Counter Of Beans
Well-known member
- Joined
- 10 May 2018
- Messages
- 654
I sold my 997 Gen2 C2 PDK Coupe today, having owned it for exactly one year, so I thought I would offer a few observations. Let me just say I'm a car fidget, meaning that I want to try lots of cars whilst the government allow free choice, and whilst I'm (fairly) fit and able. So I rarely keep cars for more than a year.
Right, firstly - this was the best driver's car I've ever had. More than fast enough, even with "only" 340 bhp, fantastic handling (set up by Center Gravity and it had Ohlins Road & Track), and I loved the PDK gearbox too.
Secondly I loved the looks. All 911's look great, and I think the 997 and 993 models are the prettiest of them all.
Thirdly it sounded good - even without the CGR sports exhaust I thought it was a lovely mechanical sound, especially at higher revs.
Finally and fourthly, I thought it was very well built, with a solid, quality feel to the cabin, great paintwork and no squeaks or rattles.
So what's not to like? One big thing and a couple of little issues. The little issues are tyre roar at motorway speeds, a rather firm ride around bumpy urban roads, and the standard ride height is way too high.
But the big negative was this: where I live (Southampton / Portsmouth) you simply cannot stretch a car's legs. Even a lovely road like the A32 is limited to 50 mph. If you do find a good road that isn't policed, it's so busy round here that you very soon end up stuck behind Brian in his Lexus pootling his way back from the garden centre, with a dozen similar cars in a convoy behind Brian so there's no way past.
Put simply: South East Hampshire is so congested that there's no point in having a fast car. And a Porsche 911 isn't a particularly good car to drive slowly. When Mrs COB and I retire to the country, I'll get another 911 - probably a 993 that you can enjoy at sensible speeds.
If it's OK I'll stay on this forum in the meantime - this really is the best motoring forum I've ever been on; very informative and friendly. If anyone's interested, my next car is a C63 AMG Merc estate (W204), simply because they won't let us have 6.2 V8 engines for very much longer. And because it's a great car to drive at modest speeds, and because it sounds EPIC.
Regards to all, Mike.
Right, firstly - this was the best driver's car I've ever had. More than fast enough, even with "only" 340 bhp, fantastic handling (set up by Center Gravity and it had Ohlins Road & Track), and I loved the PDK gearbox too.
Secondly I loved the looks. All 911's look great, and I think the 997 and 993 models are the prettiest of them all.
Thirdly it sounded good - even without the CGR sports exhaust I thought it was a lovely mechanical sound, especially at higher revs.
Finally and fourthly, I thought it was very well built, with a solid, quality feel to the cabin, great paintwork and no squeaks or rattles.
So what's not to like? One big thing and a couple of little issues. The little issues are tyre roar at motorway speeds, a rather firm ride around bumpy urban roads, and the standard ride height is way too high.
But the big negative was this: where I live (Southampton / Portsmouth) you simply cannot stretch a car's legs. Even a lovely road like the A32 is limited to 50 mph. If you do find a good road that isn't policed, it's so busy round here that you very soon end up stuck behind Brian in his Lexus pootling his way back from the garden centre, with a dozen similar cars in a convoy behind Brian so there's no way past.
Put simply: South East Hampshire is so congested that there's no point in having a fast car. And a Porsche 911 isn't a particularly good car to drive slowly. When Mrs COB and I retire to the country, I'll get another 911 - probably a 993 that you can enjoy at sensible speeds.
If it's OK I'll stay on this forum in the meantime - this really is the best motoring forum I've ever been on; very informative and friendly. If anyone's interested, my next car is a C63 AMG Merc estate (W204), simply because they won't let us have 6.2 V8 engines for very much longer. And because it's a great car to drive at modest speeds, and because it sounds EPIC.
Regards to all, Mike.