Decisions: DB7 v 996 v E46 M3 v 4200 GT
Discussion
Over the winter it is my intention to fill a whole in my garage with a weekend only coupe which I will keep for 10 years or so.
Shortlist is down to:
2001 Aston Martin DB7 Vantage
2003 Porsche 996 C4S
2004 Maserati 4200 GT
2004 BMW E46 M3
I will post this thread on the various marque forums to even out home team advantage but would really appreciate opinions on reliability, running costs and smiles per gallon.
Hope fully some of you guys will have owned more than 1 of these and are able to compare but any opinion would be valuable.
Cheers
Shortlist is down to:
2001 Aston Martin DB7 Vantage
2003 Porsche 996 C4S
2004 Maserati 4200 GT
2004 BMW E46 M3
I will post this thread on the various marque forums to even out home team advantage but would really appreciate opinions on reliability, running costs and smiles per gallon.
Hope fully some of you guys will have owned more than 1 of these and are able to compare but any opinion would be valuable.
Cheers
Sorry i do not nor have owned any of these...Just one question?
Why keep it for 10years?
IMO none of these will ever gain the "classic" status. If this the purpose I would definitely look at something else.
Again IMO all four of these can be found for little money at the moment, and indeed I doubt any of these will fall below the £12-15k mark on the long term.
I am just curious about why these 4 cars.
note: I own a 993TT
Why keep it for 10years?
IMO none of these will ever gain the "classic" status. If this the purpose I would definitely look at something else.
Again IMO all four of these can be found for little money at the moment, and indeed I doubt any of these will fall below the £12-15k mark on the long term.
I am just curious about why these 4 cars.
note: I own a 993TT
6C4GTS said:
Over the winter it is my intention to fill a whole in my garage with a weekend only coupe which I will keep for 10 years or so.
Shortlist is down to:
2001 Aston Martin DB7 Vantage
2003 Porsche 996 C4S
2004 Maserati 4200 GT
2004 BMW E46 M3
I will post this thread on the various marque forums to even out home team advantage but would really appreciate opinions on reliability, running costs and smiles per gallon.
Hope fully some of you guys will have owned more than 1 of these and are able to compare but any opinion would be valuable.
Cheers
None of the above have any combination of rarity and desirability to make them a clear-cut "winner" IMHO. Instead, I suggest the 996TT as it's powerplant is based on the GT1 engine and so is much tougher than the C4S and is faster and more reliable than any of the others. Much faster. Faster = smiles per mile don't you know?Shortlist is down to:
2001 Aston Martin DB7 Vantage
2003 Porsche 996 C4S
2004 Maserati 4200 GT
2004 BMW E46 M3
I will post this thread on the various marque forums to even out home team advantage but would really appreciate opinions on reliability, running costs and smiles per gallon.
Hope fully some of you guys will have owned more than 1 of these and are able to compare but any opinion would be valuable.
Cheers
Good luck.
6C4GTS said:
Over the winter it is my intention to fill a whole in my garage with a weekend only coupe which I will keep for 10 years or so.
Shortlist is down to:
2001 Aston Martin DB7 Vantage
2003 Porsche 996 C4S
2004 Maserati 4200 GT
2004 BMW E46 M3
Best advice is to go and try them all and see what you like, but here's some snippets from someone who has had them all (kind of) albeit as a dealer so not on a long term ownership basis:Shortlist is down to:
2001 Aston Martin DB7 Vantage
2003 Porsche 996 C4S
2004 Maserati 4200 GT
2004 BMW E46 M3
DB7 - feels very small inside (I didn't know it was based on a 1975 Jag XJS when I got it but it felt just like one, except for the Fiesta door locks) and can be VERY expensive for some parts - I had a 97 3.2 6 years ago and it needed a brake master cylinder - price then £2000+VAT (tried everything to avoid using the main dealer for the part but there were no options). Not had a V12 but I'd imagine it's quite nice - the supercharged 3.2 was rubbish performance-wise.
996 C4S - for the long term buy an earlier Turbo instead - not massively different running costs but with a decent engine (without the risk attached). The 993 is a better made car though, that will stand the test of time better IMHO and always feel more of an occasion when you go out in it.
4200GT - I've only had a 3200, which I still much prefer the look of. Great for carrying people around as they can genuinely fit four in. Very expensive to maintain. I'd rather have a Ferrari 550, which is a far more special car.
E46 M3 - great car but hardly special - they will be in the £5k bracket within a couple of years and will have a chavtastic appeal (M-power innit) and there's plenty of them. The CSL is significantly different though and should make a decent long term ownership proposition. Personally I really don't like the SMG gearbox though - never used it flat out on track though, which is where it is supposed to come into its own, but for road use it is never as good as a manual. Should be the cheapest car to run out of your list, followed by the Porsche (if the engine doesn't blow on a 996 C4S).
Do whatever you can to see and drive as many cars as you can before you decide.
If you want to try a 996 Turbo you're welcome to have a go, just give me a call.HTH
6C4GTS said:
Over the winter it is my intention to fill a whole in my garage with a weekend only coupe which I will keep for 10 years or so.
Shortlist is down to:
2001 Aston Martin DB7 Vantage
2003 Porsche 996 C4S
2004 Maserati 4200 GT
2004 BMW E46 M3
I will post this thread on the various marque forums to even out home team advantage but would really appreciate opinions on reliability, running costs and smiles per gallon.
Hope fully some of you guys will have owned more than 1 of these and are able to compare but any opinion would be valuable.
Cheers
I say DB7, but a 6 cylinder one, much prettier than the V12 and the original. A Works Prepared one would be very cool and I daresay quite sought after.Shortlist is down to:
2001 Aston Martin DB7 Vantage
2003 Porsche 996 C4S
2004 Maserati 4200 GT
2004 BMW E46 M3
I will post this thread on the various marque forums to even out home team advantage but would really appreciate opinions on reliability, running costs and smiles per gallon.
Hope fully some of you guys will have owned more than 1 of these and are able to compare but any opinion would be valuable.
Cheers
BMW you'd need to keep for 25 years. Masser not so sure, 80's ones didn't fair great long term and 3200 has lost bucket loads and a 4200 is likely to be expensive to maintain.
Porsche, well a good following but quite a lot of them about.
The M3 just isn't special enough to float your boat for 10 years, the DB7 and Masi will cost you a fortune, so for something special like this, I agree with the man above who would go for a Ferrari 550, but once again that will rape you, so that strange to say leaves the C4S.
I am sure the Turbo would be worth a careful thought but I always found that the noise moved me more than the power.
All the best whichever way you go.
I am sure the Turbo would be worth a careful thought but I always found that the noise moved me more than the power.
All the best whichever way you go.
This is one of the more interesting What Car posts and I like the choices! I have owned variataions of 2 of the cars and have also considered the other two at some point or another.
I had the supercharged 3.2 DB7 (ie pre-Vantage) and whilst it was a lovely car with a real sense of occasion the running costs are woeful. There was a recipt in the history file for £5k the year before I bought it and I could never get more than 16mpg out of it no matter how leisurely I drove it. I actually prefer the look of the Vantage unlike an earlier poster. This is the most likely to have classic status in my book.
996 C4S is the prettiest of all water-cooled Porsches so it depends if you want looks with good performance or not bad looking with awesome performance (ie the Turbo). I went for the Turbo but I agonised over it!
Agree about the CSL being the only M3 to consider and as for the Maser, I would rather spend less and buy 3200 with a big pot for when (not if!) things go wrong.
Good luck with whatever you choose!
I had the supercharged 3.2 DB7 (ie pre-Vantage) and whilst it was a lovely car with a real sense of occasion the running costs are woeful. There was a recipt in the history file for £5k the year before I bought it and I could never get more than 16mpg out of it no matter how leisurely I drove it. I actually prefer the look of the Vantage unlike an earlier poster. This is the most likely to have classic status in my book.
996 C4S is the prettiest of all water-cooled Porsches so it depends if you want looks with good performance or not bad looking with awesome performance (ie the Turbo). I went for the Turbo but I agonised over it!
Agree about the CSL being the only M3 to consider and as for the Maser, I would rather spend less and buy 3200 with a big pot for when (not if!) things go wrong.
Good luck with whatever you choose!
jag xk similar to aston but better
M3 too many about as man said it will be a chav mobile like e36 is.(not so e30 as not many around)
maserati will cost to look after although cambicorsa nice looking car .
996c4s not the best 911(personally dont like fake turbo look much better to go for plain 996)
as the man said go for 996 turbo (better engine and good long term prospect).
or why not a 993 as the man said or maybe a late 964
or if it was my money and only want 2 seats cayman s all the way
M3 too many about as man said it will be a chav mobile like e36 is.(not so e30 as not many around)
maserati will cost to look after although cambicorsa nice looking car .
996c4s not the best 911(personally dont like fake turbo look much better to go for plain 996)
as the man said go for 996 turbo (better engine and good long term prospect).
or why not a 993 as the man said or maybe a late 964
or if it was my money and only want 2 seats cayman s all the way
Edited by mayes911 on Friday 5th June 18:09
I guess a key question is what this weekend toy will be used for? ie will it see a track, is it a saturday morning blaster, or a bit of a cruiser with the power to play if needed?
I'd drop the M3 from the list straight away, unless you want to do the right thing and get an E30 M3. An E46 as a 10 year car just doesn't make sense. An E30 as a weekend car could cost you as much as an E46 if you want a good one, but it would still be my choice. A late Sport Evo ticks all my boxes and has a proud place in my fantasy garage. One day I will own one.
Have a think about what your 10 year keeper will make you feel like in 10 years. I'd then ask why there isn't a Ferrari on the shortlist.
I'd drop the M3 from the list straight away, unless you want to do the right thing and get an E30 M3. An E46 as a 10 year car just doesn't make sense. An E30 as a weekend car could cost you as much as an E46 if you want a good one, but it would still be my choice. A late Sport Evo ticks all my boxes and has a proud place in my fantasy garage. One day I will own one.
Have a think about what your 10 year keeper will make you feel like in 10 years. I'd then ask why there isn't a Ferrari on the shortlist.
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