2004 Porsche 911 Carrera 4S review from North America

Nothing but a dead battery from winter storage.

Firstly, she's not mine. I'm reviewing for my friend's father who purchased the car out of the U.S. last year.

Porsche being my favorite car brand, I was jumping for joy whilst wearing a perma grin on my face when I first even found out that this car was coming. It would be the first Porsche that I would ever be given a chance to drive. So, here goes.

I'd like to start off by talking about the sound. My friend started it up in the garage. It started up instantly with a snarl followed promptly by a hollow bark. The sound filled the space, pummeling my ear drums from all angles. Needless to say, I was left feeling weak in the knees and emotionally unstable.

So, when I did get my chance to take her down the road (windy road) and back, I felt like I had won the lottery. The keys were tossed to me, and I got myself settled in my bucket seat and took a few moments to become accustomed to my new surroundings. This sports car truly is an easy to live with daily commuter. It starts with the impeccable all around visibility. This car has zero blind spots! It looks like something carved by angels, and sounds like Zeus. The instruments inside are all simple, and within reach. If I had to sum it up, I'd call it the Volkswagen of the high end sports cars. Not to give it a cheap impression, but rather one that is convenient and efficient. It even has incredible fuel economy, getting just the same as their old 2001 Toyota 4Runner. That's 13L/100km, don't know MPG.

Anyways, on to the drive. As you can probably guess, this thing can take corners like nobody's business. The clutch is so easy to work with, it was as though I was driving my '02 Jetta. Blipping the throttle into a lower gear for a quick burst of speed is an absolute high.

My friend's dad purchased this particular model with the intent of driving it all year around (winter as well because of 4 wheel drive). Fat chance. The thing gets pampered better than any small child I know, let alone driven in winter.

Lastly, the running costs are not so bad from what I've been hearing. It doesn't drink gas like a Corvette, and the annual service is hardly a topic of discussion. Being insured for only 4 months out of the year maximum, she's not a difficult vehicle to live with at all. One year of ownership and no problems. I hope it stays that way and that they enjoy their Porsche for years to come. If anything else happens mechanically, I will share for the benefit of others' knowledge and interest. As for me, I have been inspired.