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I usually try to avoid this sort of thing (driving a 430 once reduced me to tears of desire), but I was generously invited, so off we went. After twelve miles of on-ramps, open four lane road, and some very nice, empty country twisties with 1/4 mile straights between, I parked it, got out, and said to myself, "Eh."

Call me a crackhead (go ahead, it's free), but I had the distinct impression that my little 280 hp / 1900 lb. Flyin' Miata was faster from 0-100. I don't have timing figures for the Miata, and maybe it's just the ass-six-inches-from-the-road shifter kart stance of the car that lends that impression, but I was underwhelmed by the acceleration in the Porsche. Strong, but by no means scary. For $142K, I think you ought to have to wear a diaper every time you fire it up. And my first thought in the first hard corner was, "This car would have to go straight to Ruf or Techart or Sportec for a new suspension". Significant perceptible body roll in a 911T? Who'd a thunk it?

The little red car is certainly a lot more fun to drive (I sold it to a friend and still get to drive it from time to time). The Miata is beautifully set up in every way, and you can control it in a corner with your right foot like no other car I ever owned. The 911T is no slouch, but it's pretty creepy when the stability managemement system takes over in the middle of a fast corner -- you think you're about to settle into a nice controllable drift, and all of a sudden the computer starts inducing these freaky little corrections. The car stays on course, but it feels like the Wizard of Oz is driving it from behind the curtain instead of you. You could turn that off, yeah, but sliding off into the oaks in a six-figure car will probably make you lie in bed staring at the ceiling for months.

All in all, a comforting reaffirmation of the 95% rule. A $5K used Miata with $15K in engine, suspension, and brake parts is at least as fun as the bad boy from Deutschland-- certainly 95% as fun, and maybe 125% as fun. And you don't get the laser eyes from the constables, nor have to listen to all the jokes (personal favorite: What's the difference between a Porsche and a porcupine? With a porcupine, all the pricks are on the outside.)

Don't try telling the rest of the world, but maybe money ain't everything.

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Talk about sheer acceleration!!!!!


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dwell on a material object....its not like asking someone to marry you or anything! Anyhoo...I'm thinking a motorcycle is a fair compromise for myself. I've always wanted one. I ride all of my friends bikes when I get a chance. I think a nice 07 CBR600 should let me off easily...financially. I can do some little things to the Bimmer (suspension, exhaust,M-sport bumpers, maybe a turbo kit in a few years. The inline 6 takes turbos nicely!)
Plus I'm gonna treat myself to some vacations and go to Munich this Sept - Oct I think and drink my face off! And visit a friend of mine who *tears* works for BMW Advanced Concept Design Center.....the lil bastid only works on concept cars! And he's seen the cool future models too! What a lucky...anyways. Well, there will always be a 911 in the future...maybe not just this year...maybe in 2 years!

But I like your vacations idea. As a geezer in the making, I have some nice memories. Loads more of them have to do with laughing with my friends, daughter, and sweetheart during a midnight dinner on the street in Spain than they do with a car.

Good luck, either way. May you get the cars, the girls -- <i>all</i> the good experiences and memories.

In order to remain pure in their adherence to their historical design DNA, they stick with a fundamentally ridiculous architecture. Then all of their engineering work is essentially a giant work-around to correct the bad behaviour brought about by that flawed design.

If you had the opportunity to do a clean-sheet design of a brand new car, would anyone start with the engine BEHIND the rear wheels?

A friend of mine who's an automotive journalist recently had a new 911 Targa for a test. I sat in it, looked it over, looked under the hood, etc. and was totally underwhelmed. The interior looked so-so bordering on cheap. There was an obvious flaw in the leather work on the driver's seat. The engine compartment looked like something you'd expect to see in a Ford Focus. On the plus side, the engine / exhaust note was an absolute thing of beauty.

I'll give Porsche credit for one thing, though. They're the best of any company in any business I know of at creating a "cachet" that people will pay for. A 911 is at least $50,000 overpriced - and people fall all over themselves to pay it! That's why a company with their miniscule volume has recently been rumoured to be negotiating a purchase of the entire VW-Audi group.

category that can provide the combination of pure ride &amp; steering dynamics, the functionality of a daily driver, and a weekend racer all in one package. <b> That's </b> what you pay for, surely at a high premium.

Though the CBR600 is probably even more likely to kill one of your friends. At least, in terms of "risk / mile", just about one of the most dangerous things you can do is borrow a buddy's bike and redline three gears.

get a Ford GT and have enough left to swap on a whipple for 700rwhp. Or for $42K you could get an Atom2 and still send your kid to Harvard.

Most people who hop on an unfamiliar motorcycle (especially a high performance one) are taking a really big risk. Not having experience on a particular bike and riding it hard right out of the gate is a sure recipe for disaster. There are certainly exceptions to this rule, but I'm not friends with many Moto GP riders. Um, none actually.

So instead of the inherently unbalanced design of a car with its engine placed behind the rear wheels... we've all opted for cars with the inherently unbalanced design of an engine placed in front of the front wheels? The curiousity is that both seem to work pretty damn good! I also have the good fortune (for me at least) of owning an "old school" air cooled 911 that's been well sorted and breathed on (964 C2). Like our D2's; I can work on it myself, it will peel the flesh of your face, can pull close to 1G and the best part- also like our D2's... it's friggin paid for! Best of both worlds in my humble opinion.

Secondly, who wants to deal with BMW dealers??!

Take a look at the Top Gear program review of this beastie. Quite fast, if a bit unrefined. Very unfashionable to admit it, but it is one hell of a car for the money. Just lacks the Porsche prestige and it is a bit too common here. And yes, of course, I'm sure the Porsche is got better build quality etc...but bang for the buck you cannot beat it. Once you get past the snob quotient, it is all the car if not more than its competitors, and dammned cheap.<ul><li><a href="http://youtube.com/watch?v=-Lexv73YTu4">http://youtube.com/watch?v=-Lexv73YTu4</a</li></ul>

...the 996GT3 or a modded Turbo that is. Shame to hear the 997tt fares the same suspension-wise. Kudos to you Brian for the floggage tho regardless, I gots to 'get around' to that heh heh.

Dare I report on my 30+ WOT miles in the 997GT3RS moments ago? I'm struggling to find words for that here @ 1:44 a.m., er uh um especially with the 996GT3 in me garage "for the 50+mile ride home". How DOES one deny that offer anyhow? Considering I had to leave me inlaws Tundra on the shore (Alumibitch in for warranty work) for that one. Oooops. Worth it - better to ask forgiveness than permission right?

Sleep now / report later heh heh. Or just come fingerbang them all here next Sat. muwhahahahaa...

Its funny, in my teens, I was invincible...now in my late 20s.....I can't even afford to have a broken ankle for the sake of my career!

I have always (well not always) but do now, respect high performance toys. I've found the limits of a 240sx, 300zx, and a Honda S2000, which has tremendous grip...but its like a light switch! I've also found out that I am not Michael Schumacher...no matter how good of a driver you are, the street conditions are forever changing and that next bend just might have water running across it! Even in a track event, weird things happen to brakes, tires, etc...I've seen a 04 M3, 06 Carrera GT, and other nice cars trashed by people far better drivers than me!

Anyways, thats my life lessons probably that you guys have already experienced. It actually makes me puke that I sound like this now! I gotta go chase some 21 year old girls at the bars to make up for this sensibility!

; - )