Boosted BRZ/FR-S vs 997 Carrera S

[Grip Ronin]

Originally Posted by WolfpackS2k

Not trying to be argumentative but the drivetrain is almost 100% identical to 987.2.


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except for pdk shift times. its wayyyy faster and responsive on the new ones. ill check next time i get a 987.2 in.

[EAGLE5]

911 turbo tires are easily twice the price of an frs set. Clutch replacement is easier and cheaper on the frs. Less complexity and less speed lead to less cost. The frs is a lot like a modern 944.

[roybotnik]

Yes, you caught me, I'm on a personal quest to stop BRZ and FR-S owners from buying Porsche 911s.

I don't think I was taken advantage of, the car had the same problems almost any performance car I've owned has had and the parts/labor cost more. Book hours on a clutch install is 16 hours *shrug*, luckily I knew an indy in PA that did it for 6. I generally turn my own wrench and did suspension, brakes, trans bushings, engine mounts, oil changes, etc but don't have the space to do much more.

Look around on rennlist and read about coolant pipes popping out of the GT3 and 911TT motors, broken/warped CF, trans replacements, diff replacements, coolant leaks, failed slave cylinder/pressure accumulators, rattly/creaky interiors, failed spoiler hydraulics, and the much-hated PCM. You don't have to search hard. They can be fun but be aware of what you can get into.

http://rennlist.com/forums/997-turbo...eak-issue.html
http://rennlist.com/forums/997-turbo...th-clutch.html
http://sharkwerks.com/porsche/techni...urbo-cars.html

[Turbowned]

If I keep my BRZ I need to drop $1000 on tires for this season; the RE-11's are almost done. On the other hand, the 911 I'm looking at has brand new PS2's and brand new rotors and pads all around. Of course, if I get the 911 I'm going to drop $1400 getting the IMS retrofit for peace-of-mind, so I guess it levels out.


The other thing about my situation is that I also have an Audi RS6 that I will be replacing. I'm not strictly talking about going up to a 911 from a BRZ. My biturbo V8 gas guzzler that's expensive to maintain and insure will be gone, too. I wish, *WISH* I could keep both because the RS6 is SUCH an awesome car that's been an absolute treat to own. I'm not that rich, however; she'll be replaced in favor of a newer A4.

[tahdizzle]

Originally Posted by Turbowned

If I keep my BRZ I need to drop $1000 on tires for this season; the RE-11's are almost done. On the other hand, the 911 I'm looking at has brand new PS2's and brand new rotors and pads all around. Of course, if I get the 911 I'm going to drop $1400 getting the IMS retrofit for peace-of-mind, so I guess it levels out.


The other thing about my situation is that I also have an Audi RS6 that I will be replacing. I'm not strictly talking about going up to a 911 from a BRZ. My biturbo V8 gas guzzler that's expensive to maintain and insure will be gone, too. I wish, *WISH* I could keep both because the RS6 is SUCH an awesome car that's been an absolute treat to own. I'm not that rich, however; she'll be replaced in favor of a newer A4.

RS4 is coming to the US.

[roybotnik]

I think if you do the IMS retrofit you should be fine. The Carrera has a different engine that doesn't have the coolant pipe problem and the clutch does definitely last longer. You will probably discover some interior creaks and rattles and the PCM is definitely a pain point if you get a car older than 2009. If you're fine with this and you like the feel of the 911 then you should go for it.

Sorry for going off the deep end a bit but I think there's a bit of a myth around Porsches being super reliable and I get a little worked up when I see it. These cars going for 40 and 50k were nearly $100k new after all.

[Pat]

Well, let's face it: reliability is a normally a relative measure in conversations. That said, aren't Porsches typically at or near the top of reliability ratings most of the time? That's not to say they don't have problems, but I believe they have fewer than most other cars.

[Tgionet]

http://www.thetruthaboutcars.com/201...-200000-miles/
Porsches are certainly reliable when compared to similar low volume sports cars, but they're certainly no Camry, and out of warranty things are Porsche expensive.

[bfrank1972]

Originally Posted by Tgionet

http://www.thetruthaboutcars.com/201...-200000-miles/
Porsches are certainly reliable when compared to similar low volume sports cars, but they're certainly no Camry, and out of warranty things are Porsche expensive.

The thing about it (and I think it's pretty obvious) is that all cars break - some more often than others, but you have to account for repair costs when things to break. For a Porsche, parts are much more expensive, labor rates are higher, and often times labor for jobs is higher because of the compact packaging in a 911 (it's not an old chevy).

That said, Turbowned is moving from an RS6, and the Porsche will likely be more reliable than that car. Costs of parts and consumables will probably be on par, with the Audi possibly going through brakes and tires faster - so for him I'd say it's not an increase in cost of ownership.

[WolfpackS2k]

Just for a frame of reference, at my local dealership (Leith Porsche in Cary), an oil change is $250 (Pennzoil) or $300 (MobilOne). Doing it yourself costs roughly $80 (9 quarts of MobilOne and $25 Porsche filter).

They quoted me $1250 last year to replace my front pads, rotors and sensors. I'll be doing it myself Saturday afternoon for $570 in parts (all Porsche OEM parts).

Did my spark plugs last month - cost $50 for the plugs. Took me 4 hours; no idea what the dealership charges.

I've heard the clutch on a Cayman S can cost $2000-4000, depending on where you take it.

And while Porsches are generally better maintained than say, a Chevy Malibu, they are still sturdy reliable cars.

JD Power rating #1: http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2010/0...21.html#s74578
TUV 10-11 year durability rating #1: http://www.thetruthaboutcars.com/201...reliable-cars/

(sorry couldn't find anything newer).

[Sideways&Smiling]

Originally Posted by WolfpackS2k

Just for a frame of reference, at my local dealership (Leith Porsche in Cary), an oil change is $250 (Pennzoil) or $300 (MobilOne). Doing it yourself costs roughly $80 (9 quarts of MobilOne and $25 Porsche filter).

They quoted me $1250 last year to replace my front pads, rotors and sensors. I'll be doing it myself Saturday afternoon for $570 in parts (all Porsche OEM parts).

Did my spark plugs last month - cost $50 for the plugs. Took me 4 hours; no idea what the dealership charges.

I've heard the clutch on a Cayman S can cost $2000-4000, depending on where you take it.

And while Porsches are generally better maintained than say, a Chevy Malibu, they are still sturdy reliable cars.

JD Power rating #1: http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2010/0...21.html#s74578
TUV 10-11 year durability rating #1: http://www.thetruthaboutcars.com/201...reliable-cars/

(sorry couldn't find anything newer).

That's still quite a bit of monies doing it all yourself. I'll stick with the S2000 and add forced induction. :P

[Turbowned]

Originally Posted by tahdizzle

RS4 is coming to the US.

Don't you mean the RS3? I'm intrigued but I don't think I could justify spending $60k+ on something built on the Golf platform... I already cringe a little thinking about a $40k Golf R...

[Turbowned]

It's worth mentioning that I finally drove a Vortech Supercharged FR-S the other night. I was thoroughly impressed with the power delivery of the centrifugal supercharger on the car. With the HKS header and 2.5" exhaust it really felt like driving a car with an extra 1.5L of displacement. It also rode a lot better than my car, which is impressive for having only $1300 coilovers. Still not quite as good as the Carrera S as an overall package, but a whole load of fun nonetheless! I think had I actually carried out with my S/C install, especially with the smaller pulley and water/meth injection, I would not have looked back.

[EAGLE5]

Was at the track today. A 2006 Boxster S owner talked about the $8000 rebuild he had done. Just a rebuild. Not a built engine. Just a flipping rebuild. But it runs great at 100k miles! Course the dealer wanted 20k for the job.