997 - Ferrari comparison

[Alex L]

ORIGINAL: bobfair

Chris Harris has done two very good videos comparing GT3RS with 458.

Well worth a look in my view

http://www.evo.co.uk/videos/supercarvideos/251458/ferrari_458_italia_v_porsche_911_gt3_rs.html

Really good video. Many thanks for posting the link Bob!

 

[aardvark1614]

I tested a Ferrari 458 last week and a 997 GT3 latest model at Silverston Track Porsche Experiance for a day ( by the way you can request to take the cars on public roads ).

The 458, in white, was pure drama - just eye catching in a way Ferrari's are. The build quality was way ahead of previous Ferrari's including the latest California which I found dissapointing.

The 458 drives like no other Ferrari with direct steering and feedback. It is sensational with power at any revs, fabulous ride quality, fast gearbox and quiet when on a constant throttle, but the noise when pressing the right peddle turns heads several mile away - people were looking around way before the car arrived - and the noise is either special or it will get on your nerves, for me it is special but would become 'present' on a long journy.

The interior build integrity was significantly up on previous models with the seat particularly good - they can be ordered in small, medium or large.

The one question I had is about the styling, is it too Dan Dare and age quickly? Well I think it is in the eye of the beholder but congratulations to Ferrari as they have been bold. It is a keeper I think

The GT3 also demonstrated Porsche improved build integrity, the interior was very well put together. The driving dynamics just sensational with feedback at max levels leaving no doubt what the car was doing, what an engine and noise. The only engineering critism was a baulk between 3rd and 2nd or 2nd and 1st, can't remember. It is a great 911 and arguably value for money at £95k whereas the 458 is £170k ish plus £15k of upgrades say £190k - a lot of Queenies Greenies.

Porsche do need to bring the styling of the 911 into the modern age but value for money, yes. Ferrari - pure drama dynamically and visually.

 

[mnk303]

ORIGINAL: aardvark1614

I tested a Ferrari 458 last week and a 997 GT3 latest model at Silverston Track Porsche Experiance for a day ( by the way you can request to take the cars on public roads ).

The 458, in white, was pure drama - just eye catching in a way Ferrari's are. The build quality was way ahead of previous Ferrari's including the latest California which I found dissapointing.

The 458 drives like no other Ferrari with direct steering and feedback. It is sensational with power at any revs, fabulous ride quality, fast gearbox and quiet when on a constant throttle, but the noise when pressing the right peddle turns heads several mile away - people were looking around way before the car arrived - and the noise is either special or it will get on your nerves, for me it is special but would become 'present' on a long journy.

The interior build integrity was significantly up on previous models with the seat particularly good - they can be ordered in small, medium or large.

The one question I had is about the styling, is it too Dan Dare and age quickly? Well I think it is in the eye of the beholder but congratulations to Ferrari as they have been bold. It is a keeper I think

The GT3 also demonstrated Porsche improved build integrity, the interior was very well put together. The driving dynamics just sensational with feedback at max levels leaving no doubt what the car was doing, what an engine and noise. The only engineering critism was a baulk between 3rd and 2nd or 2nd and 1st, can't remember. It is a great 911 and arguably value for money at £95k whereas the 458 is £170k ish plus £15k of upgrades say £190k - a lot of Queenies Greenies.

Porsche do need to bring the styling of the 911 into the modern age but value for money, yes. Ferrari - pure drama dynamically and visually.

A very good fair review, I would add now that I have a GT3 RS that the sense of occasion is on par with Ferrari but not so romantic (more thug), sound wise I have to say I feel the GT3 RS is certainly as crowd pulling. I took mine to Goodwood breakfast club this week with my Ferrari and Porsche mates and parked next to a 430 and 360 Spider, the crowd was "always round the GT3 RS" I was nagged and pestered all day and my mates said they just did not know any Porsche could generate so much attention, even the bikers kept giving the thumbs up!
Must agree to a point Porsche need to move on a bit need to stretch the 911 or do what they are doing with the 918 hybrid (mind you £400K ) is too much. The EVO review is getting a lot of positive attention and rightly so, its really honest and shows the two car differences, not the normal Clarkson rubbish type. The bottom line can also be said on price , the 458 will always end up costing about £180K min, Ferrari owners will do no more than 1000 miles each year, spend 3-4 times more than the equivalent Porsche owner on repairs and service cost.
The 458 is just not a £60K better car, no way. As an object of beauty maybe, but as a drivers car where the driver feels part of it, it too does not do it, after all most 458's will rarely see a track and will be garaged for 90% of the year. What a pity.


I did a little You tube Video of it as there are very few good static videos of the GT3 RS (please excuse my poor video skills) http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ojXaimewNgE

 

[pwebb]

ORIGINAL: mnk303

The bottom line can also be said on price , the 458 will always end up costing about £180K min, Ferrari owners will do no more than 1000 miles each year, spend 3-4 times more than the equivalent Porsche owner on repairs and service cost.
The 458 is just not a £60K better car, no way. As an object of beauty maybe, but as a drivers car where the driver feels part of it, it too does not do it, after all most 458's will rarely see a track and will be garaged for 90% of the year. What a pity.

I've never quite understood the mileage thing - you pay for a beautiful machine like that and don't use it? 1,000 miles a year - that's less than 20 miles a week! Reminds me of the 997 register visit to Sunseeker where our host mentioned that a lot of their customer's multi million pound boats have to have their fuel tanks emptied and refilled every year as part of the servicing because they haven't been used at all and the diesel is stale.

At least Clive is the exception to the rule and uses his Scud as intended. Top man.

 

[dereksharpuk]

Interesting thing this mileage question. I have never driven my Porsches much... why? Because I was selling them at the end of the year and did not want to put many miles on them. OK, so that is flawed logic & I'll take the hit. Moreover, apart from battery problems (solved by a conditioner), one did not need to drive a Porsche every week.

Not so a 360. If you don't drive it, the track rod ends etc will suffer badly and you will spend a fortune in replacements. More importantly, because it is so special, because it sounds so fantastic, because it looks so good, I just want to drive it as much as I can. Additionally, it is old and thus will not depreciate much (if at all), especially as I ain't going to sell it. []

The Porsche? Oh yes, that is perfect for the Tesco run []

 

[lowndes]

ORIGINAL: pwebb



I've never quite understood the mileage thing - you pay for a beautiful machine like that and don't use it? 1,000 miles a year - that's less than 20 miles a week! Reminds me of the 997 register visit to Sunseeker where our host mentioned that a lot of their customer's multi million pound boats have to have their fuel tanks emptied and refilled every year as part of the servicing because they haven't been used at all and the diesel is stale.

At least Clive is the exception to the rule and uses his Scud as intended. Top man.

Of course in practice it is not done on a regular 20 miles a week. I did around 3,000 in year 1. So by the same calculation that would be 60 miles per week. In fact it comprised a 500 mile trip to Wales. A 1500 mile trip to Scotland and 1000 miles of 50-100 mile blasts. So let us say 20 trips per year. But once winter set in I didn't want to get it covered in salt and for several months it never moved at all. Then this year once the weather had started to improve I had become distracted so it still wasn't getting out, and I sold.

Now when it came to selling, did I get a good price for relatively low mileage. What do you think!

And you raise a telling point about Ferraris being beautiful machines. I agree. And because of this they seem too delicate and somehow unsuited to the hurly burly of UK traffic.

So I have some empathy with the low mileage Ferrari owners, it is easy to become one largely unintentionally. And all the more credit to Clive.

Porsche as a marque are completely the opposite. Hewn out of the solid and ready to take on anything you throw at it. I have just looked in my maintenance book. First service will be the earlier of 20k miles or 2 years at which time it will need an oil change, oil filter and particle filter. It is not the low cost I admire about that but rather the quality of the engineering that allows it to run for so long without attention. To me that is deeply impressive and most appealing.

Enough typing. Where are those keys? I need to get some more miles on the clock.

Cheers

 

[aardvark1614]

Sometimes I simply don't want to go out on my performance bike or in my Porsche, either because of destination, wet roads or feel like driving some thing less demanding. I have a softroader as a day car, relaxing and comfy, aaaaaahhh.

I have also been aware, in the past, that keeping the mileage in check supports residual value but have abandoned that notion as it is cheaper to hire your steed of choice to do low mileage.

I recently did a track day at Silverstone in a V12 Aston Vantage with car, entrance fee, instruction all day, fuel, insurance and tyres for £1000 - I was driving for 20 mins with 20 mins break ,if needed. Sounds expensive but I was in a new £135k car beating up the brakes and tyres with no inhibition at all. Stand on the brakes Sir, more throttle Sir, lovely squeal fron the tyres Sir!!! The exhaust noise at the rev limit Sir !!!!

Reckon taking my own car costs entrance £350, fuel £150, Ins. £125, tyre and brakes say £250, depreciation £1000/month blah blah. Also if you reckon on £12,000 depreciation per year that is a lot of Aston track days. But having the car in the garage at our disposal is what we rationalise.

So I now just do the mileage and ignore the impact on depreciation because it is difficult to exceed 6000/10,000 miles per year.

The 458 feels robust and drives like a GT3, reckon it would be difficult to keep it in a garage but we all hate depreciation.......