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nberry said:
Stephen do not personalize my comments. I posit my comments in a very argumentative manner only to be stimulating.
Well Nick,
You saw from the responses that your post had surely been stimulating.
I don't think that the responses were prompted so much by an "argumentative manner" as the fact that you make bold statements without any reasoned arguments to back them up. Your statements frequently contradict other peoples' own observations and experience, but you do not provide any new insights or perceptions which might prompt others to re-examine their own beliefs. If you were to occasionally back up your statements with relevant facts or figures, they would have to be taken more seriously.
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nberry said:
I sincerely believe in two points. First the manual transmission is a dinosaur and will be gone for good in 5-10 years.
I thought exactly that as a young engineer over twenty years ago. Manually shifting a transmission seemed so primitive. Then I started being able to drive sports cars instead of just reading about them, and came to realize the virtues of a manual transmission.
Having driven several of the clutchless transmissions now available, including the Modena F1, BMW ASG, Audi DSG, I also realize that there is still some way to go before these transmissions will totally supplant manual shift boxes in sports cars. Torque converter transmissions, including the "Tiptronic" type are far from capable of doing that. 5-10 years? Doubt it!
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nberry said:
The younger generation is headed in a different direction and it is not in foreign sport cars.
I would be interested to read any demographic studies which back up this statement. Can you point me in the right direction?
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nberry said:
Porsche success continues to be with the baby boomers because all of us grew up dreaming of owning a Porsche. Many of us are beginning to look elsewhere.
Looking elsewhere does not necessarily mean that you will find something which fulfils all requirements to the same level. I wish it were otherwise, because I think competition is healthy.
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nberry said:
Today, my and many others, biggest fear is buying a Porsche means substantial depreciation in a very short time. With Porsche prices what they are, one is looking at losing a lot of money.
I can't speak for the USA, but in Europe depreciation rates on the 911, for instance, are still amongst the best out there, and certainly a lot better than the more exotic Italian marques.
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nberry said:
I predict within a couple of years they will salvage the Boxster by increasing its power and possible exceeding the performance of the 911. They will leave it to the public to chose which they prefer. I will wager the 911 rear engine configuration loses.
I bought my first new 911 over 20 years ago, though I could ill afford it. I thought it might be the last chance to do so, because it was supposed to be replaced by the 928.
Boy, did I get that wrong.
But i never regretted it.
The Boxster was developed as Porsche's entry-level model. If they took it up-market, they would only have to re-invent it.
If you really think you can predict the future, you should concentrate on next week's figures for the Florida Lottery. If that works out, don't forget all your friends at Rennteam.com!
fritz