jd18509

If the cost, condition and miles were the same on 2 cars - a c4s and a c2s same year, 1997 for example - what would be the pros and cons of each?

this car would not be a daily driver but a weekend car.

Are the turbo brakes and suspension on the 4s worth the extra weight of the 4 wheel drive system?

Thanks for any feedback.

jimbo3

I might think about the 4S and do the mod to eliminate the front drive. Best of both worlds, perhaps.

993polarsilver

All things being equal, I'd go for the C2S. Lower production numbers and lighter weight. The stock brakes are fantastic and you would have to go to Bilstiens and ROW springs anyway regardless of the stock suspension on either car. Just my two pence. That said, either is a brilliant ride.

Svaha

The four wheel drive system on the 993 can be removed and sold, you'd end up with big-reds for free, and have lost the weight. The suspension, if not updated, is shot on either car. The C2S has a few interior touches, and the split-spoiler in the rear, visually superior in most people's opinion. The C2S's seem to go for a greater premium in the United States, the reverse is true in Europe.

SCMomentum

Will the car ever be driven in the rain?
Most importantly, you should test drive both cars. They do drive quite differently. I'd have bought a 2S if they made it in Polar. That being said, I LOVE my 4S. Finally, cost, condition, & miles being the same on any car let alone a pristine S would be very difficult to find. The consensus on this board is to find the best conditioned car....and buy it.

Dave

mrsullivan

buy the one in better condition.... really, not enough difference to swing one way or the other... let condition drive the decision completely

Mark in Baltimore

The value of the big reds, IMHO, are only mechanically significant if you track the car and need the extra thermal capacity of the components. The stock brakes are more than 100% adequate on the street and do a wonderful job on the track.

The C2S' are more valuable, so it seems. I'm not sure buying an all-wheel drive only to ditch the AWD components in order to have big brakes is the best way to go, but, then again, I took a perfectly good C2 and made it into a track car, so it's just the blind leading the blind here.

Good luck and have fun with your search!

David 23

Without starting up the old argument about all wheel drive vs two wheel drive, I would suggest the 4S has much more to offer than seems to be suggested in the previous posts. Yes, it is a bit heavier, but one gains not only the superior turbo brakes and suspension, but the AWD. Granted I have modded my 4S suspension, but the handling characterisitcs are now excellent, offering very neutral, predictable handling at the limit, as well as the added benefit of the front pulling the car out of corner situations that tend to be difficult for 2wd cars. Rather than think of the AWD as weight to be removed, trying considering its unique advantages.

V

Dunno about that, I think its the same over here.. It hasn't always been though.. A nice low milage pristine C2S is often more expensive than an equal C4S nowadays. Tiptronics are much cheaper here also..

Garth S

Considering the fact that 90% of my 'sporty' driving is done on twisty country roads with less than perfect paving, I have come to quite enjoy the all wheel drive 'bite' when everything starts getting tossed in all directions simultaneously: unless called upon, the AWD is otherwise invisible.
Your driving style and opportunities can influence the preference between RWD and AWD - regardless, choosing either one remains a good decision.

bjzorn

I say if yo can get the 2S. It is lighter and lower production as a few people here have said. I have driven both and I like 2wd better. Then again I have a 90 S2 Club Sport Clone so that tells you what I like in theP-car world. I also like the ligther weight of the 2S. And the split rear spolier.

Just my Two Cents

Brandon J

richardew

I faced a similar dilemma once. Who should I take to the dance, Miss Universe or Miss World. Looks like a win win situation.

VR4 Playa

lol, couldn't have said it better myself... if I was in the position right now to choose b/w the 993 "S" models instead of hoping to get a 99-00 996 by yrs end I'd be in heaven!!!

but with the 2- vs. 4- debate, i'll throw in my .02 being that I currently own an AWD car, as cool as it sounds, nothing beats the pure feel of RWD and if you do plan on driving a RWD car in snow or rain, just realize w/ the right set of tires any car is easy to drive in such conditions, on the contrary, w/ the "wrong" set of tires even an AWD car can be a pain, I learned this the hard way my first day of driving the VR4 as it snowed, I had little to no experience driving a manual and AWD was a "false sense of security" for me... thankfully I didn't crash, but got close several times, but this was 5.5yrs ago when I was just a lil' 16yr old pup

as for C2S vs. C4S... if the main difference is just AWD and the TT "big reds", then I'd still go w/ the C2S... even if you plan on tracking the car, the money you're gonna be investing in brake pads and tires, not to mention any incidentally broken parts should be around what you'd pay for the "big red" upgrade... which you'll need w/ all that heat-cycling in the brake area!!!

richardew

The AWD setup in the 993 works as follows:
normal conditions, 95% of torque to rear axle and 5% to front axle.
under throttle, rear wheel slip, up to 20% torque to front, rest to rear.
off throttle, rear wheel slip, up to 40% torque to front, rest to rear.
I have been replacing 2 sets of rear tires (15k-20k) before I change the fronts, and I have never seen the fronts very worn. I could probably stretch it to 3/1. This lack of front tire wear suggests that the fronts aren't getting much extra torque. There is also an idiot light that flashes when the rears slip. For me this has been a rare event, even in the snow (I wear Blizzaks in the winter). I bought a '95 C2 in 1/95 and drove it for 1 1/2 years (25k miles) before trading it on a C4 Cab in 5/96. The 993 awd setup maintains the rear wheel drive character of the car.

SQK993

have you ever heard of a RS,GT-1-2-3 or anything along those lines that is AWD? ....enough said rear 2wd no suB