Why do we upgrade?

Why do we upgrade?

Author
Discussion

V8KSN

Original Poster:

4,711 posts

185 months

Tuesday 7th July 2015
quotequote all
I work in IT and the underlying premise that is prevalent throughout my industry is that the user should always upgrade to the latest software with the latest patches installed otherwise you could encounter issues or expose your system to attacks.

As a general rule this upgrade mantra is followed religiously by almost everyone as nobody wants to suffer the consequences of a broken system or suffer the inconvenience of being hacked and having information stolen from them.

In this case its very easy to see why an end user will upgrade their software or system as being on the ‘old’ software carries with it a risk that the end user is not willing to accept.

In years gone by it was easy to see how people adopted this mentality with cars. For example, why would you want to continue threshold braking once ABS had been proven on aircraft and made available on cars? Unless you have the skills of the late great Sean Edwards then you will most probably be better off (and no doubt safer) with ABS than without it. In this case the majority of people were willing to give up the risk of a NON-ABS braking system for the benefit of increased safety.

The same happened to a more invasive extent with Electronic Stability Control systems. When these came out the general public saw the overwhelming benefits of these systems and were amazed at how the ‘computers took control’ and helped bring the car to a safe and controlled state where the driver could take back control. At the same time, enthusiast drivers made switching the traction control button to ‘Off’ part of their morning ritual.

All of these ‘upgrades’ came in dribs and drabs over time and came alongside features like sound insulation and bluetooth integration and automatic headlight control systems along with auto dimming rear view mirrors and rain sensing wipers etc etc etc.

Some of these features don’t affect the core driving experience at all (bluetooth telephone, ISOFIX seat mountings etc) and some do (integrated electronic stability control systems that take inputs from steering, and throttle openings etc and constantly adjust the car).

Gradually we have been led to believe that these systems enhance the driving experience and make driving the car much more pleasurable. This is a debatable claim as its a purely subjective viewpoint depending on what you use the car for.

If you had a 991 Turbo S in the garage and a 997 GT3 RS parked alongside it, which keys would you grab if you was going on a trip from Southern England to the Nurburgring for 10 laps and then into Italy and Switzerland for a week long holiday with your other half? Would that decision be different if rain or snow was expected for part of the journey? What if you had to choose one of them forever? What would you be willing to compromise on?

Personally I think my 997 GT3 is a great compromise between the old and the new. Between the raw unfiltered interaction and involvement of an old car and all the creature comforts of a new car. However, I am no driving god and I mostly drive with the traction control left on and the chassis set to benign understeer at the limit. I admit that I need electronic assistance to help curb my ‘over enthusiasm’ sometimes but I also like to occasionally switch the system off and let it all hang out. The enjoyment for me lies in the fact that the car is considerably more capable than I am but it rewards and punishes enough to keep me interested and make me want to improve as a driver. On the flip side of that, It does not have bluetooth integration so I have to stop the car to make phone calls and I can’t play my music or stream internet radio when I am stuck in traffic! Are these really important though?

I have thought about ‘upgrading’ to a 991 GT3 many times (and probably will one day) but I have always been left with the same question… What do I want from my next car and what am I willing to give up for it? Conversely, what does my car NOT do that a Cayman GT4 or a 991 GTS CAN do? Is it always about handling and speed that drives our decisions to change cars?

The ‘natural’ upgrade would be to go for the newer faster model but newer and faster does not appeal to everyone so my question to you guys is this, what made you change from your last car and why?

Have you just sold a 930 Turbo and ‘upgraded’ to a 991 Turbo?
Did you have a 997 and sell it for a 964?
Have you just swapped from a 991 GT3 to a ’73 RS Replica?

I would be really interested in your views as sometimes the upgrade path is not as clear as the manufacturers marketing department would have us believe.

V8KSN

Original Poster:

4,711 posts

185 months

Wednesday 8th July 2015
quotequote all
fastgerman said:
A standard response would be:

Upgrading = moving to the latest release of the same model or better

So a 996 Carrera to a 997 Carrera to a 991 Carrera

Not a 930 to a 964 Tip Targa for example

If I moved from my 997 C2S to a 991 C2S, then I've upgraded. If I moved to a new M3 or C63 (both worth more), then I don't think I've upgraded...

Anyway, buy what you like, we're all different :-).

If every 911 was a Singer, we'd love it for a few weeks until somebody remembered what a 997 GT3 or 993 C2S looked like :-).
I know this is the 'standard' upgrade path that people follow but my question was more aimed at the individual and their own choices for changing.

You say that a 930 to a 964 Tip Targa is not an upgrade but that is purely subjective and the reasons could be many, including budget constraints. Maybe the 964 is 4WD so they will use it more often and the auto box appeals because their left knee is damaged.

Who are we to say what is an upgrade and what isn't?

V8KSN

Original Poster:

4,711 posts

185 months

Wednesday 8th July 2015
quotequote all
PorscheGT4 said:
you have to be serious what an upgrade is though, not just talk bks because it makes a thread.

if some people want to down grade to a slower car because it's more fun, that's a down grade though choice, please don't call it a upgrade for the thread.
So, as you sold your 996 GT3 and bought a Cayman R are you saying that's a downgrade?

I always thought you argued it was an upgrade!

The question is not as simple as you! hehe