i think you need something mid-engined to compliment your front and rear engine rwd cars...

 

I forgot to mention that the particular GT-R I drove is a 2009 with 4.5K miles, and asking price of $72K. That price seems a bit high to me compared to a new one, and I'm getting the impression that the 2012 may be a noticeably better car.

I tried the GT-R, despite my bias towards more "classic" cars like the 911, because I didn't want to make a decision without at least trying it. Most likely I won't get one, mainly because (a) it's too similar to my C63, (b) I strongly prefer manual transmission, (c) used ones are pretty expensive, and a new one approaches $100K, (d) as noted, there could be a warranty issue if I track it, and (e) I'm not sure how much I'd like it after spending a lot more time with it. But I do have to say that there's something intoxicating about its performance, so I haven't been able to get it out of my mind yet.

At the moment, the top two contenders seem to be a used 996/997 or new Cayman R.

 

Manifold,

The cayman r is a beast. I have a good friend who tracks his and it is an amazing car.

I still think the best bang for the buck in a car to learn on the track is a 996 or early 997. But if you can swing it the cayman r is just a fantastic track choice.

 

I haven't driven the GTR but a friend of mine traded a 2007 911C2S on one and loves it. I am still a Porsche guy but the Nissan does have a lot of impressive attributes (amazing acceleration, AWD, and price). Drive and compare with used 911 turbo. 911 is truly a daily driver and has a timeless look that in my opinion can't be matched.

 

GREAT thread!!! I have been curious about the GTR, and this is just the kind of information I love to read about on here. Thank you!

 

subscribed

I'm seriously considering trading in my C4S for a GT-R. The Porsche has always been my dream car but I'm finding that a trunk would come in pretty. Plus, the speed of the GT-R is supposed to be intoxicating.

 

I contemplated trading in my M3 for the GT-R about 1.5 years ago and did some extensive test drive and swapped cars with my friend for 2 days. It's really not just about the speed of the GT-R. The Godzilla has made it almost effortless to drive fast in even hostile / adverse conditions. Somehow the electronic nanny can keep you in track and glued to the road despite miscalculations or poor judgement on your part. It's easy to drive fast and it's fun car to drive. You don't have to learn how to drive the car and it will actually adapt to your driving style.

It's everything unlike the P-car, for which you will have to learn the temperament of your car to be able to master it.

 

My thinking (so far) is along the same lines.

Reasons to get a used 911:

- Costs much less than the Cayman R, and less depreciation going forward.
- I love the 911's driving dynamics.
- I like having a bit of extra room inside.
- The resulting driving habits will translate to our 911S cab, and I may learn better/faster with the 911.
- Not as loud as the Cayman, since the engine is farther back.
- Will draw less attention than the Cayman.

Reasons to get the Cayman R:

- Adds variety to the 911, while still being a Porsche. And actually, I like our current 911 more than any other 911 I've driven, so maybe it doesn't make sense to get a "lesser" version of what we already have.
- More track-focused than the 911s I'm considering.
- All reviews indicate that it's a superb driver's car, but of course the key is that I enjoy driving it. A lot of people seem to like it even more than most variants of the 911, so it could be argued to be a good value by comparison (eg, Nov 2011 Excellence magazine compared the Cayman R vs GTS and the reviewer favored the Cayman).
- I feel like getting the Cayman R (on top of what we already have) would be pretty indulgent, but then you only live once and this might be the right stage of my life to indulge. Being in my mid fourties, a decade ago this set of cars would have been financially irresponsible, and a decade from now I might feel too old to drive them like sports cars.

 

Based on your criteria, I'd recommend the Cayman R. I actually prefer the Cayman S to a 997.1 C2S (as a direct comparison). The way the weight moves in the Cayman is awesome!

Get it now, before you're in your 50's and forget how to use your turn signal.

 

yeah, age/ rather physical fitness is an issue... maybe some are lucky enough to be physically able to drive sports cars at 80, but i know i wont be. get the manuals, tight cabins, 2 seaters, tight footwells, and low low cars out of the way while you can still enjoy them. when i am older, no more manuals and no more uncomfortable cars. if i have kids, then who knows what car path i will go down. the GT-R is probably a car for later in life since its pretty high off the ground and quiet compared to other sports cars... but if you really love it, then by all means get it now.

 

Jasper,

Is your GT-R a DD? If so, how are you coping with the seats? I felt they were exremely butal on my back after 20 minutes of driving and I am a young guy in shape with absolutely no back issues. That was the deal killer for me, I just wanted out of the car and never back inside it with those seats. My GF sat in the passanger seat, got out and didn't even want to go for a ride as she felt she was sitting on sheet metal with cloth. I know the reason for those race seats, but for daily commute they simply would not work in my case.

 

For what it's worth, in my ~30 minute test drive, my wife and I had zero issues with the seats. Maybe I was going so fast (though not exceeding speed limits ) that I couldn't tell what the seats felt like.

I still can't get that car out of my mind, and may indeed have to do another test drive. During the last drive I said "holy ****!" out loud at least five times.

 

i thought the seats were fine as well.

i drove it on a track, its just insanely fast there. i was overspeeding into turns and overbraking because everything worked so well... on this one corner, i can floor it in an lp560-4 lift and make the turn at the correct speed... in the gtr, i enter faster, can floor it sooner, and go way too fast and understeer/ brake and slow down too much... its so good, you have to adjust yourself to it. there are more important things then speed... yes... but when the speed is this insane, you can make exceptions.

 

Yes, I daily drive my GT-R. Almost 30,000 miles and I still love it. My daily drive is not that long. However, I have taken it on 1,000 mile trips (sometimes to a different road course), and I have not been uncomfortable. The wife and I took a trip from NC to Tampa. No problems... She slept well.

You may want to try out the new 2012-2013 seats, they are an improvement as well.

 

My offices are 30 minutes appart from one another and I am in both daily. I probably spend over 1.5 hours in a car driving every day so comfort was a very big concern for me as a DD. If I then had a different DD like I do now, I suppose I may not be as critical about the GT-R's comfort.

When this 911 goes, I will give the 2013 GR-R a new look and check out the improvements. As for speed until then, I get my thrills from my tuned S600 V12TT, which in a straight line is far faster than my 911.