996 Turbo vs 997.2 C

[Shuey]

I love stories like this! Reason why 997.2 is an option is because of a 300k miler in UK that was up for sale not so long ago

 

[Alex]

996 turbo for me. Like comparing a fit nymphomaniac with a bbc weather girl.

 

[Shuey]

any idea how many white 996 turbos are in UK in manual?

 

[Shuey]

996 turbo for me. Like comparing a fit nymphomaniac with a bbc weather girl.

hahahahahah - never though I'd hear comparison like that! but brilliant!

 

[T8]

any idea how many white 996 turbos are in UK in manual?

You'll never find out for sure but, as someone who's been knocking around Porsche shows and events for 16 years, I can confidently say "not many".

I can't recall seeing more than a couple and wouldn't know if they were manual or Tip'.

 

[TurboSandGT4]

Both are going to cost money to run so you might as well get the car you really want to drive

Biased but 996 Turbo for me

30K will also get you into a 981 or 718 cayman if you want something much cheaper to run and arguably just as good to drive

 

[IMI A]

If I was buying a C2 i'd buy something like this one. Looks a minter

Used Immaculate 997 (Gen 2) manual Carrera for sale

Check out this Immaculate 997 (Gen 2) manual Carrera for sale on PistonHeads. Get in touch for more information or to take a test drive today!

www.pistonheads.com

 

[JasonH1969]

A common mod on the tip is to add flappy paddles from a Mercedes, it's also possible to tune the tiptronic ECU for better shifting....

I had AMG paddles on my tiptronic C4S and they were a massive upgrade over the rocker switches. They were actually more positive paddles than the Sport Design wheel paddles on my 991 turbo!

 

[Harryblue]

This is definitely one of those times when you need to drive them first to see.
You might feel that the 997.2 C lacks a bit of something, especially compared to a car with character like the 996 Turbo.

If I were on a budget then I'd be more inclined to go for a 996 C2S or C4S and use the rest of my budget to keep on top of maintenance.

These are old cars, whatever you pay budget 10% of that per year for maintenance and expect a big bill every few years.

For my first Porsche I bought a fairly new one with warranty so I knew there would be no scary bills. I don’t do finance personally but if I had budget restraints then getting a newer car with a warranty on finance might be better than using your life savings on an old car with the risk of big bills.

 

[Jay.]

I drove my 996 Turbo daily and accrued around 50k miles over my ownership.

There are definitely "big ticket" items that will need to be addressed, examples of which have been outlined many times, but I actually found it a great car and have no regrets doing it.

 

[Shuey]

yeh I kinda expect maintenance to cost a bit on any old car.
Yes I personally dont do finance either, I rather just wait it out and buy a great car at a higher price.

I guess what I'm really torn between if I really come to analyse why a base 997.2 C vs 996 turbo comes down to the iconic status of a 996 turbo, vs the more classic timeless design the 997.2 and the more classic interior. Being a designer I love the design of the 997.2. But I love the idea of owning an icon in Turbo. 60% of my time my mileage will literally be driving from a to b, with 20% spirited drives / 20% Europe runs.

I also eee the Turbo as a more of a project car - meaning significantly upgrading the interior. vs the 997.2C as a keep OEM with the odd minor tweak (ducktail / upgraded headlights) and thats it.

I'm seeing a 996 Turbo S locally first as I've not seen one on the road for ages. nor sat in one. so lets see.

 

[Harryblue]

Sound like you really want the 996 Turbo and that’s what I’d go for too in your circumstances.

There is something about the turbo cars that is very special and maybe it’s cheesy but for me they’re one of those cars that has a sort of mythical air about them.
The 930, 964, 993, 996 and 997 turbo cars are poster cars and if you get one then you’ve hit the jackpot.

 

[cheshire911]

I don't visit this site very often. But I saw your post. As a 996 X50 Turbo owner for 12 years, there is no choice. Go for the Turbo. Get a PPI inspection if buying privately or not from a marque specialist.

I recommend a manual gearbox car, but they made and sold more Tiptronic autos than manual, so there is a premium to be paid if you want a manual box car.

As a dry sump mezger engine, it's bulletproof. Service history and regular maintenance are key as well as who carried out the servicing (some specialists have a stronger name and reputation than others).

This is true timeless modern classic with a very analogue feel and driving experience.

If you are considering a Turbo S, be aware it came with carbon ceramic rotors that are very expensive to replace.
When I was researcjing this car at the time I bought mine, it was around £12k to replace ceramic discs and pads, though those prices could have gone up or down since then.

Some owners had the ceramics taken off due to this expense and replaced them with steel rotors. Check the condition of the boxed ceramic rotors or better still have them included in a PPI.

Stay on top of whatever it needs as advised at services and at PPI. Delaying advisories leads to an accumulation of big bills that can be overwhelming - which is why that car you are looking at ended up on a forecourt by a previous owner to pass on those bills to the next new owner.

Good luck.

 

[T8]

I'm seeing a 996 Turbo S locally first as I've not seen one on the road for ages. nor sat in one. so lets see.

I previously expressed my concern at your £30k budget being enough to get in to a 996 Turbo to fit your use requirements. I'd redouble that concern if you've found a genuine 'Turbo S' at that price.

Be aware that some cars with the X50 pack are wrongly claimed to be an 'S'.

You said initially that you're looking for a manual car but if this turbo is an auto and advertised as a 'Tiptronic S' be aware that all Tiptronics have the S gearbox and it's nothing to do with the car itself being an 'S'.

 

[Shuey]

so just saw the 996 turbo for first time in a long long time - I having a hard time recalling if I've actually seen one in the flesh in last 5 years. And sat in for the first time.

Some initial thoughts.

Looks surprisingly good in the flesh. Like I'm really quite surprised. The only thing was the car was it was parked against a wall so couldn't look at the back properly in the flesh (garage is local - so will have a proper look if I get serious about it). From the front it looked really good!

The interior - also surprisingly - I didn't hate it. Being honest I really wasn't keen on the interior from pics (but somehow in the flesh - it actually looked above average - I didn't love it, but I was again pleasantly surprised. This is actually one of main reasons why I was very reluctant to even consider a 996 turbo. But it has made me think - and looking at aftermarket interior mods - and what a few people have achieved - it can look better with a few tasteful mods.

I love the idea of owning a Porsche icon, vs just a base 997.2 - But as with anything seeing something gets me thinking. and high mileage 997 turbos are at 45k ish mark (vs a very tidy low mileage 997.2 C) ... which I know is significantly more than my 30k... but it's a 997 (and an interior I actually love).

So I need to have a s serious think.

If only an aftermarket company offered a dashboard redesign for the 996 Turbo...