1SICKLEX

I was checking out the Dupont Registry and was surprised at how affordable a second hand Viper was. The car was always killer and the styling to this day=serious drool.

911 has always been a dream car of mine, the accolades are self explanatory.

Not exactly similar cars but not far off. Though a Turbo 911 has more grunt to go against the V-10 Viper.

Very intriguing to me, the Viper has suddenly grown on me, the GTS is my fav.

What would u do? I can't wait to hear Beltfed add his 2 cents...

Slimey

"Porsche...there is no substitute."





Depends on the model year of the Porsche though.

Edit: just saw the MY in the poll title. I'm partial to the earlier MYs, but still take any Porsche over a Viper.

Eggplant-EX

Porsche....

1SICKLEX

99 Porsche (new body style, 996 for gearheads) vs
98 Viper

Wait, just read the Evo VII MR is coming, for 31k. OMG.

2003TLSNKC

man if you are going to get a Porshce atleast get one of the last true Porsches, the air cooled ones. That styling is far better than the new one.

mclarenf3387

THe newer water cooled are much better than the old air-cooled.

I'd go porsche although a Viper is very tempting.

1SICKLEX

Well, I am not saying I am getting either one. And purists seem to like the circle headlight 911s and not the fried egg or L-shaped lights. Me, they all look fine. The 997 is going back to circulur lights.

mattg

how will either ever be able to compare to a lexus?

dallison

nsx would be my choice. better reliability and the parts would be a tad cheaper

Chaptorial

The viper is hot but i'd still take that 911. Just something about it.

mantis23

Viper GTS Please

flipwhip

viper

2003TLSNKC

And what makes them so much better, your own personal opinion?

mclarenf3387

Thats what I was told by a guy named Christian. He's a VERY HIGHLY respected member of the porsche club of america and contributes to their monthly publication. No, I don't have any experience with Porsche's myself, but I would trust this guys word more than most porsche mechanics, shade-tree mechanics, etc. He's been around the cars since he was my age (around 15 he said he started racing).

darrinb

911 tt

2003TLSNKC

Porsche changed from air cooled to water cooled due to noise and emissions legislation worldwide. This cause them to rethink its engine design. And really they were probably more oil cooled than air cooled, the oil cools the engine down a lot with the help from the air. Thats why they have so much oil in them, around 13l if i remember correctly.
The benefits of air cooled meant no frozen radiater in cold climates, kept engine maintainance down to a min-easy to work on, air cooled=very simple and yet very effective.
And if you look at reliablity reports, they are all rated the same air vs. water, no big improvement.
Air for purists

mclarenf3387

Like I said, I don't have much experience here (hey, I'm only 17). My father was talking to him once and he was asking him about which version, 993 or 996 he thought was better cause he was looking for a used cabrio. I don't doubt the air cooled had its advantages, but I don't doubt Christian either. Besides being highly revered by most Porsche Club of America members, the guys day job is building race porsches.

Johnny Rad

How much jack you talking? ~$30K?

What year 911 fits into that price range? Either would be a fun choice, but I would check into price of ownership, e.g.: servicing and insurance. Might be a push, but might also be a major downside to one of them.

2003TLSNKC

When i was growing up, i was around them all the time, we had 3 in the garage, a '75 911S my dad bought new that had only 20k miles on it when he sold it in '02, a '85 928S bought new that had 45k on it when he sold in in '00, and a '95 S4 that he still has, im no expert(just 25) but enjoy the air better than the water and there is a huge following that will agree.

kid_dr

Porsche! I was under the impression that Porsche went to the water cooled powerplant in order to improve power and efficiency (multivalve head, etc.). Anyway, the Viper most definitely has the muscle, but the refinement comes in the car from Germany. Want one? Buy this one!

http://www.autotrader.com/fyc/vdp.js...0&advcd_on=n&=

amisconception

Porsche.

pimpscls

get an older model turbo, thats my favortite porsche, juss classic man you can pick one up for 58k or so

Beltfed

Since a 996 Turbo is way more than a Viper, we are talking about a standard 996.

If its a daily driver for the most part.....C2

If its a toy......Viper GTS all day long.

The Viper GTS is simply a more fun to drive car. Takes a 996 Turbo to touch a GTS, a regular 911 is dog shit in comparison.

Let's not forget my gas station experience. Guy is gassing up his 996 and I pull up. Right when I get out he sais to me "Wow, that's what I should of bought, how do you like it." This was like a few months after I got the car.

Ant7701

No competition......PORSCHE!!!!!!

goldmemberer

Most of the impressing that you will do will be in a straight line, and the Viper is hard to touch in that category.

Also, if you can afford to drop a few grand, ANY kind of F/I on the Viper will nearly double your power and give you enough torque to change the way the Earth spins.

Handling isn't BAD by any means, but it's no Porsche. You decide what you want to do. Porsche seems more practical to me, but it's become a lot less of a stunner than a well maintained Viper.

I voted for the Porsche for some reason. Not sure why.

Crazy Bimmer

Im guessing the 911 can ourhandle the Viper.

So i say go for the 911

Beltfed

Do you people just enjoy talking out of your ass, not having a clue or is it just a habit?

A 996 Turbo pulls a .96-.97g and the Viper GTS pulls a .96-.97g ....what were you saying again?

I think the Viper speaks for itself from its racing history.

The Viper is an awesome handling car, not the easiest to control but a great handler regardless.

Its the same crap with a C5 Vette, morons are like yeah they're fast but they can't handle for shit.

Get a clue folks.

Crazy Bimmer

I said i was guessing....


I just repeat what i hear. I know friends who track their cars and they say Vipers arent that great. I dunno.

Beltfed

Nothing personal


Again, on the track the Viper is not the easiest car to drive......a Z06 for example is a much friendlier car to control (vs. the GTS). The new SRT-10 solves many of the issues the Gen II Viper had.

Once you get the hang of a GTS though, it definitely can hold its own.

chungkopi

porsche. i never liked the viper

lrutt

It's often been said that unless your loaded, you couldn't afford a Porsche even if it was given to you. Maintenance costs will kill you. Not so on the Viper.

I'd take the Viper.

scalbert

In addition to what was stated above, the GTS has pulled some of the fastest slalom times in most tests I have read. So not only can it hold a turn it can also transition from turn to turn.

GreenMonster

It all depends on what you're looking for. If all out hp and speed are what you're looking for then the Viper is an easy pick. I'm not really a big fan of the viper styling (I think it's too aggressive) but that just me.

I don't like the watercooled porsche styling (996), but the prices have dropped quite a bit on the early 996s (1999). The aircooled 993s are commanding higher prices then some comparible newer 996s. The aircooled diehards are having a tough time accepting a h20 porsche, so the resale values of 996s aren't as good as 993's in some cases.

I've done alot of research on this at the pelicanparts.com forums. Pelican has alot of older car owners, while the rennlist.com has great 993 and 996 forums.

30K won't get you into a 996 (unless it's mid to high 30s), but 30K will get you a a higher mile early 993 (50-70K miles). For 30K you can get a nice 964 with money to spare. These prices are for non-turbos, but you might be able to get a turbo 964 for 30something.

I haven't even mentioned the number 911 yet

With 30K in hand, my pick would be a 87-89 911 Carrera (these years have the g50 transmission). Only 15,000 or so of these were made, so prices have held steady ($17 to mid $20's).

The earlier 911 SC (78-83) are another good choice. These are available in the $10-20K (with 20K being a very low mileage garage queen).

I've always had a soft spot for the early 911's (pre-1974). These are the last porsche 911's that retain the original design of the first 911 (1965). For 30K you could buy 2 nice 911T's My favorite years are the 72-73 because they have the 915 tranny. You might find a early 911S for 30K, but since the S models are highly desired by collectors, finding a good one cheap doesn't happen very often.

On Maintenance/Upkeep: It's not going to be as cheap as maintaining a Honda If you can DIY most stuff, it's ain't that bad. An engine rebuild can easily exceed 7k, so it's very important to have a knowledgable garage preform a PPI (pre-purchase inspection) to make sure you don't end up with a money pit. If you're a backpocket mechanic (when something goes wrong, you reach for you wallet), a older porsche might not make much econonic sense, but that's the price of addmission.

As much as I love the classic styling of the 911s, the practical side of me says "Just buy a C5 vette". With the C6 production starting in July, price compression will make the older C5's quite attractive pricewise.

kid_dr

greenmonster,

You are very well informed - obviously a fellow Porschephile. Do you subscribe to the PML (Porsche Market Letter)? I think that you could have written Dean Batchelor's Porsche Buyer's Guide. Did you?

I think that another reason for the prices of 996s falling significantly has to do with the numbers sold. Porsche has been very successful selling new cars since the Boxster came along. My favorite body style is the 993 and I'm somewhat of a purist as well (love the air cooled cars), however, after owning a Boxster and Baby sitting an 01 Turbo for the past 3 months, the water cooled power plant and the new styling has grown on me. This car performs beyond my wildest dreams.

I love the look of the upcoming Boxster coupe!

TypeSKid

Get the porsche. German engineering at its finest.

Turboara

mmmmmm.... late 80s 911 carrera with the slim tail. One day I will get me one of those in black. A Viper GTS is killer, but I had no idea they were even remotely affordable.

astro

If you're talking 996 vs Viper, I'd take the Viper any day....however, if you're referring to the real 911's 993 or earlier, the Porsche is my choice.

I love my 993, and hope to have it forever.

CLpower

go 993TT you can find them in the 50's

Black CL-S 4-Life

911

bigman

depends on what you want. Both are expensive to maintain, both will catch attention and both are fast. The viper just does more of everything. Where i live i see 911's all day long. But, it's rare to see a viper. The procshe will be good for everyday driving and such, and the viper will be great for those weekends. They are two totally different cars that are for different walks of life. You can either be extreme and not care if your body recieves a beating with the viper, of be refined and drive your sports car everyday.