New GT86 vs. Used Porsche 997 911
 

I thought this was a very interesting comparison. Enjoy.

http://www.carthrottle.com/new-vs-us...7-porsche-911/

aside from being too short, not really talking about the cars as a whole and the likely fact that maintenance costs are different over there for a german car, this was interesting. its amazing what putting the engine behind the rear wheels will do for 0-60 times.

Here is a quote ... "It’s a car buying dilemma you might have experienced before: you’ve got a big enough budget to buy a decent, new car, but on the used market, you know you could get a whole lot more bang for your buck. With that in mind, we’re pitching the brilliant new GT86 against a slightly older Porsche 997 911. Both cost around £25k, but the question is, on which car would you rather spend the cash? "


I like both car because they are brilliant to drive but if I have the money I will get a Red 997 just to keep in the garage. The 86 is the one to enjoy daily :)


WTF, someone show me a good used 997 around 35k miles for $25k dollar ??? not in the US !

Because it is Europe. They have access to much cheaper used Porsche/BMW/Audi/Lotus/etc.

Test drove a 2007 911 S here in Canada at $56,000 and under 50,000 clicks. Insurance is actually about the same as the 86 but can't do it as its impossible to pick up people at the airport, pack for a camping trip or stuff your 5051 aluminum bike frame into the 911.

Yeah, any price comparisons done in Europe are useless for us in North America.
I continually see tv shows where they buy a used Porsche in the UK for nearly half of what the going rate is here.

The Carerra (or the Cayman / Boxster) is perhaps/arguably the best out-of-the-box sports car made; at an average price point below $100K US. However, how happy would you be as an owner if your new car price was $95K and 5-7 years later, the market is aound $35-45K. Most consistent rationale I've seen is the price of dealer-based maintenance and parts. Something to consider when looking into an out of warranty Porsche. The depreciation is not so bad on the Cayman / Boxster, but if anything, DIY maintenance is a bit more tricky.

Also, $25K in British Pounds is roughly $40K US, so that's roughly market price for a 2007 997S in the US.

Fantastic car once you sort your finances and mechanicals. Great performance and very good reliability. Not without their faults as any car, but they really do work well.

Yes, but in Europe the used Porsche is roughly $25K pounds and so is the brand new GT86. They are roughly the same price.

In America the used Porsche is nearly twice the price of a new FR-S or BRZ.

That is the point. It is not apples to apples here in North America, and kinda makes the comparison moot, and that is not even factoring in maintenance costs...

There's a reason why that Porsche is so cheap in the UK compared to some other Euro countries. They get raped in insurance and road tax so these kind of cars depreciate very quickly. If you intend to keep the Porsche for 2 years you would likely end up spending more money than if you bought 3 GT86 with maintenance and taxes.

And lower priced Porsches usually have a really bad maintenance history or very high mileage, so it's not a fair comparison to a brand new car without factoring in all the related risks.

That does change the arithmetic and perspective a bit: $40K US for a GT86 . . . Wow.

The popularity of the GT86, at least in the US I suppose, is do in no small measure to its relative affordability (performance capabilities and beautiful chassis/body notwithstanding).

Any idea how well the GT 86 is selling in Europe at that price point?

It is just the cost of new cars there when you factor in taxes, price differences, etc. The GT86 is about 1K pounds less than a brand new Golf GTI. A Focus ST starts at about 22K pounds and goes up to 27K pounds, etc..

Not sure how GT86 sales are doing, but I would expect pretty good based on how strong the reviews have been.

That brings up a different but related question: ever see a bad review of the GT86? I haven't scoured the press and internet sources too much since I was sold after my first test drive. But, I can't readily recall even a ho-hum review. Undoutedly any number of legit reviewers would want more power, better stock tires, etc., but I'm just not aware of any pans.

If the GT86 was sold here in the US for 40,000$ there is no way I would buy the car plain and simple. FR-S @ 25K is worth it.

What if a GTI cost $42,000; a Focus ST cost $35,000; Miata cost $40,000; 370z cost $50,000, etc.

Pricing is relative.