Cali T vs. 911 Turbo

I owned both, what do you want to know? Had the 991tts from Aug 14 to March 17 and the Cali T HS from March 17 to May 18. Both cars were great and both were good DDs. The Cali T was easier to get in and out of and sounded better than the Porsche in addition to having a drop top.

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Curious why you sold the Cali T? Which car did you think handled better?

 

I hate piping up since I fear it'll jinx me! But my Cali has been as reliable - if not more reliable - than my 911. Both are NA and 2011 models. 18 K on our Cali, 58 K on the 911. In the 4 years of 911 ownership, I have had to replace a high-pressure fuel pump and one other major item that escapes me right now. Nothing major on the Cali in 2+ years, knock on wood; some minor annoyances w/ electronics that have largely abated with a new battery and a new battery tender. Throw in a turbo and make these models a couple years newer as you are considering, and I would surmise that the reliability gap between Porsche and Ferrari has narrowed. So, that I'd go with whatever floats your boat the most. If it were me, I'd step back a generation and get myself both a 997.2 and Cali 30!
T

 

The TTS has the ability to put all the power down off the line which you really don't get with a Ferrari in any model. However, once you are going and have traction, the Cali T HS can get going in a hurry and you get power in all gears, not so much over say 130 in the Porsche. I didn't measure anything in the year I owned the Cali T because I was happy just driving around with the top down and hearing that engine. I had the HS which does have a stronger exhaust note than the regular T.

I felt that the Cali T was more responsive to steering inputs than the Porsche and it was definitely easier to push through the corners. The Porsche is tricky in corners because of the engine in the back. The Porsche was a little lower and I had to be more careful about parking stops and speed bumps. I didn't miss the speed of the Porsche while I had the Cali T HS because the other advantages outweighed that factor. I would have kept the Porsche if I could but alas, no room in the garage.

You will have fun with either car I promise.

 

The goal with the Cali T was to get a 488 Spider which I now have. I think the Cali T HS handled better than the Porsche but my new car is the best of both. Rob gives the edge to the Porsche but he has a GT3 which is more track oriented than the TTS. Image Unavailable, Please Login

 

We just replaced my gal's 2015 911 4s cabriolet with a 2015 Cali T. No she didn't have the turbo, but the power comparison is a bit irrelevant for her. On the other hand, we both agree hands down that the T is superior in every way, ride, handling, comfort, and daily use. Not even the same galaxy. Not a precise comparison, but figured I'd share fwiw.

 

The Porsche is a dime a dozen car. I'm always amazed when I see another F car of any model on the street. The F car is way more special and nobody cares about the model on the back of the Porsche because there are so many of them everywhere and for the most part they all look the same.

 

LOL.....great reply, Rob.

I own a 2016 Cali T. I also just ordered a 2019 Targa 4 GTS and a 2019 GT3. I slightly disagree with George as both of these 911 based variants deliver a spectacular driving experience that is very, very different than the California T. Dime a dozen? Not really. Especially with the colors and options I selected on both Porsches.

While the 911 family variants are all built for very different levels of comfort and performance, I also wanted to cross over to a more easily order-able brand for a bit and see how it goes. I also like that the Porsches can both be special to drive but "disappear" into the crowd. There are days when I just want to drive the hell out of a car and not be hassled (I live in a big city). You definitely don't disappear when driving the California T -- or any Ferrari for that matter.

I have been fairly amazed at how well the California T performs given it is a heavy GT car. The steering is razor sharp. The engine and transmission are wonderful. The drop top experience is especially satisfying. I was new to the Ferrari brand 2 years ago when I bought it and I have been impressed with their engineering. It doesn't quite have that Porsche "bullet proof" feel but it is now very, very close.

The thing you hear often is that the Turbo S is an amazing car but that it lacks soul. That's really why I didn't buy one and chose to buy a couple of different 911 variations that are definitely more soulful.

I will report back after taking delivery later this year.

 

No that's not what I meant. It's the feeling of ownership. The Porsche I would take to the grocery store, the Ferrari I think not!

 

George...Let yourself go; take your F-car to the grocery store! In 2.5 yrs and 13K miles of ownership, I think I have put more miles on my Cali going to/from Costco, Kroger, etc. than I do going to car shows & the like. It's probably one of the top ways I use my Cali, apart from just driving her on back roads for enjoyment & relaxation. It can hold a lot of groceries, even Costco runs, and using it to jazz up mundane tasks does not dull the feeling of F-car ownership, at least for me. I, of course, hedge my bets by shopping early in the AM, and frequent stores with huge parking lots, and then I park away from anyone...T
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The turbo and turbo S
P car will layeth the smack down on 99.9% of the cars on the road.
I think many owners of other brands are aware not to mess with that badge on the back

 

LOL

 

Wow, it must be hot down 'dar in tejas! Lookit those heat shimmer waves!

 

Hey, wait a second, ain't you from Scottsdale? Its 106 F in our backyard right now, that's a chilly day in Scottsdale.

On topic, I forgot to add in my post above that I also own a Porsche 911. They're both great cars and marques. I drove my Porsche 60 miles this morning for no better reason than I needed two ears of corn at Kroger. In fact, I was enjoying myself so much, I had to text the wife to remind me exactly what I went to the store for! I don't get the either-or mentality. Own one of each, it's the only rational solution!

T

 

not to stray too far off-topic, but you won't find me in Scottsdale between May and Oct...its 78 where I am today

 

My only advice here would be something I find myself repeating from time to time on this site when such "this or that" questions come up...I always say "yes" or "both".

Buying a car isn't marriage...get one and then get the other someday. I usually try to figure out which one will suffer less depreciation in the "first ownership period" and get that one first. Or, sometimes, one is clearly more "car" than the other, in which case I guess consider getting the other one first and then going for the "more car" car. The beauty of these expensive toys is that many owners keep them in great shape and hardly drive them...thus allowing owners 2+ to pick one up for a good deal less than MSRP for a hardly used version.

 

We drive our T every single day. It's the most usable, perfect all around car I've yet to own. I have one of the few R8 GT Spyders in existence and it's a hoot to drive, but we struggle not to neglect it now. If we want to go blasting around a track, or otherwise enjoy a very visceral sprint, then sure, the Audi is great, but all around, the T is just so easy to love, and nearly as quick in a straight line.

 

As a car guy I’m aware enough to accept and respect the performance aspects of Porsche, but Porsche doesn’t evoke an enough of an emotional response from me to justify a purchase or ownership. Ferrari on the other hand to my eyes is a joy to look at as well as drive.