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C2 or C4?

J

JayK

Silverstone
Joined
29 Jul 2007
Messages
119
I am thinking of an early 996 so the pre-facelifts, but want to know peoples opinions on the C2 vs the C4

I notice from the poll more people have the C2, but was this just because of availability?

Those that have had the pleasure of driving both, which did you prefer and why?

And will one cost more to maintain than the other for any reason, i.e. is one better than the other for ownership at all?

Cheers

JayK
 
When I was looking for my 996 I faced a similar dilemma over the C2 or the C4. As I couldn't afford a C4S I went for the C2 as I thought the C4 would just be a littlle bulkier without adding anything to the experience, as it doesn't have the better looks.

But I know nothing about cars, so don't take my word for it!
 
haha I am in exactly the same boat as you. I would love a C4S right now but dont think I can afford one.

Are you happy with the C2 then? I'd love to try both back to back

Chees
JayK
 
I looked at cars based on condition, provenance and mileage. Didn't want tiptronic but I wasn't fussed about C2 or C4. Drove both but didn't find much difference.

The boot is smaller on the C4, but then the C2 is hardly massive, there have been some reports on front diff wear on C4s (reported by in one of a recent buyers guide in 911 and Porsche World)

One of the benefits of the C4 is PSM is standard. There are very few C2s with this on.

I have never found the C2 lacking traction and grip in the dry, but without PSM there are no electronics to control a slide (I understand PSM allows you get so far sideways, within the limits of physics)

I went out on wet roads last night and with some trepidation, without PSM it does make you think about your driving, smooth with the steering, full power only when nearly out of a corner. I find I have respect rather than fear of the car, but I am going to do a car handling course to make the most of it.

In this day and age so many cars have electronic aids and these have improved road safety - while you can usually turn them off, cars have become appliances with little skill required to drive them. With the C2 I find I always concentrate.......
 
kahostheory said:
In this day and age so many cars have electronic aids and these have improved road safety - while you can usually turn them off, cars have become appliances with little skill required to drive them. With the C2 I find I always concentrate.......
Click to expand...

You are so right about the driver aids, they have improved road safety but at the expense of driver skill, but even then, you can't defy the laws of physics.

The safest way of learning how to drive a rear wheel drive car is to drive one which doesn't handle very well. Everything will happen at a much lower speed and give you the necessary confidence for when something does happen at a greater velocity. If you ever hear Martin Brundle speak on the subject, for him it was having a Morris Minor (which is about the worst handling car you can think of) in the wet. I was lucky enough to have a couple of winters driving my dad's Grenada estate in the snow. The lack of the fear factor goes a long way to giving you the confidence and experience you need later. Having said that, I don't know if I would have the cojones to keep my foot in at over 100 mph. Hopefully time will (not) tell.

Group buy on a fleet of Triumph Spitfires :?:
 
Triumph Spitfire.... Now that was a car.

My Dad had one in mustard yellow and I loved it.
 
Looks like the C2 sounds like mre of a "raw" drivers car then, but not the the faint hearted.

Everyday I lust after a 996 more and more

JayK
 
JayK said:
haha I am in exactly the same boat as you. I would love a C4S right now but dont think I can afford one.

Are you happy with the C2 then? I'd love to try both back to back

Chees
JayK
Click to expand...

I love the C2, I have traction control in mine,although I don't know how this differs to PSM in later models.
It's a brilliant car and meets all my, limited, driving needs. I'm never going to be a track demon or the greatest driver in the world and as it rarely goes out in the wet if I had a C4 I probably wouldn't notice the difference.

Now just saving for a C4S or (readyfordamnation) a Ferrari 456GTM :oops: :oops:
 
Seagull said:
kahostheory said:
In this day and age so many cars have electronic aids and these have improved road safety - while you can usually turn them off, cars have become appliances with little skill required to drive them. With the C2 I find I always concentrate.......
Click to expand...

You are so right about the driver aids, they have improved road safety but at the expense of driver skill, but even then, you can't defy the laws of physics.

The safest way of learning how to drive a rear wheel drive car is to drive one which doesn't handle very well. Everything will happen at a much lower speed and give you the necessary confidence for when something does happen at a greater velocity. If you ever hear Martin Brundle speak on the subject, for him it was having a Morris Minor (which is about the worst handling car you can think of) in the wet. I was lucky enough to have a couple of winters driving my dad's Grenada estate in the snow. The lack of the fear factor goes a long way to giving you the confidence and experience you need later. Having said that, I don't know if I would have the cojones to keep my foot in at over 100 mph. Hopefully time will (not) tell.

Group buy on a fleet of Triumph Spitfires :?:
Click to expand...

How this for a better idea?
How about a group buy C4S for me.... :D :D
 
JayK said:
Looks like the C2 sounds like mre of a "raw" drivers car then, but not the the faint hearted.

Everyday I lust after a 996 more and more

JayK
Click to expand...

Don't believe it. The C2 is a fantastic handling car, you just have to drive it with respect. The best way of finding this out is to get some decent tuition, either a Bernard Aubery type session or the MSV Advanced Track Driving Day at Snetterton - don't be put off by the name, you don't have to be an experienced track driver to do it. When I did it, I was one of the most experienced track drivers on the course with six track days under my belt. There was one person on the day who had only passed their driving test a few weeks before and three or four other people who had never driven a track. I learnt a huge amount that day and The Ghost who did it a few months later will say the same thing.
 
I think the best thing for me is just to look at cars based on condition, age, mileage etc.

Then theres the thing about coupe or cab. I've always been more of a fan of the cabs, but with the 911 I dont know.

Soon......
 
I didn't even look at C2s (either for my 993 or 996) because mine's a daily driver and I need to be able to use it all year round. Having said that, I think I still would have gone C4 even if it was purely a fun car for nice weather, as I am a huge fan of 4WD cars, ever since I had a quattro years ago.

They are faster round corners if driven like a 4WD, and not like the same car with 2WD - wet and dry: (If you don't believe me, why was 4WD banned from Touring Cars after the Audi quattros won convincingly two years in a row?) The extra traction, and the ability to accelerate through the corner, not just on the exit, more than offsets the marginal extra weight and complexity, and PSM (which can be switched off if you want on track) gives you the confidence to drive it closer to its limits than a car without.

And the difference in luggage space is negligible in practice - as the inflated spare in a C2 makes the space narrower and deeper, whereas C4 has a deflated space saver (with electric pump) lying flat - so you get a wider space, but not so deep, but I reckon a more practical shape unless you like squashing your bags on top of each other!
 
As it stands at the moment, I dont really need loads of boot space anyway (hope that doesnt change either)

And where I live/work now I only have a 3.2 mile commute to work, so I will have more fun in mind than practicality.

Cant wait!!
 
I actually wouldn't use the Porsche if I had a 3 mile commute, as you will constantly be running it with cold oil, which doesn't circulate and protect as well as a warmed up engine.

You will find that most of us don't use full throttle, or more than 3,000-3,500 revs, until the engine is up to temperature: This is typically more than 3 miles even in hot weather, and much more when it's cold.

You could always take the long route to work though... :twisted:
 
Seagull said:
Don't believe it. The C2 is a fantastic handling car, you just have to drive it with respect. The best way of finding this out is to get some decent tuition, either a Bernard Aubery type session or the MSV Advanced Track Driving Day at Snetterton - don't be put off by the name, you don't have to be an experienced track driver to do it. When I did it, I was one of the most experienced track drivers on the course with six track days under my belt. There was one person on the day who had only passed their driving test a few weeks before and three or four other people who had never driven a track. I learnt a huge amount that day and The Ghost who did it a few months later will say the same thing.
Click to expand...

I want to learn the limits of the car, handling balance car control etc. Obviously it is best to learn this in a track environment for safety reasons, but I don't want to learn track driving, racing line etc which the MSV course seems to offer? Did it teach you car control?

Do you know anywhere that does wet skid pan?

I have heard Bernard is more into roadcraft?
 
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