Sold my 997.1 this past week. Loved every minute driving it. I am now faced with a dilemma, do I get the new 991S w/ PDK or switch over to an R8. My question becomes cost of ownership. Both cars are amazing and I will be content with both so the deciding factor will be cost to own. Both cars will be priced at the same price point ~$110k. I will drive the car daily and put roughly 15,000 miles a year and will keep the car for 3-4 years.

Of the two which will depreciate quicker? The market may be flooded with 991s in 3-4 years time as we have seen with the 997's currently. On the other hand though the R8 is more rare, it has been out for quite a few years as well. Also most R8's are weekend cars so in 3-4 years time, my car may be one of a few R8's with very high miles (~60,000).

In a tough bind and think the decision will come down to depreciation. Any suggestions/insights/advice?

 

Which R8 are you considering (V8 or V10) and is your question one of depreciation and value, or living with the machine for the next 4 years?

Being more of a rarity, I would expect a high mileage R8 to depreciate considerably quicker. I also looked into R8's and the few high mileage specimens that were available were significantly cheaper than their low mileage counterparts.

As you probably know, the R8 recently received a very minor nip tuck (mainly headlights and grill). As such, I would also expect the R8 to have a significant facelift in the next 3 - 4 years at which point you'll likely see a drop in demand (and value) on the current model.

The 991 isn't due of another 6 - 7 years, so you'll be 2 years ahead of the curve..

I would really look into life with the car, and see if you can live with the R8 as a daily driver for that many years.

Btw, I have yet to see a new R8 for ~$110k, and you can see where their overall styling is heading..

 

Dux is right, if depreciation is a key factor, R8 might not be the best direction. I am pretty sure the next gen R8 will be out in less than 3 years. Facelift R8 is now dual clutch, that is a big change despite the minor cometic refresh. R8 msrp is 114+ before any options.

I am pretty sure 991s will be a great car, can't say that from a personal experience yet. I am not sure why most R8 are lower miles because it is a great daily driver. It certainly draw much more attention than 997 and 991. Fit and finish of the R8 is excellent. Engine bay is like automotive art... Oh wait, this is a 991 section. I should stop here.

 

If you're asking about a cost difference, I really don't see one.

It comes down to personal preference. I do feel however, that these cars offer quite a different experience. With my preference towards mid-engine balance, and drivability of AWD, I lean towards the R8. It suits my style of driving.

It depends on you. Do you want more of the same great experiences? Or something different?

 

If you are looking for something to draw attention then R8 it is. I rented a 997.2 S for a week and then rented a v10 R8 for a day. The 997 was a great daily driver in every aspect, the R8 on the other hand was "Nice", the handling was nice, the noise coming out of the exhaust was AMAZING "it was a V10" but i did not like the R tronic gearbox which had slow response and was very stupid and annoying, test drive an R8 and you will understand what i mean with the gearbox, the face lifted R8 has now a double clutch instead of the R tronic and should be much better. Am not under estimating the R8 its just my personal point of view after driving it for a day

 

If awd and uniqueness is important, l suggest considering 991 4S...

 

agree .... the red illuminated stripe on the C4S is more unique than any R8 out there


Best
Gregor

 

thanks for the responses so far. Dont really need AWD but not against it either. Was considering the following a slightly preowned R8 V8 with manual transmission or a leftover 2012 991s. Know several dealers are ready to push these out with roughly 10% off. A preowned r8 will have already taken the initial depreciation hit whereas the new porsche may have that new car depreciation hit still.

this decision is making my head spin.

 

I currently own an R8 spyder V8 and love the style, sound, handling, and Bang and Olufsen sound, but my new 991 S is at port so I cannot give detailed comparison yet. I can tell you without hesitation DO NOT buy the single clutch automatic for a daily driver. You will pull your hair out.
Only consider a manual or the new updated double clutch auto.
Both cars are heaven on earth.

 

You can get a 2012 991 at a healthy discount. Lots of examples listed on this forum.

All the best...

 

Both would be great daily drivers. The R8 will attract way more attention - some like that, I didn't. Any Porsche blends into the background around here, except the crazy ones like the GT3RS. The R8 has less storage space. Both are fun to drive, but have different dynamics.

Maintenance and upkeep costs should be fairly similar. The R8 will be less if the first owner purchased Audi Care (pre-paid maintenance plan).

It's hard to predict depreciation. People think the R8 holds its value well. I think it's like any other similar car. Mileage in an R8 is not that big a deal - not like Ferraris or Astons. In a few years, there will likely be an 'update' to the the 991 and the new R8 will be out. The current versions of both will suffer as a result.

I'd say drive both and get the one you like. Or buy both and sell the one you like least. At the end of 3-4 years the operating costs will be about the same. Either car will likely lose $30k - $40k in value. Get the one you will enjoy the most and drive it.

 

One thing to point out is if your driving as much as 15k miles a year, I think 991 would be easier to daily drive simply because its 4 seater, more roomy and more comfortable chassis. As mentioned I think it comes down to how you envision life in both cars and then making a decision....either way you'll be happy!

 

Check prices for various normal service and it's intervals. I wanted a 991S, but didn't buy it until I found regular service was not too expensive and the intervals are 10K.

 

R8 looks dated, even with the new facelift coming next year, 991 is fresh

 

A dated R8 is still unique compared to the 30 year design of the 911. Seriously. We've established that even among Porsche owners - a LOT of them don't even know the difference between a 996 C2 and 991 C4S. 911's are everywhere compared to the R8 (if you're looking for a unique looking car).

Regarding R-tronic - I, too, believe it is garbage. I didn't get into that, because the S-tronic (again, my opinion) is wayyyyyyy better (at least it is in the S5). If you get the new R8 with S-tronic, I think you've got a special vehicle.