Is the 991.2 base enough? I drove it last week (the one i drove did NOT have SC) but it seemed the PDK didn't rapidly shift (i didn't take it for a long time)

I'm coming from an AMG C63S & wondering if i should hop on a 991.2 base?

I would love an S, but the $115k they are going for isn't going to be feasible right now for me as $100k is my limit.

There's a great base (GT silver, PSE, Sport chrono, bose, 14-way seats, spyder wheels, 2017) that i can get for about $95k certified with 18k miles + 2 years warranty.

I've always wanted a Porsche & i got the C63s because i just became a Dad but we have another car for that & the 911 just takes my breath away. But i'm worried coming from my C63S that the base will feel lackluster & i'll miss it for the power + all the features.

Questions:
1) Are the 991s soo overpriced now & may come crashing down in a year or so? (I'd want to move up to an S or 992 in the next 3 years.)
2) Is the 991.2 base enough?
3) Does the S PDK shift faster than the base? (Seems like it may be the case from YT vids i watched)
4) Do you notice a difference from the brakes not being 6-piston?

Bonus: do you think the C63s will depreciate a lot given the next gen is a hybrid 4?

 

In red.

 

Very subjective answers as there are no absolutes possible.

1) Are the 991s soo overpriced now & may come crashing down in a year or so? (I'd want to move up to an S or 992 in the next 3 years.)
- they will eventually come down but I think it will be longer than a year. I posted in another thread that a good-sized dealer in my area is only getting 14 GT3 through the end of next year and selling them with $120K ADM. I know this has little to do with a .2 base but it seems Porsche will need more time to really catch up. My 2017 .2 base would have sold for $70-$75K before the craziness. If you are saying they are going for close to $100K, that is NUTS!

2) Is the 991.2 base enough?
- I believe the base is every bit as quick as a C63s, even if it sounds terrible in comparison. It is also a much more well-built vehicle; a buddy of mine tells me of his trails with his C63s, like overheating on the street in Vegas or parts falling off inside the vehicle. For reference, when I started on a sports car journey I really wanted the C63s but ended with a 991.2 base and it was a great decision. What are you using the car for? More than quick enough and faster than you will ever go on public roads but if you want to drag race, you'll lose to many other cars.If you want to track it and have no experience, it will take you years to drive at the limit of the car.

3) Does the S PDK shift faster than the base? (Seems like it may be the case from YT vids i watched)
- Going to an S has nothing to do with it. You need to have Sports Plus as an option (part of SC I believe), which is a track focused shifting strategy. I use it and it is much more aggressive than regular or sport. If you move up to a GT3, they actually shift quicker.

4) Do you notice a difference from the brakes not being 6-piston?
- Not on the street, you won't. Only your ego will hurt because your calipers are black and not red.

Can't help with the bonus question. In a normal world, I believe Benz's depreciate rather quickly but if this is the last gen naturally aspirated, it may hold value better. No chance it would get collector status like a 911 would though.

 

You could also purchase a tune if you feel it’s not fast enough, I think it’s more than plenty (FYI).

 

Buy the one you can afford. Drive it a lot. Enjoy it. Repeat daily, smile a lot.

 

The guys above covered it well - "enough" is subjective and depends entirely on your perspective. Mine is, for me, that's for sure.

95K for a '17 base, huh? Wow, the market is still nuts.

 

paint the calipers red?

 

What he said, get a base with pse and pasm , Bose system and à good tune like APR that will bring you around 450hp easy no need to go with an S

 

Yeah! (mine were done by the previous owner, powder coated by the Porsche dealer in Long Island. I'm not sure I'd do it, but I have grown to like them.)

 

Stating the obvious, I think part of it depends on where it'll be driven. If it's mostly arrow-straight freeways and neighborhood grids, then acceleration/power is much more important because it's the primary performance characteristic you are using and enjoying most of the time.

If you watch Savagegeese, he did a review of the Carrera T (a base with add-ons) and the 992S. His usual test route is a couple of long straight roads and a couple of corners - and the verdict with the T was "I don't get why people like these" and the verdict with the 992 S was "wow this is incredible".

The 992 does bring some chassis and sound improvements but IMO the acceleration was much more exciting in the more powerful car, and on that type of road it justifies the cost. Had the test been done on a twisty mountain backroad I feel like the Base/T would have ranked a lot higher.


Carrera T:

992S:

 

Drive the base and S. If the S is what you want, don't buy the base. With that said, the base 911 is plenty of car for most people. Are you most people though?

 

FWIW my 991.2 base is PLENTY quick with FVD tune. REALLY wakes up the car up. (throttle response & power delivery alone is worth it)

 

I can help a bit here. My 991.2 base MT has been in the garage for 4.5 years. I am a serial car seller and trader. I love this car and have no plans on selling. I've tracked it (twice) and it is a much better car than I am a driver. Fun to drive, reliable and top rate finish and with the base engine, you can get into serious trouble a fraction of a second later than a S or GTS variant.
Traded a 2014 Mercedes E550 Cabriolet for this car. Had a great, stump pulling turbo V8, but don't miss it one bit. The 7MT doesn't launch like an automatic V8, but once you get past first gear, it is a rocket. I am not tuned and have no plans to tune it.
If it has the right options, go for it. You won't miss the Merc.

 

Just get the S. Base is a great car but if you’re going to be second guessing it don’t waste time and money on something less than what you truly want.

NF

 

I just bought a '17 base. If you're buying the car for twisty roads and to satisfy the Porsche itch then yes, imho the base will be enough, especially for remaining budget conscious despite current pricing frenzy. While mine certainly is enough, I added a cobb ots stage 1 tune and it made it more enough. I'm very happy with the outcome. Additionally, my kids are 6 & 8 years old, while not sedan type space in the back, we fit and they love riding in my 911. No biggee there. I daily mine too.
With the basic cobb tune you'll have equal to or greater than S hp/torque for $15-$20k less than an S.

You will indeed miss the sound of the v8, no denying that.