Civic Type R vs. Porsche 911

[TypeRD]

@GreenMachineGTE I think we all do. But comparisons between greatness will always be made with anything and everything. No one compares mediocrity. That’s no fun.

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[PointByPatrol]

@GreenMachineGTE I think we all do. But comparisons between greatness will always be made with anything and everything. No one compares mediocrity. That’s no fun.

FL5 vs Koenigseggseggseggsegg!!!!

 

[TypeRD]

@GreenMachineGTE OK I’ll bite. The FL5 has better seats than very early Koenigseggs (CCR development), which were made of memory foam. Great idea except in the Swedish winters they were as hard as concrete.

Of course they’re heated now, at least as an option, for those who have cold winters.

 

[Clark_Kent]

Can't we all just love our Civic's???

I do and we do (most of us anyway). I'm perfectly fine with the vehicle as it is. And I'm narrowly focused on what's great about it vs. what it is not so great. Comparison is the thief of joy.

 

[TypeRD]

I would say jealousy is actually the thief of joy, but it often starts with comparisons. It’s how one accesses the comparisons and lets the info affect them (or not) that matters.

 

[jtrader]

I completely understand the sentiment and conclusion of this review. I've heard many a YouTube car reviewer conclude that new cars with 400+ hp are straight-up dissatisfying when it comes to driving on congested, real world roads. In a small way, I even experience it in my lowly Civic Sport Hatch. It's tuned and easily loses traction all through 2nd gear, which is a hoot. 3rd gear just pulls and pulls (which is also fun) but before ya know it, you're hitting 75 and need to cool the jets. Unless one is tracking, which I certainly am not, it's hard to imagine a need for 911 power on the streets.

 

[mbaapk]

Can't we all just love our Civic's???

Yes, yes we do!

 

[1971Camaro]

I completely understand the sentiment and conclusion of this review. I've heard many a YouTube car reviewer conclude that new cars with 400+ hp are straight-up dissatisfying when it comes to driving on congested, real world roads. In a small way, I even experience it in my lowly Civic Sport Hatch. It's tuned and easily loses traction all through 2nd gear, which is a hoot. 3rd gear just pulls and pulls (which is also fun) but before ya know it, you're hitting 75 and need to cool the jets. Unless one is tracking, which I certainly am not, it's hard to imagine a need for 911 power on the streets.

The sales person was riding shotgun (of course), and as i was making my way out of the parking lot and up the lower-speed road among traffic, both throttle and handling didn't feel as responsive as the CTR. I was surprised.

I had been expecting at least a comparable drive as the FL5 at lower speeds, so I was commenting to the salesperson that the Porsche was a bit of a letdown... and he encouraged me to wait til i got onto the road where i could get up some speed. and, that's where i felt the 911... I saw much greater power than the FL5 within each gear when at (yes) 3rd and above before i shifted -- it wanted to give me more, and the handling was surely right there at those speeds.

I didn't want it to sound like i was making excuses since i can't afford the 911 at this time, but that truly was my honest experience.

The salesman knew it, and i see you have seen it too. I don't mean any disrespect to anyone (or to the CTR)... i just know what the 911 felt like when i drove it. Yes, I love my FL5 even more, now, for normal driving conditions. It's an amazing piece of engineering that is still the most fun car i have ever owned...or test-driven. hehe (...plus, it takes passengers and cargo!)

 

[Zeke01]

Previous car was a very well optioned 991.1 C2S. I enjoyed it but, absolutely no regrets getting back to another R type.

 

[Cornercarver]

My experience is similar - if you are just walking around the lot at a Porsche dealer -or other high end dealer - you will likely be ignored. Why?

Two reasons:
1. When you are ready to speak with them, you will walk in the showroom.
2. Gawkers tend to just walk around the lot. Potential customers come in and say hello. Or better yet, make an appointment.

If you walk into the showroom you will be treated well, and possibly offered a test drive.
I have been, more than once.

Just be honest, it is appreciated. Don't pretend you are there to buy one if you are not.
Never ask for the test drive! If they don't offer you one, then you are probably not getting one.

 

[tingli107]

I completely understand that. I have a 2009 STI which I absolutely love, but like most people I decided I wanted to upgrade and got an F82 M4. Sure it was faster to drive, but driving was numb and every day it felt boring. Maybe it would have been helped with a manual transmission but I got a DCT after hating my manual in my old e90 335i. At least back then bmw were drivers car with connected steering. 0-60 and speed is over rated especially with electric cars absolutely destroying cars that cost much more. All the modern cars are crazy fast and capable but they all feel numb and isolated. You have to go 100+ mph to feel anything at all. Cars will always get faster, but they are getting less and less engaging to drive. At the end of the day I sold my F82 M4 and got my old 2009 STI back.

I test drove a 992 Carrera and new G80 M3 and it was the same issue. Crazy fast and capable but felt numb and isolating. I was ready to give up Porsches and actually happy about it cause man they have gotten ridiculously expensive, but then I got the opportunity to test drive a GT4 and it was everything I wanted in a car, awesome steering feel, amazing transmission, NA motor that revs, sounds good and is sooo smooth. I have just as much fun driving it slowly just because I feel so connected with the car. I bought the car instantly and every time I get into the car it gives me a huge smile.

Irony is salesman had no issues with me test driving the 992 Carrera, GT4, G80 M3. I have yet been allowed to test drive a Type R or a GR Corolla.

 

[Fanatic]

Porsches aren't the same as they used to be, although I've always been a fan of the 911 GT3 and Turbo. Would love to own one day. I'm perfectly happy with what I have though.

 

[VarmintCong]

I completely understand that. I have a 2009 STI which I absolutely love, but like most people I decided I wanted to upgrade and got an F82 M4. Sure it was faster to drive, but driving was numb and every day it felt boring. Maybe it would have been helped with a manual transmission but I got a DCT after hating my manual in my old e90 335i. At least back then bmw were drivers car with connected steering. 0-60 and speed is over rated especially with electric cars absolutely destroying cars that cost much more. All the modern cars are crazy fast and capable but they all feel numb and isolated. You have to go 100+ mph to feel anything at all. Cars will always get faster, but they are getting less and less engaging to drive. At the end of the day I sold my F82 M4 and got my old 2009 STI back.

I test drove a 992 Carrera and new G80 M3 and it was the same issue. Crazy fast and capable but felt numb and isolating. I was ready to give up Porsches and actually happy about it cause man they have gotten ridiculously expensive, but then I got the opportunity to test drive a GT4 and it was everything I wanted in a car, awesome steering feel, amazing transmission, NA motor that revs, sounds good and is sooo smooth. I have just as much fun driving it slowly just because I feel so connected with the car. I bought the car instantly and every time I get into the car it gives me a huge smile.

Irony is salesman had no issues with me test driving the 992 Carrera, GT4, G80 M3. I have yet been allowed to test drive a Type R or a GR Corolla.

I think the relentless pursuit of refinement made cars very numb and isolated, and the pursuit of HP made them very heavy.

My ‘95 325i w/ 189 hp was way more fun to drive than a 350 hp 435i M coupe I drove years later.

 

[Cornercarver]

No, this isn't a joke. But, i'm not meaning this to be a decision that most people would logically consider. The reason I am posting is because i recently test-drove a new Porsche 911, and having never driven such a vehicle before, my frame of reference was the FL5, since i haven't driven any other performance car in over a decade.

Given my budget, i would never have considered any Porsche. In fact, i had never even visited a Porsche dealership. However, when first looking into the FL5 with the initial insane markups of 15-25k, i saw that it would put me in the ballpark of a 718, Macan, or possibly the Cayenne. That made me stop and think hard.

I wanted the performance, but i also wanted interior and cargo room, Therefore, the FL5 is actually the ideal car for me anyway. So, when i got placed first on the waiting list, i put aside thoughts of a Porsche. That is... until i went to get my first oil change on my FL5. The dealer where i bought my Honda is part of a luxury dealership complex, and the waiting room for service is right next to the Porsche showroom. sigh.

I had to look...which (of course) led to questions...which led to the sales person offering a test drive. I was honest with him about my budget, so i was sure i would be test-driving a used or lower-cost model. When he brought me out to the car waiting to be test-driven, it was a BRAND NEW 911.
wow

So, it was only a single test-drive, but here's the key to what i personally experienced...

The interior quality was better (in my opinion) than the Mercedes i've ridden in. The controls were unique yet intuitive. The seat had incredible fine-control over height, lumbar, and positioning. The shifting was indeed perfection. The handling was truly precise, and the power was awesome.

HOWEVER, i discovered that at this point in my life, the engine wouldn't work out as well for me because the car wasn't as smooth or playful at slower speeds. On the roads where i could get up to higher speeds, it was amazing... but, in normal traffic with slow, erratic speeds, the engine wasn't as responsive...it felt more 'edgy' -- like a little kid being restrained from running. When i got back into my FL5, it confirmed that the FL5 response at lower speeds made it much more fun to drive in congested areas where i am normally driving.

So, not being able to justify one of those incredible machines right now doesn't feel so bad at all -- in fact, it's made me appreciate my FL5 even more!!

On the other hand...my focus is not for tracking unlike a lot of you, and that could make a difference. Plus, the feel of that engine at the higher speeds has left its mark. I wonder now if i would "settle" for one of the other models if i were to be ready to consider a Porsche in the future.

One question -- for those of you who would know about this...
Was that typical to be able to test drive a new Porsche/new 911? Do they usually have a car like that available, or did i somehow luck out?

Not surprised - it is easier by far to get offered a test drive in a 911 than say, a new Type R.

 

[Zeke01]

If the type r is equivalent to the Porsche GT cars for Honda, I imagine those are hard to test drive in the same way unless you are taking it out just prior to closing the deal on your order that came in.

fyi, my 991 was manual 7spd, but because of how fast I needed to drive it to waken it up it was still not as quite as engaging in day to day as the ctr is all the time and, similarly, I sold an Sti to get into the Porsche. If I was HPDE only, and some ctr drivers are, maybe I’d keep the Porsche but I want to daily a sports car and feel engaged.

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