zroadhouse

omni - The austin dealer is quoting $55k for the 04 C4S cab. I'm not sure i can negotiate them down enough to drive off with that car. Based on the private party sales here and numbers for earlier C2 cabs, their price does seem high (which is why I wasn't really considering it).

Still chasing down that first test drive...

omnipresent

ZR, take your time...it's a big purchase. I'm partial to the C4S, but the 40th Anniversary for sale here at the most recent price, being sold by an original owner, a member here, etc...seems like a really really good opportunity for someone who has never owned, much less driven a Porsche.

I do as much skip tracing as I can before purchasing anything used ( I even contacted the original owner of my car to get as much info as possible ). Obviously you joined this forum looking for advice and suggestions from people with some history owning P-Cars, I think what you need to do is find a few cars to test drive (996, 997, cab, coupe, 6 speed, Tiptronic), see what YOU LIKE, then decide on a budget and focus your search from there.

Having said all this, I will again point out what a great deal the 40th Anniversary for sale here is...I have no affiliation with the owner (search my post history, I don't even know who he his)..I've driven a 40th Ann. car and really liked it. Just curious, what are the previous sports cars you've owned??

I've purchased a great deal of motor vehicles and am glad to help as a set of "eyes" in Dallas if you'd like.

gota911

ZR,

agree with what omni stated above ^. The 40th Anniv, is a really good car, and with the carerra power kit has 345 HP, and is listed at a good price. I have no affiliation with the seller.

zroadhouse

I appreciate all the advice. I'm finally back in Austin and am heading to the dealer tomorrow for a test drive. I am thoroughly enjoying the education process and the hunt for the right vehicle. I do have my eye on the 40th car.

The closest thing I've owned to a sports car was an '02 WRX wagon, which was a blast to drive (especially with Pilot Sports). I had to trade it in for a larger wagon (my '05 Outback XT) when I became a family man. I had a Volvo C70 coupe before the WRX which was a bit of a boat (even after I added stiffer cross bars) and had serious torque steering issues. All are/were manuals and could do 6.5s 0-60 or better. Of the bunch, I've been happiest with my Outback wagon. It's turbo engine gives it plenty of punch and the steering is communicative despite it's weight and size. It will be the car my wife (who enjoys driving it) will use most of the time once I make my purchase.

Have you even played the PC game called "Need for Speed: Porsche Unleashed"? I played it about ten years ago with a force feedback wheel. The game takes you through driving all the Porsches from the 356 through the 996 Turbo. It had all the factory options for each of the model years, and you could tweak the stiffness of the suspension, swap in light weight fly wheels for better acceleration (but lower top end speed), etc. While not being a commercial simulator, you quickly find out that jamming on the breaks while attempting to turn in an early 911 is a recipe for breaking the rear end loose and spinning into a wall.

That's when I really got hooked. Now I have the means, motive, and opportunity to actually own one...

kunkstyle

Loved that game.

jesamp

I just purchased my first 996 this month. It's an 03 C4 cab and right in your price range. I got it with a hardtop so you get the best of both worlds. I did test drive the coupe and they felt very close. I purchased a tiptronic and still need to get used to it as these cars make you want a manual. I live in the city so I compromised.

rudy1024

Welcome and congrats Jes! I've had mine for three months now and got the tip also (for the odd occasion I run into gridlock)... I haven't gathered the nerve to play with the tip part yet, but plan on doing that soon.

Rudy
-----------------------
'01 Arctic Silver/Black C2 Cabriolet
'03 Silver F-150 Supercrew

zroadhouse

Just test drove the '04 C4S cab at the dealership in Austin. It was awesome. It's cold here today so the drive was with the hard top on. It felt like a coupe. I did notice a little noise from the top during the test drive, but nothing I couldn't live with. I was even surprised that I liked red. Too many cops out though to really stretch its legs, and there was a lack of twisties to measure its handling. Luckily my coworker pointed out a new track that just opened here in Austin...

http://beasleyporsche.cms.dealer.com...83dae14af9d459

The C4S felt very solid and I would definitely feel safe letting my wife drive it around town (at least for the driving part). I did feel a twinge of desire for more power and a throatier exhaust note. Can anyone comment on their experience between a C2 and C4S as a DD? Does the turbo body styling of the C4S add much weight to the car? Seems like the C4 would be a little safer in wet conditions. I imagine that the 40th C2 would feel a little edgier with its lighter weight and extra power.

omnipresent

Congrats! You finally drove one! Did you even attempt to work the numbers?

There are multiple mods to change your exhaust note, from mild to wild - just do a search in this forum...If you didn't get to stretch her legs, you probably wouldn't be bowled over by the power, but alas, the 911 is more than going fast in a straight line!! FWIW, I had a new c6 Vette trying to stay with me on an nameless tiwsty road between Dallas and Austin (close to Hamilton) and when we stopped he thought my car was a turbo...silly vette owners! He was really hating it when he saw it's Tip car too! (hold the flames folks)

Aesthetically I find the 996 C4S hard to beat, right there with the 964T and 993TT. If you had a choice between a c4 and c2, I'd take a c2, if it were between the c2 and c4s...that's another story!

Mathemagician

Was going to chime in about the cab... After a week with mine in below freezing temps I can tell you firsthand that it is very comfortable. As you noticed, it's not loud but one thing you may not have appreciated is that it seems very well insulated and warms up very quickly. Whatever you decide, best of luck and be sure to enjoy it to the fullest!

zroadhouse

No numbers were discussed. The sales man was super low key, he let me drive the car and look it over without too much color commentary. I also like the C4S aesthetics. Park Place in Dallas seems to have a nice selection of 996s (including a couple of C4Ss and turbos). I'm thinking that I may make a day trip up there with my father who is coming into town in a couple of weeks (that is if I don't break down and buy something before then).

smackboy1

Vehicle curb weights for 2002+ (6 sp):

C2 Coupe 2965
C2 Cab 3141
C4S Coupe 3240
C4 Cab 3273
C4S Cab 3396

Tip adds about 120 lbs.

For a throatier exhaust note search for "orange cap".

zroadhouse

omni- I made a low offer on the C4S. They immediately came down some on the price, but not enough to make me really want to spend the extra $$.

smack- Thanks for the weights.

With a 400 lb and 30hp difference between the 40th C2 and the C4S cab, I would expect that my desire for a little more power would be quelled (at least temporarily). Are the brakes on the 40th upgraded (vs. a base C2) to handle the additional power?

zroadhouse

jesamp - Was your purchase under warranty?

The dealer is quoting manheim auction prices of 47k for low mileage out of warranty '04 C4S Cabs in a similar configuration to the one I drove. Based on that valuation, I think I need to keep looking. If there is anyone in the Austin area would wouldn't mind letting me test drive their '02+ C2, I'd buy you lunch...

Couper

I didn't read the whole thread but my two cents...

Your friend needs to have his HVAC looked at. Temp in a cab has never been a problem for me.

They also have deployable roll bars. I've never heard of it being a problem at a DE.