Love/Hate relationship with my car

Weird title, but let me explain. Picked up a 2000 C2 convertible when I moved to GA about 18 months ago. The car serves as a daily driver since I only live 4 miles from the office. Previous daily driver was a Mercedes ML, backed up by a 'weekend' Viper RT-10. Let me summarize my experiences so far : Positives + reliability + built quality + nice, comfy interior (I've got a full option car) + automatic top + great handler + great daily driver, despite being a sports car Negatives - underpowered. Compared to the Viper this car is gutless. - lack of torque / power only available in upper band - styling not as agressive as some other sports cars - comes with a 'Porsche' tax Started looking around again past Summer and drove following cars : - 996 Turbo convertible. Not that impressed. Hated the power band/turbo lag. - Viper SRT-10 (2003 onward). A beast ! But did not feel as planted compared to the Porsche (runflats may have something to do with it) and also doubt the conveneince as a daily driver. Anybody out there with similar experiences ? Here are some pics of the beauty queen :

I came from your side too, yes, these cars feel gutless coming from American muscle but it is a 207 c.i. 6-banger vs a 480+ c.i. 10 cylinder. Its comparing apples to oranges. If you miss torque you should hop onto the 911 turbo/ 964 turbo/ 993 turbo forum and look to build a car from there. You can get big torque numbers that you are lacking from those cars with some well planned mods. Even with a supercharger on the 996, your only talking about 340 ft lbs of torque, that is less than what my '02 Z28 camaro made stock, not to mention the lightning I had (550 ft lbs). The 996 will never feel powerful (torquey) unless someone designs a high boost turbo kit, then we would be talking. No doubt though, I would take a N/A 996 over any American sports car period.

I have an 02 C4S coupe, but previously have 3 vettes, the last one a C5 Z06. Yes the 911 feels slow compared to it but it has all the great positives you mentioned above. Once in a while I miss the torque and pin you back in the seat acceleration of the Z06 but the postives off the 911 more than make up for it. Like Tippy said, it's comparing apples to oranges, the cars are so different. Maybe you should try a C6 Corvette convertible. You'd have plenty of power and torque and it could easily be a daily driver unlike your Viper.

These cars weren't meant for straight-line but I know what you mean. I had a modded Supra TT before which would blow my 02's doors off. As a overall package though, I do love my 911. It is a tad on the slow end since it doesn't pull hard but I'll work my way up to a Turbo in a few years. With a few mods that car should be pretty fun.

get a gt3.

Try one with an ecu mod and aftermarket exhaust. The lag pretty much disappears. 500+ USEABLE HP, unlike a Viper.

Interesting feedback...

$10K will get you a supercharger that will give some more torque.... but it will never be as torquy as one of the american car you mentioned above.... but PORSCHE.... there is NO SUBSTITUTE..............

It's funny, because the 0-60 isn't what it's really about for me. It's the 60mph through twisties that really get my juices going. And, I've not driven another car that feels as good as the 911. I've heard the argument that the Porsche is slow for years but it overlooks the key component of a race car: handling. I have a 600cc motorcycle that will knock the socks of almost all cars straightline (at least up to low triple digits), but what really does it for me on the 2-wheeler is also the thrill of twisties. However Yves, if you really want more torque, than might I suggest a new 997 club coupe sport? I mean, your car is now nearly 7 years old Yves, and almost 10 in design.

You sound like a perfect candidate for a Vette. The regular one, not the Z06 Viper-like beast. Great torque and good handling. Not as refined in handling or day to day manners as a Porsche, but a lot more livable than a Viper. It seemingly is missing only the "look at me" wow factor that your Viper had in spades and the 911 has to a somewhat greater degree than a Vette. Don't be concerned. Put that wife of yours in the car and the guys will be adequately jealous. Good luck in your search.

Sat in Viper ACR once and it was pretty scary. Too powerful if there is ever such a thing. I didn't enjoy the drive on the street but I think it'd have been a blast on track. I can totally understand how you feel. 996 is a very well rounded car. If speed is your key, I'd put money elsewhere.

By the numbers, a 996, even a plain jane one, is a pretty fast car. What it isn't is a torque monster. It seems to me that if someone really craves that hair trigger, big-G acceleration feeling you get from big motors, there might not ever be any way to be happy with a Porsche. I think the Vette suggestion is a pretty good one, IMHO. A Les Paul guy is never going to love a Stratocaster.

With all due respect I don't think you are a "Porsche Person". I see you in a Vette or some American Muscle Car with massive horsepower, rakish attention getting looks, and tire squealing fast 0-60 times. What are you doing with a Porsche?

Damn, you guys are hard on this guy. The criticism is valid, the 996 NA cars ARE underpowered compared to the other rigs he mentioned. However, he did point out many of the benefits. Lets face it, the Viper and Vette are filled with cheap plastic parts used on trucks and econoboxes. Corvettes are overproduced, and Vipers have horrible suspensions for their power level. Thats why I think the Turbo with $3000 of modifications is the best overall sportscar on the planet

I kinda thought that most were pretty evenhanded about it. I really DO think he'd be happier in something else. It wasn't a criticism, just an opinion and one that he asked for. If he sticks with the Porsche, he's always going to miss that power and regret it. You can see it in his argument... he's talking himself into the Porsche, but it's not where his heart is. No crime to point that out. I've made the same mistake elsewhere in life. Wives, for example.

Shark, maybe some of the guys were a little hard on him, but horsepower wars are such a joke now. The vast majority of any commercially available and street legal supercars would get Jonesed by Michael Schumacher in a VW Jetta on the Streets of Willow. At the end of the day, auto manufacturers are just playing on the Keeping up with the Jones' syndrome that affects virtually every American. I mean, just look at those freaks who lined up for hours in order to get the Sony Playstation 3 first. Sometimes, it's just frightening. Anyway, I can understand that he wants more torque, but here's an idea: drive around in a rented Taurus for a week. It'll reset his relative senses and the Porsche will feel like an F-16 again. (And yes, I know, man works hard, he can and should buy anything he wants. I'm writing the above with a little tongue in cheek and a little sense of humor; but I'm still writing it.)

[Image-only post; no author-written text. Original image references:] https://rennlist.com/forums/graemlins/burnout.gif

Perhaps that "Porsche person" comment was a bit of an impolite way of saying that Porsche is not everyone's perfect sports car, but there is nothing wrong with concluding that a Porsche is not the car for you. At least, there shouldn't be anything wrong with it. While I prefer my car, there is nothing wrong at all with a Viper or Vette, or a number of other sports or sporting cars. Come to think of it, I would rather have a F430 over my car or any 911 variant. I guess I am not really a "Porsche person" either. I just want the most fun car I can afford. Fun is clearly a subjective standard.

I think you should donate the car and move on- like to me for example

No offense taken. Webpostings are usually a reflection of the maturity of the people involved. As far as making mistakes is concerned : I wonder what the ex-wives' side of the story is. Most probably I'm not as fanatic as some of the people on this board. I'm a consumer and who ever makes the best product at an acceptable price/quality ratio gets my business. Lambo Gallordo and F430 might be the ideal mix of power and handling, but their pricing is a bit too excessive for me. As far as speed is concerned, we all have different backgrounds and experiences. Yes, my Viper was fast. But it was slow compared to my R1 track bike. It's all relative guys. Net, the Porsche is scary...slow. I'm sorry if I offended anyone who's married to Porsche.

You seem like a nice guy. Definitely not Porsche material.

i find that most people who drives porsche are looking for a class distinction.......NOt of the ordinary I want super fast cars, or look at me personality.....but a more of a refine one...... Porsche has definetely catepault itself to the exotic category and has the reputation of a daily driver...... so with that, it's hard press to find a better overall car..... let's take the ferrari or lambo...... NOT a daily driver, and way too expensive just to keep..... Ins. on these puppies are ~15K/year...... with that, you can buy 2007 Motor trend car of the Year......Camary each each that you are just insuring your car....... But the Porsche can be driven daily and won't break your bank..... So it's Class and Style is the reason for the Porsche and it's world handling ability....... Just don't compare it to Only a straight line comparison..........

I've got to jump in to this. For some, Porsches are objects of lifelong passion, whether it's the hands-on kind, or merely in fantasyland. For others, they're just sports cars. Personally, I never considered a Viper, a Corvette, a Supra, an NSX, an S2000 or any of the others in my reach. Since the age of 15, I've wanted a 911. Any shortcomings are overwhelmed by passion. It's love - it can't be explained. If that's not the way you feel, you should get the car that makes you feel that way. If no car makes you feel that way, you should maybe walk.

Wow..I thought this was a "love handle" thread never mind Oh, nice beauty queen and I like your car also And lastly, talk to the Ruf boys and they will make you something real fast and exotic

Right on ! That was the objective of my post. In view of all the other positives I listed, I was looking for options to make this car faster. Turbo without the dreaded lag sounds interesting. Am also wondering how a supercharged 3.8L car feels like. Must be able to cranck quite some ponies out of that...

Hey, come to Dallas and drive Han's 997(the red one on the website for sale) at Ruf or one of their other cars. I have and these cars will impress you. They also hold their value pretty well due to the name. In a few years my 2 P cars will turn into one Ruf car

ZO6 will deliver you !

You have the same problem I do - you live 4 miles from work. Day in and day out, I'm wondering what I'm doing in this thing - running to the store, dropping off the kids. On a day like today, when I had to drive down to south OC on a beautiful 78 degree day, I'm reminded how much I love this car. Unless you can get it out on the highway or in the twisties on a regular basis, it's just a status thing.

Yves, Hope all is well. Have you taken your p car to a DE? You might learn to love it more when you find out how it could outrun those muscle cars on highly technical courses. Porsches have "linear power". power thats harnessed the right way. The muscle cars have that hard to control(will spin you in the corners) power. ~Mike

I didn't drive my car for a month because we were putting in a new driveway and the car was stuck in the garage (the old driveway was torn out a day ahead of schedule and I was at work). I was able to take it back out recently and I was reminded of why I bought the car. I just love the way the car handles and am fine with the acceleration. I have driven plenty of friends' torque monsters and also had a chance to drive the new M5 over Thanksgiving (brother in law's car). That is an amazingly fast car and accelerates much harder than the 996. That all said, I prefer the way the Porsche drives, but nothing can make everyone happy, so noone should give you any BS if you prefer something else.

You should contact Renegade Hybrids. They are cramming the LS-1 into all kinds of stuttgart iron, I'm sure they'd be happy to do the same to your 996. Renegade Hybrids Andrew

Yves, I roadraced GSXRs for 8 years, entering 100s of races and got the need for adrenalin rush acceleration out of my system. My 996 is faster than my Jeep Cherokee and my wifes Boxster, but it's no match for a really fast car. Try rock and ice climbing. Lots of adrenalin rushes and they last much longer and are more intense than those I've experienced in motorsports racing.