997.2 - which one

[pilchardthecat]

So i've finally decided that i've been procrastinating quite long enough and its time to go shopping (especially now i've discovered the Alfa 4C has a service interval of 4500 miles)

For my money i am looking at early gen 2 997s, but cant decide between
- C2 PDK with options....must have chrono with the gearbox, but almost none of them do
- C4S manual with few options.... cant afford a pdk 4s with a long spec sheet

I managed to simplify the choice and exclude the C2S on the basis that i've never had a 4WD car and if i'm staying in tax band M i might as well go the whole hog. It's an all year round daily driver and will be doing about 15k/year so 4WD would be nice, but i've been managing ok in a Z4M in the snow so i dont "need" it

I dont do much stop/start so the appeal of the PDK is because it's faster, and because i've never had a dct type gearbox. Other than the shift times i assume the 4S would feel faster (in gear)?

The only thing i really want options wise is the PSE, and possibly bose (what's the normal stereo like by the way?)

Which of the two would you pick and why?

[RiccardoG]

I would go for the C4S just based on its wider rear.

Having said that, I think there is nothing much between C2S and C4S, so ultimately I'd reccomend widening your choice to include the C2S. S models also have better spec, for me the "big reds" and Litronics where, in terms of spec, big part of the reason I only considered S versions.

Depends where you are coming from. When I sat in a basic 997.2 C2 with very few options (plastic dash, basic seats, etc) after my decently specced C4S (.1) I realised it would be less enjoyable for me personally.

[Ian_UK1]

pilchardthecat said:

So i've finally decided that i've been procrastinating quite long enough and its time to go shopping (especially now i've discovered the Alfa 4C has a service interval of 4500 miles)

For my money i am looking at early gen 2 997s, but cant decide between
- C2 PDK with options....must have chrono with the gearbox, but almost none of them do
- C4S manual with few options.... cant afford a pdk 4s with a long spec sheet

I managed to simplify the choice and exclude the C2S on the basis that i've never had a 4WD car and if i'm staying in tax band M i might as well go the whole hog. It's an all year round daily driver and will be doing about 15k/year so 4WD would be nice, but i've been managing ok in a Z4M in the snow so i dont "need" it

I dont do much stop/start so the appeal of the PDK is because it's faster, and because i've never had a dct type gearbox. Other than the shift times i assume the 4S would feel faster (in gear)?

The only thing i really want options wise is the PSE, and possibly bose (what's the normal stereo like by the way?)

Which of the two would you pick and why?

At the risk of throwing a brick in the pond - why ruin the experience by buying 4WD?

The 2WD is lighter, faster, more fun, has better steering feel and after plenty of proper driver training (assuming you're not already a highly proficient pedaller) great fun to get very sideways. Unless you use the Porsche as your only car and need to get to the top of a steep, icy hill every day in winter, I can't for the life of me understand why anyone in the UK would want (or need) 4WD on a N/A Carrera or Carrera S. (Unless, of course, you're just into fat asses, topped-off with a reflective red belt strip and that swings it for you)!

[pilchardthecat]

Ian_UK1 said:

At the risk of throwing a brick in the pond - why ruin the experience by buying 4WD?

The 2WD is lighter, faster, more fun, has better steering feel and after plenty of proper driver training (assuming you're not already a highly proficient pedaller) great fun to get very sideways. Unless you use the Porsche as your only car and need to get to the top of a steep, icy hill every day in winter, I can't for the life of me understand why anyone in the UK would want (or need) 4WD on a N/A Carrera or Carrera S. (Unless, of course, you're just into fat asses, topped-off with a reflective red belt strip and that swings it for you)!

Not fussed about the wide body. The manual 4S is only 25kg heavier than a PDK 2S, and i thought the 4S was the faster car (marginally)?

Like i said i don't need 4WD, and have managed with 2WD thus far, but it would get used every day - not the only car in the house but the only one i can use to commute in. The main reason for excluding the 2S was because i havent had a 4WD car, and because the main reason i still havent bought a 911 is that there's too much bloody choice, which is the enemy of procrastinators everywhere....

[andyeds1234]

pilchardthecat said:

So i've finally decided that i've been procrastinating quite long enough and its time to go shopping (especially now i've discovered the Alfa 4C has a service interval of 4500 miles)

For my money i am looking at early gen 2 997s, but cant decide between
- C2 PDK with options....must have chrono with the gearbox, but almost none of them do
- C4S manual with few options.... cant afford a pdk 4s with a long spec sheet

I managed to simplify the choice and exclude the C2S on the basis that i've never had a 4WD car and if i'm staying in tax band M i might as well go the whole hog. It's an all year round daily driver and will be doing about 15k/year so 4WD would be nice, but i've been managing ok in a Z4M in the snow so i dont "need" it

I dont do much stop/start so the appeal of the PDK is because it's faster, and because i've never had a dct type gearbox. Other than the shift times i assume the 4S would feel faster (in gear)?

The only thing i really want options wise is the PSE, and possibly bose (what's the normal stereo like by the way?)

Which of the two would you pick and why?

Neither, go for the C2S PDK
In the 997, If I had to choose, I would take the PDK over 4wd, every time.
If the C4S budget will get you into a C2S PDK, go for it. The C2 is great, but the S gets up the road just that bit quicker.
IMHO, the PDK adds something to the car, the 4WD takes something away...

[hotpowner]

Don't bother with the standard Carrera 3.6 even if PDK
You only have to look at any Porsche specialist to see that they don't want them as they don't sell

Carrera S PDK is the one to have

[pilchardthecat]

anonymous said:

[redacted]

Interesting.... would probably get a nice spec too - the manuals are a lot cheaper than PDKs

Like i said.... 911s - too much bloody choice!

[f1ashgordon]

Dunno what the standard stereo is like in a gen2 but the bose isn't great.

Stereo is the least used bit of kit in my car, not in a 'I'm a hard core speed freak stereos are for girls' way! But honestly I cannot get enough of the noise, even a round town, especially with PSE, six months in, used every day and stereo's still off.

Bose is also a pig to modulate, each track seems to need adjusting. Universal audio interface and Bluetooth are good though.

PDK or manual?! There is a right answer (it's manual!) but really I would advise driving both extensively and certainly not pick a PDK on some pre-conceived 'I've never had a DCT before' notion, not on your first 911 anyway.

I did that thinking it might be awesome (r32, m3) and it wasn't, but others have and love it.

2 or 4? For my first I wanted the (excuse the pretentious drivel) purest expression of a 911 that I could afford, so a 2 wheel drive, manual S.
I'm never selling it!

[pilchardthecat]

Another question

are "Paragon" one of the generally well thought of indie dealers? They dont appear to check their emails but i wont hold that against them

[f1ashgordon]

I've heard nothing but good things about them. Almost OPC pricing though.

[pilchardthecat]

f1ashgordon said:

I've heard nothing but good things about them. Almost OPC pricing though.

Great, thanks.

[Stirlings]

PSE wasn't a factory option till early 2009
so is a dealer retro fit item

Hence if your searching and finding it hard there's the explanation

[seawise]

pilchardthecat said:

Another question

are "Paragon" one of the generally well thought of indie dealers? They dont appear to check their emails but i wont hold that against them

they are better than any OPC i have dealt with - try the old fashioned forum of the telephone.

[GRBF430F1]

C2S PDK or C2S manual but defo not a 4WD

[pilchardthecat]

Stirlings said:

PSE wasn't a factory option till early 2009
so is a dealer retro fit item

Hence if your searching and finding it hard there's the explanation

Very useful, thanks

There is another curse associated with the infinite variability of Porsche specifications - it's entirely impossible to know what the correct price is. Classic case of price complexity and buyer confusion.

It might be simpler if i got drunk and then just staggered in and signed something

[itsybitsy]

hotpowner said:

Don't bother with the standard Carrera 3.6 even if PDK
You only have to look at any Porsche specialist to see that they don't want them as they don't sell

imho the standard 997.2 manual on standard suspension no pasm is very underated pure and sweet 911!!

[RiccardoG]

Stirlings said:

PSE wasn't a factory option till early 2009
so is a dealer retro fit item

Hence if your searching and finding it hard there's the explanation

Are you sure about that? I have in front of my a brochure dated May 2006 and it mentions PSE as a factory fit option (pg 64).

[andyeds1234]

RiccardoG said:

Are you sure about that? I have in front of my a brochure dated May 2006 and it mentions PSE as a factory fit option (pg 64).

That's the Gen1 PSE.

[RiccardoG]

andyeds1234 said:

That's the Gen1 PSE.

Doooh!

[Tydeides]

Hate to be pedantic, but the 4 is AWD not 4WD. The power generally goes to the rear, so I don't really buy all this purity nonsense.