DonJuan

What is meant by better electronics? The nav unit can also be replaced with aftermarket unit.

Dennis C

The 997.2 has PCM 3.0 vs. PCM 2.1 on the 997.1. With the rate of technological improvements in new cars, they are both out of date. PCM 3.0 does have some nice features that are not found in PCM 2.1, but you can add many of them with aftermarket solutions. I have a Mobridge M2 Pro in my car and that gives me streaming audio, bluetooth phone connectivity, etc. I just added the newest map updates and it's ready to go. This issue alone shouldn't be a deal breaker if you find a 997.1 car that you want.

halo777

Great comparison. I just went through this and chose a loaded 08 C4s 997.1.

You can add a Nav/BT/audio headunit easily and cheaply via aftermarket, and it will be way nicer than either .1 or .2. But, to be honest, since I have gotten the car I have only turned on the stereo once or twice, just to see if it works. Driving the car is so engaging, along with the sound of the exhaust, that I dont have any desire to listen to music while driving.

I got a manual for a few reasons. Someone in another thread said that although the PDK was awesome and lightning quick, he found in a short while that he had to push the car harder to get the same thrills as driving a stick. That made sense to me. The 6speed with short shifter just feels so amazing. And the manual makes the car more engaging, where I think the PDK might end up feeling more like a video game.

Also, I have heard multiple people who went to PDK and loved it at first, say that they grew a bit bored after awhile and missed the 6speed.

My other car is a v10 S6 tiptronic, so the 6speed is something different.

One last thing, the 997.2 is the first version of PDK, while the manual in the car is probably one of the last and most refined. As manual cars disappear, and PDK gets a lot better, I think the more raw 997s (compared to 991) with a 6speed are going to be collectibles. The PDK cars, while awesome when new, will feel outdated compared to the newer versions that will be available.

Anyway, sorry to get off topic, but the fact that I chose a manual made the 997.1 more attractive, since it was much cheaper with the engine being the only difference that I cared about between the two.

Those were my thoughts exactly. While I would love to have the 9a1 engine in the car, I would rather have the very last version of the m97 plus $15k in my pocket (difference between the cheapest C4s 997.2) to put towards a Jake Raby engine if/when this one blows up.

If you go with the 997.2, and the PDK goes or the engine, it will be big bucks. Remember, while cars are still under warranty, people may not share their engine or transmission horror stories publicly, if Porsche replaces them. We still really don't know what the weak spots are in the 997.2 drivetrain, IMHO. As cars fall out of warranty, I think we will hear more.

Around here, a base model 09 C2 with no options and bad mods by previous owner was a few more grand then a loaded, perfectly maintained 08 C4s. So, I chose the 997.1, and pocketed the difference.

So far, I absolutely love the car, and am very happy with my decision.