Basic 991 Carrera

[ack0]

Yes I know that a decent Cayman GTS is probably a better sports car, and that I don't really need the rear seats but there is something that keeps bringing me back to the "good old 911"-to my eyes nothing else is really going to do it.

Which brings me to looking at the basic end of the 911 range

Has anyone here bought what they would call a basic/fairly basic 991 and what route you went.

Looking at the market even a reasonable 2012 starts at 55K and most are 60'ish-at that price you have to think that you are simply funding someone elses reasonably cheap motoring. Dealer cars 991.2s all seem to be at list'ish or above to make up for the 15K of extras they seem to attract.

So has anyone just bitten the bullet and bought something fairly basic and how have you found it?

Thx

Edited by ack0 on Wednesday 18th April 17:48

[ishay]

If nothing else will do, you have to get the 911 or you will regret it. For those who really don't care, or more often, have done the 911 for a while, the Cayman is a great option. But if you know you want a 911, you need to buy a 911.

I'm onto a Turbo now but I loved my Carrera 2 (except the spring height which looks like a 4x4 w/o optional PASM). Now both these are/were 997 cars but I recently had a 718 courtesy car and even the older 911 is preferable, for me.

[Koln-RS]

There is a an expression in Porsche circles - ‘less is more’ and, although it’s true, most people do the ‘man maths’ and go for the S models and want all the desirable toys
The new T looks like the perfect example, but many of these have a lot of option boxes ticked - even sunroofs!
Iirc Porsche had a base 997 press car that only had pccbs and cruise and several journalists said it was the nicest model in the range

[neilf]

Was invited to PEC a few years ago by my OPC for an ‘experience the whole Porsche range day’.

They had a boggo Carrera (997) in blue with a horrible beige interior. Small wheels, manual. Looked bloody awful. By far my favourite drive of the day! Made the 911 GTS I drove immediately after seem heavy and unresponsive by comparison.

[ack0]

So this is kind of what I mean.

Plenty of chat about basic being best but it doesnt look like very many people actually buy one.

The base models at OPCs are loaded up with £15Ks worth of extras which turns them into 90K cars, or people feel that they must have the S model etc.

I would really like to hear from the people who have bought something fairly basic and how they have got on with it.

Rgds

[Porsche911R]

Not good, I have loaners 4 or 5 times a years, all are base cars, I have never thought, mmmm let’s buy one of those !

GTS models are the best all round cars in all models.
It is what it is.

Rather 981 GTS over a base 991 for my £60k.

[anonymous-user]

anonymous said:

[redacted]

+1

[Bobtherallyfan]

Picking up my base 991.2 in a few days time. I’ve even gone for 19 inch alloys to be different. Originally intended to buy a Cayman but the wife told me that was simply a low hatchback and I wasn’t going to argue

[moonigan]

I’ve had my 997.2 c2 for almost 12 months now and I am nowhere near close to finding its limits on the road. It is without question one of the best drivers cars I have owned beaten only by the P1 I owned 18 years ago.

One of the main advantages of going for the base model when buying used is that you have a better chance of finding a car that has been cared for and avoiding the people who have just dipped their toe in the 911 waters as these buyers will almost certainly gravitate towards the S because it’s “better”.

Edited by moonigan on Thursday 19th April 07:10

[Maxym]

I had a 997 C2 albeit with PASM and 19s plus a few extras (but certainly not optioned to the sky). Badge snobs looked down their noses at it (not an S) but it had plenty of performance, sweet steering and a great-sounding engine. I loved it.

I suspect a base 991 would be great for much the same reasons.

[ack0]

Thx people for the responses-look forward to seeing the new car Bob-please let us know how you get on

[jimmy p]

anonymous said:

[redacted]

Problem with the small wheels on the 997.2 is that the design is horrible imo

[Porsche911R]

the issue with small wheels is you loose the feeling and turn in, you already have a 991 EPS system which is poor, add big tyres and you then also have to wait for the rubber to catch up.

I am not in the small wheel camp is better, I like low profile tyres as they response faster and give more feel esp in eps cars.

yep in the wet a 45 series tyre will give you some thinking time, but on track or any fast smooth road stuff low profile tyres are better and faster.

I guess it depends if you are after a slower reacting tyre which rides softer or like the response a low profile tyre gives you, but you end up with a firmer ride and less progression at breakaway.

I don't like the wallowing the 45 series tyres give me, so it's all personal choice. ok on a rally car in the wet....not nice on performance cars.

[boringbeige]

I have a few porsches which currently include a base spec carrera T and a 718 cayman gts. The cayman GTS is probably objectively better, but i prefer the 911, just cos it's different to other cars. Much as Porsche keep trying to make them less rear engined, they still feel rear engined enough to make them feel different to other cars, even when just pottering about or commuting. Thus you are always aware that you are in something special. Tha cayman, great car tho it is, can't do that. I've driven lots of base spec 911's in 964, 993, 997 and 991 with manuals and few options, they were all lovely cars. one of my most memorable drives ever was in a boggo 997.1.