I inadvertently posted this in the 997 forum:

My current weekend warrior is an ’07 C2S, and I adore it. Three years ago I told my son that when he completed his hitch in the USMC, if he had completed his BA online and gotten into law school I would pass that car on to him and buy the new 991. That’s all gone well, and now I need to place an order. Here are my thoughts so far. I’m an older driver and I have no plans to track my car, so I don’t think I’ll need any performance upgrades. In fact, I’m giving serious consideration to ordering a base car since it’s as fast as my current S, which is quite fast enough for my use. I’m also thinking of getting the PDK with the Sport Design wheel as 7 forward speeds just seems like a lot and the PDK requires less “gear” thinking. I have the Bose sound system, and I think I’ll pass on that this time. I have full leather and I love it, so I’ll do that again, plus the center console and rear tunnel. (BTW, kudo’s to the guys with the natural espresso – fine choice.) I’m ambivalent about the PSE, which I have now and use often. I’ve heard that the standard 991 mimics the PSE to the extent that it’s about midway between the standard 997 exhaust note and the 997 with PSE. Can anyone comment on that? Regarding the base car versus the "S", I think we all have an instinct to go for more horsepower and torque, but sometimes the smaller engines can deliver equal or more enjoyment as a DD. For example, I always liked the 328 BMW engine and the older straight 6 M3 engines versus the 335 and the V-8. I’m interested on your thoughts on that issue as well. Thanks.

 

You don't need validation, it sounds like you know exactly what you want based upon your previous car, the way you drive and your needs. BTW, good job raising your son.

 

There are a couple of threads that compare the base car to the S car and some provide links to the recent EVO magazine review of both in which the base car was actually preferred over the S version. With regard to the PSE, according to my dealer the standard exhaust on the 991 is identical to the PSE of the 997. Personally I would pay extra for a manual over a PDK so the fact that a manual is $4k cheaper made the choice a no brainer. This is not to say the PDK is not suitable for some and even preferred by some, just not for me. I would encourage you to drive both and form your own opinions. I might also point out the 991 also has navigation, ipod and bluetooth standard which were price options in the 997.

 

Sport Chrono and paddles.. don't buy a car without 'em.

 

Are you looking to adopt? I might be available.

 

@ dlchasen I agree with previous post, sounds like you know what you want/need.
I'd trust in that over anyones opinion.
But if you want some more info check out this thread https://www.6speedonline.com/forums/...base-vs-s.html

 

Don:
I'll just say that I had a 997.1 with manual and liked it, but like my current 997.2S even more. Furthermore the 991 PDKs I have driven I like even more. I went for the plus for lots of reasons, but one of which is that they have dynamic engine mounts which add stability and reduce vibrations (which is a big thing for me). Plus it's not expensive as options go and you'll get much of it back when you trade.

Have fun with your new Porsche.

ChuckJ