997 4S or 996turbo

[Guest]

Hi, my first post on here, looking to buy one of the two cars in title.
Here's my dilema, I far far prefer the look of the new 997, especially in the 4S guise with its fatter bum, but after coming from a 590 bhp Nissan 350Z, is the performance going to satisfy me.
Theirs the dilema, the turbo obviously gives more performance, but what about as an ownership proposition??

Any views gratefully received.

(great forum btw)

 

[okellyt]

997 4 S is a peach to drive - much better grip/handling than the 996 series. 996TT is faster in a straight line.

Whats fast and whats not? It depends upon your preference - If you want outright straight line speed you might be a little dissapointed after 590 horses of Nissan, if you are after a driving challenge that grows with you, I don't think you can beat a 911 and its unique set up/weight distribution.

I am not suggesting that the new 911 are beasts to drive or anyhting but the more you put into driving the things the more you get out. Previously I had a Boxster S which was a lovelly car and absurdly easy to get in and drive very fast off the bat. The 911 is taking some time to learn, which is fun.

Also Porsche Horses seem healthier than other manufacturers - If you take EVO for example they get significnatly greater prformance out of a 911 than cars often with an alleged extra 100hp. its all about usability - the 911 allows you to deploy more of your power more of the time than most competitor cars on real roads

So for C4S does 0-100 standing start in about 10.8 secs but is great in the corners
The 996 TT does 0-100 in around 10 secs and isn't quite as good in corners

So both quick but there are faster cars out there.

If you are a tuning nut and power is all go the Turbo as there are loads of outrageous but well regarded power upgrade options

For the normally aspirated engine there are less chocies without wholesale engine changes but two stand out Revo 'cause its a chip only mod and Porsches own x51 (you can retro fit up to 20k miles) the latter giving you "at least" 381 horses not much for a load of cash but it drops around a second off the 0-100 time and 1.6 secs off the 0-124mph time (it basically sits exactly in between a stock C2/4 S and a GT3 in performance terms). The latter appeals as its fully Porsche warrentied.

Drive both buy the one you like most

 

[Count]

I have just gone for a 997 C4S, I could have gone the 996 Turbo route but a test drive in the 997 convinced me of the progress Porsche have made across the board in terms of the driving experience. The 997 interior is also dramatically improved over my last 911 (a 964) and is indeed a move on from the 996 as well.

There are different types of car owner in the performance leagues. I think Porsche are markedly different to the high bhp Japanese cars and actually there is a distinct difference in the migration paths. A lot of Japanese/turbo/chipped fans move between 350Z, Evo, Impreza and maybe end up with a Skyline. A lot of 911 owners come from the M3, RS4/S4 background it seems to me. I have had a couple of Japanese cars, a Supra and a P1 Impreza, both were fantastic but I returned to the German marques because I think the focus on pure bhp is not as important as the driving experience. Straight line speed in the UK is not easily used anyway and in any case, the C4S is hardly a slouch when you press on. I felt the greatest sense of acceleration in my P1 Impreza, more so than the 911 and more so than my previous M3s. The C4S does give a real sense of the car accelerating and this is important. I once had a painful few months in a Jag XJR - it had huge power, superchargers and plenty of performance - felt like a hearse though...

I have a Caterham 7 and it will easily outperform a lot of Japanese machinery and 911 owners on a trackday. I drove Spa and found the 911s beat me in a straight line but held me up in the bends (new engine for the Caterham goes in soon !). The C4S brings really very good handling to the 911 and a test drive should leave you little doubt as to what you want.

If you love hooning down the slip roads or away from roundabouts with your foot planted, I think the 996T is superb. If you want to really have a great drive through the lanes, the C4S 997 might win out. X51 is your easy way to step up and I am looking to do this soon to my C4S.

Make sure you get the PSE as most Jap cars sound great compared to the stock exhaust on a 911.

 

[Guest]

Thanks for the advice, i must admit outright performance isnt my goal, hence the move.
I just want something a little more reliable, and of course better screwed together.
I just think the 997 is such a prettier car than the 996. GT2's are also in my price range.................decisions!!!

 

[Dylan1]

sounds like youve answered your own question there!!
a 997/987/cayman series are much better put together and progressed from the 986/996(IMHO)so i would go the 997 everytime,especially if the turbo shove is not mandatory[][]

 

[sawood12]

The beauty of the 911 is that it can lay virtually 100% of it's power down on the tarmac the vast majority of the time. You may have had 590 horses from your Nissan but how much of it was usable power. This is the problem with headline grabbing power and torque figures - They are all very impressive form a technical point of view but how much of it is being reigned in by traction control or excessive wheelspin. The superb and very sophisticated 4wd system of the 996 turbo coupled with the rear weight bias means that more power finds it's way to the tarmac with minimal electronic restraint. This is why the 911 has earned it's iconic status over the years - it's never been the fastest or the most powerful but it gets the best out of what it's got and makes more performance available to the normal everyday driver. I'd be interested to hear the comparisons to your Nissan once you driven on. I know soeone who traded in their immensly powerful and highly modified Evo VIII for a 996 turbo X50 and he has never looked back. Enjoy the test drives.

 

[Guest]

Thanks fella's, im just gonna have to test drive and see what I think.
Interestingly enough, the Nissan put everything down, once into 3rd gear. Massive power is great but the thought of it, is far better than the reality of it.
Im ready for something more grown up now.