First time buyer, jumping in with a 2013-2015 Carrera or Carrera S.

Advice on:

Options - must haves, and perhaps things not to have
Whether to go for an S
Certified vs Private (what am I really getting with Certified other than more cost and some peace of mind)

Thanks

 

When it comes to the 991.1, I highly recommend the S over the base model. These are totally different motors and the premium the S commands is worth sacrificing some of the extra creature comforts you can get with a base if you have a strict budget you are trying to stay within.

My opinion on the 991.2 is different as the base .2 has more than enough power for most.

For me, if I had to choose 3 must have options, they would be:

1. PDK
2. PSE
3. Sport Chrono

All in, my build was around 130k MSRP due to the long list of extras. Other than the sport design areo kit (which looks amazing. I'm not a fan of the .1 front base front bumper) and entry and drive, I could really take or leave the other options. Sure ventilated seats, folding mirrors, alcantara this and that is really nice but it doesn't necessarily add or take away from the raw enjoyment of the vehicle.

CPO will always be preferred if available in your desired spec and budget. If you find the perfect car but it's not CPO, just have a PPI done at an independent dealer. The .1's are really bullet proof cars and if it passes a PPI, you should be good to go. I will note that if I was going to go non-CPO, then I would only be looking at 2014-2016 models. These will have some factory warranty left in case you run into any minor issues the original owner ignored during the first few months of ownership.

Best of luck with your search!

 

Thanks. Much appreciated.

 

Stick with the S and a CPO, so you'd have to get it from a dealer. Trans is up to your likes, and you can always add later. The chrono adds dynamic engine mounts and may be worth the investment, but you can probably live without it

 

S + CPO in any option config is a great car.

in 991.1 there is a measurable difference between C2 and C2S in terms of power but many love to rev out the C2 just fine which is lighter and has more power than previous generation S's!

 

Hold out for a highly optioned car if you're not in a hurry, they won't cost much more, but will sell faster. Mine had $40k in options, most of which I wouldn't have ordered, but things like full two-tone leather with deviated stitching really make the car nicer.

 

991.1
1 owner
<5k miles
CPO if possible
PSE
Ventilated seats, incl. in Prem. Package Plus
Bose
Sports Chrono

 

What is the difference in part between 991.1 and 991.2 I thought they were both 350hp ?

 

Oh Dear.... Edmunds, Car and Driver and Motortrend would be some goof places to start. Youtube also. 991.2 starts in 2017.... no such thing as a dumb question but are you really shopping these cars?

The 991.2 sounds like a vacuum:

 

The answers depend heavily on your intended use of the car, location and, of course, budget. I do not track my car, so my driving is a combination of city, freeway and frequent fun runs on winding country roads. A regular Carrera with manual transmission works perfectly for me. The major options I ended up with were premium package with PDLS plus ventilated seats, sport chrono, Bose audio. I do not feel like I am missing anything.

Whether CPO or remaining factory warranty, I would make sure you have at least 18-24 months' coverage left. That will give you plenty of time to make sure the car is sorted out before expiration.

 

Things I would keep in mind while looking for a 991:

1. 2012.5-2013 991's cant easily add a rear backup camera. I believe 2014+ 991's can add one easily via NavTV but I'm not positive about that, I just know it's the later models with a newer PCM version.

2. PSE is a nice option, but it can always be added later so if you find a car you like, don't worry about the fact that it does not have it.

3. Bose audio gets some pretty bad reviews and most say it's a minimal upgrade over the stock. Burmester however everyone agrees sounds great. Stock radio is actually pretty good and the bonus is that you can easily upgrade the stock with an amp which is difficult to do with the Bose. Bose/Stock can be upgraded with Burmester tweeters though which supposedly is a huge improvement.

4. Porsche CPO warranty is one of the best in the biz. 2 yr bumper to bumper. As long as the car is less than 7 years old you can get the car certified for around $2500 by the dealer as long as you buy it from them.

5. Paddle shifting steering wheels can be added after the fact so if the car does not have it you can always add it later.

Everything else can pretty much be decided by your patience/budget imo. 991.1 prices are high right now however, check out the HFS thread to get an idea of good pricing.

 

OP I was in the same situation comparing 991.1 base vs. S. I drove a lot of them and ended up with the base 3.4L. Yes the S has more power, bigger brakes, better sounding exhaust but for me it wasn't worth the approx. 15K delta. S prices are crazy right now and you can get a nicely optioned base for around 70K CPO.

I thought I'd have S "envy" but I have to say I am loving the base. It has plenty of power if you keep the revs up (above 4.5K RPM). I'm only getting about 15 mpg so I must be doing it right! I like to wind the car out so after winding out 2nd gear I'm usually far exceeding the speed limit. For me 350hp in a light revvy car is plenty fast enough and I am coming from a 400+ hp M3. I think the base is a great value in this market.

I wanted a manual and sport chrono was non-negotiable. You get active engine mounts, rev-matching down shifts in sport+ (sounds amazing), shift lights and a G meter. I didn't care about any of the electronic chassis do dads. The bases suspension is wonderful.

 

Be sure to verify all the advise you're given.

 

In regards to # 4 for CPO:

For vehicles no longer under the new vehicle limited warranty at the time of used retail delivery, Porsche Approved Certified Pre-owned Limited Warranty coverage extends until the earlier of:
• 2 years from the date of used retail delivery
OR
• 50,000 miles from the mileage at used retail delivery, but not to exceed a cumulative 100,000 total miles on the vehicle

CPO Click Here

 

Exactly! There is a cut off model year that a dealer can't CPO (right now 2009?). Otherwise a Porsche dealer sold pre-owned can be CPOed for 2 years even if the original 4 years warranty has expired