[skimo]

Hello,

I am currently on my 4th leased BMW, and was thinking of jumping over to Porsche. I love BMW's, but its about time to try something new.

I have had a GREAT experience leasing from BMW. The money factor is lower than most manufactures, willingness to work with you if going into another bmw, easy to extend, the BMW service...etc

Anyone have experience with Porsche? I am worried that peace of mind will go away.

I am moving from a 2011 3 series convertible (fully loaded) to a Cayman or a 911 Carrera. Porsche's all look the same to me at this point .

Would like to hear about your cost of ownership experiences, service level from porsche, where to do the research on deals/moneyfactor....

I tried to find the "bimmerpost" forums equivalent of Porsche but couldn't figure which forum is where all the answers are.

Thank you very much!

[pootytang]

Originally Posted by skimo

Hello,

I am currently on my 4th leased BMW, and was thinking of jumping over to Porsche. I love BMW's, but its about time to try something new.

I have had a GREAT experience leasing from BMW. The money factor is lower than most manufactures, willingness to work with you if going into another bmw, easy to extend, the BMW service...etc

Anyone have experience with Porsche? I am worried that peace of mind will go away.

I am moving from a 2011 3 series convertible (fully loaded) to a Cayman or a 911 Carrera. Porsche's all look the same to me at this point .

Would like to hear about your cost of ownership experiences, service level from porsche, where to do the research on deals/moneyfactor....

I tried to find the "bimmerpost" forums equivalent of Porsche but couldn't figure which forum is where all the answers are.

Thank you very much!

Sorry can't tell you much about P's other than a Cayman and 911 are worlds apart Think 320i vs M3 apart. I also know that while P's might look to have low base prices, things get quickly out of control when you start ticking option boxes. The depreciation on those cars is astronomical, so I highly doubt the leasing is good but that's just a guess You might be better off getting a slightly used one that's been babied by some poor chap who's being forced to sell cause his second kid is on the way. But I wouldn't want to DD a 911, putting those kind of miles will make it virtually unsellable.

Bimmerpost equivalent is here: http://www.6speedonline.com/forums/

Edit - I shouldn't be so harsh on the Cayman, they've actually been really been improving it. A Cayman S would be a fantastic marriage of performance/price, at least in the P world...haha

[buildbright]

If you don't mind spending the money Porsche is making awesome drivers cars. The 991 and new Cayman are a big improvement over the older models. Two dealers have both told me the Cayman S is so good now its the better car as far as dynamics go.

Now that goes out the window once you get into the more performance oriented (GT3) models.

The only issue I have about Porsche is make you pay for their cars. Everything is an option. Lol

[Roup1]

Another great P-car forum is Rennlist:

http://forums.rennlist.com/rennforums/991-221/

[BMWFM]

Can't really tell you about leasing one vs. the other. I can tell you about driving one vs. the other. My 911 is a bit older but I have driven newer versions, as well as M3s.

911 and Cayman used to be very different. With the new version, they have come closer. The new Cayman/boxster look really good. Arguable closer to the original intent of the 911 in terms of power vs. weight. Outside of the track, hard to use all the 911 power anyway.

The 911 is much more head turning and exclusive than BMWs. You are really buying into a legend and a timeless shape. You will look back in the parking lot with a grin on your face. You will also get positive comments from strangers.

The Porsche is certainly less practical (may not be an issue coming from a convertible). You can still go grocery shopping, if you use the back seat. The Cayman may give you more pure cargo room. The backseat of the 911 is useable if your passengers are less than 12 or a size 0.

As far as driving, the 911 is much more raw and nimble. The BMW is smooth, civilized. with a clean power delivery. But still big and heavy. Even a 335 or an M3. The 911 is more of a toy. A bit closer to a 1 series. Still not a go-cart though. There is also this incredible feeling of power that comes from accelerating out of a corner, with all the weight on the rear wheels. Unfortunately, with speed limits and traffic, most of the excitment happens at the track.

Cost of ownership of a Porsche will likely be much higher. You have to be mentally ready to spend money on it. You may not need to, but if you worry about a few hundreds or even a few thousands, the Porsche may not be the right choice.

Both BMW and the P-car put a smile on my face, but in a different way. For fun, I'll pick the 911. For commuting and long distance driving, the BMW.


Test drive them. Good luck with your decision. It is a good issue to have.

PS: +1 on Rennlist. A great resource. Hope to see you there.

FM

[Ryan9095]

I lease a BMW and a Porsche so hopefully I can help. BMW has the ability to offer low money factor rates on leases due to their high sales so your car payment will be significantly lower than if you leased a Porsche of the same MSRP. Cost of ownership is another factor to consider... both brands offer full coverage warranty on new cars but expect to pay for the Porsche when you bring it in. I had to pay like $400 for an oil change and some BS map upgrade I didn't ask for and I had to pay for a loaner car... BMW makes service seamless and relatively cost-free (although this may be a more dealer-specific issue). Regarding price everything is an option on Porsche. Expect to add a significant amount to the base price. All in all I think both brands are making great driver oriented cars. You won't necessarily miss anything switching from a BMW to a Porsche just expect to pay more. Hope this helps!

[nicknaz]

You are going to have to pay to play for sure with Porsche.

I leased a Z435 instead of a Boxster S last year because the BMW was significantly cheaper on all fronts even though the MSRP were similar.

Great cars if you can afford them. Good luck!

[pkimM3r]

Originally Posted by buildbright

If you don't mind spending the money Porsche is making awesome drivers cars. The 991 and new Cayman are a big improvement over the older models. Two dealers have both told me the Cayman S is so good now its the better car as far as dynamics go.

Now that goes out the window once you get into the more performance oriented (GT3) models.

The only issue I have about Porsche is make you pay for their cars. Everything is an option. Lol

A cayman gt3 is rumored. That would be sick. A poor mans gt3. Maybe i can play now! Ha

[tony20009]

Great cars, but if any other mainstream car maker makes you pony up the pennies more than BMW does to configure the car the way you want it, it's Porsche. Part of that is because they offer so many different "features" that seem appealing that one can quickly get despondent about how much having it your way can cost. If you can avoid the "kid in the candy store" impetus, go for it.

FWIW, the last time I looked at getting a Porsche, I was thinking of a Cayman S. By the time I got done configuring it the way I wanted, a $60K car had become an $80K car, which about 1/4th of my option costs being aesthetic. For me, choosing to go with Porsche is like choosing to shop at Neiman Marcus instead of the Ralph Lauren Boutique. I know what I get will be nice either way, but there's less to choose from at RL, and less to temp me into buying stuff I didn't go to buy in the first place, so ultimately, I spend less since regardless of which place I go, if I see something I want and like, I'll buy it. (Needless to say, I just don't go near jewelry stores. LOL)

[mntbiker]

This thread is great. Thanks for all of the first hand experiences! I've always wondered the same thing as the OP. Also, the porsche options talk reminds me of this fun DRIVE segment from last fall: http://www.youtube.com/watch?feature...iSCQYso#t=873s

[Ray2]

I can't help you with leasing as it makes no sense to me. I pay cash and the deals are my ability to negotiate.

From an ownership pov, I've had/have 2 911's and 6 BMW's.

Here's my take:

Intital quality - P by far and away. They work delivered. I can't say the same for BMW.

Dealer service - P. I've used BMW dealers in the USA (4), Germany, Switzerland and Sweden. They all universally stink. With P I've only used Champion's Motor Sports Group as they set up both cars and they, as well as the normal service shop, were always superb. I've also had 2 MB's and their service blows away BMW's.

Long-term quality - BMW by far and away. Better build quality, smarter engineering, better materials. Perhaps you don't care cycling cars around short lease periods but I keep cars a while and the BMW's just hold up way better.

Rennlist is a good P forum. At least for the 911's.

[skimo]

Thanks for all the feedback and sound advice.

Now if only P made a convertible 4 seater I would be sold. I can't live without the convertible!

[Sedan_Clan]

Very insightful thread!

[i dunno]

I've driven the 991 911 carrera s/4/4s and the new cayman/cayman s. imo, I thought the cayman s felt nimbler and and better dynamically. it was definitely my favorite in that group. I wouldn't overlook old caymans also. they may be uglier and slower, but the hydraulic steering is more communicative and the chassis dynamics are still superb. for me, i'd still pick an older 2009-2012 manual cayman s or cayman r over a newer 911. if I could only choose between a new 911 and new cayman, i'd still get a cayman s

[F1Venom]

Porsche has some great lease deals on 911s from time to time. But I usually end up getting quoted $1500/month for 36 months with 10k miles per year on fully loaded 991 4S models.

[bunnn]

Originally Posted by F1Venom

Porsche has some great lease deals on 911s from time to time. But I usually end up getting quoted $1500/month for 36 months with 10k miles per year on fully loaded 991 4S models.

Considering my Cayman S is $1600/month up here, it's not too bad. Living in NA, we really cannot complain about car prices.

OP, I leased my E92 M3 a few years ago, and jumped into leasing a 981CS this year, the options add up in a hurry. We've had a 2013 Cayenne S for a while now as well, and in terms of build quality is was way better than our E70 X5. In terms of service, it's about the same, but because we have a great relationship with our dealer it's always easier to deal with our BMWs. Long term quality, is up in the air for us, the only cars we ever keep are the ones for my mom because she rarely ever drives. I'm not sure if Porsche will ever make a 4 seat convertible, it's sort of against what the Porsche Brand stands for. Then again, thats why we have Cayennes and Panameras.

[M3_WC]

You will be shocked once you go price out a Porsche lease. BMW leases are some of the best. They allow a lot people to get into a BMW, that otherwise would never be able to purchase one outright.

[NemesisX]

You better have some serious, serious cash if you're going to lease a porsche (or something equivalent) for the remainder of your life @ little down and $1000-$1500/month if some of these figures are accurate. I say this because you mentioned in another post that you just graduated college a couple of years ago.

Unless of course you only plan to splurge on a leased Porsche for a few years and then suddenly you'll drop back down to earth by driving a car that's more commensurate to your income and wealth level.

Most Porsche leasers I know are quite poor or squarely middle class.

Edit: Alternatively, if you have wealthy parents who are paying for you then have at it . No problem splurging as long as you or your family memers have the cash.

[blutattoo]

You could also look at swapalease to see what is available and what the current lease rates are for specific cars. If you find something you like you might be able to save a little money by assuming someone else's lease. Plenty of 2013 in their listings under 1k a month

[saeyedoc]

I currently lease a '12 Cayman S, previously "leased" a 335i (Owner's choice financing, same deal as a lease). Residuals on P cars are generally lower and MF higher, although they've had some good deals on short term (24 mo) leases lately.
The residuals partially reflect actual resale values, but also BMW's policies. With Porsches, if you buy and sell, you run into people selling similar cars that don't daily drive them and have relatively low miles, not so much the case with BMW.
Service has been similar from both brands, may reflect that both dealerships here are owned by the same people. Have had no problem getting loaners from either brand. With Porsche, you're dealing with a much smaller dealership generally. Of course maintenance is included with BMW, a similar 3 year pre-paid plan will cost close to $1500 on a Porsche and still doesn't include things like wiper blades or bulbs.

[skimo]

Originally Posted by NemesisX

You better have some serious, serious cash if you're going to lease a porsche (or something equivalent) for the remainder of your life @ little down and $1000-$1500/month if some of these figures are accurate. I say this because you mentioned in another post that you just graduated college a couple of years ago.

Unless of course you only plan to splurge on a leased Porsche for a few years and then suddenly you'll drop back down to earth by driving a car that's more commensurate to your income and wealth level.

Most Porsche leasers I know are quite poor or squarely middle class.

Edit: Alternatively, if you have wealthy parents who are paying for you then have at it . No problem splurging as long as you or your family memers have the cash.

Interesting ... but you missed a few other alternatives .

[ahschell]

My dad went from a 745i to a Cayman S and he loves it! He did not lease the car but the Cayman S is WAY more reliable than the 7 series he owned. I know the 7 series has more computers etc. but he has not had one issue at all. The 7 and the Cayman S were not daily drivers so the amount of driving for both was about the same.