mrcohanian

After spending one hour in a base 997 with 18 inch carrera III rims , no pasm, I have come to the conclusion that I like the standard car better than the S. The base car feels lighter and more nimble/tossable than the S model. I think this has to due with the fact that the S model comes with 19 inch wheels as standard. It is true that porsche designed this car with 19 inch wheels in mind but the fact is that the car loses its Agility not to mention the addtional road noise you get from the larger wheels. In addition, the engine note on the base car sounds alot nicer than the S's Soundtrack. In terms of road feel, The base car at least subjectively feels as quick (dare I say quicker) as the S model up to 60-70 mph, After that it loses steam whre as the S model still has plenty of reserve. I can defintely see how the S model is signficantly faster on a track than the base model but in on these NJ highways and back roads, I think more enjoyment comes from the base model. If you ask me , the ideal car to order would be a base model , with 18 inch wheels, no pasm and ceramics. Just my 2 cents

Targa Tim

I agree with all your comments, but why would you need ceramics in city or highway driving?

djantlive

he said no PSM and ceramics

ADias

RC of Rennteam.com reported the same findings. For street use, particularly in the US, the 997S advantages (although real) may not be fully realized - and 19" rims will be killers on less than perfect surfaces and poorly maintained road expansion joints.

Moogle

you're comments sound like someone who is trying to make themselves feel better about buying the base version

in my humble experience, only people in that situation have said they preferred the base versus the S, and this applies to the boxster as well.

by the way, the carrera 3 rims are 19 inch

RonCT

I think you're right. I've been wavering between the two as well and trust me, it's not financial. I can't stand 19s - there's no justification for them - no weight advantage, no handling benefit, and in fact, you get an inferior ride (90% street, 10% track driver here). Ever wonder why everyone on the track is using 17s or 18s? Why are there basically no 19" R-compounds on the market?

I asked my dealer if I can have a 997s with oem 18s, no sunroof and what the credit would be. The answer is "no credit", but I can buy the extra set of 18s from him. It's not the $ it's the principal. How hard would it have been to make 18s standard with a 19 upgrade? How hard to recognize us track guys and say "Sunroof = $1,000 option"?

I was recently reading that the new 997 race series is set up for 997 and not the S. Not sure about the details...

My latest thinking is a 997 with some aftermarket tweaks, like intake, light weight exhaust, software, etc. might be the way to go.

This is always a very difficult subject to cover. There are advantages to the base car, as well as the S. You want to believe the S is superior, but in may respects it may not be. For Porsche to admit the only reason they went to 19" was "Market Demand" implying they ignored what is best for the car and just upsized for "bling" is saying something. Why people think it's "cool" to show as low a profile tire and as little a gap from tire to fender is beyond me. What I want is what's going to perform the best.

For you (and maybe me), the 997 could be the best car. To others, the 997s. Totally subjective, but I do understand and agree with the premise of your post.

husky

i have test driven both models and to be honest i cant tell the difference in speed (cos 0-100 the difference is only 0.2s) but no doubt both machines are extremely fast

some said s model has a better engine sound similar to the air cooled 993 (which i personally believed it is the best 911 ever both in terms of look and engine sound) but i guess s model certainly has a better engine sound that the base model

but seriously for that extra you pay for s model you get (1) a brand new 3.8 engine as oppose to an upgraded 3.6 "old" engine (2) PASM as standard (3) more powerful brakes (4) bi xenon (5) nice lookin four-tube tailpipes (6) a large steeling wheel, etc....so after balancing all these factors i decided to go for s model

however i totally agree with RonCT that 18" is a much more appropriate size for standard

infestation

If you order the base model, make sure to order a full-leather interior. It makes all of the difference.

One of the reasons why I went with an "S," not a base 997, when they first arrived at dealerships is because I wanted full-leather.

AW

Did the S model you drove had steel brakes and the the standard 997 had ceramic? The unsprung weight difference would explain what you felt.

Of course PCCB is still a risky option, but that's another story.

AW

ADias

That is a lame reply. Many people in these forums rationalize issues like these at a far higher level than you are giving them credit.

P.S. - 19" rims are pure bling-bling items for poseurs

ADias

Is there any difference between the interior of a base 997 and a base 997 S?

Isn't full leather an option on either model?

JasonF

Yes...full leather is an option for both cars. Both 997 S models I drove had partial leather.

The only appreciable difference regarding the interior of the S over a base Carrera is silver-colored gauge faces and a 3-spoke steering wheel with "contour ridges." The 3-spoke steering wheel is a $250 option for the base Carrera. That, along with xenon's, were the only options I ordered on my car that come standard on the S. I also ordered power seats, which I think is an option on the S model as well...

jafa

A UK car magazine (can't remember which one, right now) reached the same conclusion. Their main explanation was the lack of PASM, but they may have mentioned the wheels.

J

stewart999

Jafa, do you know which car magazine it was. I have been trying to find an article that compares the two models head to head. I haven't been successful in finding one!

I have actually gone ahead and ordered the 997s but would be interested to see what any of the magazines have had to say regarding differences.

Also, in the UK I understood that both models came with full leather spec.

S

designman

Any reputable dealer worth his weight in dust should give the 18s, maybe with no credit but without making you go for a whole new set. He'll swap with a Carrera and charge it there or use it as a perk. I had a similar arrangement with my Boxster. Dealer was glad to do it.

I understand location and demand has a lot to do with negotiation but I don't think any well-stocked dealer is going to jeopardize a deal over wheels when you put it to them in no uncertain terms.