Posting for anyone considering a 991 and moving from a 997
Posting for anyone considering a 991 and moving from a 997
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Discussion

sjr-997

Original Poster:

312 posts

242 months

Sunday 4th August 2013
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Just taken delivery of a 3.4 991 with PDK, chrono.

It is my fourth 911

Just come out of a 997 cab 4s PDK

Had two prev 997 coupes

Have to say the 991 is the best drive I've ever had. Even better than a go in a 458 !

The power delivery is spot on, sounds great. New version of PDK is awesome (I upgraded to sport design wheel in Alcantara)

It also has the upgraded power steering and big wheels. The whole package with chrono is just perfect. Don't bother with a 3.8 - I got 32 to the gallon on the way back from a 140 mile zip about up the a1

It is a huge leap from 997 - if you are in any doubts, don't be !

fatboynash

110 posts

204 months

Sunday 4th August 2013
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Personally, if you're worried about fuel consumption then you shouldn't be driving a 911!

WindyMiller67

443 posts

169 months

Sunday 4th August 2013
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fatboynash said:
Personally, if you're worried about fuel consumption then you shouldn't be driving a 911!
I don't think any of us 911 drivers are that worried about a few MPG either way, but it is satisfying to be able to quote 30+MPG figures (I'm in a 997.2 PDK) if you get in to a debate with someone who starts banging on about CO2 emissions or diminishing oil supplies.

Technomad

753 posts

192 months

Monday 5th August 2013
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WindyMiller67 said:
I don't think any of us 911 drivers are that worried about a few MPG either way, but it is satisfying to be able to quote 30+MPG figures (I'm in a 997.2 PDK) if you get in to a debate with someone who starts banging on about CO2 emissions or diminishing oil supplies.
Agreed - I take a holistic view of emissions - I've spent a fortune insulating my house, reducing its energy consumption and moving thermally to off-grid renewables and am very glad to have done so. Which makes me entirely happy to indulge in Porkers and Ducatis, in the knowledge that my overall CO2 footprint is still a fraction of most people's. If people want to judge me on that, without having the full facts at hand, that's their problem, not mine. That said, the 30mpg+ argument does stop the buggers in their tracks :-)

Getting vaguely back OT, I've just done the Porsche Experience in a 991S (including some hot laps with the instructor driving) and I have to say it is a staggeringly competent car. What really struck me, in comparison to my 997.2 C2S is that it feels amazingly planted - the downside to that is that it doesn't give me the same feedback - doesn't 'talk' to me through the wheel and front end - in the way mine does. I think the upshot of that is that the 991 has an even higher threshold for the point at which it wakes up and becomes an amusing companion - I find little enough opportunity to extend the 997 on public roads as it is, so I'm not sure I'd fancy driving around in a 991 where it's just going, "bored, bored, bored…" all the time. I agree that a 3.4 991 probably helps, as you can give it a bit more of a workout before going mentally ballistic - I gather it's a very sweet engine. So why am I eyeing up the 991 GT3?


mhh

1,567 posts

271 months

Monday 5th August 2013
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Technomad said:
So why am I eyeing up the 991 GT3?
Because it offers more feedback than a 991S. smile

sjr-997

Original Poster:

312 posts

242 months

Monday 5th August 2013
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Like I say i've had several 911's before. Fuel economy is just a bonus not a requirement. In fact it says a lot about how this car has evolved since 997.2

I was nervous about a smaller engine, but I am very impressed. It feels a lot perkier and quicker than the prev car. This is down to how the PDK works better I reckon. No more pauses between foot on accelerator and a gear change.

Geneve

4,018 posts

248 months

Monday 5th August 2013
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I've had 911s since the early '80s, getting a new model every 3 years, and also collecting a few classics.

The new 991 models are fantastic and will, inevitably, appeal to a broader market. But, IMO, the 991 is less 911esque than the 997 and has moved yet further away from the original 911 DNA.

MrTickle

1,825 posts

268 months

Monday 5th August 2013
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Hmm... I have driven every 991 variant bar the GT3 a number of occasions and I have yet to find one that would tempt me out of the GTS.

Having said that, my favourite 997 is a 2WD coupe manual, so I am probably looking for something else in the car than someone coming from a 4WD PDK Cab.

GTrr

1,627 posts

311 months

Monday 5th August 2013
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Have a 997.1 4S at the mo as a daily drive; great car but the tyre noise/chassis drone on journeys longer than 2 hours is really annoying. Is the 991 better in this aspect?

sjr-997

Original Poster:

312 posts

242 months

Monday 5th August 2013
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Dealers are struggling to sell manual 991. Sign of the times. Yes, tyre noise in a 4s is annoying. A cabriolet (not my first choice, bought as a car to flip in the summer) is also v noisy of course. I wouldn't have either combination again. The coupe 991 is the quietest 911 i've driven, but exhaust note on the 3.4 I think the best - i'm bound to be further criticised for all of these comments!

MrTickle

1,825 posts

268 months

Monday 5th August 2013
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sjr-997 said:
Dealers are struggling to sell manual 991. Sign of the times. Yes, tyre noise in a 4s is annoying. A cabriolet (not my first choice, bought as a car to flip in the summer) is also v noisy of course. I wouldn't have either combination again. The coupe 991 is the quietest 911 i've driven, but exhaust note on the 3.4 I think the best - i'm bound to be further criticised for all of these comments!
Mine wasn't a criticism, just different people look for different things in cars often related to usage etc.

I love the manuals (and the 991 manual is actually a PDK conversion, so I understand why it is not a great seller). I also like the 2WD cars. But I don't use mine for many 'long' drives, I live in the countryside so rarely in traffic etc.

In London and/or using the car for longer journeys I can really see the appeal of a 991 and the PDK 'box.

barchetta_boy

2,514 posts

261 months

Monday 5th August 2013
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I've only had a brief drive in a manual 991 and really didn't get on with the box. To me, this is the first 911 that feels as though it was designed for PDK and the manual is ever so slightly the poor relation. The 7 speed arrangement feels like a bit of a bodge and the feel of the box was nowhere near either the 5 speed in my 964 or the 6 speed in my Boxster Spyder.

991 a stunning package though.

Joel

996TT02

3,342 posts

169 months

Monday 5th August 2013
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Geneve said:
...the 991 is less 911esque than the 997 and has moved yet further away from the original 911 DNA.
That's what I thought. In profile, the rear half is a "CBA" - my photographer friend often derogatorily refers to some of my pics as "Could Be Anywhere"-s and the 991's rear profile is "Could Be Anything" - but especially an Aston coupé.

The side rear glass and roof profile is so 911 that it was retained even through to the 997 and could not belong to anything else but a 911, but now it's no more.

Nevertheless still a great design.

Lightningman

1,228 posts

211 months

Monday 5th August 2013
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MrTickle said:
Hmm... I have driven every 991 variant bar the GT3 a number of occasions and I have yet to find one that would tempt me out of the GTS.
I have to say this is exactly my feeling.

A test drive and, later, a 24-hour loan of one did not make me want to exit the GTS for a 991.

I am toying with the idea of the 991 Turbo but I'm not even sure that will sway me based on my feelings after 996 and 997 Turbo ownership (accomplished but somewhat sterile).

Each to their own, and it is nice to hear the OP is pleased with his new purchase, but it does nothing to change my opinion.

Crimp a Length!

5,697 posts

252 months

Monday 5th August 2013
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Personally I think the 991 looks lovely but its just too big now IMO

I think the new Cayman however looks stunning, saw one in the flesh yesterday and would be seriously tempted by one.

Glenn McMenamin

2,305 posts

267 months

Monday 5th August 2013
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Drove the 991 last year, and it really left me feeling cold. I was expecting the steering to be a bit down on the feel side as per journo write ups, but I was pretty shocked how numb it felt. The whole car was massively competent, and too much so, it felt like a fast Audi, as it wafted along rather than hustling like 911's of old.

By contrast, the previous year to that, I had a near new bog standard manual DFI 997 Carrera S for a few days. I can't begin to tell you how much I enjoyed that car, it felt pretty much as fast as my 997 RS, but obviously easier to live with. It seemed to capture the very essence of 911 experience. The exhaust note was to die for too. I was very close to making an offer on it.

The 991 felt noting like that at all. Great car indeed, but just too accomplished for its own good.

GTrr

1,627 posts

311 months

Monday 5th August 2013
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sjr-997 said:
Dealers are struggling to sell manual 991. Sign of the times. Yes, tyre noise in a 4s is annoying. A cabriolet (not my first choice, bought as a car to flip in the summer) is also v noisy of course. I wouldn't have either combination again. The coupe 991 is the quietest 911 i've driven, but exhaust note on the 3.4 I think the best - i'm bound to be further criticised for all of these comments!
So you think the 991 is comfortable/quiet enough for long journeys ? And the 2S will be quieter than the 4S?
BTW I love exhaust noise as long as it's quiets down at cruising speed.

lowndes

837 posts

243 months

Monday 5th August 2013
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In March I px'd a 997 turbo S and some loose change for a new well specified 991C2S; with the intention of moving into a 991 turbo S later this year. Although I have now been offer a car I have decided to put it back until next Spring because I am really enjoying the 991S.


sjr-997

Original Poster:

312 posts

242 months

Monday 5th August 2013
quotequote all
If you are thinking about a 991, just ask your dealer for a 24hr loan. All of the dealers I spoke to couldn't shift manual box cars. Maybe ask for a 997 and 991 back to back if you are looking at used. Dealers are offering discounts on every model (as far as I can make out)

Carmo99

1,308 posts

215 months

Monday 7th October 2013
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Dear All - In another thread I tested a 997 C4 GTS at the weekend and am close to buying. Only question is if I should wait and get a 991 C4S next year once the prices drop a little. The GTS was unbelievable, loud and quite raw but(?) mechanically noisy. I could not stop smiling however whne I'd finished. Anyone done the change and what are your thoughts?
I put a low offer in today which I expect to be rejected, but if the price is really good then I'd get the GTS and still think about an upgrade in a year or two. At the moment the GTS is only 7kGBP cheaper than a 991 C2S.