aabueg2005

I recently purchased a custom low optioned 991.2 C4S with a 7 speed manual. I got the bare necessities for me like sunroof, heated seats, bose system, premium package. No SC. I also recently disposed a an ‘08 C2S cab but had a tiptronic. I feel like there was something missing with both cars, and I found a very nice optioned ‘12 C2S with a manual, coupe and black/black with 7k miles on it and I think I can get the best of both generations here. Its not a daily but I am on the fence if I should trade the 991.2 in.

Penn4S

Are you unhappy with your current car? What do you think is missing? Your post doesn’t tell us much about your doubts.

aabueg2005

I do miss the NA howl, the steering was more lively with the 997.1 I had, but the not so responsive tiptronic. The GT feel with the 991.2 was amazing for long hauls but the 997.1 was not bad at all either. The 991.2 felt larger, less of a sports car and more of a GT cruiser like how my M5 felt, only smaller. The 997.2 has the better engine compared to the M97 in the 997.1 but does not have all the tech the 991.2 brings. This is the reason I am on the fence. I plan to use the car occasionally, around 5k/year.

911.Forever

The 991 and 997 from a purist perspective are two totally different cars.
We can generate a pro/con list, there will be much debate and in the end it will be decided by you, ultimately determining which car best suits your driving style and needs.
Word has it, and its much discussed on and off this forum, that the 997.2 (and even the gen 1) are the next 993 collectables. You have this emerging fact to consider in your decision making process. Arguably, manual transmissions are preferred in terms of 997 collectability at this time.
it's your garage - do what is right for you.

randr

I suggest you reacquaint yourself with the 997 before you make any decisions and most importantly make sure it gels with your needs - personally I don't view any of the mainstream Carreras as particularly collectible other than for collections sake. You would be far better investing elsewhere given the timeframes likely before reasonable ROIs are achieved.

aabueg2005

Thank you for the input. The car won’t be considered much of an investment more than any car I have in the garage. Having it hold its value better after a few years is just a bonus. I intend to use the car in back roads where I can wind it out without getting into ridiculous speeds which is very difficult to do with the 991.2 since with 2nd gear I’m already near 70mph. The steering and sound of the 997 is just way better IMO. Design is in the eye of the beholder so I say both cars look beautiful.

R_Rated

If you're not getting the enjoyment out of the #2 car - it is the absolute worst possible return on investment. Should test drive the 997 and a 991.1 along with your car; back to back.

randr

Good for you - go for the 997 series 2, 3.8l NA + hydraulic rack - I agree it was the last NA Carrera they got right

and avoid the obvious - the 3.6l unit in the series 1 e.g. IMSB-F

Railmaster.

Try a 993! That may be the car You are looking for!
Try it at least once!

DNorby

people seem to be dumping their 997's in order to buy the 991.1's. The 997 looks like a good value right now. Manual transmission is a must. I had a 2013S and now a base 2017. I think the 2017 is a better car, a much more refined car that will outrun the prior models with ease. If I did not own a 911 already I would probably consider the last year of the 997 with a manual transmission over a 991 - mainly due to price.

R_Rated

People are dumping the 997 based on speculative inflation and continued rise in 991.1 prices.... Most of these cars won't really be driven and enjoyed and they are special cars. But not special in the sense that is makes any financial sense as an investment. Buy whatever generation returns the most smiles. Lay people don't know the difference anyway and can't tell a 993 from a 991.2.

Soul Performance

Hmm, this is an interesting proposal. The only way I could personally decide would be to drive them both back to back and have an objective comparison focusing on the key features that matter most to you. Surely the 997.2 is more than quick enough for back road cruising and may have more of a "sense of occasion" by being able to use more of the engines potential, keeping it higher in the rev band without getting into "go to jail" speeds right off the bat. Of course the sound of the naturally aspirated engine will only add to the occasion but you have to determine if it is a worthy trade off to the low/mid end grunt of the 991.2, you definitely have to work the 997.2 harder which in my personal experience is one of the most fun traits of a great sports car.

Personally the 997.2 is my favorite of the newer generation 911's. It has just enough of that small sports car feel while still having the security and quality that you'd expect from a new Porsche, it is a nice blend IMO. Best of luck, this is a great "problem" to have!

- Evan

Quadcammer

No, people are selling their 997s because they are now older cars. I highly doubt more than a handful of people are considering speculation with respect to plain jane 991.1s. People not driving a 991.1? why, its nothing special at all. They are not rare, hard to find, or terribly expensive. Thinking that people won't drive these cars because they believe they will appreciate is absolutely absurd.

And this is why people with a little knowledge are dangerous. What do you know about the 7.1 IMSB? Probably nothing, but you heard it somewhere. The larger bearing in the vast majority of 7.1 cars is incredibly robust and has less than 1% failure rate. There are other issues with the M97, such as bore scoring, but the fuss over the IMS bearing in the 7.1 is stupid and without proper foundation.

randr

Also drive a 997 cup car on the clock and can give you the last engine number the IMS was a problem for (in relation to the 3.6l). Happy now? Cheers.

Penn4S

Owned 4 Pcars with the Mezger engine. The 997 iteration was the best Porsche has had. Can’t go wrong with a 997 if that checks all the boxes. My last 997 was 997TT. Wish I still had that car, bullet proof engine with awesome power and extremely modable.
Drove 2 996TT’s too . There were known issues with this generation (IMS) but these engines were also bullet proof awesome engines. My last tuned 996TT had over 500hp and was a dream to drive with 0 issues