dmourati

I'm a long time Porsche fan finally in the position to acquire my first. I've done a ton of research but I'm still having a hard time making up my mind. Here's a funny exchange I had with my local dealer that indicates just how much help I need:

Me: "I'm a long time Porsche fan finally in the position to acquire my first."
Dealer: "Cool, have a seat in this 911 turbo s and I'll be right with you."
M: "Ya, I kind of have a long running aversion to turbos. What do you have that isn't turbo?"
Dealer: "Do you mean turbo trim or turbo engine?"
M: "Huh?"
D: "All 911s are turbo engine now."
M: "Well, this aversion to turbo is probably based on older models, I can't say specifically"

To his credit, he still spent 30 minutes with me. I got in the Turbo. Also sat in a Carrera outside with different seats (14 way I think).

He showed me a GTS on the lot. They even had a Porsche Carrera GT.

Now to where I could use help. I'm not asking someone to pick a car for me as much as asking all of you for a system to limit down my choices so I can settle on a few, drive them, and make an informed decision.

What I know: I need the backseats as I have a little kid. I don't like Cab/Targa tops. Just personal preference. I think I want something lower on the horsepower scale b/c I'm a new driver.

How would you go about it?

Just drive the Carrera and go from there?

Thanks.

Al.Fresco

Do you have an aversion to a CPO (certified pre owned)? If not, you could get a 991.1 naturally aspirated 911 in either a 3.4L (base) or 3.8L (S or GTS) engine. CPO warranty covers you for 6 years from first sale punch date, so as an example, a 2016 would have CPO warranty until 2021-2022.

All non GT non Turbo (with a big T) 911's went to a 3.0 liter turbo engine in 2017. Those would be referred to as 991.2 vehicles.

dmourati

I currently drive a CPO Audi. I think that is generally a great idea. It would also mean I could drive the car sooner as the dealer indicated a roughly 5 month waiting time for a new build.

Cyberbug

dmourati

It would be a daily driver for me. I typically drop my kid off at daycare, go to work, do one or two errands, pick him up, and come back home. On the weekend, with any luck, it would be me, my wife, and our 2.5 yo.

I would say must have is fun to drive and not crazy dangerous. I can handle a manual transmission. Historically, I had always thought my Porsche would be manual. Def leaning that way.

The dollar part is the interesting one. I'm in a position to basically buy whatever I want. New job. Reward to myself. Cash on hand.

bkrantz

If you want a new Porsche sports car, then you have to embrace turbos. However, there are big differences.

The Turbo (trim) and Turbo S are the big dogs, make tons of hp and torque, and have more dramatic turbo feel. Not quite the rude on-off power switch, with exciting delay, that the original 911 Turbos had, but still more obvious when the turbos are doing their thing.

The current Carerra, S, and GTS do indeed have turbos, but more like an enhancement of still significant power from a 3 liter engine. For me, the power comes on a bit more gently.

I suggest you schedule a visit to drive them all, starting with the "slowest", the Carerra, with the least turbo effect and then work your way up.

And beware that much of the advice you will get on Rennlist (and elsewhere) will be colored by natural bias. Quite a few 991 owners love their naturally aspirated engines (2012-2016), especially for the sound. Others, like me, love the stronger feel of the small-t turbos (2017-2019)--plus they are faster than their older brothers.

Cyberbug

xstnte

I'd start with STG's 991.1 FS thread. It's an incredible resource: https://rennlist.com/forums/991/8636...-1-a-1066.html
A lot of good information on used vehicles there.

As far as 991.1, the 3.4L might be lacking in power for some drivers, but it's still fun. I don't know what your budget is, but if you're thinking used/CPO, at this time a Carrera S might be a better "deal" as it has a lot of standard options that wouldn't be optional with a Carrera. You'll also get the 3.8L engine, bigger brakes and some suspension improvements with a Carrera S vs Carrera.

If you go new, the base 991.2 is comparable with the 991.1 Carrera S

This useful VIN decoder will tell you what the new MSRP was on most used vehicles you research. It's great when you finally want to negotiate a price: https://vinanalytics.com

vodkag

1. Price range (how much you want to spend) I think that's the first questions you should ask....because without that...then...the sky is the limit :-)
2. What you MUST have, which you kind of have an idea, backseat which means 911 for sure, no cab that means coupe. Then is pick out the options that you want....which there are A LOT in the 991s
3. if you really dont like a turbo-ed car (like me) then i would say look into the 991.1 (pre 2016) or the GT3s (if money is not an issue)
4. HAVE FUN :-) honestly this is the BEST part to me... shopping for a car....some people hate it, personally I LOVE it! I get to go shopping for things that I like LOL

Dan Nagy

Any 911 will be fun. You should take your time, though. Reading these threads is a good idea to help you think about what you want.

dmourati

My price range really is open. If you made me tighten it down I would say $100,000-$200,000 right now. If I were super motivated, and given some extra time I could raise the upper to $300,000 but I think that's a little ridiculous for a first timer. It would probably be lost on me.

Option overload.

Don't have a strong opinion against modern turbos. My information was based on something I read from the bad old days but never encountered myself. I'd consider it a weak opinion.

I'm having fun. Thanks all for the advice. I may swing by the dealer again but he sent me away to do my homework and so here we are.

So far, GT3 Touring has the aesthetic I like but is probably too much power for me.

Dan Nagy

Yes, it can be an option overload for sure, but Porsche allows you to build your car just the way that you want it. It might be a good idea to go to a local Porsche Club event - PCA - and talk to owners. Check out PCA.org. There are some great online videos, too. Here is the one that convinced me that the C2 was enough:

dmourati

Ha, I watched that video. He got the front wheel up off the ground a few times.

Al.Fresco

This thread might be worth a read to give you an idea of what the most desired options are....
https://rennlist.com/forums/991/1029...e-options.html

ECM