does not attract attention. None. Zero.

The Honda warranty covers the car for about 50K miles; from 50K-100K miles they are solid. From 100K-200K miles Honda's usually requires about $300-500 of repair every 20K miles. (just misc stuff that adds up) After 200K it's better to just buy a new Honda to avoid trouble.

 

Sidenote --If you want Porsche like power and Honda like space (practical use) my M3 actually costs less than the Honda (free maintenance) . I have only replaced 4 tires in 30K miles . Not one penny more.


The maintenance costs are not that extreme with Porsche .Tires are your largest expense and most owners here change the oil MORE than what Porsche recommends BUT Honda has frequent intervals . 30 bucks a change can add up if the intervals are every 5K miles .


Inmsurance depends on far too many factors (age, driving history, amount of coverage, region etc) to even draw a comparision .

Honda has only a 36K 3 year warranty. Porsche has 50 and 4 years.
You are right about less attention and worry with a Honda accord .

The Accord still isn't free though .

 

Someone might have the numbers that way. I don't, but I can provide a little helpful information I think.

I commuted in a Civic for one year. 115k miles worth. Nice car, no complaint, and going over the Angeles Crest to JPL it was a nimble and pleasant drive. Never noticed the cost of maintenance. Then an Acura Legend for 185k miles. Another fine car. Two or three TL's and then an NSX when we retired. Honda makes excellent cars up and down the model line. Maintenance never was noticeable, although my wife set up a sinking fund for tires on the NSX just because she didn't like to keep enough in the checking account to cover a surprise need for a new set. The NSX ate them and spit out cornering force. Basically, our income kept going up with our choice of cars so it always stayed ahead of our noticing maintenance in any serious way.

Driving a 2009 Carrera S now. Haven't honestly noticed the cost of maintenance. You won't either if you can afford the additional $80k in the first place. Nothing outrageous like Ferrari, at least in my opinion. Just a fine car that needs mechanics and parts to match. No problems at all so far, in our first 19k miles. If you're thinking of an older model than ours, you need to consult a book on used Porsches because the age increases the maintenance cost as well as each type having special maintenance considerations.

I did notice your cost of tires on the Honda. That full set price will buy one rear tire on a Carrera, but not both. Figure a couple of thousand for a full set of N-series Michelin Pilot Sports. I just put on a set of rears at 18k, but the fronts are still fine. Given the longer life, I don't expect to pay more for tires than we did for the NSX, whose rear tires were the size of the fronts on this 911, but didn't last as long. The last ten years makes a big difference in the size of tires fitted on such cars.

My last oil change was $200 before the discount, which covered a little more than the state tax. Net cost was probably $190 and I don't like to wait the 20k miles the book specifies, so we'll spend that maybe twice a year.

A 911 definitely won't get the mileage of any Honda, but if I cared about gas prices, I would buy a bloody Prius. Or something less thirsty anyway. I admit that if I were still logging 110k miles annually, I might well care about mileage. We'd be in a Mercedes E350 or even perhaps a Honda product. To my mind, you can't get enough enjoyment at twenty mph on the San Diego freeway to make up for five hundred a month in gas bills. Figure 17, maybe 18, mpg if you commute on a congested freeway. Much better, and again probably not a factor, if your trip is less than thirty miles and not heavily congested.

All relative of course. If you can afford a new Porsche, you afford the gas. Period. But you may have Scottish blood too, and cringe at buying the gas for a supercar while stuck behind a bunch of econoboxes all morning.

Unlike some cars at the top of the heap, it is honestly true that if you can afford to buy a new Porsche you can afford the maintenance. And the gas.

Good luck with your decision,

Gary

 

I really wanted a Porsche 3 years ago but couldnt quite accept the 996 headlights and the potential for maintenance costs. My alternative was a honda S2000 - 240hp and only 2600 lbs - not as fast as a 911 - probably closer to a stock boxter but definately faster than a V6 Accord. And it handles like a dream! Dont buy something that will keep you up at night - but if your ready, do it. I 'm going through it again - I want a Porsche 997...

Edit: And as easy to maintain as an Accord (except tires)

 

I sold my S2000 for an '05 997S last year. I love both cars and both have required nothing more outside the routine maintenance. I had the S2000 for 5 years (bought it as an '04 brand new) and never had any mechanical failures. I sold it with 42k miles - it was hard to let go because I know that car would have easily lasted me another 10+ years, but the 997 is definitely an upgrade. Other than paying for a major 40k service (around $1300), it's been a dream to own! The major service is every 4 years so no big deal to me...the 911 has been around 45+ years, so they have grown very reliable IMO.

 

This is the first time I have ever heard of an Accord being compared to a Porsche 997. The Porsche is a blast to drive, and it is only money. You can't take it with you when you die, so might as well spend it and enjoy it. If you can afford it, buy it, and forget about the costs, or write it off as entertainment, what ever you want. The Accord is a great car, but I am sure it is boring to drive, as it is designed to move people, not emotions.

 

I don't think the answers will be any different over here. You're putting way too much thought into this and will probably give yourself an ulcer.

 

Sean you only live once get the 997,have a blast and if its not for you after some time sell it and move on. I can tell your a numbers guy and thats excellent if the world had more people like you our country wouldnt be having half the issues we are dealing with now. Do yourself a favor though and step out of the comfort zone and get the Porsche but only if you can comfortably swing it financially which I have a feeling you can ! GL

 

Is this a serious question?

No wonder you got flamed on the other board.

 

I can start the flaming here, because if you are honestly comparing the two cars on a purely economic basis, you don't want and apparently cannot afford to own a 911. While you dwell on the maintenence aspect, you neglect the depreciation factor, which, for the first 3 years on the 911 is probably 40%, or about $40,000. The same 40% on the Accord is $12,000. That's the real math.

 

what about all the additional time that you will have to spend washing, waxing, polishing the porsche. There's some opportunity cost to you in there! Not to mention the equipment you need to wash the car and polish it.

 

I do not think it is flaming but simply documenting facts. As the discussion on Rennlist showed, the OP seems to ask this question periodically, with no apparent ability or desire to make a purchase. Since the comparison is between a $30K car and a $110K car, it makes no sense.

Assuming that the maintainance of a Porsche relative to that of an Accord is similar to the ratio of prices (about 3.67), can/do you want to buy the Porsche? Why do you keep asking the same question over and over again, in different forums, and over time?

 

every1 have dream n only live once,yur dream motivate u work harder to achivef the thing u want....never though I would paid 100g for a car but I now do,enjoy looking at it,detailing n oh yea driving it WHAT a RUSH

when I first talk about it wify thing Im insane because it a hard ride not comfortable,but I manage to bought her the rx350 just to shut her up,everytime she in the p car with me there r lot of head turning toward our ride so she does feel proud of our accomplishment

 

Is this a Accord to 997 MkII comparison?

Price aside my suggestions on the 997 would be:

1.- Service your 997 every year, oil change, filter change, brake fluid. Keep eye on everything else and attend promptly.

2.- Keep under warranty. Even small stuff like a MAF could run several hundreds of dollars.

3.- Avoid vallet parking, well don't avoid it, keep a $10 handy and park it yourself. I notice my major expense is tipping valet guys everywhere.

4.- Enjoy it

As far as cost of ownership, just servicing the thing at local Porsche Dealer one time could be a lifetime on the Accord :/

 

Just a short note on oil changes. I couldn't bring myself to wait the 12 months until the first oil change like my dealer recommended, so I plucked down $184.70 for an oil change around 4500 miles on the odo. I chalked this up to "Porsche Maintenance for Dummies" because I felt like one after seeing how easy it is to do an oil change on an '09 Carrera S. It's less hassle on my P car than any front engined car I've owned, primarally because the oil canister is topside vice being located underneath the motor. No exotic tools needed either.