This may be long winded but im on the ropes. Im 23 and live in Tampa where it rains all the time in summer but winter is perfect. I'm coming from daily driving a 2009 loaded 335i coupe modded to 350/375 to the wheels. I am always the "sports car" type aside from a boxster etc those are just entirely to small of cars for me. This car will be a weekend and nice weather warrior only.
My concerns. I have seen first hand races online and on the street of 997's that fall on their face performance wise. Is this from heat soak, bad driver, bad tires, low boost from Ecu freaking out etc, and seen some that are straight monsters and rival 458 italias bone stock.
I plan to tune the car and maybe fiddle some cooling mods and exhaust over the course of the first year. Does a tune truly awaken the beast?

Is this car comfortable for long rides(45mins to work sometimes)

Is it as luxury "feeling" as a BMW 335i. My BMW is about the threshold of luxury im willing to go. Its almost to harsh for me but with a dedicated daily driver and using this as a toy i may be able to handle it more.

I ride in my brothers 05 e55 with 475/525 to the wheels regularly and the "wow" factor is not there at all anymore since i have gotton used to it. Will this car rival it in power. trap speeds appear the same for a stock 911 turbo to his modded e55 so i assume the speed is identical.

Is this car justifiable to hop out of a 25k into an 80k car. Is it big enough of a difference to be worth it?

Am i going to hate myself later on for opting for a 2007/2008 over jsut forking over the money for a 2010 pdk?

Im looking for sub 35k miles and i know the handleing is superb compared to anything else with the amount of luxury and performance available in my price range.

Thanks ahead to everyone here. I always thought the only car brand I would ever jump ship from BMW to would be for a Porsche 911 turbo.

Info is much harder to find on these 911 Turbos compared to 335is. I assume because there are many many times more 335is out there then Turbos.

 

I came from a 335i FBO incl methanol, the 997.1turbo is stock still a faster car.

It is harsher than the 335i but the US 911 turbos are rumored to be softer than my euro spec car. But the better handling and 4wd majes the 911 a faster and less dramatic car than the beemer, going wot brings you up to speeds not safe before you notice.

I did a 1300km trip over the weekend with two kids and the wife a few weeks ago, so its more practical than many other 500hp+ cars.

I have tuned the 911 using cobb stage1 93 and now with a catless exhaust and a custom Cobb tune incl upgraded IC's.

Stage1 is a huge improvement, much like the 335i comparing stock vs stage1. And a sane person would prob be happy with a stage1 map only.

Stage2 custom tune is bordering insanity, and driving in tunnels is brilliant now. The stock exhaust is horrible.

Next mod is 1000cc injectors and a E85 custom tune

 

Not comfortable for long rides. I purchased a $300 seat insert from Relax The Back, famous for charging three times too much on everything in stock. Long story short, they didn't charge me enough. Not only did it work out fabulously, but I bet I sold a half dozen more of them while at the Porsche Parade in Monterey.

 

I had an 07 fbo+meth and n20 on my 335i

I bought a 996 turbo, and have since done turbos, ic, meth, exhaust,etc.

I bought it somewhat modded already, brembo brake upgrade and bilstein pss9.
I find it very much harsher than the 335.

997 seem to be a bit more comfortable. So take that fwiw.

 

Thanks for the input guys. I guess if it is more of a toy and not something i will be driving everyday the ride will be bearable. Will be test driving one here soon. Anyone have any mechanical horror storys is the engine pretty solid. Just little things here and there?

 

Clutches are expensive. The metzger have coolant line issues that are expensive, neither of which I've experienced.

Ps. I still drive my 996 daily though.

 

Welcome. I had a couple FBO/meth 335's. My daily is now an ESS 650 M3. But when I want to go fast, I get in my bolt-on 997.2 Turbo. Regarding the "fall on their face", comment, that isn't my experience. In fact with just a tune and a plenum I ran away from a Ferrari Italia and a McLaren, and walked a FBO e85 GTR. See my "Tune/Plenum Only" vid on the bottom. With the addition of exhaust and intercoolers, my car now runs with built motor beasts:

FBO:



Tune/Plenum Only:

 

Which one did you get?

 

porsches are not fast or comfortable. save ur $$ get a vette

 

I don't think falling flat and these turbos go in the same sentence ....I only had my turbo stock for 1 day ....next day I had lwfw proto tune and exaust done...that might be a record as I don't like my cars stock....but you will notice a big diff ..in the midrange...boost comes up a little quicker ...I've had my car for 8 months and yes I've gotten used to it a little....3 weeks ago i had a friendly race with a 550 whp roush...had him by easy 3 cars and only raced to 130...it's a fast car...but I'm going for my next rounds of mods this fall....

 

Very comfy as a DD if you dont waste the $$ on the SA seats, they arent good enough on the track, and are just for looks IMHO not function.

DD is what i used mine for, till i started traveling more, and believe you arent gonna miss the BMW.
I came from an M and the trammeling, sorry the 911tt is Not harsher its mroe precise AND takes out the trammeling.
I'll never go back

 

There are so many options for great rides in the 80-100k threshold. You'll need to convince yourself as to what make you feel good when owning/driving. You'll find more information on this forum than you have time to sort through. Great car, rock solid engineering, extreme performance and in a league of its own.

Compared to its rivals, it's fairly inexpensive to maintain. Harder part for some is spending +~80k on a car that's only driven on weekend sunny days. To each their own. I have averaged about 2,500 miles/year that last five years and I'm sitting at 21k now in an 07. Like many on here I enjoy the turbo when I have the time and it's always a pleasure to take it out.

Take your time test driving and looking for the options and condition you want. If you can't convince yourself don't buy. Good luck!

 

I would test drive the new M4 before getting a 997, just to rule out you're not buying the wrong kind of car...

 

Why not a panamera turbo

 

If you want the best of both worlds, and a world class interior, then look at Audi s6. With only a tune and race gas, I run 11.4@120 consistently on all season tires. It's one of the most comfortable rides I've ever had. Plus, it could be timid when you want or beastly if you change your mind. 93 oct I ran 11.6s.
Around the same price the new m3/m4 looks really attractive and will be much faster though.