Sold the 997S last year, now I have the itch again. Currently have a S2K and a 535i as my DD. Lease is up on the 5 in June and thinking of trading both getting rid of the S2K at the same time. Not 100% sure, but here are some options I'm kicking around...would appreciate any thoughts:

1. Go with a 997S again but optioned well. My previous 997S was pretty sparse, so having sport chrono, PSE, etc might be fun
2. 997 4S but might be higher than I want to spend still....dunno, pretty expensive
3. GTR love this car, but not 100% sure I'll be happy without a 3rd pedal for longer than a few months
4. BMW M3 pick up one for low 50s, nicely modded.

I'd throw Audi in there but can't stand Audi steering. Also, may want to keep the s2k for the summer....think is still fun. Why did I get rid the 997S before? Thought I needed a bigger backseat....now realizing a child seat fits back there just fine.

 

Performance and technology aside, the GTR is ugly.

 

What's your budget, and what are your parameters/ must haves?
CATTMAN

 

How about a used Turbo ? You've already had the 997S and the M3 is just another BMW . The Gtr would be the top contender but are you really ready to deal with Nissan customer service and some of the compromises of the car's build quality? Not to mention the outrageous warranty demands of the Gtr.

My vote goes to an 07 low mile Turbo and climb over time into a high Hp long term keeper.

 

Budget/Parameters: Don't want to spend over 70k. Need a back seat to lug the kid in a pinch. That's honestly about it. I loved the 997S, but obviously got bored of it, so I don't expect to fall in love with a car I want to keep forever.

The turbo is a great reco and I considered it, but the 07 is still over 80k (right?). If I could get one of those for under 70k, it'd be a no brainer, but not there yet.

I drove a friend's carrera s today and I totally forgot how fun it is ....although the ride was MUCH harsher than I remember. Maybe I'm getting soft, but I don't know if that's livable for a commute....

The GTR looks awesome to me. I'm sure it's a personal thing, but seeing it in the showroom definitely got me going. Impossible to get a test drive in the Seattle area, so that may preclude me from buying one.

The good news is I'm not in a hurry since this 535i lease has me through June. If I find a killer deal before then, I might pull the trigger, but it's actually nice to know that I can't get out of lease until June....makes me a tad more patient

 

Warranty demands? I'm running 530AWHP in my GTR and the only thing I've needed to do is an oil change.
This is the fastest car I've ever owned and I run 10.xx at the 1/4 mile track.

GTR is pretty good choice. Has some good tech. packages (though some basic things missing), and its a pretty good car over all.
I've been trying to see what I could replace it with and not much really strikes the fancy that will be this fast. I'd rather not downgrade my performance...

 

[quote=Fantasma;2666567]Warranty demands? quote]

1) http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Y27VM...layer_embedded

2) Did you read the customer disclosure form ? http://www.nissan.co.nz/order-gtr/Te...Conditions.pdf

 

I like the Gtr and have been impressed with Nissan all the way back into the days when I had my 300zxtt (1990) . What i don't like is some the the skewed data and journalistic bias which paved the way to a car that had problems . I also don't like the idea of a manufacturer limiting how an owner chooses to drive the car and will even void warranty if its taken onto a track (especially after it's launch touted the car with it's track numbers) .

 

The M3 might be the most practical for all around ability. The Gtr will eat it for lunch though and that makes for very different vehicles . In terms of reliability my M3 has been amazing . 23K miles and not a cough . I just find it somewhat boring but my gf loves the car . I keep trying to pin down what it is with the M3 that leave me lukewarm .After all it's fast, comfortable, reliable, free service, cool gadgets but yet I view the car more as a passenger car whereas the Porsche is such a great driver's car . I probably would warm up to the M3 more if it didn't have that silly bump on the hood amd hints of Bangelized BMW. Maybe it's how disappointed I was after the beauty of the E46 cars as well as the previous gen 5 and 7 series . The newer BMW's just have these odd shapes, overload of technology, basic color schemes,clunky control panel, at price that ought to deliver so much more.

 

Not sure that the combo of a S2K + 911S/Turbo makes sense either from a functional perspective. If you need the drop top, how about getitng the 911S Cab / Boxster Spider + a more practical daily driver that doesn't involve using a shoe-horn to get your kid in the back seat I'd love to have some iteration of the current 911 + M3/RS4/Cayenne GTS for a daily driver-

 

[quote=yrralis1;2666571]Sure, show the video of a highly modified GTR using launch control as some sort of an example to its reliability??
They had done a ton of launches with their high HP before it broke.

Nissan LC2 is guaranteed to be warrantied.
If you MOD your car, NO manufacturer still honors warranty.

 

I too have researched the warranty issue extensively. It's a personal decision, of course, but I don't consider it a deterrent. I won't ever launch the car.

That said, I can't find a dealer or seller around my area willing to let me try driving it. Just seems ridiculous since I can test drive a panamera no problem.

As for M3 inspiration, I'm kind of with you yrralis....on paper, a great all around car, but my "gotta have it" emotion wavers. I think the interior royally sucks and at some angles, just looks strange....but I still like it. I've only driven the sedan, so maybe I should reserve judgement until I drive it.

 

BTW - what's a smokin' deal on a 997 turbo these days?

 

What about a 997S with a SuperCharger? You can get a good low-mile one in the 50's, then SC it.
CATTMAN

 

M3 Converti with dual clutch!