Wow - my unfortunate buying experience has spawned a really interesting discussion.
I am yet to own an Italian car. My current Porsches are both 968s - so much older. The cabriolet is beautiful and mint in cobalt blue with linen piped blue leather - on 64,000 miles it is the best one I could find. It is rare, utterly reliable, costs nothing to run and is probably the best looking drop-top Porsche has made in recent years.
And it is completely boring. It's the fault of the engine - smooth, torquey, tractable and with all the charisma of a washing machine.
My other 968 is a heavily tuned, supercharged ClubSport, running just ubder 420bhp. It is an animal. Given its track use application, it's engine may still be rather soulless, but it is utterly effective. The handling is simply the best I have ever encountered - and this is from an ex Caterham R400 owner.
The ClubSPort stays, the cabriolet goes as, frankly for tooling around on public roads at legal speeds, I need something with a bit more character. I love everything about the Porsche except for the engine.
The 911, post 993 series, has never really appealed - and its to do with ubiquity and clumsy, bloated looks. The only exceptions to this are the GT cars - 3, 3RS and 2. But, as I prefer drop-tops for road use (adds an extra dimension to the potter down to the shops), these are not for me.
My favourite Porsche would be the one they never made - a 993 Turbo cabriolet. A 996 Turbo cabriolet still doesn't really appeal - 996s are too common, and it still looks like a bar of soap, despite the wide rear arches.
Don't trust Maseratis after my Dad's frankly appalling, and very expensive, 4200 experience.
I am sure Ferraris are equally poor - but the 355 spyder is just an itch I have always had to scratch; but I would buy the very best I could find, with no compromises, and go into it with eyes open and a decent contingency fund.
The Morgan ticked both boxes for me - reliability and style; but the after-sales service from the factory looks to be a bit rubbish...which after my Pa's experiences with Maserati, puts me off any marque.
Love the beach buggy, Viper!
