Porsche vs. Corvette

..So I have this boss who owns a 2000 Vette with a touch of mods representing Chevy and I represent the Porsche side of things with only my knowledge of Porsche and desire to get my C4S in a few years time. Living and working in Germany helps add to the flame of our everyday discussions in which is better overall(Performance Drag/Nuerburgring; comfort; interior;exterior looks; drivability..etc.). What do you Rennlisters think of the 2 names and the cars behind each? Why do I feel it's my duty to stand up for Porsche(not the company but more the beliefs and engineering)? What makes Porsche more superior over a C5 Vette when we must pay 30k+ more than this Chevy? Geez I hope I got my idea across..just always buggin me. harrY

Big IRON vs Finesse... I would admit that if I could get that anniversary special Corvette in a T-Top with a modern day V6 (4 valves/cyl, OHC, etc.) I would be first in line. Something about the use of BIG IRON, Corvette, Viper, moves the vehicles away from "sports", and into DRAGSTER.

I am from Bowling Green, KY, were they make the Corvette. This doesn't make me an expert but here is my opinion. It is all about 'passion' -- passion for American muscle, passion for German engineering, plain a simple passion. Instilling passion, which is what both companies do very well, is what makes a great brand in both cars. Corvette owner's are 'into' their cars as much as 911 owners. However, Corvette owners are 1) more focused on HP and speed and 2) less on handling and balanced performance. The Corvette is more affordable new, much more affordable as a used car, and can be purchased basically everywhere, by anyone. The exclusivity of a Porsche is part of the brand that makes us all want one. Just like passionate 911 owners, Corvette owners overlook the shortcomings and focus on the strengths of the car. I won't go into these for obvious reasons:-) I was at the 50th 'b'day' party for the Corvette last weekend. These guys have the same passion, do the same things and talk about the same topics we do! There are just more of them, so don't get into a bar room brawl defending your position!

</font><blockquote><font size="1" face="Verdana,Tahoma,Helvetica">quote:</font><hr /><font size="2" face="Verdana,Tahoma,Helvetica">Big IRON vs Finesse... </font><hr /></blockquote><font size="2" face="Verdana,Tahoma,Helvetica">think of barry bonds and his muscles vs. hulk hogan or arnold schshaneger(Excuse spelling) with their muscles hitting home runs. Who can hit them farther and who do you think will hit more? Yes, the bigger two can probably outpower him, but what is the use if #1 they don't know how or can't to use the power #2 which one was made for what?

Both look like sportcars from the outside but, 996 = Handling, driver involvement, reliability, quality build, brakes, track performance, versatility, balance, finess, engeneering perfection... C5 = Straight line performance, lower cost, ah, hmm, well, hmmm... thats it!

</font><blockquote><font size="1" face="Verdana,Tahoma,Helvetica">quote:</font><hr /><font size="2" face="Verdana,Tahoma,Helvetica">Originally posted by Carlos from Spain: <strong>Both look like sportcars from the outside but, 996 = Handling, driver involvement, reliability, quality build, brakes, track performance, versatility, balance, finess, engeneering perfection... C5 = Straight line performance, lower cost, ah, hmm, well, hmmm... thats it!</strong></font><hr /></blockquote><font size="2" face="Verdana,Tahoma,Helvetica">Carlos, I agree with most of your comments but, reliability, quality build... In my opinion, those two are still on the table for the 996... I know that in this forum, because of the nature of it, we will see most of the problems reported... but that still does not give me a good feeling about the increase in problems the new 911 series have. Porsche is not the only german company affected by this... I have seen Mercedes fall into the same reliability, build quality issues. I read somewhere that the percentage of failures in engines for Porsche was high (35%???). I just hope Porsche refocus quickly and start giving us the level of quality and reliability expected from the Porsche name.

Yes, there is some truth to that Wachuko, but not to the point to compare with the Chevy. Overall, a Porsche (or a Merc) has better build qualilty than a Vette or a Viper. And also reliability, because sportcars are suposed to be driven hard and you can drive a 996 around the track all day long but with a vette you will start getting brake, engine, transmition, etc issues much sooner. 80,000kms on mine and not a single problem ever

Did anyone see a single Viper at the 24 hours of daytona this year? I think Corvette was there but not sure.

I once heard someone say: "if you have to explain a Porsche, they'll never get it..." I drove a '03 Z06 recently, and I was very impressed. With all due respect to Carlos, unless you have tested one, I would reserve comment about the Vette's capability. The standard C5 is less better but still more than a match for a 996 (performance-wise).

Carlitos, I partially agree...I drive a Z06 Vette and it handles likes its on rails. I've owned NSX's, M3's, Audi S4's and Nissan TT 300Z and this Z06 is equal if not better the best of those cars I mentioned. Yes straight line speed is superb, but handling and braking are also very good. Keep in mind I always hated Vettes and I had driven many before, but once I drove a Z06 I knew that it was one of the best overall performance cars I'd ever driven, 993's & 996's included...I've learned not to knock something until I've tried it, regardless of what people say. Just my $.02

I think everybody would agree that the NA 996 is a little under powered for the class of car it's in. Espically now with all these saloon cars from Merc and Audi with 500HP?!

I own a 993 now and recently sold a 98 C5. I have also driven a few 996's which in my opinion are very nice capable cars. For the people who say Corvettes are more grunt straight line cars have not owned a Corvette after 97. The C5 Corvette especially the Z06 outhandles, outbrakes and holds up with the best cars in the world including Porsche. For me personally the C5 is a little bulky, interior is not as nice as a 996 but better than say a 993. Porsche gives you a feeling of a true road racer in EVERY aspect. In my opinion so does the Z06. It comes down to personal taste because we all know the Z06 is faster than the 996 and the 993 and a second or two off a TT. Just my .02 My picture link below has a couple shots of the C5 and the 993. The C5 had a 383 upgrade,programmed, Z06 package and on and on. Very nice cars.

Fahren & MJSpeed, notice I always reffered to the C5 meaning the the standard C5 to which tetzlaf reffers in his comparison, nobody was talking about the Z06, which is a whole different story in terms of handling & performance which is up to par with even the 996TT in that sense nor are we comparing the GT2 to the Z06 <img border="0" title="" alt="[Wink]" src="wink.gif" /> In the case of the Z06 I would agree with you guys there in what you've said

This is more relevant to track use. I was doing Panoz Lapping Days at Sebring and there were 2 guys with ZO6's there. They said that their cars would need a lot of upgrades in order to run reliably over a period of time on the track in the way Porsches do. For example, the stock brakes may produce one time results equal to Porsche brakes, but over time they do not compare. One of the guys left his car parked on pit lane after doing some hot laps. He went for a ride with one of the instructors in a Panoz race car. We were standing near his car and heard a loud ping and crack. His rotor broke. I saw them again at a PCA event at Sebring and both cars did not last the whole day. They both cracked rotors, and this was with extra care in rolling the car so as not to build up as much heat behind the calipers. Our cars are pretty good out of the box for track use. Regards, Mike

I've read about Chevy admitting to having some overheating problems in the ZO6's 385HP LS6 engines when used hard such as in tracks that they were going to try fix it for updated 405HP engine models.

I owned a 1999 C5 convertible, and I currently own a 2001 996TT. I absolutely love both cars, but as far as a car that I would keep longer, the Porsche takes the cake, hands down. The Vette has severarl distinct advantages: *(much)Lower cost of entry for comparably equipped car *more standard power *(much)cheaper to maintain *Cheap and easy custom mods *Easier to drive and justify as a daily driver *The awesome rumble of a big V8 *Surprisingly great gas mileage (20c/30h) *Designed to store 2 sets of golf clubs in trunk A smart man once said: "There's no replacement for displacement!" The Porsche's Advantages: *(much) more exclusivity in smaller towns and countryside (Porsche's are a dime a dozen here in L.A.) *better fit and finish for body panels *(much) better leather and less plastic trim *better handling *MANY more factory options available *4 seats (yeah, I'm stretching it) *MUCH better resale value *German engineering = more reliable (usually) Tom Cruise said it best, "Porsche. There is no substitute." <img border="0" alt="[cheers]" title="" src="graemlins/beerchug.gif" />

I've never been a big Corvette fan, but after shopping for Boxster S's and used 993s I drove a new C5 and ordered a Z06 two days later. I like the Z06, but it is like every other sports car I've owned, meaning it has it's weak points and strong points. I think the cars need a differential/gearbox cooler and maybe a power steering cooler to stand up to extended hard track use, but they are quite competant on a road course, however, the drag car only myth persists anyway. I'm pretty much a general car nut so I don't get into the loyalty thing too much. I'm sure I would enjoy owning a 993 or 996 also. Plus, I run enough track days to know that there are all kinds of 'fast' out there. Jim

I have a fairly tricked 1999 996 and have owned many neat cars and bikes including corvettes. The Porsche is the only car that over time i still go out to the garage just to sit in. The Classic style and the whole experience of owning one is overwhelming. Yes even some of the new Japanese turbo all wheel drives may out perform it in a drag. But!!!! Not only does driving the Porsche make you fell great but whether they admit it or not most people would love to be able to own one. Doug

I have a ttX50, and have driven it back to back with a Z06 at the track. The cars are within a whisker of each other. The Z06 turns in better, the tt comes out harder. The choice for me was based on the perceived quality of the Porsche (particularly the interior) and the tt is more exciting to drive. The price difference is hard to swallow, especially when they offered 0%financing for 60 months at GM.

funny how people keep comparing the two in performance just because they are so close to each other in performance. I think chevy made a poor man's porsche as porsche is a poor man's ferrari? Chevy markets vettes to be low cost porsche eaters while most likely porsche probably doesn't even concentrate on this comparison as they can easily build a car that will outrun a vette. Porsche focuses on pleasing people who consider buying their cars. These are individuals who can afford them without calculating if they can pay monthly payments. It just so happens that people with performance in mind will always bring up this comparison just because they only see the sport side of the car buying decision. The danger I see in such comparisons is they always leads to someone saying one is better than the other. I respect everyone's opinion but, often we will see one that debates one is better than the other. Just get a mclaren and the conversation is finished.

Hi doug and ruey, I can afford a Porsche, and I would own one if I really wanted one. So far, I just haven't 'seen the light', and I've ended up buying and driving other makes of sports cars. I know this is a Porsche board, and I do hang around here from time to time, but too me, a Porsche really is just another make of sports car. Do not rationalize your purchase of a Porsche by convincing yourself that everyone else really wanted one. I honestly do not believe that is true. Ok, I can't afford a new Carrera GT (or Enzo or Mclaren for that matter). Jim

i have driven a c5 on many occasions and have owned various porsches-i presently own a 996tt. the c5 is a great car, and for the money, you can't beat it. but it is impossible to fairly compare it to a car that costs 2-3 times as much. if chevy could spend a similar amount of money on a car, they could approach or equal the build quality of a carrera. even though they are both competant sports cars, you are comparing apples to oranges.

jim, </font><blockquote><font size="1" face="Verdana,Tahoma,Helvetica">quote:</font><hr /><font size="2" face="Verdana,Tahoma,Helvetica"> Do not rationalize your purchase of a Porsche by convincing yourself that everyone else really wanted one. I honestly do not believe that is true. </font><hr /></blockquote><font size="2" face="Verdana,Tahoma,Helvetica">I rationalize my decision to buy a porsche as a wise one after noting that I am buying german engineering at its best. I've driven many american car rentals Corvettes, camaros, and after only a few minutes of driving i was reminded why I never considered owning one. I used to own a BMW and still have a few Mercedes, and I've learned that Porsche takes the fun factor to the next level.

Doc, I agree with you. I would not compare a Corvette to a 996TT. Diminishing returns is at work for sure, but I would also choose the Turbo over a Corvette (I think you'll find that many Corvette owners think Porsche Turbos are great cars). Or, the new GT3 for that matter, which looks to be fantastic. Oh, and ruey, I'm glad you prefer your Porsche too a rental car. Jim

Little story for you all: When I was in college I had a neighbor who drove a 944. He babied that car and loved it to death washing and waxing and driving it constantly. Out at the pool one day another loud mouth brash guy started giving him **** about the 944 and how his new Integra had more horsepower and could whip the 994 0-60, etc, etc. After listening to this for a few minutes he just looked at the guy and said, "Yeah, but it's still not a Porsche". The crowd went wild... Enough said. :-)

A few things to consider: When the 996 first came out, one of the mags compaired the C5 to the 996 and picked the C5 as the better overall car. According to JD Powers, the quality of the Porsche is as follows: Mech Quality - 4 out of 5 stars Feature Quality - 4 Body/Interior - 2 Overall - 4 Corvette Mech Quality - 3 out of 5 stars Feature Quality - 5 Body/Interior - 2 Overall - 4 In my track experiance, C5s run simular laptimes to 996's, Z06s kill 996s except the TT. I think they are very good cars. I drive a Porsche because I like them better. No real objective data, I just like them Roy

</font><blockquote><font size="1" face="Verdana,Tahoma,Helvetica">quote:</font><hr /><font size="2" face="Verdana,Tahoma,Helvetica">Oh, and ruey, I'm glad you prefer your Porsche too a rental car. </font><hr /></blockquote><font size="2" face="Verdana,Tahoma,Helvetica">when i had my BMW, BMW of SF used to let me loan cars from Specialty car rental of SF for loaners while mine had service work. I tested the C5, and the camaro from there, really you can feel and see the difference between American and German cars. I was comparing German vs. american engineering, not the Porsche. I compare the porsche to the other german cars, as being higher.

Both cars are superb... but don't go assuming the Corvette lacks handling. Also remember that 95% of it is also the driver. I love Porsches and until I get one, my "regular" Corvette will hang tough in the striaghts AND corners. Agreed that a stock Corvette w/out the suspension upgrade is not very good, but it doesnt take much $ in suspension mods to make it much better.

</font><blockquote><font size="1" face="Verdana,Tahoma,Helvetica">quote:</font><hr /><font size="2" face="Verdana,Tahoma,Helvetica">Originally posted by docjackson1: <strong> if chevy could spend a similar amount of money on a car, they could approach or equal the build quality of a carrera. </strong></font><hr /></blockquote><font size="2" face="Verdana,Tahoma,Helvetica">I hate to disagree, but I do. GM and the other 2 detroit companies will simply NEVER build a car in the U.S. that rivals the quality of fit and finish as a luxury German automaker. They have all had their chance. Best current example: Cadillac XLR. I had the (mis)fortune of getting to see the production model up close and in person. For $75K+, the fit and finish of components is equivalent to their $30K CTS (AKA plastic up the yin yang). I hate to rub it in, but the intro model MB C230 coupe has better interior components for only $25K+. <img border="0" alt="[cheers]" title="" src="graemlins/beerchug.gif" />

Torjan Man, I hate to rain on your parade but the JD Powers 2003 survey have the highest German brand at 7th behind 3 domestic brands... My experiance with my 2 P cars is that they do LOOK well built but send more time in the shop than my Ford Expedition, Lexus LS430 or my old Infiniti. Roy ps. Here's the link <a href="http://www.jdpower.com/presspass/pr/images/2003028bfull.gif" target="_blank">http://www.jdpower.com/presspass/pr/images/2003028bfull.gif</a>

<img border="0" alt="[cheers]" title="" src="graemlins/beerchug.gif" /> This is a pretty good thread for the most part, fair and impartial comments by many of Y'all! <img border="0" title="" alt="[Wink]" src="wink.gif" /> The Z06 is competitive with the 996 and the TT on the track... but the GT2 is Wicked Fast... so Porsche still knows how to build an all out true sports car! There's still a couple of Guys caught up in the "German Engineering" Mystique... try looking at LEXUS compared to your "Old World" engineering! And yes, Porsche does make a ****... sexy lux. urban transport... try comparing it to an RX470!

Corvettes make me think of mullets and gold chains.

RWO, In my previous post I am not at all talking about JD powers ratings or reliability. My last post is ONLY referring to fit, finish, and trim. I may or may not agree with you on the JD Powers quote, but I think there is no denying that the finsh of American cars can not at all be compared to mercedes, bmw, etc... As an aside, my '97 Yukon received 3, yes I said 3, brand new transmissions just during the warranty period. My C5 suffered from a "steering column lockup" that left me stranded for several days. To top it all off, my father's Chyrsler minivan was taken back by the dealer under the lemon law because it spent 2 out of the first 3 months he owned it in the shop! I do have to say that our 2 Ford trucks (F-250 super duty) have so far been very good to us. <img border="0" alt="[cheers]" title="" src="graemlins/beerchug.gif" />

I have a great deal of respect for the C5 Corvette, in fact Corvettes and Porsche have always been my favorite sports cars. I have driven C5s before and I think they are truly world class sports cars. I wish most of their owners would understand this as the majority are consumed with 1/4 mile times and street racing and fail to appreciate the the cars full capability. That said, I like the Porsche 911 better, I think it's more of a sports car. The 996 has much better build quality and, more importantly, better dealer support IMO. I'm just happy I'm in a position to be able to choose a Porsche.

I just traded my 99 C5 in for a 996. The c5 is faster, but not as good.

Trojan Man, We are probably in agreement While the fit and finish of domestic iron doesn't look as good, it seems to hold up based on the JD Powers data. I had a simular experiance with my Surburban, I actually went through the lemon law process and made them buy it back. The Ford has held up pretty well. I actually like the Corvette but can't get past the cheap looking interior... Roy

DJ, AMEN!!! Guys and Gals, I think we can all agree that both are very competitve cars. Different in design and philosophy. But fast none the less. They achieve their goals in very different manners. Other than price it really depends on the buyer, as to which one to purchase. With that said, I will be keeping my Z06 when my GT3 arrives.

All I have to say is that I didn't think this topic would pull so many replies. Awesome either way in the opinions you people are bringing forth. As I know the Vette has always been the eye for the street race and today proves itself a top shelf car on the track as well. Corvette(C5/Z06)can be known for "most bang for buck" I will always stay loyal to the Porsche name. Too me nothing comes close... harrY

Speaking of detroit... They should follow Porsche's "lead" and hire a group of japanese automotive manufacturing consultants, designers, engineers, QC managers, etc, to teach them the fundamentals of reliable and high quality automotive manufacturing. I'd walk into Lexus with a fistful of dollars and clean out, hire, the lot, then I'd take them home and start building LS430 clones. And then an NSX T-top (or ZX) that "fits" someone 6'2". If Bush succeeds in lowering the CAFE rules then that will be the end of the american automotive manufacturers.

I've had 2 Corvettes and 5 Porsches, and while I prefer the tt, it's hard to put down the Corvette for anything except the tacky-looking interior and shared switch-gear. If (and that's a big if)GM put another $2000 into the interior, it would be a tougher arguement. I wonder how we'll feel if the next ZO6 has the rumored 500 hp. AS

</font><blockquote><font size="1" face="Verdana,Tahoma,Helvetica">quote:</font><hr /><font size="2" face="Verdana,Tahoma,Helvetica">Originally posted by trumperZ06: <strong> <img border="0" alt="[cheers]" title="" src="graemlins/beerchug.gif" /> This is a pretty good thread for the most part, fair and impartial comments by many of Y'all! <img border="0" title="" alt="[Wink]" src="wink.gif" /> The Z06 is competitive with the 996 and the TT on the track... but the GT2 is Wicked Fast... so Porsche still knows how to build an all out true sports car! </strong></font><hr /></blockquote><font size="2" face="Verdana,Tahoma,Helvetica"> <img border="0" alt="[ouch]" title="" src="graemlins/c.gif" />

</font><blockquote><font size="1" face="Verdana,Tahoma,Helvetica">quote:</font><hr /><font size="2" face="Verdana,Tahoma,Helvetica">Originally posted by Andreas.: <strong> </font><blockquote><font size="1" face="Verdana,Tahoma,Helvetica">quote:</font><hr /><font size="2" face="Verdana,Tahoma,Helvetica">Originally posted by trumperZ06: <strong> <img border="0" title="" alt="[Wink]" src="wink.gif" /> The Z06 is competitive with the 996 and the TT on the track... but the GT2 is Wicked Fast... so Porsche still knows how to build an all out true sports car! </strong></font><hr /></blockquote><font size="2" face="Verdana,Tahoma,Helvetica"> <img border="0" alt="[ouch]" title="" src="graemlins/c.gif" /> </strong></font><hr /></blockquote><font size="2" face="Verdana,Tahoma,Helvetica">

[QUOTE]Originally posted by Andreas.: [QB][QUOTE]Originally posted by trumperZ06: [qb] <img border="0" alt="[cheers]" title="" src="graemlins/beerchug.gif" /> This is a pretty good thread for the most part, fair and impartial comments by many of Y'all! <img border="0" title="" alt="[Wink]" src="wink.gif" /> The Z06 is competitive with the 996 and the TT on the track... but the GT2 is Wicked Fast... so Porsche still knows how to build an all out true sports car! Whooa.. are you just...Challanged by the English language... ??? or... Maybe the new **** is more your style!!! <img border="0" alt="[bigbye]" title="" src="graemlins/xyxwave.gif" />

</font><blockquote><font size="1" face="Verdana,Tahoma,Helvetica">quote:</font><hr /><font size="2" face="Verdana,Tahoma,Helvetica"> Whooa.. are you just...Challanged by the English language... ??? or... Maybe the new **** is more your style!!! [/QB]</font><hr /></blockquote><font size="2" face="Verdana,Tahoma,Helvetica">And you have to post twice just to say that ?????! <img border="0" alt="[bigbye]" title="" src="graemlins/xyxwave.gif" /> <img border="0" alt="[nono]" title="" src="graemlins/nono.gif" /> I put the graemlins on,...better than a thousand words. <img border="0" title="" alt="[Wink]" src="wink.gif" /> sorry but i don't like the 'vette. just my personal opinion. <img border="0" title="" alt="[Wink]" src="wink.gif" />

<img border="0" alt="[typing]" title="" src="graemlins/yltype.gif" /> Andreas... Ahh, your over-use of "Graemlins" (max. of 8 allowed) took 2 posts! <img border="0" alt="[thumbsup]" title="" src="graemlins/bigok.gif" /> Porsches are great cars, I love to see em on the track. Some Porsche owners on the other hand... <img border="0" alt="[icon501]" title="" src="graemlins/icon501.gif" />

I drove a test drove a Corvette before I bought one of my Porsches. I thought, for the money, the Corvette would be ok. My wife, who was with me said, "You don't look right in the Corvette and you know you really won't be happy without a Porsche". She was right. I couldn't get past the feeling I was driving the Batmobile because of that low seating position and long hood. Corvettes are great cars. Just not my taste.

Lest we forget that both the C5 and Z06 weight a quite a bit les than the 996 despite what looks like a huge sports car. The Z06 is quite a car but I have friends that see them on the track in stroked 928's and after a few laps of lashing the 928 the Vettes are typically off track cooling those teeny weeny brakes becuse the 928's have begun to completly romp the Vette's right through to the Z06.

According to J.D. Power Annual Report on Overall Initial Quality, Porsche Cars North America came in 2nd place, after Toyota. BMW came in third. Honda came in fourth. I would say the "myth" of German build quality still holds true. Here is the article: <a href="http://story.news.yahoo.com/news?tmpl=story&u=/ap/20030506/ap_on_bi_ge/vehicle_quality_2" target="_blank">http://story.news.yahoo.com/news?tmpl=story&u=/ap/20030506/ap_on_bi_ge/vehicle_quality_2</a> The Z06 is a nice car for $50K, and its performance is comparable to a 996TT. In fact, my latest issue of Car and Driver suggested the Z06 as a cheaper alternative to the GT3 in its review of the Porsche. A good compliment for the Vette, an insult to the GT3 IMHO. I don't believe that a Z06 will hang with a well driven GT3, especially with PCCB. I know there are those on this board who think a 996TT is as good on a track as a GT3, but those people are wrong. A GT3 will definitely beat a Z06, and the longer the race, the more it will increase its lead. In a sense, I wish they had improved the '02 996 to the level of '99-00 GT3 performance-wise. That way, the 911's could smoke the Vettes all day long and leave no room for comparison. Again, the Corvette is a good value for the money. But so is a Tag Heuer as opposed to a Rolex submariner as a dive watch. But which would you rather have at the end of the day? The GT2, while a scary car at the limit, is in a class of its own. No production American car can really compare to it. It is the Patek Phillipe of cars.

</font><blockquote><font size="1" face="Verdana,Tahoma,Helvetica">quote:</font><hr /><font size="2" face="Verdana,Tahoma,Helvetica"> It is the Patek Phillipe of cars. </font><hr /></blockquote><font size="2" face="Verdana,Tahoma,Helvetica">i think the carrera GT is the patek. the GT2 is only a cartier.

No, Carrera GT is the Piaget. There will be far more CGT's than GT2's produced. It's beautiful and expensive... but unfortunately, people predict they will be driven more for show than go. <img border="0" title="" alt="[Frown]" src="frown.gif" />

then what is the Choppard?

Hi Hamann7, I agree with your comments about the GT3, 996TT, and Z06. You have described precisely what makes the Z06 such an outstanding car in today's market - and that is VALUE. Gee, a well driven GT3 is a faster car? I think I can live with that. Jim

Hi Jim, true what you say... tons of value in a Z06.. but only a Porsche FEELS like a porsche.. and nothing else comes close if you want feedback...! cheers Pete

The Corvette (Z06 anyway) is definately a nice car. I looked at it again before purchasing my C4-S. It's funny but I WANT to like the Corvette and always walk away saying "I can't do it". I have many car buddies who say the same exact thing. Not to mention that I live in N.Y. and the (pardon the expression) "Guido" image is VERY exaggerated. I heard a saying once about Corvettes that was very interesting..... "The guys that want them can't afford them and the the guys that can afford them don't want them"...

Hey LanceK.. that's funny! LOL Pete

Are you serious Lance - you bought a C4S because of the 'image'? I could understand if you purchased the car because of the AWD, looks, handling, or road feel, but the image thing just doesn't make a lot of sense to me. I honestly never worry about that too much. FWIW, If I was looking for a Porsche in the $85,000 range, I'd be thinking about a used 993TT. Or, I'd pony up the extra $15,000 and get a GT3. Jim

I agree with Jim on this, as much as I like the C4S (I think it's the best looking 996 variant bar none) for $85-90K the "S" needs to have more power than a "regular" 996 IMO (perhaps a std power kit X51 on the C4S...).There was a time at Porsche when "S" meant "sport", not "special". For $90K I think you could easily find a nice low miles 996TT or a new GT3 for another $10K. Just my .02, I'm not trying to start a C2 vs C4S war.