Porsche Turbo or Ultima

[GG33]

Probably the wrong place to ask this, but I am trying to decide between the two. Obviously very different machines in most respects, but performance not a million miles apart. I Love the look of the Ultima, but wonder what it will really be like to live with? Having read few reports, it seems they can suffer fairly major engine damage (spun bearings etc) I would buy a ready built (used) model. Do most builder install a/c? I imagine it would be fairly uncomfortable without? Comments please

GG

[LuckyP]

1) What flavour Turbo, 996?

2) What do you want it for?

3) What are your expectations?

4) Who will service/maintain it?

Answer these and peeps responses will be better focused and more helpful to you.

Lucky.

Edited by LuckyP on Thursday 19th July 10:17

[GG33]

996TT, want to keep it the garage and use for sunny days and regular blasts (UK and Europe) Need hugea amounts of performance, also need great looks. 996 would be serviced by specialist, Ultima would most likely be maintained by me. - Did I miss anything?

[Crazy of Cookham]

Ask Bluesatin I think he is lucky enough to have one of each

[bluesatin]

If you want a fast , reliable and safe car on the road go for a porsche (with X50)nnothing will touch it for speed and handling. The ultima is fast but using the performance on the road is hard but saying that it is a lot more fun, I use the porsche to commute so all in very practicle. The ultima gives a total different type of experience and is a lot cheaper to run.

[RobbieJay]

Hi guys,

I am in exactly the same situation, i have come from building mitsubishi 3000gt cars for drag racing and i am now considering either ultima gtr or porsche 996 turbo.

I work in london in a coporate environment, i would love the Porsche fo rteh image and so on, however i think i might be dissapointed with the 450 horses or so that a 2000 year 996 turbo will have.

Equally i have seen ultima gtr`s finished, built with the lower spec engines say 450 hp for around 30 grand.

So what do i get ? i heard the Porsche has engine problems and of course will be very expensive to run and fix if it does go wroung, the ultima is simpler and i have the potential to upgrade engines later and have a seriously quick car.

I want to pose and i want to do the odd track day, i have also considered some of teh skyline GTR`s coming out of Japan very cheaply at the moment, i am looking at one currently that is one of only 5 skylines in the world to run a 9 second quarter on street tyres and its only 25 grand ! downside is the " chav " stigma of teh jap market ( why i stopped with the mitsi`s ) and of course that they are worth nothing when you come to resell.

I dunno what to do, i work hard for my cash and i just want to be happy with what i get, what would you do ? i have about 40 k to spend and thats me maxed out.

cheers

[d3vine]

I don't own a GTR or CanAm. But I'd recommend going with a GTR or CanAm with a LSx engine. Make it reliable, and get decent gas mileage. Mmm, An Ultima GTR with a LS7 twinturbos, or supercharged, Dymag wheels... Sounds good! Oh yeh, then there are carbon ceramic clutch, brakes, aluminum radiator, all carbon fiber interior. Nice!

[bluesatin]

The porsche turbo engine is very reliable (not the same engine as in notmal 996) and so is not a big issue especially if you have the porsche warranty (£800). It all depends how often and when you want to drive the car. I use the porsche to commute in and i can tell you if you buy an x50 you will never find it slow and will be amazed what the car can do in the sun or rain. The ultima is a totally different type of driving experience and a lot of fun to drive but in the real world on average roads the porsche will arrive sooner than an ultima. However, when you get their you will be shocked at the capability of the Porsche but in the ultima you will be smiling like an idiot!

Edited by bluesatin on Tuesday 11th September 18:36

[TuxMan]

i would not call ultimas un-reliable the only person with spun bearings was Lucky-p and to be honest a well built ultima will be as reliable as anything , i went for a test drive in a 996 turbo over the weekened the can-am is up for sale and i would like something to replace it the porsche was very nice but to be honest it was too good did not scare me at all !!!! would be a awsome everyday car but a weekened car its just not scarey enough when i got home i went out in the Can-am and it made me grin like a idiot !!!!!! remind me again why it is up forsale ???

[gtr-gaz]

I have never been lucky enough to own a Porsche, but I can't imagine it getting my pulse racing and adrenalin going, like the GTR does every time I press the starter button!!

[crafty]

d3vine said:

I don't own a GTR or CanAm. But I'd recommend going with a GTR or CanAm with a LSx engine.

+1 .... you could drive mine every day, except on shopping days.....

[dilbert]

If you're going to buy, then it's gotta be the Porsche. If you're going to build it's gotta be the Ultima!

Admittedly there must be some middle ground, but personally I'd rather have an Ultima than a 997C4S. I guess a 997 Turbo would probably be starting to break even.

If it's the GT2 you're looking at then it's the Porsche pretty much any day.

[crafty]

I owned a modified 964 for 7 years - put 60,000km on it and loved every minute of it - great car - wish I didnt sell it.

GG33- you want a car for sunny day blasts - go for the Ultima.

Robbie Jay - with 40K to spend, and wanting something to drive every day - buy a Porsche. IMO you'd need a very well sorted LS engined car to drive every day.

[d3vine]

Yo Crafty, thanks for the offer. I'll definitely take you up on it when I go to Hong Kong next year.

[crafty]

d3vine said:

Yo Crafty, thanks for the offer. I'll definitely take you up on it when I go to Hong Kong next year.

hehehe....umm.... I think I meant to say "one could".... not "you could" - but definitely look me up if you're coming over.


oh... I think Im covered anyway - every day is a shopping day here!!

Edited by crafty on Wednesday 12th September 05:29

[P15TON]

Both seems the only sensible conclusion

[bluesatin]

Works for me!

[TuxMan]

not sure why you would only buy a porsche and not a ready built Ultima most ultimas are built to a very high standard and are well sorted !!!!! sure fact is they will be cheaper to fix and maintain !!!

[dilbert]

TuxMan said:

not sure why you would only buy a porsche and not a ready built Ultima most ultimas are built to a very high standard and are well sorted !!!!! sure fact is they will be cheaper to fix and maintain !!!

I reckon it's about the person more than the car. I think what I meant is that if you're not the sort that would be happy to consider building a car, don't buy a prebuilt Ultima. I could well be wrong, and if you have oodles of cash, then it's not going to matter anyhow. The thing is that you wouldn't necassarily consider an Ultima if you had oodles of cash.

The Ultima is essentially a mass produced prototype. A bit like the TVR's used to be, although moreso. A GT2 is an enhanced mass produced road car. That's quite a bit of difference.

Edited by dilbert on Wednesday 12th September 19:39