So, the day finally came. After nearly 4 years - I let my coupe go last monday.

Was sad to see it go, it did me well over the years and only had a few problems which took it off the road (radiator cracked, oil cooler pipe cracked, and a blocked injector rail).

In the end, I'd outgrown the car, and was bored of the fwd handling. If you're not bothered about rwd dynamics, then the coupe is the fastest and probably most reliable way into coupe (as in 2 door coupe) ownership for the money, and that's not to say it's a bad handling car. For a fwd motor, I actually found that it was pretty good, and I didn't modify my cars suspension that much apart from some gas rear shocks, a strut brace, and Eagle F1's all round. Modified (e.g. eibachs/bilsteins/18s - the other coupe I had experience of driving), I felt the coupe becomes too uncompromising, and whatever you want to do in a fwd car - going sideways in a proper rwd well setup car (even in something like an MX5) is always going to be more satisfying.

After driving my new car for nearly a couple of months, jumping back into the coupe for a last drive - it did show its age in some departments. Going from fwd to a sorted rwd car opens up new dimensions in terms of steering feel, turn in, putting the power down exiting a corner, and overall balance. The gearchange also felt quite sloppy in the coupe - I would probably investigate a short shifter if I knew what I know now - never really noticed this before! The engine was still going strong in my car, although again - until I had experienced a lag free 295bhp N/A engine, I had thought of the coupe engine as being a peach. Driving the coupe for the last time, I was pretty shocked with the lag. I think either you prefer a turbo engine with lag and a big punch when it comes on boost, or you prefer n/a delivery or a small turbo engine which acts like an n/a. I'm probably quite converted to n/a power now, it's so much easier to modulate, especially when coming on the power out of corners. Running loads of boost in a small capacity lump is great for straight line speed, although I think Highwayman was spot on in using a superspool turbo for his old track car - having lots of lag when trying to modulate the throttle for a neutral balance when entering, and on the power coming out of corners isn't fun.

Watching it pull away for the last time, the styling was still spot on though. My car was steel grey, and had the full LE kit, and had a resprayed bonnet/front bumper and most of the passenger side, with anthracite wheels, and looked amazing. I had polished it well before selling, and it looked the business. The car always got positive attention when I owned it, and even in London - people used to ask me what it was etc.... and that they liked the look of it.

So, to all those people who are on here looking for a car like I was 4 years ago - find a good one, look after it, and it'll serve you well. Don't scrimp on servicing/repairs, check the oil regularly, maintain the car to the level it needs, and enjoy it like I did!

Rog at Powerfiat was a diamond for the length of ownership of my car, if you're going to use anyone for repairs or problem solving, take your car to him and give him as much money as he asks for. Simple.

Firing up the 3.4l flat 6 after seeing the car go made me feel a teeeeeeny bit better, although I will never forget the coupe!

I was driving along a DC at 50mph today and there was a Porsche Cayman in the lane next to me, we both had our windows down. He leaned over and shouted "nice car mate!"

True story, if that makes you feel any better

I said this from the very beginning (I'm on my 3rd Coupe now, and 7 years total ownership) but always felt I was going against the grain of general opinion somewhat - I saw quite a few reviews of the Coupe praising the gearbox and knew a couple of other owners (this is pre-forum for me) who also loved it, so I thought maybe I was just being overly fussy.

But I'm glad to hear somebody actually agrees with me

Good luck mate,enjoy the Porker! Nice car! Stay safe!

i dont think a new porsche is a fair comparison to a 10 year old fiat - yes im sure the steering feel/gearchange/engine etc is miles better but that doesnt translate to all rwd / n/a cars!

A very good and honest write-up there S1MMA! I have to say i agree with everything you've said, but, as ally_f says, you are essentially comparing an expensive, extremely well engineered sports car to a relativley cheap sports car thats based on an old hatchback with 1980's engineering, so the Fiat will never be dynamically good that way! However if i was in your situation, i'd have the Porsche too!

Personally, I wouldn't.



It's funny I always had S1MMA as a Porsche (or possibly BMW) driver...

I used to have a Porsche 968 which was OK but I never felt as special driving it as I feel with the Coupe. Hard to explain because the Porsche was, on paper, superior in virtually every way.

I clocked a Cayman S in Southwark this morning. Looked very nice, certainly one of the better Porkers. I think I could put up with one of these, but not sure I could put the money down on it rather than a M12 GT0 3R despite how much more sense the german makes... You said one was on the shortlist, did you ever have a go in or see one?

For me I think if it's going to be a porker, it has to be a 911 - not an entry level boxster or cayman (boxster with lid).

Have we done the cuss Caymans bit yet? I do it so much I forget.

You won't keep the Cayman as long as you did the Coop. (A prediction in the form of a goad). If you do keep it for as long as the Coop, I'll be pleased that you did it to spite me and not because you really wanted to. win - win.

I wonder just how many people here would choose to drive around in a Coupe if they actually had the cash to put themselves in the seat of a £50k car.....ANY £50k car.....

Dead easy to slate another car when you know you'll never be able to have to put your money where your mouth is.

I'd be out of the coupe instantly if I had £15k or more. Otherwise I wouldnt bother but thats just my opinion.

Cayman = nice= give. Wouldnt be my choice for the money but I see why S1mma went for it, they are still very nice cars.

Start a poll Cappo? I'd jump at the chance of spending £50k on a car if I could, but I certainly wouldn't take ANY £50k car

I would!

Name me ANY £50k car (new'ish) that you think I wouldnt swap a coupe for. Seriously, pretty much anything costing £50k is going to be an upgrade.

I don't mod this section so someone else will have to start the poll.

But Shabba's right - £50k puts you in (for example):

- Cayman
- 911
- M5
- M6
- Z4M
- Noble
- TVR
- RS4/6
- XKR
- and the killer punch: GTR

and that's just 20 secs off the top off my head; the list is surely a lot longer. I can't really see anyone with a £50k car budget spending £5k on a Coupe and the rest on jazz mags (hmm, well maybe ONE person......)

Apologies, this is probably O/T now.

Back in the day when the 994 was new i had one, even though it pre dates the coupe by a few years it was still the better car, but the coupe still makes me feel better than the porker ever did.
Me and Mrs L parked next to a Gayman cayman thing the other day and hand on hart would take the coupe every time.
Yes if i had 50K sure their would be better cars to buy but would never sell the coupe.
True story, i was over at my dads house visiting my 20VT (that's where she lives)and had the 16VT parked next to the 20VT.
Me and my dad, who has very good taste in cars (his fist car was a Jaguar SS100) you whipsnappers on here will have to google what they are, back on topic we were chatting about the Alfa 8C and i said how beautiful it was and my dad said that the coupe was every bit as beautiful
Point of story yes 50K will buy a better car dynamicly but not looks

I would, but it would be my second car and it would have 616 bhp

What would you buy for £50k single choice
	I'd buy a £50k sports car.
	I'd buy a £3k coop and spend the rest on Razzle.
	I really don't care as I don't have £50k to spend on a car.
	I am what I am.....
Votes accepted starting: 10/09/2008 15:06 You must vote before you can view the results of this poll.

I was thinking more

1, I'd keep the coop
2, I'd have ANY £50k car
3, I'd have a specific £50k sports car

Oh well keep thinking it then

It's not just the buying a £50,000 car, it's the running it which is ruinous. The depreciation will be horrendous unless you choose the right classic but then you couldn't easily run it as an everyday car.

The coupe hits a great "sweet spot" where affordability, looks, pedigree, style, value for money, performance and practicality all overlap for £5000.

For what it's worth, the only thing which really tempts me for £50,000 is a used Maranello 550 which is a kind of Coupe on steroids with RWD. Even then, the dash isn't as nice, the wheels aren't as beautiful and you can't get one with a sunroof

The other option of course is assuming that you wouldn't blow the entire 50k on a new car. Peronally if I had 50k to spend on a replacement, it would probably be spent on a 30k ish (probably second hand/nearly new) car and the rest kept back for maintenance and so on.

For £50k you could buy a ferrari 360 modena or F355 2nd hand if you fancy staying italian

Is their any other option?

Personally I'd go 456 so I could hear the screaming V12

FO running a 456!!

I meant if you GAVE me a £50k I'd take ANYTHING. Even if I wasnt allowed to drive another car or sell it etc.

Even a loaded Disel S class would still be pretty cool, slow yes but luxury would make up for it.

Car £35k & £15k to go towards the 10mpg, insurance and rear tyres

Just seen the replies on this post, going through a busy period at work so not online much.



Trappy, I considered more hardcore cars like TVRs and Noble's, but living in central London, I wouldn't be able to look after them to the extent that I'd want to if I owned one. I have secure underground parking at home/work, but I don't have a private garage with enough tools to work on a car - so I could realisticly only get something reliable. Hence why I didn't get something mental. If I lived in a detached house and had a double/quad garage, I would probably have got something a bit more silly.

Listen guys - everyone works to a budget at the end of the day, and I'm not comparing my Porsche to a Fiat Coupe (that would obviously be very silly). I just pointed out a few bits that I didn't notice when I owned the coupe - I hadn't really owned anything that quick before the coupe, so not much experience of driving sports cars (only 23 when I bought the coupe) etc... so I thought I'd pass the comments on to the younger owners.

Sure, for £50k there's plenty of choice out there, and obviously everyone isn't going to choost the same marque, let alone the same car! WF - in terms of how long I'm going to keep it, I'm going to extend the warranty for 2 years in April next year (which in itself costs as much as a coupe - definately not cheap motoring in Porsche Dealers!), so I'll probably own it till April 2011, then consider changing up to something else. Right now, a 997 GT3 looks like the obvious upgrade, but we'll see when the time comes. You are right though - I probably won't keep it as long as the coupe, although that's down to budget more than anything else. I got married last year - and if you think a Porsche is expensive, try a wedding in central london! Even I was shocked with the overall final bill.... so the coupe had to stay for another year.



The above is true - the depreciation on cars like mine is horrendous. I expect to lose upwards of £5-6k a year over the 3 years (on average - I may only keep it for 2.5 years) I'll likely own it, possibly more with high miles. But then - I didn't buy a Porsche to save money, I bought it because I can afford to lose that much money and enjoy myself. Nothing wrong with that in my book.

The problem with italian super sports/supercars like Mazzers and Ferrari's, is not the purchase price, it's the maintenance that's the killer. I was also looking as Maserati Gransports alongside the Porsche, but the servicing and parts costs are just crazy, compared to my car.

BUT - A 550 isn't a coupe on steroids, not even the same planet mate. If you think the 16" coupe wheels and a coupe dash (as lovely as it is) even scratches the surface of a 550, you're nuts!



I'm not going to bite at all the negative comments, my advice: just keep being critical and dreaming of what you would do if you were in my situation. I get to jump in something very special when I finish work - and it's a testament to all my hard work being able to buy one at my age, the rest is all semantics. That's all I need to say....

The Cayman is a fantastic car, looks great and is meant to be a fantastic drive. Going into 911 territory can be pretty scary especially the water cooled turbo models. Speaking to some chaps at Fighting Torque I was surprised to hear how unreliable they are with engines costing 10-20K. Everything is silly money, servicing, parts i.e. alloys costing £300 each... If you own a fast Porsche don't expect cheap motoring as things can go wrong and when they do they rape the wallet. That's the reality behind "supercars", I can see why some owners rarely drive the things for fear of being financially crippled