I've been saving for a 997 TT for years. I'm never going to get there. It's time to be realistic and settle on a car I'll enjoy in my "poor guy" budget. My budget is $35,000.

My heart belongs to the 997. I love the styling of the 997. But I'm terrified of maintenance. I do some wrenching, but the weird electrical problems of Porsche terrify me. But if the 997 behaves itself, and is moderately reliable, I'll be the happiest man on earth. I cannot even begin to explain how long I've wanted a 997. It would be a dream come true.

But I went to a local dealer and they had gen 3 Viper sitting right next to a 997. The 997 looked pitiful next to the Viper. The Viper made me feel giddy just looking at it. The entire car was absurd and theatrical. So I said to myself "yeah but the inside of the Viper has Dodge Neon AC vents etc." But then I sat in it. The interior was kinda cool TBH. The steering wheel is great, the gauges are awesome, the shifter is great. I liked the interior. The Viper also had a really decent trunk. The convertible top isn't electric, but that's one less thing that can break.

I can't find any downside to the Viper. People complain the interior gets hot. I don't drive very far each day, because I work from home, and I have a suburban. So I'm not worried about comfort. People say the Viper will kill me. I don't drive aggressive. Which is why the 997 is fine for me too. I'm not looking to drive fast very often.

My life consists of driving 3 miles to a local restaurant, eating lunch, then driving 3 miles home to work all day at my desk. My car is a really fun moment that breaks the monotony.

How do I pick? Ultimately, the Viper may win because A) there are more Vipers available between $30-$35,000 than 997's. 997's are still often $40,000+ which seems ridiculous. B) At $35,000 most of the 997's have 50-75,000 miles. Vipers, on the other hand, are almost always under 50,000 miles. But I just want to reiterate how much I love the 997 and even a high milage example would fill me with a lot of pride. I love everything about them, from the cupholders to the keyfob, I really love Porsche.

 

Well, there's 2 cars that aren't often cross-shopped. Do you ever take the car on a trip, like more than 4 hours away? If so, and it's your only car, the 997 will be a joy and the Viper a PITA. For 3 mile trips, it doesn't really matter what you drive. A Vespa or Prius would work just as well. I can tell you that short trips like this in any car, especially a 997, where the oil never gets up to temperature to burn off the condensed moisture, is terrible for it.

Also, not sure why you think 997 values remaining high is ridiculous. It's simply supply and demand and these were $100-&150k cars when new. People still want 911s keeping the.values up, Vipers, not so much.

 

As Petza said, two totally different cars. No comparison. As he also pointed out, there's rhyme and reason to the pricing of each of them. If the Viper would be as desirable as the 997 it would be priced the same. It's like saying...."why are houses in San Francisco so much more expensive than in Fargo, ND"?

I drove a Viper once and was not impressed. It's big, almost grotesque looking to my eyes and he interior looked and felt cheap. No shortage of horse power to be sure but the overall handling doesn't match the power imo.