ianmSC

I agree with this entirely. My point about a lightly optioned S vs loaded base was that the resale value will be better on the S because what I've found is that the options depreciate more severely. I also agree you shouldn't worry about selling the car before you've bought it, but when the OP says he has a somewhat tight budget (as I definitely do), it's probably more of a concern than it would be otherwise. All that said, I completely agree with your point about finding the high priority options first, if you can do those while staying within budget on an S model, absolutely do that. If you can't, the base is more than enough car and you won't miss the extra power while enjoying the options that make the car more enjoyable to you personally.

Forums have a way of creating groupthink about performance based options, especially because there are many people who buy these cars who have very high budgets and "would never buy a car without sport chrono and torque vectoring and the biggest possible brakes". I wish I had that budget, but the thing you realize very quickly when driving the models back to back is that they're all incredible cars, the base has remarkable handling and power when driving around town and while the benefits of increased power and brakes are noticeable, they're also incremental. For the majority of people operating on at least some kind of budget, having better power seats and memorized settings and a sunroof adds a lot of fun and convenience to the driving experience and would probably make a bigger difference on a daily basis than the extra HP.

911-heaven

Yes ... to all of this. I spec'ed both and then ordered a 992 C2 (for $116K before tax/plates.. which I pick up tomorrow 1/31). The 992 S I also spec'ed on the configurator ran an extra $15-20K or so and I just don't need THAT much hp. The 992 base is more capable across the board than the 997.1 4S I traded in ...and THAT was all I ever needed for performance. I might be envious of the S brakes is the one possibility. However I would miss some non-performance options in a low cost S like sunroof, Bose, and so on.... options that increase how much you enjoy it.

3RsInCarrera

Guys, thanks so much for all your input!

I'm going to begin shopping in earnest this week. I'm leaning heavily toward ordering the car just the way I want it. I think I'll go base model and will end up spending S money, but it will be spec'd just right!

slwong23

Maybe sharing my journey will help with yours...

My first Porsche was my 2011 Cayenne that I had for 3 years. I loved it, but always wanted more power as it was a big SUV. Everyone on the Cayenne boards said to get a used S over a new Base, but that just wasn’t an option because I wanted the new body/interior and there were no preowned 958 models that were within my budget. When I ordered my Macan site unseen in late 2013, I went for the Turbo with modest options, but got it exactly how I wanted it. It has more power than I’ll ever need with my day to day driving and it’s been the best car that I’ve owned. Options are important IMO, because as others have mentioned, they contribute to the enjoyment. However, all the extra HP and torque also help with my enjoyment of the car.

Now with the 992. I ended up going with a C2 because I had to have my must have options and wanted to stay under my self (ok fine, and wifey ) imposed budget. Did I want the S, the extra power, and the additional bells and whistles it’s brings? Of course, but I didn’t want this car to be $20k more because it’s already the most I’ve spent on a vehicle. Time will tell if I long for the S, but given the base 992 is faster than my Macan Turbo, I’m assuming it’ll be plenty of power for my needs. Plus, there’s always the 992.2.

Long story short, get the most car you can comfortably afford, but make sure you get the options you really want as well. It’s a lot of money to spend, you don’t want to have regrets! Good luck with the decision making process, it’s part of the fun!

Wade992

Another real world experience:I just got a C2 992 last week with all the bells and whistles that i wanted instead of a base S model. I am loving this car. So happy i got the extras on the base model instead of S. The car has plenty of power. The truth is unless you live in a state like Wyoming or Nevada with wide open roads you are never going to need the power. I drive in traffic for my commute everyday and then let it rip on the highway on weekends. I have gotten more compliments on this car (mostly because of the chalk color) than any other car and nobody asks if it is an S model.You will go to car shows and someone will always give you a sarcastic remark about not having the S model. Don't worry about it. Go enjoy the best sports car in the world!

992Sam

As someone who loves a lot of the options they offer, and if I had to chose, I'd go with a more loaded base model ... You're really not going to use all that extra power anyway..

However, what I would really do is just save up for another year and get the S with options.

PJSD

I don't think there's a right/wrong answer here, i'm also new to porsche. I think the cool thing with his car is you really can't go wrong. If it were me, however, and i were budget constrained my preference would opt for the base model, with add ons i consider musts: Premium pkg, sport pkg, sunroof, pwr steering plus, and probably the 20/21 inch wheels, 14 way seats, lane change assist, and maybe even leather interior and GT steering wheel. I think the S is probably the more desirable car, if you can spec it with the stuff YOU WANT TO ENJOY including basic options for today's market during the duration of your ownership. The base model is plenty fast and fun, especially for a daily driver. The way i spec'd my S will be a hair under $140k MSRP. With all the same options the base came to under $120k if memory serves. Ultimately i decided to go with the S because my budget allowed, and i figured if i'm spending this much already, and waited this long, plus the delivery and time it take to get here while I obsessively follow a cargo ship (crazy), i should just pony up the extra $20k and have the S model. I hope to keep and enjoy this baby for several years.

If you get an S, my opinion is you def should get the premium/sports pkg at least. If nothing else for resale. By the time you sell your car, these options will be the minimum people want in a car as tech gets obsolete pretty quick.

Good luck, this is all part of the fun. Allegedly.

3RsInCarrera

Soooo.....I just traded in my BMW and ordered my first Porsche!!!

Thanks so much to all of you and your help! I was told the order will lock very soon and I only have about a week or so to make changes. I was also told the car will arrive around 5/22. Can't wait!

Here's my spec:
Price
Base Price 911 Carrera (992)
992110
$97,400
Price for Equipment
$16,695
Delivery, Processing and Handling Fee
$1,350
Total Price*
$115,445
Exterior Color
Dolomite Silver Metallic
F0

$830
Interior Color
Standard Interior in Slate Grey including Leather Seats
DH

$0
Packages
Premium Package
P3R

$5,380
Porsche Dynamic Light System Plus (PDLS+)
8IS

$0
Lane Keep Assist (LKA) incl. Traffic Sign Recognition
P60

$0
Adaptive Cruise Control (ACC)

$0
Comfort Access

$0
Seat Ventilation

$0
BOSE® Surround Sound System
9VL

$0
Exterior
Electric Slide/Tilt Sunroof in Glass
3FE

$2,000
Performance
8-speed Porsche Doppelkupplung (PDK)
G1F

$0
Sport Chrono Package
8LH

$2,720
Wheels
20"/21" RS Spyder Design Wheels
46J

$3,740
Lights and Vision
Comfort and Assistance Systems
Interior
Sport Seats Plus (4-way)
Q4Q

$810
Heated Multifunction GT Sport Steering Wheel
2PJ

$590
Storage Package
QE1

$0
Audio and Communication
Delivery Experience
Porsche Experience Center Delivery (Los Angeles)
ZLA

$625
Others
Included First Year / 10,000 Mile Maintenance
Z1S

$0
Total Price*
$115,445

rk-d

That's a good conservative build. $115k would get you into a stripper S - I don't think you'd be happy with that. Congratulations!

Patriot

To the OP: If you can stretch to $126k, here's my build. I think its a nice balance between performance and comfort, without being crazy expensive:

LexVan

On January 27th 3RsInCarrera says "hello" and expresses buying intent.

On February 18th 3RsInCarrera gets it done!

All you noobs, this is how you get it done!!

Congrats, 3Rs..............I predict you'll be a lifetime Porsche owner.

russbert

If the government really understood how awesome and truly addicting these cars really are (this will be my 5th), they would probably be illegal! ;-)

crimewave

Just out of curiosity, what was the reasoning behind spending $5,300 on some headlights? I feel like there are a lot more options that should be way way ahead of headlights. Especially at that price!

HouTexCarreraS

He paid $5,380 for the Premium Package that includes the upgraded headlights and the other items listed.