Hi folks,
Sorry to bring you another 991base VS 991S thread...

My question is very specific to living in the city..I used to live in the burbs but then we moved in the city (Toronto). Initially I had my heart set upon the 981CS..I still do like it BUT I love the all the lines of the 991. I really only invision myself buying 1 PCar (as short sighted as this seems) so I am trying to decide between the 991base or the 991S. You see I dont have any kids so I dont really need the back seat. I live in the city so I would only be driving this on weekend..my issue is that I have a tuned 335xi and it is really quick..the problem is that I can never drive to even close to it's potential..so I wonder will a 991 base be good enough..I have been reading its decent and pretty quick but you need to get it up into the 5000rpm range before it really comes alive
I like manual but is PDK for city driving - I dont like the PDK shifter
Do I need PDK to really ring it out, I believe 6speed is better BUT 7 gears??
Does the CaymanS drive better?

The salesperson was telling me that in and out of the city I would need nothing more than a base Cayman/Boxster..not sure about that one

Anyway so my main question is that being in the City and living in Canada we cannot really drive faster than 100/120kmph will the "base" 991 give me the Porsche experience without me overpaying if that makes sense..I dont envision tracking this car BUT you never know..

 

I feel like I'm ideally suited to answer your question.

I live in downtown Toronto.

I have no kids.

I have a 991 'base'

I have it with PDK.

So... let me answer your questions.

You absolutely will never be wanting for speed/power in Toronto. On the surface streets and the expressways you'll always have way more car than you'll ever need with the 'base' car.

I live next to the Bayview Extension & DVP so I like to drive it fast when I can.

2nd gear takes you to 120km/h (in fact if you floor it in 7th at 120km/h PDK will drop you back down into 2nd!)

3rd gear will take you up to 170km/h.

So you're already breaking every law in Canada without even using 4th, 5th, 6th or 7th.

If anything the car is so fast it never feels fast the way a base Cayman might.

It does 0-60 in 4.2 seconds. That is f*cking quick!

Get the PDK, it's so much better than the manual. You won't regret it.

Anyway, I don't have to sell this, because it sells itself. The 'base' 991 w/PDK is AMAZING in Toronto!!!!!

 

Thx hawc for your quick reply! You are right, you are adequately qualified to answer my questions!

Sorry but I am not clear on the above statement..Are you saying it feels "faster" than a base Cayman or feels better than a base Cayman?

Yeah if I was living in Europe it would be a different story..I would get the fastest car I could afford..

I guess there will always be something faster, IE 9114S, 911Turbo, 911GT3..we jut cannot use these speeds in Ontario

 

I'm saying it's so powerful, that you have to drive it really fast to feel like you're going fast, whereas with the Cayman, a slower speed felt fast because it was not a massively fast car.

A little confusing, let me use this analogy if I may.

A 600cc sport bike often feels faster than 1000cc sport bike because the 1000cc is just massively capable.

Get the 991 base. Just do it. You'll love it.

Here's a pic of mine I took today:

 

Thx for clarifying! Beautiful pic! How do you find the "standard" exhaust? Did you get yours new? There are some decent decent CPO deals out there..
Yes my 335xi is 330bhp and I cant get it anywhere near the capable speed..

 

The standard exhaust is a bit quiet I have to say. Had I had the money I wish I had ordered the sport exhaust. I would recommend getting it.

 

Even though both C2 and C2S need to be revved hard to appreciate their full potential, from my experience, I love the stronger torque in the low rev range of the C2S, specially when driving relaxed arround town.

 

I think your essential problem is that if you want a 911, there really is no substitute.

Either model with either gearbox will give far more performance than can be safely used in or around a city. The base is as fast at prior year Ss; the S comes close to prior year turbos. Both are deceptively capable in every dimension.

A PDK in sport mode in either car will get into the right gear far faster than a manual shift if it is in the automatic position and can be held or placed in the gear of choice one wants it in the manual position. I think that versatility is usually missed during short test drives. PDK is best appreciated after a few weeks of ownership, when it is figured out, or better yet at a track session, or when dealing with city traffic anytime. So if you use the feature, the issue is, do you want to use a foot, too, or not rather than anything to do with the torque curve. I like the paddles more than the buttons- but after a while either becomes second nature- its the effect they have rather than the finger motion that causes the smiles.

The key to elevating the fun factor is a sport exhaust. Many after market ones will do the trick. The Porsche Sport Exhaust with its on/off button does it "just right" for me and still allows for reasonable quiet when that is what is needed. "Having" to rev a bit higher with the base engine is not exactly a sacrifice with the pipes open. It sounds at least as good as with the S. PSE can be played like a pipe organ with PDK or manual trans.

All that said, a used 991S, particularly with Sport Chrono, adds goodies that performance-wise are a bargain, the base 991 will exceed all reasonable need, and a Cayman S has so much performance and character that you cannot go wrong. From a driving, performance and flat out fun perspective it is no "lesser" a Porsche than a 911. It is a Cayman, and 911 is a 911.

 

Have you considered a base C4 to give you the ultimate grip during all types of weather?

 

Must haves IMHO would be PDK, PSE, Sport Chrono.

Good set of winter tires and wheels a thought also. I would imagine necessary in Toronto. Unless the car will be a garage queen.

 

As a city DD I would be very happy with a base 991 with PDK. The S has some performance advantages that can be enjoyed on the track but would not be as important in town. However there is something to the saying that more is more. I think there was a guy who wanted to get rid of his DD S because it was too slow (not enough torque probably).

 

thanks guys, your opinions are very helpful! As I said earlier, I like the Cayman and how it looks BUT the 911 looks good from all views..it's just a beautiful piece of machinery as hawc's pic (and many others here) depict. Your opinion's about the options to get IE PDK, PSE etc are also very helpful..I like the PSE BC you can turn it off while a after market sport exhaust you can't (I think..). Like you've said a 911S can be had in the used car market for close to same as a new 911Base...there is something about getting a new car BUT depreciation is a ***** not to mention delivery costs and the wait..I havent made up my mind on that one just yet..

Also Dan991C4 I dont really count on driving it during the winter as I live in the city and basically either walk to work or take the bus..if I move a little further who knows..I may then..

thx again for your comments!

 

having a 335 and a m3 before, I got a feeling you are judging 2 different things.


There is
1. actual speed
2. perceived speed from the feeling of torque.


can an average person tell the difference between a 0-60 mph at 4.2 or 5 seconds while focusing on the road, probably NOT.


compared to your 335, either will feel "slow" at lower rpms. That's just going to be the characteristics of the car. Or you can drive the 911 in higher RPMs (which isn't an issue) except it makes more noise.


where the 911 will feel faster, is in turning, and keeping the speed consistent going into a turn and exiting. This sensation cannot be explained, and makes me want to drive like and idiot when I can.


fk

 

Good thinking. Consider driving the C4 and base C2. You might like, as I did, the all wheel drive "feel".

 

Great idea!