My 2021 C2S MT is "well" equipped and had I not opted for Burmester my build would have been exactly $130k. You do not need sport exhaust, RAS, SPASM, etc. to have one heck of an awesome machine. It will still be great on a track. I even ordered full leather and other goodies. So, for me, go S.

That being said, I would have been mighty tempted for a "base" Carrera had a MT been available in that variant.

 

My “everything” S: $138,290, will require financing about $8-10k
My “everything” base: $124,280. Write a check and be done.

I cannot find a dealer within range that has both models to compare.

Admittedly, this is a high quality problem and I feel somewhat like a a$$ griping about it with all that is going on in the US now.

 

Congrats on getting your dream 911. My suggestions would be to go with an S - you do get LSD and bigger brakes should you decide to try it on the track. I'd definitely get a leather package and create a unique experience inside the cabin - with many two-tone options and/or deviated stitching available. I've owned several Porsches with basic and leather interiors, and full leather is a must have option. Just makes driving and ownership experience much more special and complete in my opinion. Other options to consider is adding SC and SPASM. I would pass on sports exhaust but they way Sports Package is priced you might as well get the whole sports pack. Have fun ordering and driving your Carrera!

 

So Glerald . . . now you need to post the build codes for your "S" and your "Base" configurations. That way we can all critique your choices and second guess what you decided to do. Naturally we'll all compare it to each of our (far superior in our addled minds) choices for the cars we have ordered.

WARNING! You'll need/want to change your build so many times between now and when you actually order the car that you'll loose count. Then there will always be those one or two things you wished you had selected and at least one that you'll wonder what you could have been thinking about at the time. It's all part of the fun and the anticipation!

 

Like most high end cars these days, the Porsche Carrera is overpowered. Without much effort, your easily in High Way Patrol Ticket territory . Now if you get the base model with the
manual, you will have a chance to wring out those gears and push the engine. So what if you won't excel at the track. Everyday driving is more fun with this combo. The Manual
Transmission transforms this car into a everyday fun machine.

 

Thus I haven’t posted build codes. I am having enough trouble!

 

Not sure of your location as I Winter my P car, but if it was me I'd pick up a gently used S in the early Springtime and save lotsa Money

 

I was in the same spot - dream car I wanted forever and will likely own for 10+ years. Friends and family were so tired of hearing about my 911 dreams after 20 years and advised me to just get what I wanted. Saving a few thousand dollars on an already-indefensible car purchase is silly, not practical.

For me, it was the S (RAS and LSD) and PCCBs which killed my budget and I ended up $20k over initial budget. 2 months and 2k miles later, I have forgotten the sting of writing the check and am really happy with the car!

Good luck and update the thread with the decision and also thoughts once the car arrives!

 

Hi, congratulations. 992 was my first Porsche and was the first car for more than 10 years (long story... expat life). But I ended up with a 2CS Cab. No regret. If that $8k-$10K is not a big issue, go for what you want. You will enjoy it.

 

The S.....tell wife better resale long term....so overspend a bit and get what u want...

 

Unpopular opinion but I don't really understand the people that get a loaded S/4S in the $160-$170k range when you could just go turbo, which comes with A LOT of standard options.

I personally think the base is the sweet spot for a DD given the less harsh suspension, ability to push the car harder on public roads, and very quick acceleration. Some say there is even less turbo lag.

Fun fact, a 992 base PDK/SC is faster to 60 than a manual S...not saying that is the best metric, but something I found interesting.

 

[QUOTE=Mrkhanna16;16970548]Unpopular opinion but I don't really understand the people that get a loaded S/4S in the $160-$170k range when you could just go turbo, which comes with A LOT of standard

Yikes! I definitely cannot spend $160,000! If I did I wouldn’t be able to drive it because I would be disabled by my wife. Permanently.

 

Maybe it’s just me but you totally need to get the S. It’s obvious you want it and rightfully so. The S is better. I’ve seen videos of the 992 CS just demolishing “faster” cars. It’s a beast. I don’t get your apprehension about the $8-10K you’ll finance....seriously, if momma is on board for $130K she should be just fine for $140K. How is that extra $10K you spend going to negatively affect her life? How long would it take to pay off that extra $10K. I’m guessing not long at all. If the biggest smile on your face doesn’t make momma happy then what does? Good luck deciding and have fun! Heck of a toy.

 

Pretty much the only reason in my view to get an S over the base is if you want MT, RAS, SPASM, PDCC or PTV+ (PTV+ is available on the C4, not the C2)....all of which (except PTV+) are features the OP has said he doesn't want. The bigger brakes on the S are completely unnecessary unless you're tracking the car (not DEs...actual competitive events), and the extra HP is also overkill on the street. A base does 0-60 around 3.5 seconds, the quarter in about 11.5; an S shaves those numbers to around 3.0 and 11 flat. Aside from needing/wanting bragging rights that you have the faster 911, the power difference is moot on the street in any driving situation save stoplight drags. Even then, the base more than holds it's own; I'm sure the C8 corvette driver that I did a 0-60+ run with recently was a little miffed that the 992 was door-to-door with him, and would have been shocked to learn that he was running against a debadged base, not an S. (BTW, I debadged to make the car's rear end cleaner, not to fool C8 or other drivers.)

In previous generation 911s, there were body differences that created a visible pecking order. That's all gone, as all 992s look exactly the same in stock form, and all can be equipped with Sport Design bits and Aerokit.

For MY 2020 there were far more C2s and C4s cars built than base, in a large part due to the fact the base cars came to market many months after the S. The S was pretty much universally declared "brilliant" and there were hundreds - maybe thousands - of reviews all over the internet. By the time the Base was launched, the "reviewer" pack had mostly moved on to the lastest shiny automotive object, and until very recently you had to look hard to find a Base review, For those that did actually swing back and review the Base, the consensus is the Base is equally brilliant, and in some cases, journalists of high repute actually prefer it over the S. The days of the S being the "superior" car, either objectively or subjectively, have ended with the 992.

In terms of resale, what's happened in the past with 911s may not be a reliable predictor of how the used market will evolve. With all cars looking the same, and real-world performance differences on the street being essentially moot, paying extra for a used S versus a Base may not be perceived as necessary. With performance differences not as important as in the past, the value of used 911s will hinge on mileage, condition, and rarity/exclusivity. Currently, the majority of 992s out there are Ss, with fewer base C2s and astonishingly few C4s (https://rennlist.com/forums/992/1193...numbers-3.html). It's an unknown - but unlikely - that this model split will hold subsequent production years, but a case could be made that the 2020 base models - which look the same and are only marginally slower - might hold their value better than the Ss. If the market sentiment continues its shift away from the mindset with previous-generation 911s that a Base car isn't a very satisfying 911, Base models in good condition with great service histories and decently optioned could become highly sought-after used cars at a relative bargain price compared to an S.

I see two camps on Rennlist in the S versus Base debate: those who have driven both Base and S versions long enough to develop informed opinions, and those who just have opinions. Like the few reviewers who have meaningful seat time in both and came away with highly favorable impressions of the Base, so it goes with us 911 masses. There are exceptions, but just based on the number of cars on the road, a high percentage of 992 S owners here and in the wild have likely never driven a base car, and certainly not a unicorn such as a C4. To the OP, there's no substitute for driving a Base and an S and coming to your own conclusions. If that's not possible, give extra credibility points to reviewers and owners that actually have meaningful seat time in a car other than an S.

 

Turbo doesn’t come with much standard over a Carrera. The options are a bit cheaper. The TTS does come loaded.

It’s a slippery slope. If I spec’ed a Turbo to its minimal acceptable config it would be pushing 190k. At that point why not go TTS?