Hi Guys,
I have an opportunity to purchase a 997 2012 turbo S. But, I’m not sure if it is worth to replace my 996 turbo S. I know the 997 turbo S is a lot quicker than my car. What I’m looking at is day to day driving. Is the 997 Turbo S significantly better than my car in every feature? Has anybody gone from their 996 Turbo S to the 997 turbo S and never looked back! I know in a few years the 991 Turbo will be around the corner. Any input or comment would be appreciated.

 

Is your 996 a tip? The 997 TTS will have PDK - no manual trans if that doesn't bother you.

 

The cars are night and day. I almost bought a 997 TT S (coming from a 500hp 996tt). The 997 TT S is way faster and the handling is dramatically improved (25 sec faster ring time- u can readily feel the difference - much reduced understeer). The interior is better in 997, plus it has all of the electronics. When u drive them back to back, they do not feel similar at all. Go for the 997 TT S!

 

good thread... I really dont think its worth it to upgrade your Turbo S for a 997 turbo S. Maybe you need to get bit by the modbug.

 

The 997 TTS has many improvements, e.g., DFI, pdk, dynamic engine mounts, torque vectoring,ceramic brakes, more hp and torque and better performance #'s. My brother has a 996 TT and the ride isn't as comfortable as far as daily driving. The 997 TTS is almost too nice of a daily driver. I've already put 7000miles on mine. As far as waiting for the 991 TTS, keep in mind it's going to have a much higher MSRP and possibly some new model teething problems. I'd go with the 997 TTS.

 

Hello, it's manaul. the pdk has the fun factor! but nothing like the old school manual!

 

Well, although I have not driven any of the two, I am sure it will be as much night and day as the cash difference you will have to pay... Since I am not in the US and have limted pricing info, what type of multiple would this trade up cost you? is it a x2? I am guessing possibly a bit more. I believe you can or should expect to get at least that much of a difference. If you think that the 997 is not twice or 2.5 times the car of the 996, then just mod the 996! A test drive and a couple of sleepless nights thinking about it should answer that!

Good luck! It is a hard choice! Enjoy the process.

 

If you have THE Mezger engine .. keep it!! ??? :-)

 

I went from a 2002 Turbo Ruf 550 to a 2010 997.2 TT modified by Evoms. It was a huge upgrade to the new 997.2 and the power with the pdk is amazing.

 

So you answered your own query!

Plus your 996 Turbo S already has PCCB's, and the DFI engine (9A1), contrary to a post, is not superior to the Mezger engine, IMO it's the opposite.

If you are mod-prone, simply by tuning your 996 Turbo S to 600-700HP and changing the suspension, even to the factory X73 option which I have had on mine until this year, will keep you happy.

 

I think the 7turboS is a better car in every respect if you don't mind losing the stickshift. That superiority is reflected in the price difference of course. You're talking about a car that is realistically double the price. The stick doesn't make the car faster BTW, it adds to the fun factor significantly, but it's simply slower. The 996 is also less comfortable AND less sporty. The advent of PASM, electric engine mounts, sport, sport plus, etc.. give the 997 a true dual character personality that is absent in the one-setting older cars. THAT's where all the high end cars are headed these days. They are BOTH more comfortable AND more sporty than their predecessors through adjustability.

The electronics technology has taken a quantum leap in the past decade. I'm not sure what that means as these newer cars get older? Will the cost of maintaining and repairing all of these come to a point where the resale value of these cars take a huge hit as they age? Will a 2012 turbo PDK car with every electronic option be considered a maintenance liability in 20 years? Part of the mystique of some of older Porsches is that they were so over-engineered mechanically, but at the same time were basically plain sports cars. No gadgets, no BS, just a great simple sports car.

Hell, I often joke with my friends that my 2002 X50 has nothing more than A/C, CD player and hydraulic wing (prone to expensive repairs) and it's very true. I purposefully avoided buying a car with NAV because it was obvious even in 2005 that a 4" nav screen would be much less cool 10 years later (I had always planned on keeping this baby).

The controversial bits in the TurboS from my standpoint are the PDK and torque vectoring, I'm not sure if the latter is "cheating" or not. It does help you go around corners faster...

Enthusiasts will home in on so many things that every new and old Porsche has a hook for you to bite

993 last of the air cooled
996 GT2 last of the no-nanny electronics - the last real driver's car
997.1 last of the metzger
GT2 RS obvious
997.2 we just went over that

991 GT2 RS is going to be a beast to behold. Any way you look at it, adding PDK and more power to the GT2 RS formula could shave a full second off the 0-60 AND 1/4 mile times. That car could be a 9 second car off the showroom floor!

 

I think you are right but you are also wrong. How do you define better? 25 seconds on the ring? I don’t think many of us on this board drive stock 996TTs. On the ring straights, of course 100bhp advantage counts! So, realistically with a 530bhp 996TT (same as 997TT) the difference is more like 10 seconds. And these 10 seconds are gained over 20 kilometres. That translates to 2 second advantage on an average race circuit lap. I think 996tt is a great driver’s car and will remain so. Yes it has one “setting” but that’s why I bought it. Also, in this setting it is better than 997TS, more raw, more race (again I am talking with suspension upgrades). Forget the electronic gizmos, I don’t want them. Might be useful to people who can’t drive i.e. my wife. If people care for them they should get the GTR. I wanted a race car for the road. I like it being stiff and always the same. I fitted PSS10’s and sways to that fact. I don’t want my car to be universal. Just like F1 isn’t. You can’t take F1 shopping now can you? I also know that on the street, performance is similar (to a stage 2 996TT that is). My friend has the new 7TS and up to 300km/h he pulled 15 car lengths on me, so hardly night and day. This is another 600 versus 1000cc bike debate. 1000cc bike owners brag on about how better and faster their bikes are. Than on track there is a 2 second difference and even that boils down to the pilot. I see 600cc riders constantly beating 1000cc riders. With cars now pushing 500+ horses, the game is getting similar. Therefore, 997TTS or 996TTS? Yes the 7 is quicker, yes it is newer, yes it is packed with newer technology. But is it night and day? Is it no comparison? Does it blow the old dog 996TT out of water? In the real world on road infested potholes, traffic, driven by cash rich yuppies, (not generalising here) I don’t think so. 997TS might be twice the price but it most certainly isn’t twice the car.

 

i have only seen 996 TTS cabs - never seen a coupe version

 

600 turbo s coupes made / world

963 turbo s cabrios / world

2004 2 coupes 3 cabrios, 2005 the rest.

 

I second that, totally. I wanted a drivers car. Not a nanny mobile, I did not want a all-singing-all dancing- 22 inch LED high definition dash board. I wanted steam gauges and a direct feel in the butt. This car is the closest I will get to a real racing engined car on the road, raw and purposeful and boy.. does it feel like one (some mod's necessary to enhance the personalization factor)!!. The car is 100 times better than I will be able to drive it so I am OK with that "feature". It is affordable and PAID FOR!!!!