On January 15th I asked you to tell me what’s the Best upgrade for the Money for my 993. 22 of you responded and the overwhelming majority voted for the Headlight Update (HIDs). Here are the complete results:
Headlight Updates – 14 Votes = 64% of all votes
PSS9s – 2 Votes = 9% of all votes
New Wheels (MY 02, etc.) – 1 Vote = 5% of all votes
RSR Muffler – 3 Votes = 14% of all votes
Audio upgrade – 0 Votes = 0% of all votes
Just Drive and Enjoy – 2 Votes = 9% of all votes
Total Votes: 22 Started: January 15, 2008
I know, I know, the percentages add up to 101%. I rounded up on a couple to keep the math and presentation easier. Bottom line – the voters felt the same way I do. So, looks like I have my next project – High Intensity Discharge Lights or HIDs.
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If any of you have a favorite brand or supplier for HIDs, please let me know by commenting below or emailing me at johnsirving@gmail.com. I plan on purchasing ASAP so I can do the install as soon as possible.
Written on January 30th, 2008 at 11:16am by 993C4S
Well, it seems that a lot of other people feel the same way too. Read the Press Release below from Porsche:
Stuttgart. This morning Dr. Ing. h. c. F. Porsche AG, Stuttgart, received the award “Best Automobile in the World” in the Cabriolet category for the Porsche 911. Almost 95,000 readers of the German specialist journal “auto motor und sport” voted the open Carrera into first place among a field of 49 other cabriolets, roadsters and spiders.
Thus the Porsche 911 Carrera has continued a unique tradition. In the magazine’s series of 32 readers’ prize awards since 1977, the ‘Elfer’ (or ‘elevener’) and its model variants Turbo and 911 Cabriolet have gained a total of 37 overall victories. On the occasions when it did not quite make it to the summit, the Porsche 911 occupied second place, mostly just behind other Porsche models such as the 959 or the Carrera GT.
With the title of “Best Automobile in the World“, following its winning of the “Autozeitung” Auto Trophy in November in the categories “Best Sports Automobile” and “Best Cabriolet over 30,000 Euro”, the Porsche 911 has gained the most important publicly-voted awards of German speaking specialist journals for the autumn / winter season 2007/2008.
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Just last week I asked the question Is Porsche the “Benchmark” for all other Supercars? Since then I’ve been inundated with emails from readers. Some agree, some don’t and others wanted to know how I was defining a “Supercar”. So for starters, let’s define the term.
According to Wikipedia
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Supercar is a term generally used for a high-end sports car, whose performance is highly superior to that of its contemporaries. It has been defined specifically as “a very expensive fast or powerful car with a centrally located engine”[1], and stated in more general terms: “it must be very fast, with sporting handling to match,” “it should be sleek and eye-catching” and its price should be “one in a rarified atmosphere of its own.”[2] but the proper application of the term is subjective and disputed, especially among enthusiasts.
As the definition says, the term is “subjective. I commented last week (to a blog reader) that certain Porsche models, especially of the Turbo and Twin Turbo variety are generally described as “supercars”. What’s interesting about Porsche and makes them so great is their infinite drive-ability and relative ease of maintenance (compared to say a Ferrari or a Lambo) that they can truly be used as daily drivers. Something much more difficult to do with other “supercars”.
Why do I bring this subject back up so soon? Well, as I was surfing around today I noticed that Jaguar may be once again planning a Porsche 911 rival. Look at those words, a Porsche 911 rival. Porsche as a brand couldn’t ask for better press. Every time another manufacturer compares themselves to Porsche it just helps to reinforce the image that the Porsche 911 is the sports car of choice.
As an aside, I say once again planning, because the car mentioned in the article I read is the same one that was first introduced as the F-Type roadster back in 2000 at the Detroit auto show. Now that we are on the eve of Jaguar switching ownership from Ford to Tata, the rumor mill is back in full-force suggesting the development of a sports car that will be much more enticing, more true to the idea of a sports car than current flavors of XK or the proposed F-Type (originally designed to compete with the Boxster) and on par with a Porsche 911. I think it’s a big goal for Jaguar, seeing how they don’t even have anything that competes with lesser Porsche models (or any other sports car marques for that matter).
In my opinion, what makes Porsche the “benchmark” for all others and what has set the standard so high is the overall quality, ride, build and timeless styling combined with the fact that any one of the 911 variants (including the scary fast Twin Turbo) can be used as a daily driver.
I’ve said it before and I’ll say it again. I just love the internet. The amount of information available at your fingertips is amazing (if not overwhelming). It’s not only information that is available, it’s product and merchandise too. In the case of this post, used Porsches. You may have notice that I recently added a new page to this site (Porsche 993s for sale). This is just a simple sampling of certain Porsches for sale on EBay. I’m sure you can imagine that this is just a tiny fragment of the overall used car market and a drop in the bucket given the overall number of Porsches available on the secondary/used market.
So, why is a PPI so important? Well, besides the seemingly limitless number of horror stories from both current and past Porsche owners who chose not to conduct a PPI, it is the single best insurance policy you can get for your “new to you” Porsche. Using a qualified Porsche mechanic (independent or otherwise) to inspect your potential new purchase prior to consummating the deal can literally save you thousands in needed repairs that are not obvious to the naked eye or the inexperienced.
The number of Porsche sales via the internet is surely growing. Technology has allowed even the “little guy” to have a global presence on the internet. The days of only having one or two local options for a good quality car are long gone. We now have Porsche brand exclusive forums such as Rennlist, auction sites like EBay, price comparison sites like Edmunds and dealers across the country with their inventory on-line. There is an overabundance of pre-owned cars available to us. How can you possibly, tell a good one from a bad one, especially when viewing remotely? The only way is with a PPI.
Who conducts PPI(s) on used Porsches?
A PPI can be done at any authorized Porsche dealer. You can locate one any where in the world at this site (just choose your location). Alternatively, and more popular (at least on the forums and chat rooms that I frequent) is to have a local independent Porsche mechanic perform the service.
How do I find someone to conduct a PPI on the Porsche I Located?
Again, a PPI can be done at any local Porsche dealer. If you’re looking for an independent mechanic it’s a great idea to ask those people who would best know. Resources you can use to locate established and credible independents are:
Lastly, you can supplement your PPI with information from various buyers’ guides available on-line. WARNING!!! Not all guides are created equal. Adrian Crawford’s 911 Secrets Revealed, while not the least expensive, is an oft mentioned publication that has had many great reviews and is discussed frequently in many of the more popular and respected Porsche forums and chat rooms.
In my next post I’ll outline what a PPI should cost, things to avoid during a PPI and the basic things that should be included, along with some Porsche model specifics (including a checklist you can download and use as you need).
Written on January 28th, 2008 at 12:30am by 993C4S
The more I research and write for this blog the more I enjoy what the internet has to offer. You can find so much good content if you only look in the right places.
The following four-part video series is a documentary on Ruf. For those of you who are new to Porsche tuning, Ruf is one of the top three Porsche tuners today and some may say the best! The video series is long, but it’s worth every minute. The vintage footage, the race scenes, the cars, the sounds, even the narration and commentary from Alois Ruf, all combine into a fine film. I didn’t even notice that I had invested almost 30 minutes into watching. Watch part of it, or watch all of it, but be sure to watch it. All four of the videos have some great driving and racing scenes, but the second one is by far my favorite.
Thanks again for looking and if you like what you see, please be sure to let me know by subscribing via feed or email or commenting. Better yet, use the links below to let others know on your favorite social bookmarking site.
Written on January 25th, 2008 at 11:30pm by 993C4S
Porsche is not known for making many announcements about their financial position (good or bad) it’s one of the things that make me have a love hate relationship with them. The following announcement was released today from Stuttgart. What intriqued me the most was the following statement:
Porsche is well-prepared for a possible economic crisis in the USA, with inventories in the local market having been significantly reduced.
What will this do to the secondary market and pricing trends for already appreciating models like some 993s and 930s? It will be interesting to see as the year moves forward. A lot will depend on the overall U.S. economy.
Here is a copy of the full press release:
Porsche Going Well Despite Difficult Times
First Trend Statement on Semi-Annual FiguresStuttgart. Despite economic conditions becoming more difficult, Porsche Automobil Holding SE, Stuttgart, is developing positively. In the first six months of the current 2007/08 financial year (1 August 2007 – 31 January 2008) the Company is expected to show an increase in revenues, based on the figures up to mid-January 2008, of approximately 14.2 per cent to Euro 3.5 billion. Sales are expected to increase by an even more significant 18.7 per cent to approximately 46,600 units. This was announced by the President and Chief Executive Officer of Porsche Automobil Holding SE, Dr. Wendelin Wiedeking, at the Annual General Meeting of the Company this Friday in the Stuttgart Porsche Arena.
Earnings in the first six months will not be announced until the presentation of the Semi-Annual Report in March, since, according to the international IFRS accounting standards, VW’s figures for the fourth quarter 2007 still have to be taken into account and are not yet available. Addressing shareholders in Stuttgart, Dr. Wiedeking added, however: “The semi-annual results are also expected to reflect our optimistic expectations. The operating profit in our car business is developing according to plan and our hedging transactions in the context of our long-term VW strategy look good.”
In terms of sales, the Cayenne model series has picked up significant momentum, clearly underlining and confirming the development already seen in the first four months of the 2007/08 financial year. Sales of Porsche’s sports utility are expected to double in the first half of the year to some 20,340 units, clearly confirming the ongoing great interest in the new Cayenne, even though the previous year’s figure of 9,940 units sold was characterised by the discontinuation of the first generation of the Cayenne in November 2006.
Accounting for sales of presumably 16,360 units by the end of the first half, the 911 was down approximately 5.6 per cent from the very high figure in the same period last year of 17,329 units. The Boxster series including the Cayman models is expected to account for sales of 9,900 units following 11,979 in the same period last year.
The increase in sales varies from one region to the other: Up by an anticipated 11.4 per cent to approximately 16,200 units, North America is continuing to develop positively. Porsche is well-prepared for a possible economic crisis in the USA, with inventories in the local market having been significantly reduced. Germany shows slight growth to approximately 5,700 units following 5,498 in the same period last year. The increase in sales in the other regions remains substantial, expected to show growth by more than 28 per cent in the first six months of the ongoing 2007/08 financial year, equal to approximately 24,700 units in absolute terms. In his statement to shareholders, Dr. Wiedeking emphasised that Porsche is now represented in 103 markets the world over, thus benefiting from a broad sales foundation offering good protection and stability also in a very difficult market.
In all, Porsche intends in fiscal 2007/08 to follow up the high level of sales in the previous year. New models such as the particularly sporting Cayenne GTS, the 911 Turbo Cabriolet and the 911 GT2 will contribute to this positive development in the same way as the Company’s ongoing growth in the future markets China and Russia. Looking at the entire 2007/08 financial year which started on 1 August 2007, Porsche is confident that the Company will continue its successful course of development. Again to quote Dr. Wiedeking: “Barring the unexpected, we should again achieve a result where it will be difficult to suppress tears of joy.”
Last week I had posted an article regarding a road test of the new Nissan GT-R, its performance and the fact that they tested it against a Porsche 997 Twin Turbo. Since then, there has been an interesting thread on Rennlist debating a video of Nissan GT-R vs. a Porsche 997 Twin Turbo. At the heart of the debate is the question “was the video real or was it staged to make the Nissan look like the better car”? You can see the video below and judge for yourself. The narration is in Japanese, but you can easily tell that the Porsche 997 is struggling to make its way around the track. In my opinion this is definitely a staged event as these are “professional” drivers. Even as a total racing neophite, I can see that the lines chosen by the 997 driver are all wrong and that as a result the cars do not seem to be evenly matched.
While the opinion of most on Rennlist is bound to be Porsche biased, most members offer insightful and technical details to back-up their claims and opinions that the race was “fixed”. There is even an informal poll asking readers/video viewers their opinion on the results of the race, specifically, “Was the GT-R quicker?”. At the time of preparing this post, 73 people had voted with over 50% of the opinion that the “whole race was a joke – it was obivous the Porsche was treated really bad to make it look slow”. Surprising to me was the fact that 13 people (almost 18%) voted “Yes, it was quicker – the GT-R is a quicker car” (and this is on a decidely Porsche friendly site, maybe the most Porsche friendly site on the web).
If you are interested you can read through the entire thread and view the results of the poll on Rennlist. I’ll put a link to it below. It is filled with a combination of strong opinions and very technical racing details regarding choosing the right line, tire selection on both cars, true horsepower calculations, etc.
What I find interesting and the reason for this post is that more and more it seems that Porsche is the brand and the standard that all others compare themselves. Is it because Porsche cars are such an accessible and user friendly “super-car”? Is it the 60+ years of racing heritage and experience? Is it the timeless design, functionality and pure driveablitity that has kept the 911 an icon for the ages? I think it’s a combination of all this and more. Every time I see another “super-car” compare itself to a Porsche it simply reinforces my choice of Porsche as the superior brand.
Slightly off topic and for your viewing pleasure only, I found the following Nissan Gt-R video on YouTube. While there is no Porsche in the video this time, it’s obvious they are trying to showcase the all-wheel drive capability similar to that of the 997 Twin Turbo.
Do you agree with my thoughts on Porsche as the benchmark? Yes or no, please let me know.
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