I thought I wanted to buy a 997.2 until I drove a 2012 911 S 991. But then again I have not driven and 997.2 yet either. I thought I would get the 997.2 because it is said tha it is the last of the true driver enthusiast's 911 and therefore will hold its value better. I would appreciate any thoughts on the resiliency of the value and the differences in the drive experience between the 997.2 and the 991 would be appreciated.

 

You really need to drive them both to decide since everyone has a different impression of each. And depending on your budget you may want to consider newer ones as well.

 

The BEST Porsche is always the newest Porsche rennlisters will say.

ironically while they are saying that the 992.1 hasn't grown on me and I love my 991.2 - My Next car is going to be the new GT4 (PDK) when they make the PDK version my 991.2 S will go.

I've owned - 997.24S, 991.1S and 991.2S

I liked the 997.24S better than my 991.1S but I like the 991.2S better than the ladder... So to each their own.

 

Like Bob said, drive both and decide what you like. They are all excellent, just different. I have a 991, but also want a 993, as they are so different.

Let us know what you decide.

 

Horses for courses. Depends on the driver and the purpose. I’m on an older 911 kick and would say 993 over either!

 

Not sure if it is better....but its bigger

 

I have a 991.1 GTS and 997.2RS and have no desire to pick up any newer / faster models. These two are plenty fast and fun. My next will be a narrow body 964 but not for a while.

 

I’ve owned a 996 c2cab, 997.1 tt, 991.1 c4s and am currently in a 991.2 tt cab.

There was a low milage 997.2 tt (still cpo) for sale when I bought the 991.2tt. I loved the 997 tt I owned, but the 991 tt was better in almost every way.

I was not happy with the 991.1 c4s. I found it boring. The 996c2 was a lot of fun to drive, but unreliable and the interior was cheaply built.

But when I put my foot into that turbo, especially in sport + mode, it’s thrilling. Every time.

 

Drive them, that will make you decide. My typical philosophy is if you are looking for a daily driver and weekend car in one, or something with newer tech or something with a lot of chassis and suspension refinement, I would go with the 991. It is going to drive better, be more comfortable and capable and have more tech and be easier to live with. If you are looking for a car that will only come out on the weekends and for nice weather drives and you are looking for more engagement and feel then go with the 997.

 

The 991 is objectively better in every way - including being lighter. The increase in size is now enough to matter and its the proportions that make it appear bigger.

Objectively the 991is superior but these cars aren't about that. Emotionally they are really different and the 997 is much more old school feeling. As others have said, you really need to drive both.

 

The 997 feels more like the cars of Porsche past, a little raw and very analog (when compared to the 991). The 991 is very refined and silky. It seems to go about the business of performance with no muss or fuss.

 

One is a "sports car" and the other is a "GT car"

each one of us (including you) have to define those terms for ourselves and then make a decision..

it all begins with a proper test drive of both.. don't listen to people or reviews, experience it for yourself and make a decision..

 

Yep, drive each and decide. The 911 ethos runs through each series, but they are very different cars. I’ve had a 993 for 8 years. I’m interested in a 991.2 GTS and therefore I’m selling the 993. I’ve driven a few 991.2’s and I was surprised to sense the connection to the older cars in how they feel to drive. Obviously the 991 is 10X the performance of the 993 and it’s thoroughly modern compared to the analog 993 experience, but you can sense the heritage of the car carried through each series even as it’s grown massively in size and capability.

 

These threads are always interesting and often contentious. They tend to result in arguments along the lines of "you're with me, or you're against me". I've never understood this. I've owned a 996, a 997, and a 991. I loved them all. Each had a personality, and each had strengths and weaknesses. That said, all of them were 911s, and they all drove like 911s. None of them felt like a bloated luxury car, or anything other than a Porsche 911. It's okay to own a 997 and think that the 991 is good. It's also okay to own a 991 and think the the 997 is good. These are all fantastic cars. These cars are so good, in fact, that we often see arguments about things that are very minor in the overall scheme of things. People complain about the 991 because of electrically assisted steering. People complain about the 991 because of the electronic parking brake. People complain about the 997 because the PCM is out of date and the navigation function isn't good. There are more examples. For most people, these things don't matter. The vast majority of drivers won't be able to tell the difference between electronic and hydraulic steering. There are obviously some people who can tell, but most can't tell. Most people don't mind pushing a button to set the parking brake as opposed to pulling a lever. Some people have issues with it, but most don't. Many people don't care about the navigation system because they use their phone for this purpose. These differences are small for most people. For me, it's the overall driving experience that you should consider. This is a subjective thing.

Personally, I'd never go back to a 997 after owning a 991. I'd also never go back to a 996. As much as I loved them, the 991 is better for me. I like the 991 better than any car that I've ever owned, despite the fact that it's my first sports car without a manual transmission. I haven't warmed up to the 992 yet, but I suspect that I will in the future.

As suggested above, drive both models and decide which you prefer. If there's not one particular generation that calls to you, then you're probably better off buying a newer car. If you decide you like the 997 better, then buy it! You'll love it. If you decide you like the 991 better, then buy it! You'll love it! There's not a bad choice between Porsche generations.

 

The sports car is the one that is faster in all forms of racing right?