What will be as good as 997 that seats 3, help!

[bowlane]

Guys I have to sell my 997S gen 1 cab. It has been my sole family car (10 year old twins-single parent) for two years. I LOVE driving it every day, great on the school run and on the open road.

I need a reliable car that seats 3, run to drive and reliable. Took out the Panamera and found it huge and dull to drive especially the steering. Tried a merc C63 AMG and again not as special as the 997.
Budget £60k, prefer used.

Suggestions?

 

[dereksharpuk]

Define good! Though I have a 430 Spider in my garage, interestingly I actually LOVE my Q3 (Macan prototype). I can see round corners when driving the Cotswold lanes (sit up high), so carry more speed than the wide F430, it is very comfortable, full of technology (Google Streets etc), I get full control of the vehicle with 7-speed PDK, loads of room inside, though it is smaller than a 997, I get 52.5 mpg and 650 miles per tank, it has a 40 GB hard drive so I have 8 squillion CDs downloaded, the Sat Nav is light years better than PCM, I have park assist front and rear so hopefully will not reverse into the Ferrari and it has more torque than a 997 so loads of umph. Though it is not a sports car, it is quick, comfortable, spacious and, above all, FUN.

 

[dereksharpuk]

ps, For £60K, you could have a Q3 and a year old Boxster. Now there is a thought! []

 

[944s2]

Audi RS comes to mind[]

 

[bowlane]

Thanks Derek. For me good in a car: 1. Brings a smile on my face even before turning on the ignition. 2. Responsive to drive, good feedback on the steering and can overtake the caravan in front effortlessly. 3. Happy to sit in traffic for 30 minutes during the school run. 4. Starts every time even if you have left it for 2 weeks. 5. Doesn't loose 10k a year! Ideally would like ONE car, feel bad enough about the environmental impact on one sports car, let alone 2! James

 

[Rodney Naghar]

Maserati Quattroporte

 

[al@broadway]

Audi RS4

 

[944s2]

[]

 

[flat6]

Hi bowlane The assumption is that you want extra space, or at least that's the assumption i've made. However, where do you need the extra space? Legroom for the kids? Headroom for the kids? Extra luggage space? The 997 seats 3 does it not (at a push []). Are the kids sqabbling over who gets the front seat? I'd like to think I could talk you round to keeping the 997 if you found the Panamera dull to drive[]. Where would you go from there...

 

[Lancerlot]

Jaguar XF 5.0 V8 Supercharged XFR Auto 510 BHP 625 NM 0-60 4.7 secs. Top Speed 155. Maybe? Regards, Clive

 

[dereksharpuk]

Naaaaaah, think outside the box. Audi Q3 + 1 yr old Cayman [] Great FUN both [] Some years ago I made the case in Posche Post ('The Perfect Pair' April 2009) that a small economical car + a Porsche Boxster combined were cheaper to run than just a Porsche Boxster on its own. The calculations were based on the fact that a Ford Ka (not as bad a vehicle as you might think) was very cheap to run, the insurance for both was low as the mileage on the Porsche could be reduced and thus also residuals would be higher (the main cost of new Porsche ownership). Total outgoings were surprising lower for the two. Of course I'm all talk and no trousers because I soon got fed up with 75% of my driving in the Ford Ka, no matter how good it was. So I bought a Mini Cooper (well 5 actually since 2002). Trouble is, they now are expensive for what they are, the residuals are no longer cast iron and other manufacturers have caught up. Indeed, the funkyness has worn off. Anyway I now run a brilliant small SUV as my main vehicle and have bought a 'high days & holidays' Supercar purely for fun. All that said, I do remember going down to Cornwall on holiday in my 996 Targa with girlfriend, two teenager daughters, luggage and two surfboards. So a 997 can suffice []

 

[Dylan1]

as you have said before derek-in these very pages-!!-life is way too short to drive boring economical cars for even a moment let alone regularly[] I tried driiving one of the kids aygos that was hanging around unused for a few weeks and was bored senseless so got back in the daily porsche asap. i would persevere with the 997 and wait a year or two till the 991 nearly new fall ti 60k(as it feels to be more spacious ) or go for an M3 GTS??(sacrilege i know)

 

[speedy_un]

Isn't the Macan based on the Q5, not the Q3?

 

[bowlane]

Great suggestions! I test drove a Maserati Quattroporte, looks fab and sounds out of this world. Not convinced about the reliability and the electrics on the showroom car were playing up (not a good sign). M3 GTS doesn't have any back seats. M3 amazing car but very common and look like any other 3 series rep car. I live in London and having two cars is not ideal. Life is too short to drive a dull runaround. The leg room and especially the rake of the back seats (think the cab is worse than the coupe) is what my kids are complaining about. Could survive another 6 months but not much longer. Perhaps a Cayenne GTS, anyone driven one?

 

[dereksharpuk]

ORIGINAL: speedy_un Isn't the Macan based on the Q5, not the Q3?

Well yes, that is what the motoring press have stated. However, the Q5 (especially the revised model) is almost as big as a Cayenne. I'm positive that Porsche will want to produce a smaller vehicle than a Cayenne and a sporty one at that. So, my guess (backed up by a couple of comments from Porsche) that it will be based on the Q3, which actually is not that small. Mind you, the Press did say that the baby Cayenne would be called Cajun []

 

[dereksharpuk]

ORIGINAL: bowlane Perhaps a Cayenne GTS, anyone driven one?

Yes I have, but prefer the Cayenne Diesel. Why not buy a Porsche Macan? If you, like me, cannot wait, buy a Q3. []

 

[Spy]

I haven't driven a Cayenne but I did recently buy a Range Rover Sport. I know it's not a Porsche but it should be on your short-list. It is a great car. I already liked its commanding height and purposeful looks but there is something special about it. I can't put my finger on it but everyone time I drive it, it puts a smile on my face. Yes, the centre console is a little plasticky and could be better but the rest of it is great. I would highly recommend you pop down to your local Land Rover dealer and take one out for a test drive. I have the 3.6 TDV8 Sport but if your mileage and wallet can handle it, the V8 Supercharged version should provide a pretty impressive turn of speed. I liked the full fat Range Rover as well but felt that the Sport offered better handling and cornering on roads at the expense of a slightly reduced off road ability.

 

[pwebb]

ORIGINAL: Spy I haven't driven a Cayenne but I did recently buy a Range Rover Sport. I know it's not a Porsche but it should be on your short-list. It is a great car. I already liked its commanding height and purposeful looks but there is something special about it. I can't put my finger on it but everyone time I drive it, it puts a smile on my face. Yes, the centre console is a little plasticky and could be better but the rest of it is great. I would highly recommend you pop down to your local Land Rover dealer and take one out for a test drive. I have the 3.6 TDV8 Sport but if your mileage and wallet can handle it, the V8 Supercharged version should provide a pretty impressive turn of speed. I liked the full fat Range Rover as well but felt that the Sport offered better handling and cornering on roads at the expense of a slightly reduced off road ability.

Yes, test drive the RR and then test drive a Diesel Cayenne. There's no contest IMO.

 

[Spy]

Haven't driven one but if you don't need as much space as a RR and would like something different in the style dept. you could try out the LR Evoque

 

[jonnyp1]

Maybe seen as a bit bling or footballers car, but what about a Bentley Conti GT? Loads of room in back and boot and make a good noise. Mind you the new V8 has amazing sound on top gear the other week