I recently sold my pristine 2004 Toyota Sienna to get into a 2011 Cayenne S which now serves as my family hauler and with all the performance goodies (PASM, air-suspension, PDCC, PTV) it is nothing but a large 911 in the way it handles. As much as I would love to own three Porsches, it irks my conscience to not be able to do justice to all my babies. It takes a lot of time and effort to avoid doing anything to hurt my 911s in the long run. Which means no short trips, no switching the ignition off unless all fluids in the car get to operating temperatures, avoidance of stop and go traffic routes for the most part (I am blessed to be in a town that has several backroads, a couple of them just behind my home which I can take to work) and ensuring that the cars get driven adequate enough to avoid trickle chargers and storage in winter. This is hard when your commute to work is 4 miles. I never thought I would get into a classic 911 but I did and boy the last 7 months have been nothing but pure Nirvana every time I drive what is truly the last model of the classic 911. My C4S has been my DD (has 9940 miles currently) and in the last year I have equipped it to be one. This includes 1) a custom paint protection film wrap of the entire car to avoid rockchips (too much loose gravel on the road for 4 months in a year as they don’t salt the roads here) and 2) Window tint 35 % to protect the interior (My workplace does not have a carport and summers can get really hot here).

Now comes the huge dilemma. My passion for Porsches has me devoting more time to safeguard it’s health at the cost of cutting into my time for myself (exercise) and my time for my family and I absolutely cannot be going in that direction. So one has to go or both have to go and be substituted by one 911 (perhaps a different 911 than what I currently have). I love the wide hips of the C4S, sure planted feel during icy driving conditions and of course the PDK. I love almost everything about the Carrera 3.2 but more so the rear wheel drive dynamics, the light feel and the added layer of interaction that the manual transmission brings to the table (my intention is not to stir a PDK vs 6 speed debate so please don’t go there). I have done quite a bit of research and am under the impression that there is a car that would serve as a happy medium for me long term. The car being the Carrera GTS custom ordered with a manual transmission, without any of the frills like Bose, adaptive seats, ventilated seats or back seats. Even with the GTS, I would still miss the PDK (of the C4S) and the retro feel of the 3.2 (given it’s lack of power steering and characteristic whine of the air-cooled boxer engine) but the GTS would satisfy most of my other desires. Please bear in mind that having a new winter driver in the family (Cayenne) has cut back the need for C4S’s winter capabilities and that is one of the reasons that I have been thinking in these lines.

I have no interest in the 991 and have considered the fact that I would take a huge bath on the C4S sale. But I just don’t have the time to do justice to the exisiting fleet of Porsche cars/and SUV …. One or both my 911s have to go … If I should have one 911 in my garage which one should it be ?? The Carrera 3.2, 997.2 C4S or the 2011 Carrera GTS ??

 

You and I have similar cars - an '87 Coupé in Grand Prix White and an '06 Carrera S with Powerkit. I am interested on the outcome of your dilemma for sure.

 

Why not a GT3? That'd be my choice if I could pick any model.

 

I say no Porsche 911s...

"My passion for Porsches has me devoting more time to safeguard it’s health at the cost of cutting into my time for myself (exercise) and my time for my family..."

All the worries about trip length, traffic patterns, temperature...sounds like car hell, not car heaven and I don't think that was what Porsche had in mind for these cars at all.

These cars, for the most part, are not collectors items or museum pieces - they should be driven and enjoyed and maintained within reason. The cars I have owned and enjoyed the most -the memorable ones - all were driven a lot and some got hurt a little along the way - if I had to do it over, I would only drive them even more.

 

Cybergypsy . . . . when you are interested in narrowing down the 911 fleet, please let me know.

^ +1, or especially a GT3 RS. . . but that doesn't seem like an option for him.

*** OR *** the wicked GT2!!!!! I would choose the GT2 over a Carrera GT.


Good luck with your decision.

 

Great responses. I agree completely. I absolutely cannot part with my 3.2 .............. It is in too pristine condition to give up and I will regret that forever. With that in mind would it still make any sense to get into a GTS manual for the C4S PDK now that I have a winter car (Cayenne) ? GT3, GT2 not an option for me (Great cars but too aggressive looks wise)

 

It seems like you have the resources to own them all, keep both of them. They are two very different cars, and you seem to enjoy them. I personally think that you are too cautious with you warm up/cool down, they are not turbo's. Drive them hard and put them away wet.

 

I'd probably consider a GTS if I was in your shoes, unless you're big on the race car image of the GT3. With the GTS you get the C4S's 'big hips', 408hp, the turbo's center-locking wheels, PDK (if you want it) and all the options you want, along with the reliability (and reduced insurance premiums) of a normally aspirated engine, all at a very reasonable price.

If I was going to pull the trigger on a replacement for my base Carrera (I'm not), I'd strongly consider a GTS.

On the other hand, if money was no object, a new Turbo S coupe would be sitting in my driveway right now..

 

Northvan, your point is well taken. I am too conservative I think. In all honesty my family enjoys and shares my passion for 911s (and they love to ride with me in my 911s).. but not uncommonly, I have thought that I spend more time than I should with my cars. Please don't think that I am not having fun with my 911s. That's not what I want to be perceived as coz that's not true. I'm not going to act in haste at all. Taking my time on this one for sure. I will probably test drive a GTS at some point in the future to see how big of a difference it really is compared to a C4s. Or would it just be a lateral move ???

 

I have only one 911. Its an 09' C2.

I have driven GT3s and rode in a 997.2 GT3RS recently. Totally practical for daily use. However, the RS looks too extreme for daily use IMHO.

I would take a GTS or GT3, but I would require a rear seat (available in both) and the optional height adjustment system for the front air dam in the GT3.

I love that you don't have to give much thought to ingress/egress in my car (my non-PASM suspension rides rather high).

I use snows in the winter and I don't think I would ever get a 4/4S.

As for the new car, I seriously would be wary of first year niggles in a car that is a total redesign. Even the venerable 911 is now chock full of techno gadgets that can present teething problems on a clean sheet design. For example, before the CD rom update to PCM 3.0, there were annoying problems with the bluetooth and ipod use. I love my 997.2. It's a tough standard to beat.

My 2 cents.

DRP

 

I think that it is a bit of a lateral move. The GTS has a little more power, and RWD, but the end of the day it is still a Carrera. If you are hell bent on selling one, then just dump the C4S, keep the 3.2, and wait until the next urge comes. All the 997's will drop when the next model comes out.

 

If I had no need for rear seats, the GT3 would be the one. My dd is my '87 Carrera so it's not like a GT3 would be to harsh for dd for me. As it stands, though, I can't do without rear seats and, though I could opt for a Turbo, I really don't like much AWD; I had a 996 C4S so I have a way to compare both.

 

I really don’t think you have any reason to let either go. you just seem to be to uptight about them. NorthVan is right, they are made to be driven. I do agree that the clear wrap is nice (full body is a bit extreme) and that they should get up to full operating temperature whenever possible, but don’t over think it. You seem to be stuck because of how much you love them. The switch to a GTS will not matter, you will pamper it and shortly come to the same state of mind.

 

That's a really nice looking 997 in your avatar - classic wheels, the stripe on silver, splash of red brakes - looks really cool and sporty, but not over the top.

These cars are like **** - you've seen a million of them, but you still can't help but stare and appreciate any fresh ones that come your way.

 

Your nuts, like me. You just got a new car and now you are trying to justify why you should order another one, to relive that thrill you just came down from. I understand completely and am guilty of trying to do the same thing, but usually cant get it passed the wife. Later I realize how crazy the idea is. The problem is all of us on the forum think similarly but people on the outside will say you are nuts.

But I disagree about the getting rid of your 911's to get the GTS. I love the classic 911 but for me its something that I would get as an extra car but not in place of the newer model. Also I dont see the need to be so careful about cars, I just enjoy and drive the hell out of them while taking good care of them. But taking care of them does not cut into my life, ever.