This guy just posted this on his 05 997.1 on the FB 997 group. Both gens are capable of being great cars depending on the service history.

 

High miles .2 would be my choice.

 

what is that a volvo?

 

I might be the outlier here (and somewhat biased, as I own a .1), but if we're talking roughly twice the miles, I would not rule out the .1

I would think that you could get a .1 S with ~50k miles for roughly the same as a .2 base with ~95k miles, but the market is all over the place so it's really hard to tell unless you factor in options, color, overall condition, etc.

I know they made improvements with the 9A1 engine (no more IMS, dry sump configuration, etc.) but one thing you have to consider is that EVERYTHING on/in the car has twice the miles if you go that route. More wear and tear on the leather and interior, tie rods are aging out, tired bushings, shocks, etc.

It boils down to finding a good prospective car, having a thorough PPI completed, and maintaining it well if you move forward with the purchase. Considering how hot the market is right now for used 911's, I wouldn't rule out .1's.

Good luck with your search.

 

GIG has a point about considering all the other parts that may need replacing in the near future on a higher mileage vehicle. How many miles do you drive annually?? You may have "peace of mind" with a 997.2 higher mileage engine, but you could easily spend 5-6k for replacing tired parts like a clutch, flywheel, shocks, worn out suspension bushings, motor mounts, top strut mounts, tires, spark plugs, water pumps...etc etc.. Although, that can easily be said about the 997.1 if it is near a 60k mile service or needs a new clutch as well. Tough call because there are no guarantees either model will be maintenance or trouble free. Regardless what you get, try and agree to a thorough PPI by a mechanic you trust as well as some sort of short term agreement with the seller that the car is trouble free or that there is some short term window to reimburse repairs should anything go wrong within the first 90 days. It's a long shot, but can't hurt to ask.

 

Tough call, because at those specsl, this would be a driver's car not a garage queen. I would go for 997.2 for the known reliability and modern perks, but if you retrofit an IMS on a good running 05/06, you can have great driver's car as well. If you go 997.1, maybe opt for "S" to sweeten the decision. Good luck!

 

1. If you are planning in keeping the car for the foreseeable future, choose the one that speaks the most to you.
2. If you are concerned about resale value, the 997.1 values continue to slowly depreciate (but not as much as the 996). HOWEVER - the 997.2 has been increasing in value. I bought my 2010 S Cab PDK in Fall 2018 with 57k miles for around $45k. My car now with over 85k miles on it is now worth closer to $50k. It's gone UP over 2 and a half years and with 28k more miles!
3. As for engine/tranny wear, I would be concerned with ANY revs Stage 4 or higher. My car registered zero revs above Stage 1.
4. Go to www.cargurus.com or similar and do a Nationwide search of 997.2s (2009-2012).
You'll not find very many for sale. People are holding them.
5. There are less 997.2s because less were made. There was a recession going on during that time.
There seem to be twice as many 997.1s out there than .2s.

 

This is not accurate as anyone who has been shopping for a 996 or 997.1 Carrera and Carrera S (and 4S) models with manual transmissions for the past year can tell you. I can’t speak to Cabriolets or PDK/Tiptronic examples because I wasn’t in the market for one. Coupes with manual transmissions have all had increase in values (especially ones with lower mileage) and the supply of good 996 and 997.1 examples are drying up which further drives up prices. Makes sense as 997.2 prices are getting out of reach as there are fewer examples, the demand is trickling down to 997.1, and as these become less available, demand trickles down to 996. All one has to do is take a look at the completed auctions on Bring A Trailer or Pcar Market to see the trend.

 

Yeah, you are absolutely correct. It's almost if not impossible now to find a 997.1 coupe with under 60k miles, manual and under 40k. And forget about a 997.2

Is there a reason why cabriolets are not as popular (besides the whole having to worry about a roof thing)?

 

I have a 2008 C4S Manual Cab. The roof is great and shows no signs of issues. The car has less than 32k miles. And it is in great condition. But when I list it later this month or next, I don't plan to ask for under $40k.

 

You'll get different opinions on this. Mine is that many simply prefer the look of the coupe over the cab. Another one is that some buyers plan on tracking the car. Bringing a cab to a track is a controversial decision to some. I seem to recall one or two posts here citing tracks that didn't allow cabs....period. Accurate or not, I don't know.

 

Which is fair, it's a 4s with low miles.

 

Yeah I wasn't a fan of the look either, but I think that baby hump in the back is starting to grow on me. And going from a Boxster to a coupe might be a harsh vibes transition. 🤣

 

I think it is a matter of taste. I agree that the coupes look better than a cab with the roof up, but driving cab with the top down on a beautiful day can’t be beat. I love my 09 and have enjoyed some wonderful drives with the top down. Last summer took it to Yellowstone and got nothing but positive comments from all the guys driving around with the family in their suburbans.

As for the pdk. I like it in the city but would prefer a manual on the open road. Pretty much impossible to miss a gear in the pdk.