Why Ferrari and not Porsche?

it be true, they be callin them p*ssy-car for nothin.

 

FWERRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRD

 

bill,

the performance only subset of the market is too small perhaps - both F and P went lux toward MB, BMW etc over the years. In 1992, i wrote PCNA berating them for the chubby lux of the 1991 C2... and the weight and features keep coming. those who want strippers focused on performance can buy GT3RS [not USA], or CS... in both brands.

and there can be no arguement that F is exclusive and P is not as a brand, purely based on volume, altho' GT2's/3's and CGT's are pretty uncommon.

 

I did not intend to downplay the significance of how the car feels and performs on the street. Certainly that is a huge factor, and it may well be the deciding factor for some buyers. But, whether a given Ferrari has a better feel on the street than a given Porsche is, I think, a fairly subjective determination, to the point that I don't think anyone could say, without risk of strenuous dissent, that "Ferraris feel better on the road than Porsches". In fact, some other posts on this thread suggest that they are actually apples v. oranges. I will readily admit that I don't have sufficent experience with either marque to weigh in on that debate, but I do have enough experience to know that an objectively slower car can sometimes be more fun to drive than a faster car, and consequently arguments about who's faster or who could beat whom at which race track are beside the point.

I also did not mean to imply by my post that all (or even most) people who buy Ferraris buy them for image. My point was that while reasonable minds can (and do) differ as to which one is better on the road, I don't think there can be much debate as to which one has more "distinction". The original poster asked, why buy a Ferrari instead of a Porsche; posts going back and forth about which one drives better are only marginally helpful in answering that question, but, the distinction issue is one that clearly favors the Ferrari. If that is what you want, there is no contest.

 

Chas King: I'm not in disagreement with alot of what you said. The feeling of being at one with the car and the car being able to do your bidding, with little sense of the mechanical, electronic or other stuff in between is what i am focusing on. And, in that respect, alot of modern supercars have such high thresholds that you can't get that edginess and hardwired feeling at speeds below the insane. In many ways, driving the boxer (512BBi) was far more involving that the pair of 550's i owned, but the 550 had decent air conditioning and at the end of a 3 hour drive, you didn't get out of the car looking like a homeless person.
Buttz and JC360, i guess what you are both talking about is image, right?

 

...but you were a homeless person climbing out of a 512!!!

this is relevant, as when my Ferrari was purchased, I moved into a dome tent, for awhile..........

R&T had a P.S. with a F40 and a tent, labelled "Roughing it....", indeed!!

 

I guess I will always have at least one of each, after 38 Porsches it is hard not to have one in the garage, as for the earlier Cayenne comment, I happen to love mine, if you need an SUV, there is nothing like the Cayenne Turbo.
As for my opinion, I have driven every Porsche with the exception of the CGT (including the 959) that has been brought into this country in the last 30 years, and as much as I love Porsches none of them offered the driver feedback of a 360 (in either of the three forms), does that make the Porsche a lesser car, in my opinion that depends of how you use it, on the track not at all, in a 0-60 run certainly not there either at least not with a turbo,GT3, or GT2, driving through backroads with killer L & S turns every 500 feet, I'd take the Ferrari any day, and those are my favorite drives.

 

I have an 89 911 and an 88 328GTS. With the Ferrari the sound of the motor going thru the gears is music to my ears and the handling balance on winding roads is perfect. The Porsche is fun and superior as an everyday driver (dont have to drive 3 mi before you can shift to second). The Build quality is at least 25% better on the 911 (screws are not always coming loose). I like the feel of the old 911's as a slimmed down hotted up People's Car, but I like the feel of the 328 as an Alfa with magical power, brakes, and handling better. I also drove a 996 Turbo which did just feel like a more powerful Jetta to me, not good. I was driving a 355 that same day and couldn't wait to get back to it from the 996. My opinion is that between the 80's 328 v 911, the 328 is at least 50% more fun than a 911. 996 v. 355 the Ferrari is at least 200% more fun. I don't drive the Porsche much any more.

 

So my career just got moving after years of struggling at the lower branches in my industry...I've had lots of euro cars, SAABs, Audi, MBZ, VW, BMW. My work is such that I don't spend much time in automobiles...I use an old truck to go back and forth to work. So Porsche vs. Ferrari...

I'm on my second 914-4 and my first Ferrari 308. I don't quite stack up to the folks with GT-3's and 360's but my observations are very similiar owning both. I've driven everything in the Porsche stable at one time working as a mechanic for an independent Euro shop. As far as Ferrari's, I've only driven my 308 and have had a ride in a Dino 246GT.

Ferrari=Panache, sound, smell, shape distinction, exotic elegance.
Porsche=Durability, better build quality, go-cart like fun.

I own the "bottom of both marques" in terms of model, but they're both in excellent shape and are fun and satisfying to own and drive. And by today's standards, neither car is a performance demon (the 914 never was). But I get tons of compliments on both cars, and they are actually stable if not slightly appreciating in value...Don't get me wrong, I hope my good fortune continues, buying a new Ferrari once in my life would be worth the depreciation.

 

Porsche is a very good ,competent sports car.
Ferrari is "MAGIC"

 

The 996TT is a very fine car I would get one certantly but not over a Ferrari as Absent said "Magic"...

 

In our house, the cars are known as the following:

365 GT4 - LRIPOS 1 (little red Italian POS #1) (pronouced el-rip-es)
Mondial - LRIPOS 2 (little red Italian POS #2)
Carrera 4 - shiit box VW

Of course, this coming from a family who used to have a cat named damnit.

 

I think you can love both Ferrari and Porsche...for different reasons. Ferrari has more emotion while Porsche is just a great sensible sportscar. I own a 914 and would love to get an older Ferrari some day. Why not have the best of Germany and Italy?

 

I agree on the both the fun factor and the reliability, my 348 is much more fun to drive than my 1990 911 convertible but since the the servicing on the fcar is *alot* higher I use the 911 as a daily driver with the 348 as a weekend toy.
// Peter

 

Sophia:"I'm on my second 914-4 and my first Ferrari 308. I don't quite stack up to the folks with GT-3's and 360's but my observations are very similiar owning both. I've driven everything in the Porsche stable at one time working as a mechanic for an independent Euro shop. As far as Ferrari's, I've only driven my 308 and have had a ride in a Dino 246GT"

Ironic, I just sold my 308 and am going to buy a 914 (already had a 911)....Ferrari's are beautiful cars but I want a car I can actually drive for more than 30 days a year before another month long visit to the shop.

 

As a former Turbo owner, how can you agree with his assesment that "It redlines so quick that you have to be ready to shift in an instant. The Porsche is a more relaxed."? I would understand with an NA 996, but my turbo redlines significantly quicker than my 360. Due in part to the lower redline, but anybody who drives my turbo always hits the engine cutoff in 1st gear because it redlines so damn quick.

-- Michael

 

look at the differances...
I prefer the CS in all ways!!

 

I have had 4 Porsches and my recomendation if You are serious about either is don"t waste Your money,go straight for a Ferrari,because You know You are really wanting one and anything else is just a substitute.
Dave Mc

 

i love them both

 

Great thread....as one whom is looking for a TT in the 993 years "they look like a frog". I don't think you can make a comparison between the two. Drivin both and they offer differing characteristics. While my heart would have a 355 and I can afford one, I cannot. For me its logistics of not having the time to take care of the maint. issues and service. We mid-westerners don't have the options of you on the coasts and other areas when it come to available shops for service. I'm going to sample a TT and wait a few years b/c I would rather have a 360 but its out of my $ now. One thing of note, the pricing on the air cooled tts which were somewhat limited in production #'s for NA may have completely stabilized and they appear to be increasing for good examples. I don't know if that will be said for 355's when they reach the depreciation bottom, although were not really talking about the same apples in pricing. Just a thought....

 

You think maintenance is a problem?I live in Scotland and we only have one dealer in the whole Country and no independands either!

 

You'll have to experience a mid-engined Ferrari or a Dino. I've driven 914's some 50K miles (combined) over the years. Sold the first 914, regretted it. Finally had $40K for a "dream" car, could have had a much newer 911, but bought the old carbed 308 instead...do not regret this move, despite the fact that the build quality in areas is not up to Stuggart standards. So what, I open my garage door and see two mid-engined beauties.

Although after I drive the Ferrari, driving the 914 feels like sitting in a truck. Poor 914, an underpowered marketing disaster...yet now its worth more than the early 928's.

 

I'm still new to this clan with my Ferrari ownership measured in weeks.....

Porsche: Now on my second 928. Have driven 928's for 4 years. My 1989 928GT is, by definition, a 5 spd and includes a bored and stroked 6.5 liter engine w/ headers, exhaust, etc. Dyno'd @ 400 rwhp/450 rwtq (with 400 ft-lb tq from 2800-4800). Driven routinely, have logged 21K miles in 2 years. Stunning acceleration at any speed, yet very tractible. Sounds marvelous. Handles great. Rides solid. Brakes well. Gets its fair share of looks/stares. A great driving machine. Wonderful example of automotive engineering.

Ferrari: 1986 328GTS acquired just 31 days ago. Only ~600 miles logged. Very different driving experience. Seems lethargic (at least in comparison to above). Kinda loud (in a good way). Handles nimbly. Rides well (probably because the shocks are shot). Brakes well. Precise steering. EVERYONE LOOKS AT THIS CAR! People come up and comment how beautiful/gorgeous/pretty they think it is. Much more visceral driving experience. Timeless example of automotive art.

Cheers!
~Rick~