Kg11

greetings y'all,

I have been in the market forever, looking for a 997.2 manual, low mileage C2S or GTS. I have been following the "deals" threads here, and been in contact with people in various PCA clubs, should any private party cars come up. Finally, the day has arrived! 2 options popped up this morning. Please help me choose, as I won't be able to drive either.

for $76,000, a 22,000 mile, well cared for GTS in silver. Upsides: One owner, babied, 1/2 of the car is in Xpel. Downsides, the price ain't cheap, and it has some mods. TA spoiler, fabspeed exhaust, HRE wheels. I am not opposed to the mods, but resale takes a hit. He dumped all of the stock parts already. Sticker at $114k.

for $58,000; a 14,500 mile C2S in white. Similar condition to the other car. All stock. It isn't the build of the GTS: no Adaptive sport seats for example, but a solid build at $105,000 with full leather.

I have to say that the C2S seems MUCH more reasonably priced. Lower mileage, $18,000 cheaper. I know the GTS holds it's value better, but $76k seems excessive? I love silver, and the mods are great, as the spoiler and FABspeed bypass both would get done either way. But damn, $18,000 for a car with more mileage?

Emotion aside, which is the better deal? Or put it this way: should I buy either car, which could I sell next week at more or less the price I paid? If the answer is "either" then I will probably go GTS, as I am drawn to it a bit more. I won't be keeping this car for more than 2-3 years most likely; my long term plan is to get a manual GT3.

Skwerl

If the premium for the GTS isn't too painful financially, I'd go with that one. 22k vs 14k miles are both sort of in the same "low mileage" tier and it sounds like it has great mods and options, to say nothing of value retention. If you're already planning to add a spoiler and exhaust, you're inching towards the GTS's price anyway. Sell the HREs if you don't like them and you're reeling it in even closer to parity.

In your shoes, I think if I went with the C2S I'd always have a nagging doubt in my head that I should have just bucked up for the GTS. Those hips tho...

dasams

This says C2S so that you can put your $18k toward the GT3.

NorthCoastDoug

If i had $76k ready to go, I'd consider this GTS as well.....
My favorite color- aqua blue
My favorite wheels- carrera sports
and CPO with rear diff lock and sport seats.
I hope some pics are posted before its sold.
https://www.autotrader.com/cars-for-...modelCode1=911

DC911S

I would save a bit more and get the GT3. It would be higher mileage of course. When I retire in four years that's going to be my retirement present. The C4S 997.2 manual should still be a 45 or 50k car and that's going to help get the GT3.

dawgcatching

I know this car: I spoke with the previous owner when he considered selling it a year ago. It was a nice build and well kept, but I do remember he had done a lot of aftermarket stuff, and didn't the have original parts on hand. In my mind, that dropped the value of the car. Aftermarket wheels, turbo-style spoiler, exhaust, springs. If the GTS is a future "collectible", one would assume that potential buyers will want the car stock, or look for a discount to buy all of those parts back. That's at least according to the guys at RAC. I know most of my enthusiast friends would not want a turbo spoiler on a GTS, although I personally wouldn't mind. It's a clean look on the widebody.

Kg11

It's a C2S, but I see what you are saying. 54% of retail on the C2S, but the GTS seems like it is at more or less dealer retail, especially since the one that doug linked above is priced there too, w/CPO. I have seen similar mileage C2S CPO (dealer) selling in the low 60's.

From a sheer numbers standpoint (dealer retail):

C2S would be around $63,000 for a $104k car; 60.5% of original sale price
GTS at around $76,000 for a $115k car, with a few more miles. 66% of original sale price. It's also slightly newer.

Figure the C2S depreciates a bit faster, but since this one is a good $6k below retail, vs the GTS (at retail, more or less), and I am looking to keep for 2 or 3 years, C2S is the better bet. C2S depreciating at 1% a year faster rate, from a lower baseline, is going to keep more $ available for my GT3 (I hope!).

WantA997

C2S.

On the used market, the delta between the price of the C2S and GTS is too great to justify the differences between the two (which are minimal and not worthy of the premium in my opinion, as someone who owned a 997.2 C2S, test drove a GTS, and ended up buying a GT3).

Fined

If only keeping the car for 2-3 years I'd go with the GTS. Simply for the fact that in just 2-3 years the C2S will likely have continued to slowly depreciate, while the GTS (if current pricing continues) may not in such a short time. I've had my car for 18 months. I bought it for $63,500 with 26k miles. 119k$ to start... look at what cars are worth 18 months later that have around 26k miles.. they are selling for mid $70s. If I'd made the same choice you're asking about for 2-3 years total I'd be way ahead at this point vs C2S.

dawgcatching

you got a hell of a deal then! The only GTS I saw sell locally sold for 78 with 19,000 miles last yearmost of the manuals I saw were asking in the low 80s, now it's more like mid 70s

dawgcatching

I was somewhat in the same boat, FWIW. Loved the GTS bodystyle, looked for one for a year or so. With that said, I have not seen them holding value better or worse than any other 997.2 Perhaps in the future....they are a good $5k cheaper than spring 2016 with the same mileage. Same as the C2S you are looking at. Most back then were selling for the low 80's.

My problem with it was the price for what you get: that is solid 991 territory. When you are talking $80k, you have a lot of options. Having driven a 991, it is a great car as well, and a C2S 991, while being a bit more of a GT in size, leaves nothing wanting on back roads; it is every bit as FUN as a 997. Perhaps more planted and less raw, but lacking in fun? No way. It's a higher performing car; the suspension (SPASM was my experience) is a big step up.

Also, $80k gets you a gorgeous 997 6MT Turbo. Upgrade the suspension on that sucker, and you have a borderline supercar. Turbos in the 997 range are no longer depreciating if 6MT, unlike both of the cars listed above. I drove one last year with PSS10's, and had I had the $, I would have signed a check right then, not even thought for a second about the GTS or C2S.

Maybe from a collect-ability perspective, it makes sense, in terms of future value. Price vs performance, C2S all the way, or if spending more, 997 turbo!

Petza914

This

The Turbo is so much more car than either of the other options and with the Mezger engine, oil fed IMS and lower compression (because of the forced induction) doesn't have the other issues that the same generation NA 997s do. If you want rear wheel drive, you can do a conversion kit on the Turbo to make it RWD and then you have a baby GT2.

DC911S

Sort of, but the GT2 has bigger turbos for sure and perhaps intercoolers and lower compression too...and a few other bits above the normal turbo, if one can say a 997 turbo is normal.

Skwerl

Converting a 997TT to RWD is not an easy process like it is on the 996TT. A guy on 6speed spent a lot of time and money trying to make it work and never got it running to his satisfaction.