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I moved to Southern California in 2019 and got seduced into buying a 2016 911 Targa 4 GTS (991.1) from a colleague (he owned 3) and love it. However, I found I couldn't comfortably go long distances so bought a slightly used 2022 Macan GTS. It's fabulous (and I could live with just this one car if I had too)!
Great stories all, when I asked my question I didnt even expect so many good replies! I was pretty sure it will be a wall of mockery on someone dumping a beautifully shaped sports car for a little city suv. I guess this is a very high praise of the Macan. Glad to see some validation here in my choice.
I cannot drive the 911 all the time due to it living in my second home and it spends most of the time on a trickle charger in cold months. It’s also not a GT3 RS - it is a base 997.2 with a PDK, so we are not talking about a collectors car (that’s 10-20 years ahead I guess).
So my logic is to not hang on to stuff but experience them and move on. I used to have a Z4 Coupe for quite a while a decade ago, and loved it. I went to a big estate 5 series and two years after sold it and bought the 911. I’m pretty sure that route is still doable - don’t like the Macan, get back into another 911, May be sample the 991 after 997 or smth.
Having driven the Macan S, in a horribly windy and rainy day, in traffic, where all windows were perfectly clean, it was quiet inside, and sitting high up - I felt like that car was good for my head, relaxing, and very competent. It had the power to pull out of traffic, and it had the comfort to go over bad road (Dolomite Silver, two tone black beige interior and on Spyder wheels, silver trim). Loved the look of it.
Alternative for my Macan / 911 trade is an obvious one - and kind of in the middle in terms of comfort and yet higher price… a CPO Taycan rwd. It drives like my 997 around town, very similar. It has extra seats. It can get out in bad weather and snow. Just the price is a little high still for a used battery car but with Porsche warranty it can go to 15 years max, and that’s my do it all alternative. But it’s an EV with its pluses and minuses.
I guess I came looking for a validation of my idea - selling a subjectively beautiful car and buying smth practical. Reading your stories I feel like it’s not a dumb one, which is nice. Especially if the Macan is green, apparently!
Last edited by pascalemod; 04-06-2024 at 07:49 AM.
My last 911 was a 997.1S Cab which wasn't one of my favorite Porsches as it wasn't fast and didn't handle that well. She was a flabby old gal. That said, it was a lot more sports car than my 23 Macan which is a great traveling car but not one I'd ever take up the canyons just for the fun of it.
Own a 2018 Macan GTS (Euro delivery) and am second owner of a 997 GTS.
Both vehicles have their appeal and I find almost zero crossover as far as daily driver competence goes.
The Macan is practical and fun to drive in lowered mode with Sport suspension, Sport plus PDK sand PSE selected.
The 997 is practical enough to take on long road trips if no snow will be encountered (took a Boston to LA trip via Canada that lasted 3 months).
Carving canyons in the Macan is fun, in the 997 it's a religious experience.
The PKD is best dual clutch in existence, but the 997 6MT is unreal and so engaging.
Both have adaptive sport seats, Alcantara interiors and PASM- no complaints on the ride of either vehicle. (The 997 benefited immensely from a DSC controler.)
If I were to sell one- it would be the Macan. Though it was, IMHO, a perfect build*, finding another comparably specc'ed one would not be difficult- but the RWD/6MT/LSD 997 Coupe is a true rare bird.
I would expect some seller's remorse from anyone losing a 911- even with ingress/egress issues, it is a unique design that unfortunately has no substitute.
I have an '01 996 since new, and have now at 72 no interest in a 4 hour freeway ride.
Wow, you and I are probably among the few 2001 996 original owners. I ordered a Macan S, which is currently on the boat and should be in my possession by late April. But I'm not replacing my 996, which has only 11k (not a typo) miles on it. I sold my Jaguar XF once I placed an order for the Macan S. I wouldn't want to use my 996 as a daily driver as it's rough riding and not very quiet. As you can tell from the low mileage, I use the 996 only occasionally. I think the Macan S will be perfect for us. I wanted a smaller car since it's just the me and my wife almost all the time. I wanted something that's comfortable and quiet, which is why I ordered mine with air suspension and the noise and thermally insulated glass. We also have an MB E class wagon (latest gen) which we're keeping, which we probably won't use much going forward.
Last edited by Long Islander; 04-07-2024 at 01:44 AM.
In the early 90's I had an 1987 911 Cabriolet that was my daily driver for years. It was no problem in any type of weather, and physically gave me no issues.
Now I've owned a 1991 964 for 23 years. It's the diametric opposite and perfect companion to my 2022 Macan S. The Macan has been the best daily driver I've owned. I regularly drive the 964 and I think it makes me appreciate it even more. The longest drives I take in it are no more than 100 miles and at 75 years old it is still comfortable for those short rides, but I don't think I would choose it to be a daily driver now.
I've owned three 911s, and now own a 2024 Macan, plus a Cayman S and a 42-year-old 944 garage queen. I bought the Macan to replace an Audi allroad that I hot-rodded, not to replace a 911, so my experience may differ from yours.
Over 46 years of marriage, we have owned one mid-market daily driver (all Audi or VW products), and a Porsche (or, for the past 40 years, two). The missions for these vehicles have been radically different. The DD needs to be reliable as a hammer, good (not necessarily great) on gas, and have enough room to fit in plenty of "stuff". (We even transported a full-size recliner chair in the back of a Gen 1 GTI once upon a time.) The Porsche, by contrast, is for fun, and maybe episodes of DD when one of us has a gig that conflicts with the other's schedule. But, first and last, the Porsche(s) is/are for fun. Your selection of one or the other should depend on your personal mission for the car.
Now, along come the Cayenne and Macan. Do they have utility? Big-time! Are they fun? Yeah, mon! Are they worth abandoning a 911 for? No way, Jose! My '24 Macan is fun, sure, but my primary reason for having it is to haul "stuff", and its fun features just make the daily driving dandy. However, "dandy" isn't enough when you're trail-braking into a corner apex at 100+ mph during a track day. Then, the mission is max performance - track division. In that case, I'm much more comfortable with fat, sticky tires, a center of gravity about an inch lower than my ***, and a power-to-weight ratio that howls, "Giddyap!!" accelerating out of a corner.
The Porsche sports cars have a fun factor that outpaces both Cayenne and Macan by miles of smiles. If you're stuck with picking just one, well, utility considerations may well force out the 911. But if you can keep two? Slam-dunk decision: Do it.
Missions matter. Pick the one that's critical to your mission.
I am "only" 52, very fit, however, 45 years of tennis every day, not proper stretching and conditioning, and very inflexible build, have left the scars -- lower back issues, hip pains, knees issues.
Loved my G80 6MT but ultimately decided I did not want to fight it any more getting in and out every day. Also, my knees hated the 6MT.
The Macan GTS was the best decision I made (and letting the G80 go)
Not a bad idea to check your uric acid levels. I had all those issues for years. I kept getting issues in knees, hips, foot -- pretty much everywhere, and nobody ever recognized that it was gout (even though my uric acid was always slightly above normal range). Normally gout is felt in the toe, but I had it all over the place. Once on Allopurinol, all of the chronic knee, hip, back pain is gone. I've been doing cardio heavy daily since going on Allopurinol (eliminating the gout crystals in joints), and I have zero injuries now. I used to have lasting pain after a couple workouts. Worth checking your uric acid levels if you never have.
Is that the general concensus? If you are past a certain age,a 911 just isn't a good choice...? I have an '01 996 since new, and have now at 72 no interest in a 4 hour freeway ride. I was hoping newer 911s had a softer ride available, as a friend has an '18 Boxster recently aquired that he/wife drove from WI to Maine. Thay had no 'bad' days driving.
Am I looking at the wrong car, and should consider a Macan?
Right behind you at 69, but no interest in selling or trading my 996 GT3. I've put 150K miles on that car as a daily. Our Macan is great, but when I reach for keys it's the GT3 — unless I need to carry something that absolutely won't fit.
As to the original question, it's just a personal choice only "you" can make, but both are great cars in their own way.
Right behind you at 69, but no interest in selling or trading my 996 GT3. I've put 150K miles on that car as a daily. Our Macan is great, but when I reach for keys it's the GT3 — unless I need to carry something that absolutely won't fit.
As to the original question, it's just a personal choice only "you" can make, but both are great cars in their own way.
Impressive! And well done! I'm thinking roads in FL might be a bit better than WI, but still...a GT3 is harder to live with.
Part of my dismay in my '01 is that many current sedans accelerate faster, ride better, better HVAC, and have satelite radio! 'Why am I doing this?' is the question I ask. Yes, responsiveness, and smaller size, and cornering are better....
Impressive! And well done! I'm thinking roads in FL might be a bit better than WI, but still...a GT3 is harder to live with.
Part of my dismay in my '01 is that many current sedans accelerate faster, ride better, better HVAC, and have satelite radio! 'Why am I doing this?' is the question I ask. Yes, responsiveness, and smaller size, and cornering are better....
Yes, the weather and roads help.
The way I look at it is the GT3 has more than enough handling and power for the road and the occasional autocross. A friend bough a new base model Corvette with 560 HP. While sub 3-second zero to 60 MPH is impressive, there is little point on the street for such antics and the speeds by which the car is capable of going is literally criminal. As a track weapon it is a different story, but the newer cars can make an average driver into a track hero without the skill level required to drive it. To me that is not the direction I want to go, as tempting as some of those numbers for newer cars seem. I would rather learn and improve my skill as a driver and the 996 is plenty good enough to do that.
If your concern is about handling, consider upgrading the suspension. Better dampers can work magic. Besides, 23 years is more than enough time for anything rubber to start showing wear despite the low mileage. The 01 is a great car.
I currently own 5 911s, including an aircooled, an RS, a GT3 and two 992s. I also own a Macan Turbo PP that I may trade in for a Turbo GT.
The Macan is not a 911. What the Macan is, is the absolute best AWD performance sedan on stilts I've ever driven and you can feel the Porsche DNA in a way no Audi or BMW can. It's a Swiss knife. If you lower and stiffen the suspension, it reminds me a lot of an AWD, PDK version of an E39 M5. This past weekend I was at the beach and switched it to off road and had a blast in the sand. But if you think it will replace the light, visceral, rear engine feel of a 911, it won't.
I currently own 5 911s, including an aircooled, an RS, a GT3 and two 992s. I also own a Macan Turbo PP that I may trade in for a Turbo GT.
The Macan is not a 911. What the Macan is, is the absolute best AWD performance sedan on stilts I've ever driven and you can feel the Porsche DNA in a way no Audi or BMW can. It's a Swiss knife. If you lower and stiffen the suspension, it reminds me a lot of an AWD, PDK version of an E39 M5. This past weekend I was at the beach and switched it to off road and had a blast in the sand. But if you think it will replace the light, visceral, rear engine feel of a 911, it won't.
04-05-2024, 09:43 PM
