Sure you can... Buy the X51 kit, install it yourself, then use Cobb tune for X51 or GTS which doesn't know or care what letters are on the back of the car.

The only thing you can't do is load the Porsche-coded stock X51 map onto a base ECU, or more accurately, you most likely can't get a Porsche dealer to load it for you, and without PIWIS and connection to mother Porsche, you can't do it yourself. But since the Cobb tune is so awesome anyway, who cares?

 

And this is why Porsche made the 911T.

So that you can buy a base without ever having to say "I bought a 911 base" to others, or yourself.

It's like Coke Zero. You can drink a diet soda, without ever saying that nasty word "diet".

 

I guess thats why virtually no one has attempted it and also misses the point there is more to it than just the engine map. . It may make some sense to try it with a T that has SPASM and rear steer. Personally, if I owned a T I'd get the brakes upgraded and just simply add the base Cobb Stage 1.

 

I think you have to drive them both and determine if the GTS is worth the extra to you. I had a budget so the base was as far as I wanted to stretch. I did plenty of research on the base car before even considering it, and the majority of the reviews I read and watched seemed to heap praise on the base model being the most '911' of the current range, with it's power delivery which was more traditional 911 (as in waiting for the power as the revs build, vs. all that delicious torque in the S and GTS'). If I was getting an S or GTS, I'd probably go for a '4' as my base RWD car struggles to put power down cleanly when taking off from a stop in the dry (never mind the wet). These new turbo'd models have plenty of power!

If I was looking to spend in the $130k-$150k range for a 911, I would be looking at either 50th Anniversary 991.1's, 991.1 GT3's because they'll not depreciate as much, and will probably be at least as much fun to drive as any new 991.2. That's the beauty of the Porsche range....so many options to play with!

 

Glad you mentioned the traction issues which has me leaning towards a carrera 4 then just tuning it down the road.

 

 

Thanks for your feedback. Even in lower gears and launching? Are you pdk or manual? Is your car tuned?

 

The 4's have better traction in the wet and snow, but I dont have issues putting power to the ground in the T. I also dont notice a difference between the rwd and awd models in the dry, and if your driving like a hooligan you can still untick a c4 with (especially with an open differential) because it's still a rear engine pendulum. You gotta respect the rear engine. Not nearly as much as back in the day, but you do. Also, with winter tires, a rwd 911 is a tank. I tried to squirrel out a base c2 in light snow with winters on. Couldnt do it under moderate throttle. Its actually pretty mind bending.

 

flsupraguy,
fyi, base C4's are scarce and dealers can't get allocations. I know one buyer who searched a long time before finding a 991.1 C4 for sale. It was a Cabriolet. He bought it because My S/A mentioned last week he had several would-be buyers for a Base C4. None have been available.
My S also has 305's in the back and PDK. And RAS, SC, PSE, SPASM, and PDCC. It puts power down very well to dry pavement. Well enough to make me want the X51 Power Kit.
​​​

 

Hmm...the common 'should I get the base' question. I'll add my 2 cents because I was in similar situation. I ended up keeping within my budget and getting a loaded CPO C4S.

Aside from being faster, the main difference is there are more standard and available options on the S or GTS. If you're going to buy a base car to then immediately mod for more power... get the GTS...your're basically saying you're not happy with a car before even buying it. Since you got an R8, you'll be wanting more power out of a 911, not less. Power aside, a big difference is the base will handle worse (if there is such a thing in Porsche car) due to standard 20 inch wheels, active rear diff (torque vectoring), bigger brakes, and optional rear steering and sport PASM/ PDDC on the S or GTS. Optioning up a base car to match an S defeats the 'save money' aspect of the base, so many are optioned sparingly (standard interior very common). The T serves the gap of someone who wants an optioned base car, but not quite the S.

AWD is definitely a consideration too. Its going to make the car more stable and less drama. Some people want this some don't. Last thing I personally want is for the rear to pop out on my 150k car when I accidentally giving it too much throttle while hitting a bad patch of road. I experienced plenty of scary moments in my last boxster, one of which resulted me spinning 3 times and rear ending guard rail in a rainstorm...one experience like that and you require AWD in future cars. I'm not a professional driver and want a car to look for me, rather I have to look out for the car. Some people like the thrill of drama though.

It depends on what you want. Are you looking for a fun weekend toy or a capable tool? Some people say that a stripped out MT base car is more fun to drive. A loaded GTS with PDK and AWD will do everything better, but I guess some say it robs the fun out of it or is too fast? I'd get the loaded GTS any day... handles better, faster, more stable, sounds better, more comfortable, and more prestige. I care about tight handling, lots of grip/stability, effortless acceleration, and ergonomics in these cars and 'fun' is more of an after thought. Driving down a highway at legal speeds and appreciating the tight precise handling while in a low go cart like driving position is what I'm after. I personally don't care about making lots of noise, drifting with open diff, speeding through corners, or 'engagement' by having a third pedal/ MT (though manual PDK shifting is great sometimes). I don't want to have to fight the car for it to do what I want (ie, some cars you must correct steering constantly to keep going straight). People have different needs/wants.

For most people shopping for used cars, its a question about budget and what they can afford/willing to spend. Depends on region, miles, condition, and options, but the best used prices for cabs were the following when I was shopping around a few months ago...

2017 C 85k
2017 C4 90k
2017 CS 105k
2017 C4S 110k
2017 GTS 115k
2017 GTS4 120k

Prices can vary a lot depending on options. A loaded S can be 120k+ easy, but another dealer might have a similar car at 110k, yet another 130k. The dealer will be getting their profit, so trade value is going to be worth 5-10k less once you drive off the lot. CPO cost nearly 3k extra if the dealer decides to add that...you could probably pay them to add it if the car is eligible.

Is it worth paying 35k more a loaded GTS or saving this money on a base car? Depends on your situation...but I can say normally the more expensive higher trims are better cars that leave less regrets. Most people don't buy a loaded car and regret it... money quietly leaves your bank account and as they happily drive the car. Save money and skip on options, its in your face ever time you get in the car. As someone said, maybe paying 20k more for an S is a better middle ground. Or you could find a 'less desirable' car to close the difference, BUT that's kinda splitting hairs. I wouldn't save a few thousand to get the wrong car.

A loaded used S is the best value (per say) because all those extra options that they typically come with depreciate quickly the first year, saving you 10-20k additional off the new price (or you get options thrown in is another way of thinking about it). This can happen with a base car too, but often they have fewer options so you might not get 'extras thrown in.' The equivalent base model tends to be similar lower value after ~3-5 years than an S at trade in time...you pay more up front, but you get more back on trade in.

The 992 is still a year out from being on sale and no one really knows exactly how it will be received. As with all 911s evolution, changes probably wont be drastic...just more tech from what I read. Looks are subjective, but the new busy rear or front from spy spots isn't my favorite...the 991 looks more traditional/ simple. You'll have to wait another year if you want AWD models and the quirks worked out in new chassis. A total 3 years from now if you want a 992 GTS. You could buy or lease a 991.2 today and get the 992 when it comes out or the face-lift/ refreshed version (or get a CPO 992 much cheaper). You can always find a excuse to wait... now is a good time as any to get a used car. They'll certainly be cheaper next year since 2-3 years old is the typical sweet spot on the depreciation curve...2015 GTS goes for 105k, so I expect that's what 2017s will be next year (95k for S). 20-30k depreciation first year, 15-20k second year, and 10-15k third year, followed by less than 10k after that.

 

Wow. Thank you for all the info. Very informative

 

 

I have a tuned 991.2 GTS and I have zero traction issues in the dry no matter how hard I drive it. If a base is having traction issues it's definitely not because of the power. I'm not sure what tires it uses, but the GTS definitely doesn't have any issues and doesn't need AWD in the dry. In the wet it breaks lose easily, of course.

 

This is exactly the kind of crap that makes me not trust it. Here's a brand new user with no posts coming to the defense BoostAddicts, and suspiciously writes just like the person in question. It's so transparent it's ridiculous.

 

Interesting observation.