hello everybody. first, i have searched and searched and searched to find exactly what i need. yet, i still expect to receive some sarcastic remarks, so bring them on. hopefully, i will receive some constructive, helpful advice as well... everyone here seems very knowledgeable so thank you in advance for your help.

i am very close to buying a 997. i need to decide between an 2006 C2 and a 2005 C2S. I do plan on light track days, but nothing huge... maybe 1-2 days max per year.

The '06 C2 is lightly optioned... basically it just has Bose, Xenons and NAV... The '05 C2S does not have anything beyond NAV and the differences from the C2 (brakes, PASM, 3.8L, etc. etc. etc.)...

The '06 C2 is under factory warranty for another year. The '05 C2S is CPO'd until the end of this year... so both cars have a little warranty left, but not a lot... both cars have about 25,000 miles on the clock...

The '05 C2S will cost me about $46K, and the '06 C2 will cost me about $42K... so about a $4K difference in price...

My reasons for the '06 C2 = newer car (always nice), upgraded intermediate shaft (how much of an upgrade was this???), 2nd generation NAV or from what i read, NAV was updated at some point in the 2005 model year...

My concerns for the '06 C2= i admit i am a jackass, but my concern is opening my garage door, looking at the car, and saying "god i wish i had an S"...

My reasons for the '05 C2S = 355hp vs. 325hp, red brakes w/ open calipers (hmm.. i think i just love the way they look), quad exhaust tip (i just plan on sharky bypass), better resale value???, and lastly yes i'll admit it my own personal ego (looking in the garage and seeing you have a C2S)...

My concerns for the '05 C2S = first production year for the 997... the carfax original date was 12/2004 so it was an eariler model., i get the old version NAV (how bad is it?) and the original IMS (how big a difference from the 2006 redesign from the original 2005 design - much fewer occurences of blown engines???)...

I need some help deciding, I can't sleep at night thinking about this... well also because I've been watching track videos of 997s... (LVDELL is one FAST guy out there on the track)... so who knows, maybe 1-2 days a year turns into more???

This car will be a daily driver, and I put about 15K on the clock every year, so reliability is a pretty big concern for me... I don't mind spending 1-2K per year on general maintenance, and will plan for a future clutch replacement (as i read in another thread)... i will be changing the oil myself, the brakes myself, and clutch with a friend's help...

Along these lines, I know it's been addressed before, but really how important is warranty/ CPO? Are the people who complain about problems representative of only a small sample of the true population? The only reason I ask is there are other out-of warranty 997's out there from private parties that are about $3-4K less in price... There are also some higher mileage C2S's out there with about 40,000 miles on the clock... is that getting kind of high? I've researched the service intervals, and there isn't any pressing maintenance at 40,000 miles... the only thing i can think of is brake pads at some point and potentially clutch in the not to distant future (depending on how the car has been driven)...

I am comfortable with all the PPI, and "what to look for" information based on what I've read here... now just need help picking the car... so... "to S or not to S, that is the question"

Thanks

 

[quote][i wish i had an S".../QUOTE]

This will NEVER go away !!! That's the deciding factor. I have searched the California listings and it's a tough region . In the past there were many great low mile cars but lately it's not what it was .

CPO and warranty is important but there are private shops too and even if you do all service at a dealership if you are kind and considerate with the technicians who work on your car they will want to keep you in their shop and work with you on price as opposed to a demanding customer wanting immediate repairs for free .

Do all the homework first on any car . A DME scan and paint inspection . Plus if it's an 05 and came from the Southeast keep in mind there were a lot of hurricanes (Katrina.Ivan , etc.) and water damage won't show on a carfax .

 

so... you in favor of the "S"???

 

Yes . The extra Hp for the dollar makes it a great value . In fact the Carerra S is probably the best all around value Porsche offering both track capability and street comfort. It's price may sound high yet has been quite resillient in retaining its value.

But it's not what I favor that matters. It would be your car so it's what you decide that ends up in your garage.

 

I would go with the S due to the extra ponies.

 

A lot of the journalists preferred the regular Carrera to the S for the Carerra's free winding 3.6L engine. I suggest a drive of both. That being said, I went with the S because for the money, there are alot of upgrades.

J

 

i've driven both... the c2 felt good... but overwhelming in the speed dept... that being said, you don't by a c2 or a 911 for that matter, for that purpose... the S felt good and a bit more powerful on the straights, but not a HUGE difference... i didnt take hard corners being a test drive and all, i didnt want to push my limits... in the end, i think they are both pretty comparable... but im not the biggest track junkie out there, so my underdeveloped skills probably explain for the inability to differentiate appropriately between the 2 cars.

 

If there's one thing I've found in my limited time on this earth is that there is no way to save money. Sooner or later, you are going to get what you really want, despite the cost. I've found it's better (and often cheaper) to do it the first time around.

Don't think of the car as a few thousand less, think of the car as having to resell the one you bought that you really didn't want and coughing up thousands more just to get the one you really wanted in the first place.

 

PASM, brakes, engine - that should be worth the price. The S will certainly retain its value better over the length of your ownership, proved by your current pricing. (Are they both the same color? Porsche values are more sensitive in being the "right color" than a typical car.)

There's no appreciable benefits between a 2005 and 2006 and I seriously doubt that you'd ever know the difference in the intermediate shaft department between the two.
I would do a PPI on the 2005 CS and go through it with a fine tooth comb first and see if there are any issues.

If you're in a base Carrera, you'll regret it every time you see an S on the road, but you'll never kick yourself for not getting an 06' if you end up in an 05'. (No disrespect towards those who own a non-S.)

 

Go for the S! You won't be disappointed plus I agree with the other posts on this thread: You'll always be wondering and kick yourself for not getting it.

 

Not true, i drove both and chose the C2 over the C2S. True that the S gives a mid-range bump, but i really liked the high-revving nature of the 3.6.

 

[quote=yrralis1;2414075]I believe CarFax does point out if the area of vehicle registration was considered a water damage risk (ie. hurricane, flood, etc). Here's some of the CarFax entries that might be inserted.

Storm Area Registration/Title Storm Area Registration/Title Record(s) Reported to AutoCheck

10/04/2004 SUGAR LAND, TX 33
Motor Vehicle
Dept.
TITLE (Title #:10130238252082339)
Reported registered/titled prior to storm
event in FEMA designated storm area. We
recommend a professional vehicle

inspection to confirm no storm damage.