911 thoughts please gentlemen.

Page may contain affiliate links. Please see terms for details.

isojet

Member
Joined
Sep 4, 2011
Messages
42
Location
Sunny Wales
Car
E350 cdi Sport.
Hi all Mercedes happy folk out there, I've got a little question that I'd like to have others feed back if it's ok, now I know I could be burned at the stake for mentioning other manufacturers on this site But, I've recently sold my E350 sport with the intension of purchasing an SL as it's only the two of us now and we can manage happily with a two seater, we also run a golf as a workhorse (good car), I've spent the last week reviewing porsche's as probably my last sports car, a 997 (911) on an 07/08 plate and it would have to be the 3.8 S, but for the same money I can get a 60 plate SL, ok the merc will depreciate a lot faster than the Porsche but these cars are so different I really can't decide between them, Porsche a true thorough bred sports car, Mercedes SL maybe the best GT in the world. Has any other member owned these two together or had both cars and could give my their opinion of which one they preferred. Thanks. Mark.
 
Hello


Really depends what YOU want, my dad has a fun car for sunny days etc and he really thought he wanted a Porsche. He was after a 996 C4S (the wide bodied one). Look great. However having has merc since I was little....

Myself and brother were sure he wouldn't like the hard ride, the fact it would want to be driven. Silly things like he like cruise where it is and hates other cars when its on the wheel etc etc.


In the end he bought SL500 after looking at a lot of SL55's (as all the SL55's for what ever reason were unloved?)


He loves it, looks like a SL55 as has the full kit and quad pipes, buttons and controls he is used to. 30mpg on a run and with roof up its a hard top. So best of both worlds.
 
I have sold a 997 this summer and bought a 95 e300d as I loved them as a youth.The spiralling insurance premium was the catalyst.
I loved every minute of ownership,except when the indie dropped the end of the boroscope in the cylinder with the buyer on route from Newcastle with the money.

It was quick,rewarding comfortable and surprisingly practical.Everyday costs were low,indies were good and resale strong.

Try to get a gen 2 car (sept 08 on)with the led lights and the drl.as these had a revised engine that went some way to mitigating the problems with M91 ims and bore scoring.

The main dealer warranty is bumper to bumper and relatively cheap given the potential costs engine 18k,PDK 15k but the terms are a touch restrictive.

Buy and enjoy is my vote.


Edit 911.co.uk is a great resource.
 
Last edited:
if you get a 997, make sure it's Gen II (as said above, with LED rear lights and LED DRLs) as they have the new Direct Fuel Injection engines, which don't have the engine problems of old. No serious reported failures of DFi cars.

you need to decide what you want, a sports car or a grand tourer.
 
Get a Nissan GT-R instead



Chavtastic!
chav.gif
 
If you're going for a water cooled Porsche, why have the rear engined variety when the front engined ones are so much cheaper - and just as much fun. If you want stupid amounts of grunt etc, a 5l 928. I've had a 944lux - fun, but not particularly comfortable or quick. A 944S - big mistake. A 968 tip coupe, fabulous - only sold it as I had to scratch the cabriolet itch, so have a 968 tip cab now. Low depreciation and running costs, real eye turner - and you get appreciation for a rare unusual car instead of ignored or "porsche plonker" looks.
 
If you're going for a water cooled Porsche, why have the rear engined variety when the front engined ones are so much cheaper - and just as much fun. If you want stupid amounts of grunt etc, a 5l 928. I've had a 944lux - fun, but not particularly comfortable or quick. A 944S - big mistake. A 968 tip coupe, fabulous - only sold it as I had to scratch the cabriolet itch, so have a 968 tip cab now. Low depreciation and running costs, real eye turner - and you get appreciation for a rare unusual car instead of ignored or "porsche plonker" looks.
Thanks it's certainly something to think about, problem is I actually really like the look on the 911S, but I'll definitely have a good look first, fed up of loosing thousands every year on the mercs I'm buying, ok thanks for the tip :thumb:
 
I love them to bits
 
Last edited:
Chavtastic!
chav.gif

How so?

It destroys pretty much everything else on the road yet costs peanuts against other supposed 'better' cars.

To the OP, get the SL, no-one over 35 looks quite right driving a Porsche.
 
GT-R is the nuts....love um
 
I thought the problems with the scoring cylinders was fixed on the 911 from 2004 onwards, I haven't heard of any issue's with engine failure on the 997 version.
 
I thought the problems with the scoring cylinders was fixed on the 911 from 2004 onwards, I haven't heard of any issue's with engine failure on the 997 version.

My brother had a 2005 997 Carrera (gen 1) and it suffered engine issues earlier this year, think the repair bill was in the region of £12k, thankfully it was covered by his Porsche warranty.

He has now moved that car on and picked up his new 991 last week. The 991 feels much bigger and more GT like than the 997.
 
I thought the problems with the scoring cylinders was fixed on the 911 from 2004 onwards, I haven't heard of any issue's with engine failure on the 997 version.

997 has well known engine issues...bore scoring being one of the main ones. The usual tell tale sign is a sooty left hand exhaust and when its getting bad a haze of blue smoke.

As has been said go for a later direct injection engine from late 2008+
 
I've had 2 911's albeit 996 varients, i had a huge amount of fun in them, a real drivers car but my current SL is quick enough and more of a tourer which i like..... I would definately consider a later 997 Turbo S though... Not too keen on the 991 yet..
 
I looked seriously at 911s after having 2 SLs but found them too small & go-kart like.

Went for a V8 Vantage instead which lasted about 10 months (biggest let down of my life) - looked closely again at a 911 (all convertibles btw) & again confirmed it too small/dark so went for the SL63 & absolutely love it.

No doubt the 911 is the sports car of the two (as was the Aston) but it's so rarely you get even close to really being able prove the difference, why bother about it - go for comfort, space and lots of effortless grunt :thumb:
 
911

I have a 911 996 C2 Cab as well as a W211 E240 that I've had for nearly six years. Before buying the Porsche as a treat to use as a 'Sunday' car I looked at the SL amongst others e.g. Nissan 370z as I have always been a 'Mercedes Man'

I test drove two SL's both the 350 and 500 and thought they were really nice cars, but and here's the 'Big But', I could have been in my E Class with the sunroof and windows open. From the drivers seat they looked the same, roughly felt the same Ok with more power, but roughly similar. Neither gave me the OMG feeling I was after.

Now the Porsche OMG OMG OMG! Brilliant car. Totally a different experience, the Mercedes is brilliant at what it does and the Porsche is brilliant at what that does.

I nearly did buy the SL500, went on a test drive, got back to the dealers and said to the salesman its nice but i'm not sure between an SL and the 911.

Salesman looked at me and said 'Sir, gentlemen of our age (I'm 58) should be seen in a gentlemen's express not a lout like a 911'.

So the 911 it was and i'm glad.
 

Users who are viewing this thread

Back
Top Bottom