a lotus owner asks... - Page 2 - Porsche General - PistonHeads UK

Try this guy, www.sport190.com I think he did it the other way around... Porsche to Elise

What is it that annoys you about the elise - noise / comfort?

It's not that the lotus is annoying - I had a standard one for 4 years, and the Sport 160 for 2 years. I'm just beginning to look for a different experience. Something with an edge - it seems that the RSs are the Porsches that might give me that. The lotus is great on tracks and on twisties, but pretty hard going on M ways. Also, though I'm loathed to admit it, just now and then a bit more boot space might also help!

I have driven elises and porsches and am soon to get a 964RS. For me, a lot of the difference is the integrity of the porsche - it doesn't feel like it's been screwed together in a shed in hethel, albeit quite cleverly in the case of the elise. You know the plasticky little doors on an elise? Open and shut a 911 door a few times, and you'll be convinced. You don't get niggly stuff like bonnet catches breaking with porsches either. Of course, with build quality comes weight - and an elise is much closer to Colin Chapman's philosophy - but then again, that's why they made the RSs. Thinner window glass, no underseal, magnesium wheels, no PAS, seam welded chassis and even the wiring for interior lights and rear window demist were taken out of the 964RS - amongst other things. The 964RS is a bit rawer apparently than a 993RS (I have only driven a standard 993), with a revvier engine and less refined rear suspension. I think the 993RS probably would make a better day to day car, but they come in nearly 15k more expensive than the 964RS.

I came from an 111S to a 993TT so I have a little experience in this area. I think its a good move. The 993TT is awesome but it does 'dull' down the driver involvment compared to the Loti. A friend has a 993RS and its a fast car (360 bhp), you don't get that low down shuv in the back like the 993TT, but the driving experience is much more enjoyable. Its much sharper car than the 993TT. The 993RS is a great track car, and is suprisingly easy to live with though not as pratical as the TT (no back seats, air con, ABS, 4WD, etc). Remember no back seats so you've got lots of room to put things there aswell. Not sure if they have much of a boot thought, as there is a struct brace in there I think. Also they seem to come in 2 flavours - with or without the rollcage - obviously get one with a rollcage - IMHO it looks better and you'll be a lot safer. The 993RS will eat elises down a straight and they are capable of some SERIOUS speed. Go for it, you'll love the experience.

PS. if you want the mad nutter acceleration of the 993TT and some, plus the driving/track ability of the RS - get a 993 GT2 . Man I want one.......

I have the 964RS and have been driven in the 993RS on a few occasions. 993RS is faster, especially on bumpy tracks. On smooth tracks the difference between than and the 964RS is less marked, especially in the hands of an expert driver (NB 933RS is easier to drive fast). It is much more expensive to buy. 964RS is more raw and less forgiving. Paradoxically, it seems to have a nicer engine than the 993RS - revs with more vigor and pulls well from lower down - but the 993RS has more HP as standard. It is more challenging to drive, but more satisfying IMHO. Much better value too. Only buy LHD. The premium for RHD isn't worth the expense. Try www.mobile.de and www.911-rs.de for examples - the latter is my friend Thomas Schmitz from whom I bought my own RS and who specialises in the RS (964 and 993 and above). GT2 is really, really nice but rather more expensive to buy and run.....

I've got a 340r, which I've had for over two years, and a 993 RS for a couple of months. The Porsche will feel almost agricultural at first compared to the Elise but don't let that put you off as once you get used to it the RS is just as responsive. If I was moving from an Elise and wanted something a bit more practical but which still offered the same sublime handling & responses the RS would be at the top of the list. Jim

I used to fancy a 993 GT2 until I saw the price of one at autofarm, circa 89k for lhd! A rhd example must be knocking on the door of 100k I imagine, not far off a nearly new 996 GT2. What prices have you guys seen the 993 GT2's going for then? Any good sites for places that get them in? I feel a nagging change of direction in the back of my mind..... ....... But then again your talking 996tt money. >> Edited by Roadrunner on Thursday 4th July 21:59

But you're getting a far better car than a 996tt of course!!

Tom's site below has a GT2 clubsport for £76k and a "GT2-engined 993RS" for £58k.

The thing about the GT2 is they are soo hard find. And they are really expensive.The cheapest LHR drive I ever saw was 60 odd K. I imagin though that they don't deprecate that much compare to say a 996TT. Definitly the porsche to have to IMO. Most of them are pushing out around 500 bhp....

Thanks for all the advice guys. Certainly something I'll look closer into. Maybe if I'm nice to my bank manager he'd give me the funds for a GT1!

Would a 993rs with a GT2 engine be just as good as a GT2? At least it wouldn't have the arch bolts I guess.... >> Edited by Roadrunner on Friday 5th July 12:16

I have a lady bank manager, wonder, If I'm nice to her do you spose she would give me one ?? oops that was GT1 was it hehehe

peter, toms site is full of GT versions - never seen so many in one place. Looks like their all lhd though. Where would you find rhd versions? I guess it's possible to have one converted to rhd by a specialist. Fairly expensive though I'm sure. Some of the power out put of those cars are mad - 500 to 850bhp! Nuts! Makes my planned header upgrade look positively homosexual.

Attacking the problem from another angle - I guess it's far easier to find a rhd 993rs, then get the engine upgraded to GT2 spec. Would JZM or similar do this? Ideas?...

You tend to buy RHD in the UK for obvious reasons. Try Paragon, Autofarm and Porsche's own website if you simlpy must have one in RHD. The price premium for RSs and GT's in RHD can be as much as 25%, depending on the exact model, because fewer were made. Ask yourself: is it worth the money? Why do you *need* RHD except, perhaps, to grab a ticket from the machine at your local NCP car park? Overtaking is rarely a problem in a car that fast, 911's have legendarily-good visibility for a supercar, so what's the big deal with an extra £10k-£20k for RHD?

It's a significant lump of cash for sure. I'm just so comfortable driving in rhd I've no plans to change over. If I could stretch to it I will. At the end of the day if there's a premium when I buy, there will be a premium when I sell, so it won't actually cost me anything extra.

Debatable. Why not invest the extra £10k you *would* have spent on RHD in savings and ISA's?

Now that is sensible. Mmm. I'll save more once I've sorted out my ideal car! Priorities and all that.

Roadrunner - I seem to be on your case! ;-) but... I drove a RHD Elise in France for 2 years. It was very rare that I wished I had a LHD. The only hassel was carparks and when you come right up behind a bus or lorry that has stopped. Other than that I never had a problem. 10K a lot of money you could add a lot of horses to the car of your choice for that!!

Very true. For the money a modded 993rs or even gt2 would buy, you could get a rhd993tt with no trackdays and low mileage with +500 ponies and loads of spare cash. Mmm. Would a suspension upgrade to a 993tt give it that sharp rs feeling? So many ways to skin that cat.

I've seen a few TT as track days that have the sports seats and track set up suspension - much nicer IMO. The thing about TT's though is that they are AWD not RWD drive, so you will always loose some feeling through this compared to a RS or GT2.

Trouble is most rs and gt2 models would have been ragged to death on the track over the last 5 years. Then along comes the second owner to pick up the repair tabs, after shelling out a premium for the priviledge. Now with tt's on the other hand you can always find low milers in tidy condition. The official PGB site has one now with only 800 miles!

for a little advice please. I currently have an Elise Sport 160 which I am considering changing. One thought is to change for a 993 RS. The car would mostly be for weekends/track stuff. Does anyone out there have experience of both? I'm probably asking a biased bunch, but would it be a good move??? Thanks!