RonCT

Don't sweat the brake dust -- just swap out the pads for about $300 and 45 minutes of easy labor.

THPorsche

I used the "S" money to get a cab.

Edgy01

I don't believe that is the concensus. I do like the 19s but with PCCBs I have an entirely different handling feel than the non-PCCB cars.

meaker

Is there a pad that makes less dust?

Alstoy

I don't listen to the Bose a lot as I like listening to the car more. Also, above a certain speed, the stereo is hard to listen to in these cars. I'm probably in the minority of people who like their cars with as few options as possible.

eilig

I've got a fully loaded C2S with yellow calipers, and really like it. BUT! While in Germany earlier this year, I rented a stripped down C2 with no options, and put about 400 miles on it over 2 weeks. And guess what, I had a BLAST! So, net, don't expect your enjoyment of the car to be compromised too much by the fact that it's a non-S car. If you told me that you were going to spend lots of time on the track, I might disagree. But if most of your mile come on the street, like mine do, move forward with what you like (and can comfortably afford) and just have fun!

500

A base or low optioned S is a better bet than a highly otioned non S imho.

gerkebi

Everybody's got an opinion, including me. I had an '05 997S, traded it for a GT3 RS and got a base Cayman to tide me over while I waited. Loved both, but missed the regular 997. Prices for the RS being what they are, I sold it back to the dealer for cash and traded the Cayman for a left over '07 base 997 for a huge discount. I don't regret it, I really can't tell much difference between the '05 S and the '07 base.

I had the RS 6 months and hardly drove it, tracked it once. I wanted a little more car than the Cayman, and I'm perfectly happy with the base 997. The lease payment seems pretty high, low. Look for a leftover '07 and you could buy it for that and a small downstroke.

rfedele

the ride is better, the engine revs smoother, the power delivery is smoother. I didn't like PASM. Again, all of this assumes your not racing the car where every 10th would matter. For driving feel the C2 is better.

Check out a couple of articles in Excellence April and May 07 on these points.

9974G

I've had my 997C2 base for about 7 months now and have no regrets whatsoever. At this point, I'm by far the limiting factor in terms of it's speed and will be for a long time.

I got a very lightly optioned car (see the full list of options I got in my sig below) and am VERY happy about that as well. The only thing that I have questioned on occasion is my choice of 19" vs. the standard 18" wheels. Sometimes I'm convinced I made the right choice, other times I wonder if 18's would have been better.

But, if you think an S passing by would make you jealous, then by all means get it instead!!! Frankly, I don't think you can make a mistake on any of the 997's.

The "S" definitely has the higher extender/dickstender factor going for it

DanR

got a base and love it. for every day driving it is MORE than enough car for the street. In fact it is way too much because if you are pushing it to its limits you are being an idiot and should not be on the roads. Get a base and enjoy it and if you want to go fast on a track............ do what I did and buy a 951 race car and beat pretty much what you want inc C2s whith some of the change!!!

tmc

IMHO, if you're looking to lease-- instead, search a little and buy (w/loan) a nice CPO'd, used C2. That way, it's already taken the initial hit. Drive it for a year. If you don't like it, sell it and likely you will lose less than the $$ you would have thrown away on a lease, plus you will be able to get out of it and into another car.

kauai_diver

It's a good sign when lots of people are happy with the base model Carrera, just goes to show what an awesome car these are.

Why I went S? I dunno, spending upwards of 90 grand for a new car why not splurge. I'm happy with my S but I'm sure I'd be happy with a base model too.

We're all on the same team

jplanaux

I am on my first Porsche; it is about 8 months old now. I have lusted 911's since I was a boy. To me, I could have never satisfied my lust with any other car. I have a base C2 and I smile every time I drive it. Yeah, I still would love other more expensive variants of the line. But I do enjoy knowing that my car is depreciating rapidly and I have less money invested in the car. I like knowing that I am driving my dream car and I still have the knowledge that I have $20K (or more) in the bank, which I could have easily spent on "S" with some options.

To me - it is kind of - you are never going to be satisfied syndrome. We humans are always going to lust after better women, houses, cars, etc.. You can never have enough and there will always be a better model. My car is kind of like my wife, she is beautiful, irreplaceable, and I would never trade her in for the newer better model. But I do like to lust after photos of the cars that appear in this and other forums.

geof

I have a base Targa, which shares with the Cab 4 the distinction of being the "slowest" of the 997 range (0-60 takes a whole 5.1sec!) due to 4WD and the glass roof. Regrets? Let's put it like this:

When I was without a Targa, if I saw any Porsche, I would think "I am jealous- (s)he has a Porsche and I don't". I would occasionally take a glance at the Porsche website and dream a bit, thinking about driving among twisty mountain roads. The Targa web ad on their site hit me perfectly.

Now I own one. Whenever I see another Porsche, and I am not in my own, I now think "I am jealous- (s)he is driving his/her car and I am not driving mine". When I see a Ferrari or a Lamborghini, I am happy for it's owner, and I can admire the car, but I don't desire it a bit. I never see an S or a turbo and think "gee I should have gotten that".

In other words, I am completely fulfilled with a base model.