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997 Gen 1 versus Gen 2

jp albin

Moderator
My dear fellow 997 Register owners,

This post is meant to be a little light hearted, but there is a bit of a point.... I would be interested in your views views;

I am new to 997 ownership, about 2 months. My car is a 2004 Gen 1. Having owned a 993 for some 12 years, the "transition" to the 997 was mind blowing, in every way. I did the usual internet trawling (blah blah) and people seem to say that the Gen 1 car is ... well, to be honest, quite inferior in many aspects versus the Gen 2....

That seems a tad harsh (?)... Of course each evolution and iteration the generic 911 gets better and better, I get that...

Or am I being a little sensitive?

Thoughts welcome.... [:)][:)]
 
Jp
My strong advise is not to take on board the stuff from trawling the interweb or forums - you are privileged to come from 993 ownership and have experienced what many say is the best styled Porsche and can appreciate the development to the 997.
Having had both gen 1 and gen 2 997 the gen 2 is a move developed car and engine with the shift from m96/97 to DFI engine but I recommend that you enjoy every mile in the gen 1 especially if it is a manual.
Personally I think we are often too easily persuaded to move to the latest model by press and advertising but I now think the 991 and possibly future models with all range 911 ,s possibly becoming turbo are moving towards better which means - green/ efficient to the mother industry not better driver involvement necessarily is not necessarily better
Do not let this spoil your enjoyment of a new car - in my opinion anyway!
 
Hi,
I have a 2005 Gen 1 and I love it - sorry, her - to bits.
I've never driven a Gen 2, but the differences, engine aside are minute to say the least. I think the Gen 1 it's much more the looker of the two as the daytime lights on the front in particular, do it no favours.
The interior is the main step up, due to the revised Sat Nav / Phone system and a few other bells and whistles (heating steering wheel?!)
Obviously the engine is a key point as it addresses all of the 'weaknesses' of the Gen 1 unit.
However, if you like your car, you like your car. Short of a Gen 1 997 GT3 I'll not be changing my C2s and I don't feel poorer when I see a Gen 2 car. Mine strikes a perfect balance between docile puppy in town and snarling animal away from it. I've read in motoring mags that the Gen 1 engine has a better sound than the Gen 2 unit, but mine has the Sports Exhaust which does me quite nicely thanks very much 😁
Overall if you're happy then don't worry. Just do what I do and - once all the temps are up of course - make the most of the opportunities to drive it like you stole it!
 
Any 997 is a great car, it was a huge step forwards under the skin, as well as IMHO prettier than any (bar the 993) 911 that as preceded it.

The gen 2 evolved the concept and improved upon/fixed some points and is an incrementally better car but unless you really want the pdk and dfi engine, not worth the extra hit to upgrade given you've bought a gen 1.I had a Gen 1 C2S and loved it. I bought a Gen 2 Turbo S because I wanted a Turbo S.

So enjoy your car, drive it like you stole it - until it time to get a second hand 991 (or indeed its successor).

Honestly enjoy, they are all really fabulous cars......
 
Be Happy that you have a Porsche 911 - we are all very lucky and privileged. There is always a better car out there - enjoy what you have be it Gen1, Gen2 - they are all great cars and personally as a new 911 owner i would say that price and the overall condition of the car, is key! especially when your talking mass produced 997 - it is a complicated landscape out there ... I wanted and totally fell for the Dual personality of the GTS after 2 minutes of the test drive, cruiser one minute, screaming monster the next with a touch of a button and after driving a 991 Cs preferred the older cars character despite it being nearly the same price as a 991 car!

I would say there is a 997 or a 911 for everyones taste, whatever that may be ...

I just cant wait for the Spring and some dry roads ...

Enjoy ;)
 
As others have said, enjoy the car you own. It's a fact that the later cars are better as they enhance upon the predecessor, but owning a car, i.e. standalone, I unreservedly express delight at the thrill I get from mine despite it being 8 years old and superseded twice. Doesn't detract from what it offers in itself. That said, i'm under no illusion that each newer iteration offers significant enough development to justify the upgrade, should you desire them. Upgrade when you desire a look or feature or performance that your current car doesn't offer, but until then, if it thrills, there's nothing else to consider[;)]
 
Newer is not always better but in the gen1 vs gen2 debate it is on the engine side!i agree the 997.1S is the best looking car ever but the engine lets it down! Not in performance but reliability and build quality! The gen2 engine is the engine it should have been!and IMHO the 997.2s in manual form is as good as a911 gets bar a gt3
 
I had a gen 1 2S with powerkit - it was and is glorious. It would appear the powerkit changes also addressed a couple of potential trouble areas (according to Hartech) on the Gen 1 engine.

Also most cars were reliable, there were some problem, more than Porsche would like but a well maintained regularly used car will very likely be fine.
 
ORIGINAL: spyderwhite

Newer is not always better but in the gen1 vs gen2 debate it is on the engine side!i agree the 997.1S is the best looking car ever but the engine lets it down! Not in performance but reliability and build quality! The gen2 engine is the engine it should have been!and IMHO the 997.2s in manual form is as good as a911 gets bar a gt3

'Better' can carry many various personal definitions. Gen 1 997 to gen 2 997 to 991 develops various aspects of the car from one to the next. But whether the developments suit personal preference or feel is a personal thing. But I wouldn't say Porsche has made a backward step in any way, even regarding the electric steering (which is partly inertia to accept change and magazine hype even though it has changed the feel) or the plethora of tech driving aids like PTV that I don't personally care for. It's all development for various reasons and the point i'm making is if you want more tech that's not available on an older car you have no choice but to go for newer. If you don't desire those things, it's all good.

"997.1S best looking car ever" again personal preference. My vote goes to the 930 turbo as that's my favourite shape but that's just my preference[:)]

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ORIGINAL: skendrick

I have the Gen 1 C4S and is thinking of a power upgrade.
Which one did you go for and why?

You could check out TP Racing in the USA for a turbo kit [:D] Cost to import and duty works out around £9K
TPCTurboKit_zps5f59d5c0.jpg


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ORIGINAL: skendrick

I have the Gen 1 C4S and is thinking of a power upgrade.
Which one did you go for and why?
After messing about with his C2S for long enough Tom went for a proper power upgrade and bought a turbo S...[:)]
 

ORIGINAL: angusc

ORIGINAL: skendrick

I have the Gen 1 C4S and is thinking of a power upgrade.
Which one did you go for and why?

You could check out TP Racing in the USA for a turbo kit [:D] Cost to import and duty works out around £9K
TPCTurboKit_zps5f59d5c0.jpg


output_mYnDud_zpsickqffma.gif

Power upgrade or performance upgrade? You can get conversions with high dyno numbers that just don't translate to the road (all at the top end only really useful on a track). We did what looked like a fairly modest conversion n my power kit C2S but it optimised in gear performance and n the road was a match for mot thing, bat the initial low speed/mid range shove the Turbo give you - 20 yards you just cant make up. Also how c do you want to push it - My conversion didn't boost the engine it allowed t to breath properly at al speeds then was slightly tweaked so kept its reliability and flexibility. You start plugging in after market turbos the block, pistons etc aren't designed for et and you are increasing wear and shortening the life of the car. Plus upgrades need to be balanced brakes and handling need to e improved n ne with the extra grunt (the old adage power is nothing without control).

o recommendations

1) Go on some driver training its amazing how much more performance the car has than most of us do or think the car ahs till someone shows s how to do it properly
2) Go to centre of gravity - if the handling is not quite spot on other upgrades are mostly wasted
3) Brakes first - however much you think Porsche standard stoppers are good, with minor tweak the feel, control and fade resistance can be massively improved (eg the Clutch and brakes share the same fluid, easy to oil of on Swiss passes, know, I did that - So upgrade to road race fluid that is much more predictable). The confidence this give to carry more speed into and through corners cannot be under estimated. Biggest and bet single upgrade to the beast was the brake, everyone was blown away by their feel and the topping power, yard shorter than the stock cars and ultimately on the road more than a match for GT3'ánd Turbo' on steel brakes. This gave so much confidence
4) Handling - ref Centre of gravity make sure your suspension is in tip top condition. Once the brakes are upgraded you'll probably start bending bits from late braking - so look to rose jointed suspension parts, better/more adjustable roll bar set up. PSS9' once your standard PASM has worn out. Works with PASM but massively improved handling and more adjustable.
5) Breathing - Air intake, improves performance and sound, a lot of options out there boost low to md speed power by 20-25hp.
6) Exhaust - engine breathing and noise - More expensive but improves sound and torque as well as freeing up a few more horses through ought the rev range.
7) Rolling road remap to eliminate flat spots and optimised= drivability on road - maybe only 1-2h over the remaps but does what t say on the tin. Massively improves drivability
8) Single Mass flywheel - fundamentally changes the character and driveability of the car, up to you. If you have a turbo don't it'll ruin the car.
9) Before you get to fly wheels, if you have done most of the rest, you'll need a full GT3 or Turbo braking system (cables, cooling, master salve cylinders the works) of you'll be in the first brick wall/trees from a high speed stop, especially if you haven't done the suspension properly.

Who - Porscheshop and Parr worked on mine, along with COG I'd highly recommend all three. Use a reputable trusted Porsche approved shop - if the guys make a mess its new car/engine time so you have to have a lot of trust here.

Personally - The beast was run as a project with Porcheshop with independent checking and idea's from Parr. S I cant recommend either highly enough. The intakes from Porscheshop for a Gen1 are fab, just for the noise and value

What you end up with is a sharpened CS 2/4 for the road in fact a slightly more comfortable. useable and road performing GT£ - IT now called a GTS and Porsche brought it out the year after I created mine...........Being completely honest the Beast was still lighter and faster than the GTS by a margin but less comfortable than a GTS. In the end I decided I wanted a Turbo and a friend made e an offer I could not refuse on the Beast.

IF you want to bolt on an after Market turbo - save yourself a world f grief and go buy a second and Gen 1 with 50k+ miles. It'll cost you less (money, pain, frustration) in the long term.

Hope this helps [:D][:D][:D][:D]
 
[FONT=Arial"][FONT=verdana,geneva"]I have owned a 2005 997C2S for just over a year putting about 10K miles on without problem she's now done 46K, however I hanker after a Turbo Cab, but alas cannot bring myself to part with the extra cash. I recently rang a Porsche car sales and maintenance [&o]specialist to enquire after a 997 Turbo Cab and said I would like to trade in my 997S against it. he sounded like the guy that comes to fix the washing machine. "Early 997's are a big problem, they score the bores and have failures on the camshaft bearings which just collapse" or so he told me. I have since found an article in a magazine which seems to back this up to some degree and now I am worried as he told me the resulting damage will cost £ 10K to repair.
When I was younger I rebuilt a 2.4TV engine and a 3.2 911 Carrera enging and box myself, but would struggle to know where to start with a 997 engine. So now I am reluctant to drive it in case it blows up on me. Has anyone got any advice or tips on how to detect early signs of impending doom?
 
I'm no expert so can't comment but this link may be of interest to you.

https://www.porscheclubgb.com/forum/tm.asp?m=596127&mpage=1&key=&#864873
 

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