tstafford

Not me. I've owned two 997.1S cars and one 997.2 non-S and there is no comparison. The 997.2 non-s is superior in every way. I understand if you can't get past not having the "S" but if you are looking for the best experience, I'd buy the newest car I could afford.

P0rsch3F113

When we bought our car in April, I was looking for an '07 coupe.
Had been tracking two local dealers inventory for 9 months prior.
Spent 2 days at the dealer (8 hours) - got an '06 C4S Cabrio!
It "spoke" to my wife first, then hooked me.
I am SO GLAD we got the cabrio!

kdphan

Would somebody please chime in on this as well?

The more I look, the more i'm leaning toward the 997.1S since it's cheaper

I keep seeing '07 and '08 S around low to mid $50k range

kdphan

Another question I have is...Will there be a big difference coming from an e92 M3 power-wise?

I know the 997s is lighter, but also making less power. So at the end of the day, they both wash out?

cvtbenhogan

No question the .2 is the better car. But, I'm not sure it's worth $20k more if your stretching the budget from $50k. If you want to avoid a manual, IMHO a C2 nonS .2 PDK car would be worth going $10k more.

cairo94507

I think if you search you could find an '09 997 6 speed coupe for less than $60 but finding an S at that price may be a challenge unless the car has some history. GLWT search.

yemenmocha

Sounds like you need to test drive both the 997.1 and .2 and see for yourself.

As a 997.1S owner, I had the chance to drive the .2 and .2S on a track at a Porsche event and I was very underwhelmed by the differences in power, especially for the huge price gap at the time with my model vs. new. Oddly enough, Porsche completely talked me out of the possibility of trading up to the newer model. Cornering was better with less floating feeling in the front end, but the power difference was just not enough to make it even a remote possibility. In fact, the instructor commented how much of the acceleration time was shaved down because of the fast PDK shifts. So don't expect a whollop of power that one car has and the other lacks. Realize that a significant difference is the faster shift that is making that 0-60etc. time better.

If you're looking for huge seat of the pants differences then buy a turbo for the torque & hp, or buy the GT3 for the weight and other reasons.

For me, there was no way I was coughing up the money that would have been needed to trade in my 06 to get an early 997.2 model. Not disputing that the car is capable of getting better #'s around a track - it's just it isn't enough felt difference for me, especially for power that you seem so interested in above.

rodsky

Buy what you can afford. Both are great. 997.2S has 30HP more and no IMS issues. Various other improvements too. To me it was a pretty noticeable improvement. Its a pretty nice step up and a good long term keeper. However, if the $20K its going to take to get you there is an issue, you will be delighted with a 2006S.

kdphan

just wondering if anyone has gone from an M3 to a 997?

Rocco07

I've owned the E46 M3, the 997.1 and the 997.2. I realize the E92 has more power than the E46. But the origin of the 911 makes it a better driver's car. An M3, any version, is a modified 3 series. It's adapted to do things better than the normal 3 series. The 911 is purpose built from the ground up. It's not an adaptation. You can definitely tell this because the 911 executes your wishes as if the car can read your mind. The M3 is an amazing car, but the 911 is born to perform.

I realized this with my first Porsche, a 2007 911S. The engine sound was addictive. Interior noise was louder than the M3 but it no way was it an annoyance. It was enjoyable and exciting. It had 22 more HP than the M3 and it was obvious. 911 braked better, 4 piston vs 1 piston in the M. The 911 was more a visceral machine although it was a newer car. The M3 was a 2003 and I owned it for 8 years because I enjoyed it so much.

As awesome as the 997.1 was, I wanted the 997.2. It had 35 more hp, LED front and rear lights, better front fascia IMO, better PCM, Nav, bluetooth, Ipod connectivity etc. I found a 2010 997.2, white on black, 6 speed, w sport seats and jumped on it. It's a bit quieter than the 997.1 in both interior noise and exhaust. It seems to have better noise insulation and we're all well aware of the quieter exhaust. I remedied that with a Sharkwerks product and I'm happy. I'd do it all again for the 997.2. But, my financial situation allowed it. If not, the 997.1 would have been perfectly acceptable an not regrettable compared to the M3.

Mspeedster

I've not owned an E92, but have have owned the E36 and E46 M3. But after owning my 997.1 S, I can't ever see myself going back to an M car, unless it's a sedan meant for the family. I prefer lighter cars and the BMW M cars keep getting bigger and heavier. The 911 just offers a superior diving experience, IMHO. And I love the classic lines of the 997.

Best thing to do is to test drive the 997.1 and 997.2 cars and decide for yourself. I doubt you'll have any regrets whether you choose a newer .2 vs an older .1. If it were me, I'd look for a .2 car, but wouldn't hesitate to by a .1 with the right options, color, and condition. One area where the .1 is said to be superior over the .2 is the exhaust note, an area corrected in the new 991 - which sounds terrific to my ears.

JRW1

I used to have a 2008 M3 Sedan, with 400 HP.

I have been test driving a 2011 997.2S Cab with 385 HP, which weighs about 300 pounds less than the M3. The 997.2S has similiar acceleration, but is more nimble.

yemenmocha

Currently have both and will continue to buy both M cars and Porsches. Not all of us here diss the M3. It has identical track performance as a 997 on some tracks, and is probably faster in a straight line. It's also easier to extract more of the performance from the car whereas the rear-engined 911 takes more expertise to do the same.

gonz911

Yes. E46 M3 'Vert, ESS Supercharged (ASA blower) 428 WHP, 320 WTQ.

I have a non "S", and although I could've purchased an "S", I didn't think the 30+ HP was going to make a huge difference, especially coming off the ///M, so I saved the money. Now, I will likely go with the TPC turbo sometime in Q1, and for the added money I could've spent on an "S", I have ~4X the power differential from an non-S to that of an "S". ($10K for the turbo setup, ~$3K install).

rodsky

Yes.