How is it that we have 400+hp cars from Chevrolet yet I am enamored with 320 cute little ponies from zie Germans? This is a 911 vs. Corvette question that keeps popping up internally in my head. I have no interest in a Corvette (well maybe a teenzy bit in a C6 z06), and yet they're much cheaper for the power/weight vs. a Porsche. They're no longer that heavy, or big. Interior quality has improved, they're a bit more refined, so what gives?

7/3/2010 3:11:43 PM

they dont come over on a ship
they have parts that fit on other chevys

7/3/2010 3:34:10 PM

you have more gay tendencies than you do redneck mullet tendencies. it's pretty simple really.

7/3/2010 4:53:46 PM

haha

7/3/2010 5:01:05 PM

It all makes sense now...

7/3/2010 6:27:34 PM

glad i could clear that up for you. find a car!

7/3/2010 7:02:21 PM

I asked myself the same question. I could have bought Z28-SS for the same money i spent on E36 M3. I could have bought new GTO and have cash left over instead of E46 M3. On average what really bothers me is following:

-german cars age slower.
-paint is better. just look at the paint on any 90s GM. it's flat.
-there are wider gaps between body panels and sometimes irregularities on each side. (this bothers me to no end!)
-i see 1 year old GM cars with condensation in head/tail lights. plastic they use on GM also seem to fade faster.
-body panels, especially bumpers, hood, wheel wells extend to outer space unnecessarily making the car bigger for no reason, without adding any purposeful space for interior. (f-body for example)
-suspension design is inferior (leaf springs, no double A arms anywhere, IRS once in a blue moon)
-engine design is inferior (pushrod or plain jane DOHC)
-interior materials are cheaper and look shitty
-red turn signals instead of orange (big pet peeve! to be honest BMW started that bullshit also with E90 too now, which i can't stand)
-steering feel is numbed down regardless of model.
-in GENERAL, they fare worse in crash safety tests. (there are exception, but for the most part it holds true)
-racing vs drag racing heritage (engineering of building a track race car is far more complex technically than building a drag or NASCAR. look at the budge for F1 car development vs NASCAR).

yeah, germans have their share of problems as well and peculiarities, but their cars make for a better compromise overall, unless we talk trucks!

7/3/2010 7:10:57 PM

E36 M3 compared to a Camaro? E46 M3 compared to to a GTO? They're not even the same type of car. They're 2 door, 4 seat cars. That's about all they have in common. What's the point of comparing them?

7/3/2010 8:54:51 PM

Quote :

"Interior quality has improved, they're a bit more refined, so what gives? "

i'm sorry but the interior quality even on the new corvette is terrible. if i had to relate it to german cars i would put it on par with german cars of the mid to late 90's.

7/4/2010 2:51:20 AM

Quote :

"E36 M3 compared to a Camaro? E46 M3 compared to to a GTO? They're not even the same type of car. They're 2 door, 4 seat cars. That's about all they have in common. What's the point of comparing them?"

who said they are comparable?

if you read what i said...for the same money buys me almost 100hp of GM over german car.

7/4/2010 3:30:18 AM

OK and for the same money you could probably get somebody's basketcase dsm that runs 10s when it's not on jackstands. What's the point here.

7/4/2010 2:13:59 PM

he's just talking about his priorities in buying a car and all the different directions you can go with the same amount of money. nothing profound, just thinking out loud.

7/4/2010 4:11:57 PM

Well this dude listened to Ahmet's ranting and put an American helicopter turbine engine in a Porsche 928

eBay Find of the Day: Turbine-powered 1982 Porsche 928 spits flames, takes names
http://www.autoblog.com/2010/07/04/ebay-find-of-the-day-turbine-powered-1982-porsche-928-spits-fla/

And he is selling it on ebay, for a mere $20,000!

http://cgi.ebay.com/ebaymotors/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&item=170507790267#v4-32

Video: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=z6wdxlIYizk

Ahmet, BUY IT, I DARE YOU!

7/4/2010 10:13:55 PM

startup noise at 3:30 in that video :O

7/4/2010 10:57:33 PM

get what you want.

7/5/2010 8:20:25 PM

I AM! Flying out tomorrow!

7/6/2010 1:53:41 AM

hahah big mike social is awesome.

His horn videos rock.

7/6/2010 3:22:52 AM

^^carbon fibered out 996?

7/6/2010 8:53:12 AM

^^^^^Holy hell!


As far as the OP, if you spend 90% of the time with a car on public roads nobody really needs more than 300-350hp (depending on the weight of the car) to have a honking good time. Thus for some people instead of going for 400-500hp Chevys they'd rather get a used Porsche with superior handling, steering feel and fit & finish. That's my 2 cents at least...

7/6/2010 11:06:53 AM

Well I was certainly utilizing my 420+hp in the vette when I had it (power slides till you're yawning, not too shabby), but in the end the lack of steering feel, crap seats/interior quality and lack of sophistication was unbearable. However, the C6 is a tidier package all together. Don't know if they're quite there yet, but compelling argument.

I was going to buy a Porsche, today... The owner's hospitalized, how'bout that. The guy also has a Carrera GT and a Murcialago which he's selling as well (medical complications).

7/6/2010 1:55:27 PM

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OdpgE4nf0xU&NR=1

7/7/2010 6:19:00 PM

I'm doing it I'm doing it!

It's a convertible mustang V6 with chrome rims, automatic! I can't wait!

7/8/2010 2:35:35 AM

fox body?

7/8/2010 2:25:16 PM

V6 vert fox ehh. Have fun with that.

7/8/2010 2:27:52 PM

I.. am.. not.. serious.

It's an Aries!

OK OK, it's a late(r) model 911. The guy selling it is in the hospital again with Kidney failure though, so maybe the deal won't go thru, really makes you think... Life is short. I can't even be upset that my deal may not work out.

7/8/2010 2:53:09 PM