Arronax
1917
Great pics and a great subject!
Dec 26, 2022,12:40 PM
Best debated over a few nice bottles of wine!
I've driven many but only owned one, an 89 930 3.2 Carrera. Before buying it I had the chance to test drive the 964, 993 and 996 but the 930 was the most charming one with the thin steering wheel even though the 964 and especially the 993 handled much better and were more comfortable. When considering a 911 I find it's important to assess the intended use: rear seats usage, young children, stop & go traffic, long distance, hot or cold weather, snow, etc... while they are fairly polyvalent cars and while I consider myself more hardcore than most people, doing the 600 km round-trip to my in-laws in the 930 did take its toll. As mentioned by other members they tend to be quite noisy on long journeys and even modern ones suffer from the same problem due to large tires. I still remember the tire noise from the 996 turbo. Fundamentally they are flawed cars: the rear seats are too small and while there's plenty of storage in the back it's hard to use, maybe with the exception of the 996 targa with its hatchback but give me a FWD hot hatch for backseat comfort, storage capacity or cheap fun on mountain roads. My personal preference is narrow bodies and if some level of comfort is required you could start with a 996 c2/c4, although I love the looks of the 996 c4s. The 997 - preferrably .2 - is a nice option with classic looks and compact size, although I remember test driving one when they came out and thought they had become too fat. A few generations later and the 997 now looks small. From the 991 ease of operation was greatly improved in my opinion , the 991.1 is probably the most comfortable offered with a naturally aspirated engine. The 991.2 is very competent and fast but if you want a legendary soundtrack, especially with the sports exhaust, NA is the way to go. GT products are fantastic but quite focused. I've always thought about the Cayman as a modern-day NSX but being a convertible person the boxster has been my favorite model. The 981 in particular is a real peach if optioned properly (sports exhaust is so nice) and while the base 2.7 won't set your hair on fire it will definitely set your ears on fire without having to go double the speed limit. I find it easier to understand so-called lesser models after going through 911 ownership. Considering your a110 is automatic/coupe you may want to consider a cab or boxster with a manual, it'd complement the a110 nicely. It's hard to beat the thrills of top-down driving with a flat-6 singing in the background. Money no object and strictly 911 I'd go 991.1 -> 997.2 -> 997.1 then 996 in that order, cab or c2/c2s. I'm not sure a cayman would add much over your a110 other than flat-6 soundtrack and a bit of storage. Good luck with the hunt!