997 vs db9 vs Bentley Continental gt

[wickedtopspeed]

Hello, help please !
All 3 are on my wish list, but have 40,000 to spend now. Is a generation 1 997 a good or bad move ?
Thank you in advance.

[RacerMDR]

wickedtopspeed said:

Hello, help please !
All 3 are on my wish list, but have 40,000 to spend now. Is a generation 1 997 a good or bad move ?
Thank you in advance.

You will get a nice 997 for 40k - assuming you're not looking for a GT something.

My X51 C2S on ceramics has been valued at that by insurance company and it's near perfect condition (56k miles)

I haven't driven the other two - so can't compare - but the 997 is a really lovely usable fast (ish) car (depending on what you're used to)

The steering feel is absolutely wonderful, and sitting position second to none. Grip levels really good too, compared to say my old M3V8 which was silly sidewaysable in the dry.

[g7jhp]

One sports car and two luxury grand tourers (barge). Running costs will be cheaper on the 997.

Edited by g7jhp on Thursday 7th December 09:37

[D.no]

wickedtopspeed said:

Hello, help please !
All 3 are on my wish list, but have 40,000 to spend now. Is a generation 1 997 a good or bad move ?
Thank you in advance.

That's a disparate bunch, so ultimately it depends on your aspirations.

Drive them all and the answer should become apparent, though the 997's qualities may not reveal themselves immediately - it can be a slow burner that works it's way ever deeper into your affections as time goes by. You don't need to spend anything like your full budget to get into a 997.1, so you should have reasonable head room to resolve some of it's well documented weaknesses, or to set aside for contingency. Your budget should be just about sufficient to secure a 997.2 which may be a safer bet, but they're not quite as characterful as the 997.1 in my view.

Happy hunting.

[BubblesNW]

If a 997 gen II is within reach for your budget it’s a much safer place to be. No engine issues and far better nav etc. The standard gen II is as fast as the gen I S and the gen II S is a step above.

The others are for cruising and posing, depends what you are looking for.

[kilarney]

I would get a 997 Gen 2 out of that lot if only to protect your wallet

[PaulD86]

My other halves Gen 2 997 major service was £1200 with a few bits of extra work A relatives 2005 DB9 was £3600. It has also spent a reasonable amount of time not quite working as it should. I love Astons but the Porsche is going to be a much less ruinous ownership experience if you don't have an enormous budget.

Oh and buy a Cayman if that's the budget IMHO (and as someone who has access to both in the garage at home).

[NDA]

I've never owned a Porsche - but I've had Astons and the Bentley.

I am not sure you can compare the 997 with the other two. However, if it came down choosing between the Aston and the Bentley, I think the Bentley is a better car, but the Aston is prettier. If I had to choose only one, it would be the Bentley - I thought my GTC was a better car than my Vanquish.

[wickedtopspeed]

Thank you very much for your replies, they have been really useful.

I know the three cars are very different, but I am a bit of a nightmare ! I love to try everything, and always think the next car will be the perfect one for me !

Going to start hunting for a gen 2 car. Would love a targa, but think that will stretch the budget. If anyone knows of a good one, or has one to sell please do make contact.

Thanks once again.

[Digga]

wickedtopspeed said:

Going to start hunting for a gen 2 car. Would love a targa, but think that will stretch the budget. If anyone knows of a good one, or has one to sell please do make contact.

I think the Gen 2 preferable - good idea. Also, although Targas are nice, the coupe with the sunroof actually feels quite 'open' on a sunny day. It's not the full wind-in-the hair deal, but it's not bad.

Try contacting the usual suspect indie dealers; they may have cars not on show that they know of. Gen 2 is also recent enough to still be knocking around OPCs too.

Aston DB9 now seems to me very old tech, though pretty on the exterior at least. the Bentley is a Bentley; more a heavy, iron-fist-in-silk-glove GT car than nimble sports car, although not unattractive, it will never feel as lively as a 911.

[wickedtopspeed]

Thank you, had just been looking at the sunroof option as opposed to targa, and seems you save a bucket load of cash that way.

Was gen II introduced in 2009?

Also I know of 911virgin, and cridfords, but are there other indies I should talk to ?

Thank you once again !

[Digga]

wickedtopspeed said:

Was gen II introduced in 2009?

Yes.

wickedtopspeed said:

Also I know of 911virgin, and cridfords, but are there other indies I should talk to ?

Both good names.

See also JZM and RPM Technik. Others might add more that can be considered trusted too.

[g7jhp]

I'd keep my eye on a range of Indies. Some are less polished but the cars aren't as pricey!

911 Virgin
JZM
Cameron Sports Cars of Bath
RSJ Sportscars
RPM Technik
Northway
Portiacraft
Cridfords
Williams Crawford
Paragon (as per below, Thks Stuart).

Edited by g7jhp on Thursday 7th December 10:18

[Stuart70]

I would add Paragon to the list of trusted indies; but no bargains...

[EGTE]

Why not a Panamera? You can get a fine one of those for your budget and they're more like the Bentley and Aston.

[wickedtopspeed]

I test drove a panamera a few years ago, and found it dimensionally to feel huge, true 4 seater. The Aston and Bentley did not feel as big.

[WCZ]

the 997 non gt cars don't feel like that sportscar like to me tbh
have you considered a gtr?

[D.no]

wickedtopspeed said:

Was gen II introduced in 2009?

Late 2008, so include that year in any filter you apply for the full picture, and then you'll have to self-filter all the 2008 gen1's out. I nearly missed my current 997 (gen2) as result of starting the year filter at 2009 (I was after a very specific spec' that took 2.5 years to finally nail down)

[D.no]

WCZ said:

the 997 non gt cars don't feel like that sportscar like to me tbh
have you considered a gtr?

Been there too. GTR running costs higher than the 997..and no manual 'box (not for me - despite continually attempting to convince myself otherwise). I guess that's not an important consideration though given the other choices mentioned. Personally I prefer the feel of a 997 over the GT-R - all personal preference, hence why the OP should go and drive some cars.

[EGTE]

wickedtopspeed said:

I test drove a panamera a few years ago, and found it dimensionally to feel huge, true 4 seater. The Aston and Bentley did not feel as big.

Fair enough, although the Bentley is a little wider than the Panamera.