i am looking to by a 996 next weekend.there are a few choices:c4s cab c2 coupes and c4 cab
do the coupes hold value over the cabs.i have owned several european cars over the years but never a porsche
thanks
brett

 

More prefer coupes which translates to holding "value" better vs cabs. Personally, I bought what I really wanted ( i.e. a cab, tiptronic) with ZERO concern for resale value later

 

If you plan on serious tracking then a coupe is better, you can also have car seats easilly in a coupe.
Otherwise cab is much better and adds something a coupe doesn't have.
The overcomplicated cab system might break on you and cost some money, but that's the way of porsche ownership.

 

I never intended on buying a Cab. My C4S cab kinda fell into my lap and I do love her. Some year the top will tear or break and it will be expensive. For the most part my top is down and I put it up once a month for a few days just to get the creases out. Thankfully in SE Texas I have a lot of top down weather. Personally, I think the 996 turbo and C4S with the widebody looks very nice. With that said, it's not my checkbook and there is a reason Porsche has so many different combinations. When the day comes we will all welcome you to the P car community. I have had various Mercs and BMWs but the 996 is the biggest blast to drive. As to resale I think the prices are already where they are going to be buy what makes you happy and drive it until the wheels fall off.

 

The C4S cab is an especially good looking car. Love it.

 

Recent CAB purchaser here,, Mine came with the matching factory hard top.
I like the dual mission, mine isn't a track car,, wife drives it to work a couple times a week
and its our "Sunday Go to Meeting" car.. LOL

It may just be me,, but it seems like the cab hardtop has more headroom.

Cheers

 

Buy what you like and don't worry about resale value or what others think. A coupe will give you more track options as some tracks require them. I don't track my car and I love my cab. I can tell you that with the top down, 40 mph feels like 70 mph, so it might save you a few speeding tickets.

 

FWIW ,, most of the Porsche and Alpha clubs allow convertibles as long as they have the pop-up bars,

Short course autocross is usually ok with them as well,, not so much for Track Solo.
I'm ok with that,, I do NOT want to wreck a non-caged car over a hundred.. "Bad ThIng"(TM)

 

When I drive through my neighborhood in my Hyundai I see 40mph in the 996 I see 29mph. Then I hit the expressway and it is 80 vs 107. She was born to walk the little roads and run like he11 on the big roads. It is amazing what a 1/4" travel in pedal pressure causes.

 

I went with c4s coupe because I wanted a year round car for NJ/NY area. My opinion is to buy what you like, drive the crap out of it, and dont worry about resale value. After driving a 996 you wont be thinking about selling it, just how to drive over 120 without getting a ticket, lol.

Good luck

 

Very few cars I like in cab form but the 911 is one of them. Coupes tend to hold their value better. Buy what you want, just make sure it gets a PPI.

 

C4S coupe here and love it. Drive the different styles. See/feel the differences. Buy the one that calls your name.

 

I always thought I was a coupe guy, until I drove a cabriolet. I loved my 996 coupe, but once I drove a 997 cabriolet, I was sold. I can't imagine only owning a 911 coupe now. There's something special about a cabriolet, and the heightened sensory experience that it offers. The tops on modern Porsche cabriolets, including the 996, are so good that there's little compromise for a car that's primarily driven on the street.

 

I was looking for a ‘99 C2 coupe - love the clean lines of the early narrow body 996 cars. I was never really into convertibles. Found a nice ‘99 cab and bought it - it has a hardtop and I figured that I would leave the hardtop on most of the time. Was I ever wrong - discovered that I really enjoy driving with the top down - these are great convertibles and have very little wind below about 60 mph.

Drawbacks - they probably don’t hold their value as well as a coupe. The soft top can squeak and rattle, but Gummi Pflege is your friend to quiet it down. Also the hardtop takes up space in your garage, and can also squeak and rattle. Same deal - Gummi Pflege will help the hardtop too. Rear seat is smaller than the coupe, but my wife has ridden back there for a short drive and survived.

Benefits - fun to drive with the top down. With the hardtop installed the car is very quiet, and may actually have more headroom. The hardtop is finished very nicely and even has coat hooks. With the soft top up, the car really looks good - way better than the awkward look of the air cooled convertibles. My wife enjoys driving it with the top down and probably would not like to drive a coupe as much.

Would I do a cabrio again? Yes, absolutely. But I would also consider a coupe in the future too.

Good luck with your decision!
Daryll

 

This is a blonde/brunette/redhead discussion. Choose what makes your heart go pitter patter. It doesn't matter what anyone else thinks.