minn19

Find a used S you like and trade your base for it. It’ll probably be cheaper and you’ll enjoy it more than trying to partially mod your base.

AlterZgo

Don’t worry about the critics. There’s nothing wrong with modding a Carrera or any other car for that matter.

WRT the tunes, the Carrera turbos are small compared to the S so the tune in a base runs out of steam on the top end whereas a S/GTS tuned will pull hard all the way to 7K RPM even with higher stage tunes and E85 tunes.

With that said there are just more benefits as you go up in each successive model. More standard options on an S than base. Also some options are cheaper on an S than on a base. The turbos are huge - literally and figuratively. In the 991.2 the GTS had larger turbos than an S. In a 992 the S and GTS share the same turbos so tuned both cars have the same max power potential. The fact that you can run 100% E85 on the stock fuel system of a Carrera S is a big advantage. You are basically able to max out the potential of the stock turbo and fuel system with just a tune with no other mods.

Ultimately depends on your goals. If you are going to tune and mod your car for power, there’s just so many more advantages to starting with an S. If you want to mod for looks, handling, some power, and daily usability and enjoyment, a base Carrera is a great place to start too. I test drove a 992 base PDK with PASM. It drove exceptionally well. The suspension felt more refined than my S-PASM equipped S. The PDK base pulled hard and smooth and almost as quick as my manual S (when stock). The base S I test drove felt like it would be a great daily driver. But I know I crave power and I must lower every car I buy and I could order a S for MSRP so it was a no brainer for me.

c1pher

Poof, a base 911 is a 911 Turbo, easy peasy:

detansinn

The answer no.

Sure, you can modify a Base. It will reduce the resale value of the car significantly and you’ll void your warranty. You will also have to spend serious money to match/exceed the quality of the OE components in the S.

If you want what the S has, the S is bargain. That being said, there’s nothing wrong with a Base Carrera.

rk-d

There is no value argument in modifying a car - that is a sunk cost.

Tuning an ECU will affect resale - even if removed, the fact that it was tuned needs to be disclosed.

Tuning a base doesn’t equal an S with larger turbos. Doesn’t work that way. Modified cars almost never drive like OEM - of course you could tune your car to exceed a C2S.

Basic height adjustable coil-overs like Bilsteins are designed to be a non-destructive way to lower the car. They aren’t really designed to be superior to OEM. You can go down that rabbit hole of getting aftermarket suspension mods with thicker roll bars, top mounts, 3 or 4 way adjustable like KW or JRZ and find a race shop to corner balance and tune the suspension you might be getting somewhere. Of course, at that point with a full suspension/ECU tune/plenum/exhaust/cats/headers, you’ve blown past the S and are creating your own thing. It won’t drive like OEM; it will drive like a modified car. But it would be fun. That car would beg to be tracked.

Of course the cost of all that is well into the 5 figures.

For me - I’d say if you were buying a base in the interest of modifying it…go all out. If not, trying to make small mods to equalize the relatively minor gap between a base and an S feels like a waste of time and money.

Staffie Guy

I would expand your search for an S. Maybe not in your area, but allocations are out there. If you are willing to pay an ADM, there are probably some in stock or very slightly used and get it shipped. As previously mentioned, you will void your warranty and reduce resale value.

rgoldm2

have you driven a c2? I’d try before what you are planning. People are trying to explain its 100% not needed.

ipse dixit

Having driven lots of modded cars (from Audi's to GT-R's to Lambo's to all sorts of Bimmers from M3 to M5 to Z3), I know this much.

It's fun for a while (an afternoon, a weekend maybe, a couple of track days), but to live with one day in and day out as a daily driver? You will hardly ever notice the difference, much less appreciate it.

Bottom line, better to know someone who owns a modded car, than to own a modded car.

colnagoG60

Meh, FWIW, I had coilovers on my Corrado, have coilovers on my Jetta, spent 2 years tweaking DSC settings on my GT4, and still feel like it could benefit from different dampers/springs. I didn't track any of those cars, and don't plan to. If OP doesn't like the stock suspension, better to get a setup that will allow for some adjustments after install, instead of playing the "another new suspension kit" game. That said, I felt way more confident going full gas on track in 992 "S" I got to try, than I would in my GT4. As always, YMMV.

OP, have you thought about starting with a "T"? My SA said I could get on the list pretty early and pretty much get it at MSRP. There there's the 991s that are already out. Probably best value for a "performance street" 911.

remington

I guess that makes me full of crap, on the street a base 992 feels as quick, or quicker, than my 718 GT4. I have to track them to appreciate the actual difference. Just saying, raw numbers don't tell you as much as you think or we'd all be driving mustangs.

reddsektor

Street = straight line power, for which you can easily tell the difference between a gt4 or base 992, vs a S.

remington

Respectfully, that hasn't been my experience. And I own both. Your experience is different which I don't question. You're probably a better driver than me.

The point being as it relates to the subject of the thread, OP just make sure your mods are meeting the needs of how you use your car. If it's just next higher trim up envy, there's no cure for that until you get an RS.

pkalhan

I just watched this video like 10 minutes ago and here it is again on a reenlist thread LOL. What are the odds.

CodyBigdog

The correlate to this intriguing question is…can I turn a base into a GTS? 😱 😂

This should be a new thread.

Tupper

I'll never forget that thread a while back where somebody asked how to detune an S to a base. That was a fun one, LOL