matty

ummm......no!

rotorypolo

iTrader: (1)

M3 is a luxury sports car, could make a hell of a track car if properly done without all the leather, heated seats, etc. But I dont think they are anywhere near as fast as a modded FD, not even close though.

Mahjik

iTrader: (1)

You can't really compare modded cars to un-modded cars. You can make a Civic faster than most modded FD's (and there are quite a few of them around) but that doesn't make the Civic a better car.

KMAR

matty, where I live people don't know what the car is, they see it as a 100,000 dollar sports car, remember we know what it is, they don't and that is how they will judge. Even people at my own company say, "Wow, nice car, we pay you too much, ha ha ha!" I'm like, ya whatever. Just things I've noticed, in my neck of the woods.

omochi

do you remember fong on here by any chance? I dont recall his screen name, but he tracks A LOT from what i've read/seen. he sold his FD.. got a GT3.. NEVER looked back.

omochi

Wait.

You go from talking about modding your car to todays "performance standards" with regard to a Porsche, then you decide to slag the INTERIOR of the porsche?

FDNewbie

iTrader: (10)

I'm sure there are 2 camps on all issues, but typically if one is clearly superior, everyone goes one direction, and practically NO ONE comes back. I have no problem admitting the Porsche is an easier/more reliable platform to start w/, but hopefully you'll also agree that an FD done *right* will give a Porsche it's run for the money, and then some. In fact, I plan on putting my money where my mouth is, and reporting back soon enough

ptrhahn

iTrader: (9)

Yeah, what's wrong with that?

Ever been in a '92 911? Remember, they've been making that car since 1968, and until the 996 redesign, there was quite a bit that was dated in them, including alot of interior parts that looked like they were from the 70's/80's. Like I said, I saw specific pieces in the car that were IDENTICAL to the pieces in one of my old VW's (not surprising given the companys heritage and partnership.

mirabile

A porsche is absolutely a higher performance machine. Recently, because of my 20B project my father decided to upgrade the turbos on his 1998 twin turbo. He expects that car to make around 690 hp with very few other modifications. He respects the FD, but after racing for many years, he would take the porsche everytime.

As far as the flaunting argument, I respect anyone who respects their car/cars. There is nothing wrong with buying the most bad *** car, like an enzo, if thats what you would like to do. Personally I prefer modding my FD in order to beat the **** out of cars that are much more expensive. The problem is, in the end, Ferrari and Porsche can modify their cars better then all the aftermarket parts in the world can do for ours.

mirabile

The 1998 tt performance #s before the turbo mod,
0-60mph: 3.7 seconds
0-1/4 mile: 12.1s @ 116 mph
Top Speed: 192 mph

ptrhahn

iTrader: (9)

Put another way: The basic 911 came out in 1968. Every 911 varient up until the 996 was based on essentially the same car. You could litterally buy a '74 911 and "update" it with newer factory parts to build yourself a later model version of it.

So, the FD right now is a like 911 from 1981. Check any magazine from 1981, and you'll see everyone still considered the 911 one of the worlds best, let alone 11-12 years later in '92 or '93. All that was done to acheive this were updates and revisions by the factory... or when replicated by a private owner, "mods"

omochi

oh yeah, definitely. i've ran my fair share of porsches down at the track (and even made one spin out.. harhar )..but as mentioned by almost everyone, it just comes down to driver.. but with that said, i'll stick take a GT3 over my FD :o

omochi

Well, nothing wrong with talking about the interior, but I thought the topic of the cars overall performance was at the topic of hand, not going on a tangent and looking for other things about Porsches to bash.

Terrh

iTrader: (7)

modern AWD is an ADVANTAGE in the twisties.


especially in a car with a rear weight bias like the 911!

anyways, here's how I think it would go down.

from a dig: You'd get owned in the face. (unless we're talking at a dragstrip with drag radials, then I think it would be pretty close)

From a roll: I think you'd have him... stock turbos must spool DAMN fast on a streetport with 350WHP.

Roadcourse... always depends on who can drive.

ptrhahn

iTrader: (9)

Nobody's "bashing" Porsches... or going off on tangents.

It seems that the consensus here is that the FD is an "inferior" platform because it's an older car... and I was using the interior of a Porsche, among other things, to point out that Porsches were considered the gold standard for quite some time despite working off of a platform from 1968 (up until the 996).

GoodfellaFD3S

iTrader: (213)

I agree with everything that you're saying, Peter. I've never understood why some guys didn't take more pride in their car, and value it for the purebred sportscar that it is. I wouldn't trade my FD for any porsche, including a GT2/GT3. I've built this sucker, anybody with the necessary funds can go purchase a new *insert highend car here*.

mirabile

You are kidding me. You would not trade it for anything, or just any porsche? Rich, I knew you loved your FD, but now you have gone too far! If you answer this in the affirmative I have a whole new persepective on the love you feel for that hot red head.

FDNewbie

iTrader: (10)

I feel EXACTLY like Rich. I plan on buying a 911 some day (prob GT2), but it'll be for daily driving, NOT racing. I wouldn't take *anything* over my FD. In fact, I sold my R-34 to finish up my FD. Now THAT'S dedication to the 7...

ptrhahn

iTrader: (9)

I dunno... the new 997 GT3 makes my nips hard. If I had the spare $100,000 I might sell my FD to Fritz and pick that sucker up. There's whole lot to love there besides lap time potential.

That said, I don't have the spare $100k (at least not if I feel like retiring ever), so I'll be perfectly satisfied running along with them in the RX.

I've also got enough friends with modded high-end $100,000 cars to know they aren't perfect either. You guys may not know how good you've got it w/ the FD.

Mahjik

iTrader: (1)

Rich, there is a difference between taking pride in one's car and recognizing the great engineering in another platform. There is a reason Porsche basically rules in GT sports car racing across the world (and has for many years).

GoodfellaFD3S

iTrader: (213)

Exactly!

Mahjik

iTrader: (1)

But they probably aren't replacing motors every 40-50k miles either.

As long as humans are doing the work, there will always be problems with cars. Its the type of problems which are the concern. For instance, my M3 (not $100k but more expensive than the FD) has had plastic door pieces crack, window trim fall off and a host of other small problems. Now, my '93 FD may have had the paint chip on the panels, but the entire part never cracked and my original window trim is still in place. However, I'm sure my BMW won't go through 3 engines by 80k miles either.

ptrhahn

iTrader: (9)

Not to take anything away from their succss, but Porsches rule in international GT racing has to do with alot more than the platform superiority of any of their particular models.

Among them are the Marque's committment to racing that has established it as THE standard customer GT racing car through the years. Other manufacturers are in and out, Porsche is always there, and always there with a consistent model (911) for which there are tons of development parts, tons of teams running them, tons of info, etc.

If I were a privateer GT racer, i'd definately buy a Porsche, because I know I can count on them to always be in it, always give me support, and always provide something that is an evolution of what I already have for continuities sake. The GT3 Cup turnkey racecar is practically a production model... as was the 962 in the IMSA days (imagine a prototype that starts with a key)... No other manufacturer has a serious and consistent customer racecar program other than Ferrari, and even that is far less consistent.

Winning in GT racing also takes a good lobby, and nobody is going to shaft a manufacturer like Porsche in the "equalization" rules, because they know that P-car fans and the Porsche club are major fan constituencies that they don't want to **** off.

Then there's MONEY.

FD's never won much in GT racing... but who was ever racing them? I saw Peter Farrel's operation at it's height, and it was a small operation at best compared to even some of the private operations I see show up at Vintage and Porsche club events. The last time I did a track event, some guy rolled up in a full-on 18-wheeler top of the line rig and rolled out his GT3 Cup... just to run the track... he wan't a pro race team, he was just some rich guy... with a full rig and a crew member!!

Sgtblue

iTrader: (16)

Agreed. Porsche, ZO6, Lotus, FD...whatever. It's like Chinese food, it's all great if you like that kind of stuff. And thank God for all the choices! Maybe it's because I'm older than you guys, but it seems like there were alot fewer choices not so long ago....at least within reach of my income level.

GoodfellaFD3S

iTrader: (213)

Agreed, I respect Porsches and think they're very capable performance cars.......I just wouldn't trade my FD for one, that's all