Hi all- I normally hang out in the 996 forum...

Our 996 has been a fantastic car, but am considering moving to a 997.2 in the very near future. I'm wondering who else has made this jump. (thanks to the poster on the buyers guide!)

Our 996 was a weekend, fun car. My job is changing where i will be working from home starting in January. I have an Audi S4 as my daily driver, but really won't need it anymore.

So, thinking of selling the Audi and our 996 and purchasing a 997.2... It would be a daily driver of sorts, but not really going anywhere unless i want to.

Anybody make the jump?

 

I made the switch 6 years ago. I would never go back. 997 is better in all respects.

 

Thank you, as much as i love the 996, that's exactly what I'm thinking!

 

I made this jump as well... Came from an '03 996C2 coupe 6sp to a 2012 997.2 C2S coupe 6sp. So... stock for stock, the most noticeable thing is the 9A1 engine is way better. 2nd most obvious is that the stock USA M030 996 suspension was not great (I upgraded mine to X74 and GT3 LCAs and it was a massive improvement). Overall, the use-case and packaging of the two are very similar but the 997.2 is faster, a touch heavier, stiffer-bodied, more refined and electronically complex (see pic). In terms of driving enjoyment, the 997.2 gets the win but it's not a massive difference against a well-sorted 996.2. It is, however, a massive win vs. a bone-stock USA 996.

 

Had a well sorted aerokit 996.1 and 997.2 C2S at the same time and had to make a decision which to keep.

It was easy.

997.2 hands down. The above is an accurate recap, it was faster, with a 100% better interior, stiffer, heavier in controls and much more enjoyable drive. The interior is luxurious while the car is very raw when it needs to be and a comfortable daily anytime in between.

My friend described my 996 the best - it felt like a nicer rear engined Acura TL in terms of excitement, but was kinda sloppy and felt clearly like a product of the early 2000s.

Make the move and you won't regret it.

 

I had a 996 C4 (several years) and have a 997.2S. Yes the 997.2 is the 'better performing' car but the 996 may actually be more fun if you want a nimbler, more direct, more nervous car. The steering of the 996 is better, I would say perfect, linear. The 997 steering is nonlinear and less responsive.

So, yes, better engine, better handling/more planted, on the 997.2 side. But the 996 is not a bad car, even though many shun it, but they should not.This comes from someone who also drives earlier air-cooled cars and finds them fun.

 

Went from a 99 carrera 4 cab to a 09 carrera 4 cab as my DD. Honestly they drive almost exactly the same. As far as interior, the 99's never bothered me. The biggest advantages are improved gas mileage. And auto dimming mirrors. And better range on the remote lock/unlock. Do I regret it, not one bit. Was it life changing. Not really.

 

Haven't made the jump but was considering both. I think if you just have one car, the 997.2 wins because of the everyday interior comfort and design... especially if you want PDK vs. Tip. However, if all you want is the driving experience and the car is for you, you won't really notice the horsepower difference (like for like) and barring any significant problems you have with the 996 suspension and brakes (I personally don't have an issue with them), you're better off saving money and staying with the 996.

I keep trying to convince my coworkers who want to get into a Porsche to go with a 996 for pure driving fun value but they all want to get into their dream 997.2 or an air-cooled one. I would actually even say that the 996 Turbo is a better move than the 997.2 for driving fun if you just want to try something new.

 

I haven't owned a 996, but did many test drives in 996s before purchasing the 997.2 six years ago. I would say definitely make sense to go straight to 997.2, especially given how affordable they are now. I would say the 996 did sound better than a 997.2, but nothing an after market exhaust can't fix.

 

I would also consider a well sorted and documented 997.1. You would save a ton. Driving and suspension wise they are identical to 997.2s. Just a quick suggestions and not invitation for discussion what "better" means.

 

If you don't need/want PDK, this is also a great suggestion. I thought I want PDK, but the more I consider it I may want 6MT even though this will be my DD. The savings are considerable, so much so I'm considering a 997.1 Turbo vs a 997.2 highly-specced C2S or even 991.1 C2, again highly optioned. Obviously it's not an 'exact' price comparison, but just saying the 997.1 entire line is underrated and has great value. The hard part, like most of us here, is the lack of options in getting to drive all of these 'wants' close together to get a good comparison.

I do love my 996 as it's a good, clean, maintained example but the 997 is just the "it" model for many 911 fans and for good reason.

 

^^This.

I went from 2002 996.2 C2 Coupe 6spd to 2009 997.2 C2S Coupe 6spd

The 997.2 is better in every measurable way, no question. Reliability, speed, handling, comfort, amenities, appearance etc.

But...... the 996.2 was more fun. More raw. It was less stable. Down 70 bhp from the 997.2, you could be 100% throttle more often, which adds to the experience of spirited driving.

I don't regret the upgrade (I wrote off the 996.2 so it wasn't really my choice) but I do have fond memories of it.

Edit: Also, the 996.2 is WAY more affordably customizable. With the 997.2 you can spend $1000 on a TPC DSC, $1000 on a hunk of aluminum to get snake oil in your intake, $1000s on coil overs, $10000s on attempting to make the exhaust sound like something that isn't horrid, and that's about it. The 996.2 has way more options at much more affordable prices (not cheap as a Honda, but better). Mind you, the 996.2 still won't be as fast with all the go-fast parts.

 

+1
Pic related:

 

Cool pic. Interesting how off-camber (out at the top) that front wheel looks from the cornering forces. You'd think with more load toward that side, you'd see an increase in the negative camber, unless you had it setup that way for a reason.

 

Think about the forces at work here: That LF wheel may have had 1 deg negative camber when pointed straight ahead and a static load, but once I turned Left (into the skid), camber went positive by design (since in a L turn the L tire would normally by the inside tire), and there is some squat in the rear (due to acceleration) that is adding front droop that further shifts camber toward positive. Combine all that with body roll and presto! the compression effect you're looking for is completely overmatched.