Porsche 997 C2S vs. Honda Accord cost of ownership? (Financial and Mental)

I tried asking this on ******** but there seems to be too many mean spirited or unhelpful types 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.

I guess the general public may treat your comparison more seriously in the US, but if you had posted this up on an Aussie website you would certainly be flamed. Why? because the price difference between a Porsche 997 C2S & a Honda Accord is more like $220,000! I other words the vast difference in price would certainly negate any sensible comparison. ...also your argument largely dismisses driver experience & some fundamental sports car attributes that would typically attract the Porsche buyer... Can I recommend a high-spec Volkswagen or Audi as they also escape "attention" when parked at an airport. They can be very quick & still exhibit a high build quality & frugal fuel consumption to match if not better any Honda at a competitive price.

I think the 12 page response on RL has plenty of information for you. And ditto for your other posts since you ask the same question every year.

He asks specifically about an Accord vs. a 911 every year? I don't know what was said on RL, but I would hope no one would be mean spirited here. That being said, of course most people aren't going to cross shop these cars and on a purely financial basis there is no way a 911 can compete with the economy of the Accord. No one "needs" a sports car for transportation, that's not why most people buy 911's. (or any sports car). I think it all comes down to whether or not you can afford the luxury of a sports car like a 911, (not meaning it is luxurious, just that it is a luxury item), and whether or not you want it for something more than a daily driver, such as autox, DE, lots of twisty roads, road trips, whatever. I'm certainly not going to list out the costs to purchase and maintain a 911, or any other Porsche because again, no way it wins against an Accord, unless perhaps it is say an early 986 Boxster, it would get better mileage and probably cost about the same to operate, but again comes down to what you want and what you plan to use it for.

A Porsche will not be justified on economics alone. But - there is no substitute.

What he said. Think of a big number add 10% and you'll be close.

Forget the Porsche, buy the Accord. Once you start sharpening the pencil you've eliminated Porsche from the list. End of story.

It sounds like the Accord is more than adequate for your needs. No way a Porsche will win in any of the objective categories you listed. Why are you even considering a Porsche (and the additional expense) if it sounds like the Accord is all you need? Or is all this just a subtle attempt at trolling?

Go for a test drive with the Porsche. If it still does not justify the delta then get a Hyundai tc. Most people over analyze before they realize.

Well, it looks like this is meant for some fun. ITs a shame one has to ask this question. Over my years I have owned 8 Hondas, in fact there is a 2010 Accord sitting next to the 2009 Cayman S. The Honda is not a bad car, its reliable, and realtively inexpensive to operate. But, it does not stir the sole, where the Porsche does, and for many reasons. Life is full of suprises, and most of us have few clues to its end. You better reach for the gusto while you can, least you be bitter that you did not when in your final moments. In life you make decisons, life happens to be full of them. Most do not purposely make bad ones. Therefore, the ones you do make, you make right, regardless. As an experiment, go ask any 20 people at random which they would rather own, a Honda or a Porsche. I could project the answer, but its best you find it yourself. Good luck with the decision, but be at piece.

My next sport car could be a Mazda MX-5 (Miata). I like the way it looks, cost much less than the Cayman S, a joy to drive (according to almost all reviews), does not cost much to maintain. But it does attract attention Frankly, I don't even know why anyone would compare the two cars; they are made for different purposes regardless of price, build quality, etc. :thanks:

No cost of ownership issue for me... I own them both. :taunt:

The phrase "comparing apples to oranges" comes to mind.*:2cents:

Since the OP hasn't yet come back to reply or provide additional details, I'm starting to suspect he's just trolling. I've sent a PM to the OP asking him to revisit the thread or I will close it in the next few days.

No not trolling just been very busy.

If you do get the C2S I honestly hope you enjoy it and find it's worth the money you've spent. If the reception you've received here and elsewhere has been a little rocky it's because the vast majority of people who acquire these cars have an overwhelming enthusiasm that typically obscures both the exorbitant cost and potential impracticalities. That enthusiasm is its own justification. Questions such as you've raised, although perfectly legitimate and reasonable, suggest that you've already stuck the pin in the balloon, and so the joy of ownership is thereby lost. Good luck w/ your purchase.

At almost 4 times the cost, a Porsche can never beat a Honda financially. Go test drive one and you will tell me it beats the Honda physically and mentally. Driving can be fun and much more than transportation from point A to point B.

A couple things come to mind. You are comparing apples to oranges but consider this: The Porsche is going to cost more to operate, all of them run on premium fuel. The insurance will be higher because they cost more. The parts to maintain one will be higher, they hold more oil and they use Mobil1. The tires will be more, etc, etc. The other side is however, drive one. You will find the Honda nowhere near as rewarding. Going from a front wheel drive commodity car to a true rear wheel [ or all wheel ] drive sports car is like day and night. If you enjoy driving then the Porsche is your reward to yourself. All cars of this nature are the same in that respect. They are something you do for yourself. The reason I work is so I can have the toyz I want. Self indulgence is a reward for your hard work. The Porsche will maintain its value much higher and much longer than a commodity car like the Honda, providing you take care of it. Porsche has just had a number of very high ratings for reliability so again if you take care of it you will have a reliable ride. The build quality is excellent. In conclusion, you can't base a decision like this purely on a financial basis regardless of the sports car you choose, Viper, Vette, whatever. The commodity car will always win on that basis. Good luck and may your decision make you happy.

When I saw the title of this thread I must admit I was . Upgrade to a Cayman and sleep better !

When you're 105 and sitting in your rocking chair on your front porch, what would you rather reminisce about, a.) all the money you saved on your honda? or b.) driving you Porsche down a twisty road?

LOL... I was thinking this to be a performance comparison with the new Honda NSX race car!

You have ONLY owned a Honda - you will never be ale to understand what it means to own a Porsche - whatever the model. You are trying to compare a dinner at McDonald's to a dinner at a fine French restaurant. Drive your Honda. Some things cannot be justified with a simple dollar comparison. You will surely save lots of $$$ but we who drive the Porsche's in this world do not care how much it costs!