Honda S2000 Or Porsche 911?

[Fiona]

As some of you may know I'm changing my daily car (Punto Sporting) October/November time for something more fitting for a lady of my status .

 

I've more or less decided on a Honda S2000 but a small part of me still thinks it is tooooo understated. I keep hovering around the Porsche boards on Pistonheads looking at late 80s 911s but would this be suicide as:

• it must be reliable
  
• needs to do 80 miles a day all weather
  
• I leave early enough to sit at *ahem* 90 mph all the way to work on the M1 which suits me fine
  

I have a budget of £20k for trade (so hoping to spend about £19k).

 

I've never looked at a Porsche before so I could never tell a good one from a bad. Aren't they beautiful, though: http://www.pistonheads.com/pipe/17d1911e98...ics/20951-1.jpg

 

 

S2000 is the easy option but just not as appealing.

 

Fiona

[Dixie]

I think porkers are supposed to be a good reliable motor. End of the day there German so they’re really well screwed together. They can be a bit pricey to service and maintain but places like GSF and Euro Car parts are making it more affordable.

 

I would imagine the 911 would cruise the motorways better than a S2000.

 

At the end of the day the 911 is one of the best looking sports cars ever made! Although, i would try and fine a 90-on model. The one with the integrated bumpers looks a little more modern.

 

That’s my 2p anyhow.

 

Oh, and you get to say, "I drive a Porsche” and not "a Honda"!!!!

[Ladders]

Gee, tough decision! Porsche!

[thub]

It has been said that one should own a 911 once in one's life, so maybe this is the time?

[GCCK]

Esprit!

[MattyB]

Porsche all the way....but I'd be tempted to spend a little more and get a 993 ... cant imagine the 964's are cheap to run now they are getting on a bit...

[Ladders]

The only thing that stopped me getting one and getting a Liz instead was incase the engine let go or anything else major! It's one thing buying them but you need to be able to run them as well!

[tazbaz69]

well its nice when u can offord the option i guess, considering i,m 24 yrs old and can only just cope with the elise at a push. :-(

[Fiona]

Gotta work hard for it, tho Taz. .

 

On the contrary, there was no way I could have afforded an Elise at 24.

 

Running costs are a big factor. That's what worries me about a relatively high mileage Porsche. Hadn't thought about an Esprit but they're a bit "blokey" aren't they?

 

Fiona

[Ladders]

and a 911 isnt blokey!

 

Still, I can't afford an Elise at 28!

[halfpenny]

Hey Fiona

 

I actually sold a 911 for my Elise !

 

Basically having lived abroad for 7 years, coming back to the UK with high insurance prices, high petrol costs, and road tax - I needed something cheaper for my daily car.

 

I had a 964 Carrera 2, built from 1990 - 1993. Gorgeous car.....sniff......but damm expensive and needed lots doing to it.

With the 964, themost important things are service history and engine re-builds.

Most 964 will have covered upwards of 80k miles and a top-end rebuild at least would be recomended if not already done.

The cars from late 91' had seals on the engine, but the pre 91' models were a metal to metal seal which over time distort causing oil leaks.

Dual mass fly wheels are also costly and will probably require a new clutch too.

Car will do around 20MPG, and if you goto a good independent (I used Formula Fuchs and can recommend them !) a full service will be about £200 (13 litres of quality oil is a lot of the cost !)

 

I plan to run the Liz for a couple more years and then go for a nice 993 model 911 (the last of the air cooled).

 

Buy a 911Porsche World mag - loads of good advice and some nice examples for sale.

 

Hope this helps.

Steven

[Scott_Mac]

Porsche's are gay, ugly, and driven by tossers.

 

 

Buy an Esprit, all the way... you'd get an R Plate GT3 with the revised dash for that budget... much cooler car!

[Fiona]

There's Scott sitting on the fence again........

 

Did you manage to get any trackday insurance, fellow young-un? I didn't

 

Fiona

[Scott_Mac]

Haven't been on track for a while so haven't tried.

 

I shall be checking alternative insurers though when renewal time comes, though i suspect tesco will reign supreme - you could always try Eggar Lawson as your main insurer, probably good for your trackday case too i guess.

 

As for sitting on the fence, I like to make my points nice and vague

[Fiona]

Tried Eggar Lawson. Over £1.5k. Elephant gave me £570 odd with mods. Hope I don't have to use them, tho.

 

Fiona