hehe...

yes it rains in TX :-)

that is what I suspected...he was trying to minimize its usefullness to just ice conditions, when that is not quite so... he knows I am trying to keep in a price range and is worried about me going with an M3 instead...so doing everything to carve out fat. thanks for the heads up

 

I have the PSM on my car. haven't push the car hard enough for it to kick in and save my butt. but nice to know that its there if/when i push the car harder than normal.

ZX7R is right, you can add the stereo system and all the comestic stuff later. hell, i am still looking to add a rear spoiler/wing to my car but too damn cheap to pay $3500 plus for it. looks good/but can do w/ out. the car is fun to drive w/. or w/ out it.
get/enjoy the car and add stuff later.
if cost was not an issue, be nice to have all of those options.

 

Jtrichel: There is nothing that you have to have. Almost everything can be added/subtrated/changed later. the only 2 things that can't is what you should think about now.

1. psm. I think it's a necesity.
2. 345 HP power kit which I think you can do better w/ aftermarket supercharger

But, when it comes down to it. You're the only one that knows what is needed and what is not.


Peter

 

PeterC4C -

I have always been a BMW owner, so I dont know Porsche product well enough yet... given the absolute MULTITUDE of options on the 911 C2, its helpful to ask people that already own it as opposed to try to research through brochures and websites...

I am trying to stay within a reasonable budget on this already expensive car, and I wanted to get opinions on what is neccesity vs. nice-to-have. Some things, although options, might be absolutely necessary in this car. For example, the standard leather that comes in BMWs is fine...on some cars they offer an upgraded leather, but the standard suits me just fine. Even though I have spent some time at the local dealer, I was unable to compare standard leather vs. supple vs. natural vs. full vs. whaterver in the 911...

Anyways, I realize in the end these are personal choices, but its really helpful to hear the perspective of owners... after putting a few miles on the car, what they could and could not live with....

 

My priority list:

1, PSM, I am worth it
2, Bose, quality I can live with without having somebody to torn my car apart.
3, Bi-Xenon, I am still at awe every time I turn it on!
4, Heated Seats
5, 18" wheels, should come as standard
6, Leather, even the small leather package dressed up the interior nicely.
7, Sport seats, if I fit in it, why not? or at least Lumbar Support Seats
8, ROW M030 Sport suspension
9, PSE
10,X-51 Power Kit, if I'm STILL under budget

 

1. PSM. It works very nicely, not nearly as intrusive as the BMW DSC.

2. I have to agree that the full leather interior is really worth it. Makes a huge difference.

3. I, too, like the 5-spoke Carrera II wheels on a C2 better than the turbo wheels.

4. Isn't a short shift avail from the factory now?

5. PSE. But if you don't want the switch, PSE can be installed for much less than $2400.

Don't know about the Bose. In my opinion, all 3 stereo options are terrible. I just listen to the PSE instead.

Don't get the leather visors from the factory, or else you'll be spending time taking those stupid warnings off. Just order the visors from Gert with no stickers! If you get the full leather, the vinyl visors stick out like a sore thumb and feel awkward.

 

My two cents:

- PSM - potential life saver - don't skimp on safety
- Full leather - makes a huge difference in interior appearance IMO. Compare the dashboards with and without full leather and you'll see what I mean...
- PSE (although it can be added later if you need to save $ now)
- Bi-Xenons
- If you are in a colder climate, heated seats are a must. I live in Austin and even here for about 2-3 months I absolutely love my heated seats.
- 18 inch wheels (with the style of your preference)

With PSE and the road noise of the big tires, I don't think I'd appreciate the better Bose stereo very much.

Almost everything else (trim, dials, aerokits, etc...) can be added slowly later...

 

My 2$ on options is, if you think you will add it later anyway after you get the car, Then order it with it! It's usually more expensive to add later on and of course somethings only come from the factory like PSM.

My favorite options are:
PSE
Natural Leather
Xeons
PSM
Bose
Alum Dials
Steering Wheel upgrade
Brake/Shifter upgrade
Deviating carpets for contrast
Heated/Sports Seats
and Pick your favorite Interior/exterior color

Good luck, in the end it's your car, have it built your way, that's the beauty of owning a Porsche.

 

get the things that are IMPOSSSIBLE or just extremely EXPENSIVE to install after sale like:

1. PSM
2. bi-xenons
3. heated seats
4. PSE (if you want it wired and plumbed)
5. porsche navigation

the rest you can install later. the aftermarket is better for wheels, exhausts, aerokits, suspensions (PSS9), seats, short shifters...

 

Do NOT order wheels caps with colored crest . You can buy them at many dealers for LESS than the factory option price . Then you'd have two sets , the colored ones and the std ones you swap out . When you sell your Porsche , you swap back and sell the colored ones for $50 on EBay.

 

Dimming mirrors might come in handy too. Since there are so many SUVs out there

 

I just traded in my 03 e46 M3 for a 40th Anniversary 911 so I will give you some comments on the relative merits of the options on the Porsche vs. the M3.

1. PSM: A must if you drive in anything but sunny weather. Why go cheap on your safety?
2. Full leather: Looks very nice in the 996. Helps justify the high price of the vehicle. Nicer leather than the Nappa leather used in my M3. This, however, is not my my "essential" list of options.
3. PSE: Form over function at a high price. You can get an aftermarket exhaust later if you want a different sound.
4. Xenon headlights: I can't live without them. Should be standard on a car of this performance. The Porsche xenons are some of the best that I have used...better than my previous M3, my wife's A6 4.2, and my friends Mercedes E430.
5. M030: Standard on the 40th Anniversary 911. The car handles wonderfully, feeling light on its feet and suspension communicates what the car is doing without being too harsh. It actually feels less stiff on day to day driving than the M3, but much firmer on aggressive driving. Great turn-in response. Handling that makes the M3 feel like an overweight pig.
6. Bose stereo: Not essential. Adds icing to the cake. Nice sounding.

Don't buy the M3 if you can afford the 996. I got $8,000 off my 40th Anniversary 911 so start there. Porsche AG is giving dealers a $2,000 incentive so they are still making money on every sale.

 

Excellent thread. Wish I had asked such a question before my purchase. Would have saved me lots of time. Bayarea jimmy, Nova, Karlooz, Keoni, and Earlyapex's posts are particularly useful for sorting out priorities. What a great board this is.

 

must have list:

1) full supple leather
2) sport seat
3) xenon lights

forget everything else, the factory upgrades are not good enough, especially for the price.

don't need list:

1) PSE (not worth the money)
2) bose system, still sounds a little weak,( go with Focal speakers, JL sub & a good amp)
3) navigation (looks cool)
4) any porsche ugraded wheels

good luck.

 

Man - keep it coming guys/gals.... what a great board. I am very appreciative of your time for such good advice...

I am leaning towards:

PSM, Upgraded leather (not exactly sure which pkg yet), Xenons, and Bose.

With those options and a deep discount, I am hoping to get the car to the $65k range....

I am a bargain Porsche shopper. Planned on getting an M3 at $55k. This is $10k more if $65k. Some of my M3 friends tell me it is stupid to settle for a basic-equipped 996 over the M3...

My guess is that members of this board probably understand... getting in a basic 996 is probably a more rewarding driving experience that a fat-equipped M3. I can add exhaust systems and wheels later... and there will be plenty years left for walking into a Porsche dealer and ordering every exact option I want regarles of price... (still 31yrs old :-)

thanks again for the advice