996 C4S - how good are they?
Discussion
bigkeeko said:
Stunning motor car the 4S.
The beauty of the 911 is regardless of our choice of flavour, if the truth be told we`d take any one as they`re all, in a way, good.
Sometimes you`ll hear things on here by claimed Porsche `enthusiasts` flaming one model or another and it makes me wonder if they`re just trolling. I`ve heard turbos being called `boring` and characterless, C2s being `tame` and poverty spec, C4S`s being `all show` or not for purists. It`s just hair splitting nonsense. I kinda have a fondness for them all.
^^^^^^^The beauty of the 911 is regardless of our choice of flavour, if the truth be told we`d take any one as they`re all, in a way, good.
Sometimes you`ll hear things on here by claimed Porsche `enthusiasts` flaming one model or another and it makes me wonder if they`re just trolling. I`ve heard turbos being called `boring` and characterless, C2s being `tame` and poverty spec, C4S`s being `all show` or not for purists. It`s just hair splitting nonsense. I kinda have a fondness for them all.
Edited by bigkeeko on Wednesday 26th August 13:45
This!!
was8v said:
To drive I don't think they are really any different to a narrow body C4.
However some people prefer the way they look, and they made fewer of them, so they do seem to be the best bet if you are fussed about depreciation.
Having said that, when you can buy a very nice 996 NB for £10k, you might say all 996s are depreciation proof.
I believe the NB C4 is rarer than the C4S actually.However some people prefer the way they look, and they made fewer of them, so they do seem to be the best bet if you are fussed about depreciation.
Having said that, when you can buy a very nice 996 NB for £10k, you might say all 996s are depreciation proof.
They are excellent. I have owned my 996 C4S Cab for 6 years now. Looks great, goes great, sounds great. I think it looks significantly different to a narrow 996. It is special. The wide body allows for wider tyres, and it has turbo breaks. Traction is extraordinary - you really have to be a lunatic to unsettle it. The stance of it is just right. The rear haunches are sublime. And they are starting to appreciate! They made low thousands of my one (RHD, Manual, Cab, PSE etc) so should be safe from dropping any more.
TBW said:
They are excellent. I have owned my 996 C4S Cab for 6 years now. Looks great, goes great, sounds great. I think it looks significantly different to a narrow 996. It is special. The wide body allows for wider tyres, and it has turbo breaks. Traction is extraordinary - you really have to be a lunatic to unsettle it. The stance of it is just right. The rear haunches are sublime. And they are starting to appreciate! They made low thousands of my one (RHD, Manual, Cab, PSE etc) so should be safe from dropping any more.
brakes.....for stopping, not broken! 
I sold my narrow bodied 993 and bought a 996 C4S from Ray at Northway near Reading, loved the look of the car and although after the 993 it felt a lot more modern I sold it after 4 weeks as it was heavy, lifeless and totally un-involving, a prime example of style over substance in my opinion! Not that it's a bad car mind, just not an exciting one.
fatboynash said:
I sold my narrow bodied 993 and bought a 996 C4S from Ray at Northway near Reading, loved the look of the car and although after the 993 it felt a lot more modern I sold it after 4 weeks as it was heavy, lifeless and totally un-involving, a prime example of style over substance in my opinion! Not that it's a bad car mind, just not an exciting one.
4 weeks! LOL. SO what did you replace it with?When we are discussing 'looks' it's obviously incredibly subjective - for me not only person to person but over time.
I was really not a fan of 996 from a visual perspective when they were new, the non-aero narrow-bodied models in particular looked bland. In my eyes the Turbo and C4S were the most attractive of a bad bunch.
Fast forward 15 years or so and quite suddenly I started looking at the facelift C2 (in silver) and thinking they now had a lovely purity of line (no doubt this in the context of the later models and car styling in general) and the wide bodied versions looked more fussy and slightly bloated.
With this shift in my perception the non-aero 996 3.6 C2 went from a car I would never have considered owning to one I ended up furtively admiring, then lusting after and finally buying. I can't think of any car that's gone from 'so wrong' to 'so right' for me.
I was really not a fan of 996 from a visual perspective when they were new, the non-aero narrow-bodied models in particular looked bland. In my eyes the Turbo and C4S were the most attractive of a bad bunch.
Fast forward 15 years or so and quite suddenly I started looking at the facelift C2 (in silver) and thinking they now had a lovely purity of line (no doubt this in the context of the later models and car styling in general) and the wide bodied versions looked more fussy and slightly bloated.
With this shift in my perception the non-aero 996 3.6 C2 went from a car I would never have considered owning to one I ended up furtively admiring, then lusting after and finally buying. I can't think of any car that's gone from 'so wrong' to 'so right' for me.
maturin23 said:
When we are discussing 'looks' it's obviously incredibly subjective - for me not only person to person but over time.
I was really not a fan of 996 from a visual perspective when they were new, the non-aero narrow-bodied models in particular looked bland. In my eyes the Turbo and C4S were the most attractive of a bad bunch.
Fast forward 15 years or so and quite suddenly I started looking at the facelift C2 (in silver) and thinking they now had a lovely purity of line (no doubt this in the context of the later models and car styling in general) and the wide bodied versions looked more fussy and slightly bloated.
With this shift in my perception the non-aero 996 3.6 C2 went from a car I would never have considered owning to one I ended up furtively admiring, then lusting after and finally buying. I can't think of any car that's gone from 'so wrong' to 'so right' for me.
Car styling and how people respond is a fascinating subject. Who will ever forget the Simpsons episode when Homer was given the opportunity to design a car! I remember particularly the vitriol aimed at the BMW designer (I forget his name, an English guy). Everyone was enraged by the crease flanked 5 series. But soon people began to see the previous 5 series as bland. Ford soon followed with flame surfacing. Nw, just about every car comes with various crease, check out Mercedes. Sometimes, great designers have to lead, not follow. Thought leadership above pandering to consensus. The head of VW once famously quipped, following consumer research is like looking in the rear view mirror Apparently there was similar outcry over the removal of side running boards from cars in the 1940's. I've always felt that Porsche could have been a bit more adventurous over the years with the 911. The latest Targa was quite daring and has been a huge success. I was really not a fan of 996 from a visual perspective when they were new, the non-aero narrow-bodied models in particular looked bland. In my eyes the Turbo and C4S were the most attractive of a bad bunch.
Fast forward 15 years or so and quite suddenly I started looking at the facelift C2 (in silver) and thinking they now had a lovely purity of line (no doubt this in the context of the later models and car styling in general) and the wide bodied versions looked more fussy and slightly bloated.
With this shift in my perception the non-aero 996 3.6 C2 went from a car I would never have considered owning to one I ended up furtively admiring, then lusting after and finally buying. I can't think of any car that's gone from 'so wrong' to 'so right' for me.
Edited by Sine Metu on Thursday 27th August 19:50
Chris Bangle was the BMW designer and I think the E60 5-series (M-Sports and M5) was a fantastic looker (still do).
I have always thought the 996 looked more "modern" than any 997 (which was obviously deliberately retro.). Indeed it was probably too far ahead of its time stylistically, for most people, which might explain how it has gone from 'so wrong' then, to 'so right' now?
I've always liked the 996 more than any other, but that's definitely a minority view!
I have always thought the 996 looked more "modern" than any 997 (which was obviously deliberately retro.). Indeed it was probably too far ahead of its time stylistically, for most people, which might explain how it has gone from 'so wrong' then, to 'so right' now?
I've always liked the 996 more than any other, but that's definitely a minority view!
Colonel Panic said:
Chris Bangle was the BMW designer and I think the E60 5-series (M-Sports and M5) was a fantastic looker (still do).
I have always thought the 996 looked more "modern" than any 997 (which was obviously deliberately retro.). Indeed it was probably too far ahead of its time stylistically, for most people, which might explain how it has gone from 'so wrong' then, to 'so right' now?
I've always liked the 996 more than any other, but that's definitely a minority view!
Good post.I have always thought the 996 looked more "modern" than any 997 (which was obviously deliberately retro.). Indeed it was probably too far ahead of its time stylistically, for most people, which might explain how it has gone from 'so wrong' then, to 'so right' now?
I've always liked the 996 more than any other, but that's definitely a minority view!
I always thought the 996 was a good forward move stylistically, but then Porsche bottled it and took a step back with the 997. In low light, or at night, it's quite hard to tell a 997 from a (modern) mini or a (modern) beetle from the front, and that's surely not a good thing?
I had both a NB Tip followed by a 4S manual, both DDs. Preferred the looks and slightly stiffer springing of the 4S but the Tip on the NB car made it an easier DD. If I had to choose one, I would go for the 4S, still take a second look when I see a nice example of one today. Pics of both below, pretty poor as I am no David Bailey.
bigkeeko said:
Stunning motor car the 4S.
The beauty of the 911 is regardless of our choice of flavour, if the truth be told we`d take any one as they`re all, in a way, good.
Sometimes you`ll hear things on here by claimed Porsche `enthusiasts` flaming one model or another and it makes me wonder if they`re just trolling. I`ve heard turbos being called `boring` and characterless, C2s being `tame` and poverty spec, C4S`s being `all show` or not for purists. It`s just hair splitting nonsense. I kinda have a fondness for them all.
One of the most sensible things I have read in ages, well said that man.The beauty of the 911 is regardless of our choice of flavour, if the truth be told we`d take any one as they`re all, in a way, good.
Sometimes you`ll hear things on here by claimed Porsche `enthusiasts` flaming one model or another and it makes me wonder if they`re just trolling. I`ve heard turbos being called `boring` and characterless, C2s being `tame` and poverty spec, C4S`s being `all show` or not for purists. It`s just hair splitting nonsense. I kinda have a fondness for them all.
Edited by bigkeeko on Wednesday 26th August 13:45
Pommygranite said:
There's something about the 996 C4S that stirs in a way a normal 996 doesn't - so how much better than say a normal 996 are they?
Last of the 4S models to get the proper Turbo brakes and running gear (997 4S did not) with custom suspension geometry/setup exclusive to this car, plus the all important wide body looks: easy to see why they are popular!Fl0pp3r said:
Pommygranite said:
There's something about the 996 C4S that stirs in a way a normal 996 doesn't - so how much better than say a normal 996 are they?
Last of the 4S models to get the proper Turbo brakes and running gear (997 4S did not) with custom suspension geometry/setup exclusive to this car, plus the all important wide body looks: easy to see why they are popular!Gassing Station | 911/Carrera GT | Top of Page | What's New | My Stuff