sorry for the repeat... but this is a newer version to the over-asked C2S vs. C2 question... I think the journey will be coming to an end soon... but just need some more advice...

2005 C2S, <30K miles, limited options... CPO - ~$46-47K

2006 C2, ~30K miles, limited options... CPO - ~44K

What do you think is the better buy? same colors, basically the same car - one is a non-s, and the other is an S (with the standard S options)...

Time and time again on this board, ppl generally say to stay clear of the 2005. Does the CPO count for something (insurance against IMS failure)? I'd only be be paying a couple thousand more for the C2S, but the car is over a year older and first model year. Is it really worth paying $46-47K for a 5 year old car? Well, is 3.5 years (06 C2) old really that much newer?

The one bad thing is that the 2005, although very clean on the outside, is pretty worn on the inside (PCM and Temp ***** are worn, and the area right under the keyhole is worn)...

Am I over-obsessed with trying to get into an S, given my limited budget? Should I just be happy to be able to get into an 911 period? Or is there really nothing wrong with a 2005 (built 2004) 997 C2S?

 

trying to foresee a response - why not get a 2006 C2S? Well, as mentioned by some, there seems to be a high demand for the '06 C2S to the point that dealers are asking mid 50's to low 60's for these cars... based on my research, the best price point (for us on the low end) for the 997 is the 2005 model year... for those who are looking for a C2, there are still really good deals on 2006 cars (and even 2007 for that matter)...

What's crazy is you get into 2007 (for an "S"), and some dealers are actually listing cars in the mid to high 60s... which i think is absurd since a dealer said i could get a brand new 2009 C2S launch car (green machine) for 74K... It seems that the newer you get, the greater the delta between the C2 and C2S...

 

Get the C2S, the extra standard features are well worth the extra year.

 

I gotta love it

Prices have definitely firmed in the '05-'07. And the '09's were heavily discounted to clear them. I still see quite some '09 inventories - but I'm not sure if you really get an '09 S for $75k. Unless it has no equipment or is a weird color.
You will have a tough time in the sub $50k category. But, you are looking at CPO, so that will buy some piece of mind. Drive the S and see if you notice the benefits of the HP, sport chrono and the PASM. If you don't, why bother and get the better non S.
Good luck. THey are great cars, either one you choose.

 

Given that the cars are about the same price and millage I would go for the S, unless the extra warrantee (maybe 6-9 months) on the 06 is important to you, CPO warrantee start after the regular warrantee.

In addition to the offen stated extra HP the S has:
19" Carrera Wheels $1,550.00
Bi-Xenon $1,090.00
PASM $1,990.00
Sport Steering Wheel $250.00
Gear Lever in Aluminium $290.00S
witch Panel Aluminim $500.00Estimate
Bigger Brakes $1,200.00Estimate
Total $6,870.00

The Bi-Xenon and PASM are worth it and the bigger brakes will come in real handy if you go to the track. The two settings on the PASM are nice if you track or AutoX but some folks find the sport setting a but harsh on the street (it depends on the roads where you drive). The S rides a little lower since it comes standard with PASM (.4 inches).

If you only street the car the extra HP of the S is really only worth bragging rights at the bar or perhaps fewer sleepless nights wondering if you should have sprung for the S, that is your choice drive both, note even after all this logic I bought he S. Even on the track the extra HP impact is small compared to what a bit of practice time on the track will do for getting a few extra MPH out of the corners.

 

The 997 and 997S used market is so high lately for 997.1 cars that at 44 -47 K pricing I would look at a CaymanS Low mile or even new leftover 08 . Full warranty or CPO .

Buying a 997S at this time it either has miles, lacking options or color desireability, overpriced, or has a story . This simply is not the right time to buy a used 997S .

I have looked with so many forum members and almost nothing that they like turns up and they have not bought them . Sometimes one can pull up 75 cars in a region and not find anything priced well enough to spark interest .

Most 997 and 997S buyers lately have been new cars .

 

So, the question is, what options are on the 06 C2 vs the options on the 05 C2S? My C2 was nicely optioned with B-Xenons, Sport Wheel, Power Comfort Seats, Auto Dimming Mirrors, Heated Seats, Remote CD, Nav, and rear wiper (I know the last one seems to be controversial). the C2 met all of my needs, but I can understand why one would want a C2S, if nothing more than for the bragging rights mentioned above.

 

basically, the only thing the C2S has that the C2 doesn't is a 3.8L engine, red brakes, and PASM... the C2 does have options such as bi-xenons, bose, heated seats...

ultmately, the 2 are comparable aside from the larger motor and the brakes... the c2 even has the 19" carrera s wheels...

will i track the car? absolutely... whether or not i will truly recognize the benefit remains to be seen... i've been in a front wheel drive jcw mini and im sure it will take a while to get used to the rear engine rear wheel drive vs. front engine front wheel drive...

i know its stupid, but when i see C2 cars on the road, i say "that's nice"... but when i see a C2S... i say "wow, i NEED that car"... i think that desire has followed me my entire driving history... a civic SI (b16a - yes a former ricer)... a prelude si, even when we got the yukon, i had to get the 6.2L Denali... the mini? had to get the JCW... i dunno, there's something about getting "the faster car"...

i've driven both cars (extensively), and i do notice the difference in the S... but i do have to say, it's not that dramatic... to me, a noticeable torque difference when i drove the cars back to back in high 3rd gear... and i do love the feel of PASm..

 

As I stated in the other post on s vs. non-s, this is that nagging feeling that will stay with you as long as you buy the non-s car. You can't put a specific dollar amount on this feeling nor can you point to anything tangible (such as the h.p., brakes, etc.). It will just be a feeling that will stay with you as long as you have the non-s car. You will always think and want the "s". Get the "s". Wait and save if you have to but do not settle. Other's that don't have the feeling that you stated above would not feel like they were settling but I think you would and it would not be worth spending this amount of money to always have that feeling in the pit of your stomach every time you walked into your garage or saw another "s" drive by.

 

I do not think it is a good idea to buy into any of MY05 cars just because of IMS engine failure problem. Go with 06 C2 or C2S.

I think that only time it really matter what car do you have is then you line em all up on a lawn with other owners and all start bragging about what great rides they got.

If you can get same set of options in C2 minus PASM and still negotiate price way down - just put in coilovers set later on, it is $3500 total with labor. If you ever find stock C2 brakes are not good enough (unlikely but who knows) - Brembo 350mm set is about $4K.

I think if you look long enough you`ll find nicely optioned C2 and you may be able to negotiate it down to KBB price (i did). I do not believe that good '06 CPO C2S may be found for KBB price ever and it is steady $10K+ above similarly optioned C2, just due to the hype. And hype does not make any car to drive better. Most of C2 vs C2S drama plays out on forums only, in real life it all does not matter that much.

As of raw power - according to recent dyno tests my C2 now got more power than stock C2S. It is all very subjective.

I would always go with newer car with lower milage, if price allows.

 

I have two dealers both at the 74-75K range for the green 09 S launch car.

Don't know if green is considered.

 

You have answered your own question. You will not be happy with the C2.

I have been there and done that getting a car I like vs the one I love. Three months after buying the one I liked, I was looking into trading it in to get the one I love. The financial hit would have been so significant, that I ended up keeping the car I liked for 5 years. The same month I finished paying my car loan, I finally got the car I love ... a Porsche C2S.

You only live once, get the car you love!

 

When you're spending $ 45 K for a used car I'd suggest you buy the one you really want. The CPO warranty covers you're potential IMS or RMS problems so that shouldn't be an issue. As for the car with the trashed interior, I wouldn't touch a car in that condition. People take care of their car or they don't and for my money the interior tells the story.

 

the interior wasnt that bad... everything nice except the worn "temp" and "fan" buttons... i also learned that a cupholder was replaced under warranty...

also, the car did receive a new RMS, and also a new clutch a couple thousand miles ago... hmm... is getting a new clutch a good thing? or is the fact the clutch was replaced at 28,000 miles a potential indication of abuse?

they said they'd run a DME for me, and also would replace the buttons for me under warranty... sounds like they are willing to work!!!

i also asked my friend who's a p-car tech... he really prefers 2006 vs. 2005, but said with the CPO, it may not be all that bad...

lastly, the car comes with a hard-wired passport radar (sensors mounted in front and rear bumper)... i think it's the older 8500 model... now... i guess that's good and bad also... good to get a hard-wired radar system, bad because previous owner might have driven the crap out of the car... (i mean, harder than the car was really meant to be driven)... again, i guess the DME will tell....

 

oh... and also, for some reason, the color crests were missing on 2 of the wheels... they said they would get me new ones, but kinda strange?