Hello all,

I am trying to set the specs of my first 911 and I have found that the 997.2 -09 -10 is what I need, mainly due to IMS and interior design

I am not a serious driver hence options is not really important due to lap times.

My qestion to the community is if there are certain features that are more error prone and might call for increased maintenance costs?

In perticular the PDK (need sports chrono with this one) and the PASM.
A clean stick C2 would be the way to go, but then the PDK seems really nice for commuting..

Also the engin of the C2S seems lovley and as I see it cost basically the same, Insurance in sweden is sometimes lower on the S-model as well...

So, is there any feature to think twice about according to your knowledge, from a maintenance and quality perspective?
I plan to own the car for a loong time..

 

Well. There are so many options to choose from.
I would say go for the "s" if its within your budget.
My wife loves the heated seats and ill be honest, on a cold morning they're nice. Various leather upgrades are nice. I wish I had the leather desh and center console.
Adaptive sport seats are nice. I have the standard leather seats but the sport seat do a nice job of holding your
Shoulders in place on curves.

As far as PDK vs manual, I prefer a Manual but I also don't use my car to Commute daily. It's just for fun and I find the manual more challenging and therefore more rewarding.

 

PDK with Sport Chrono would be a good way to go for daily commute and fun time. I have manual but I only use her as my weekend ride.
Heated seats is a nice option for cold climate.
Full leather is a nice option and worth investment.
If possible S model come with a lot of upgrade from non S.
everything else are not worth it IMO.

 

I recently purchased my first 911 and was in a similar situation. I ended up opting for a 997.2 C2 w/ PDK and am very happy with it. You absolutely have to get the sport chrono with PDK, just as you said (I have it in sport mode 90% of the time). Living in Sweden without heated seats? I don't think that would be enjoyable... I'd definitely get them.
Although I really did want an "S" model, and I still wish I did, I am still very happy with the C2 and I'm coming from a V8 BMW M3. [I just got too good of a deal to pass up on the non-S and figured it would give me something to look forward to in a year or so]

With the PDK's help, I feel my C2 is "quicker" than my M3. All I'm saying is the base model 997.2 is plenty fast, and if you have PASM and sport chrono, you don't have to rule out the non-S, especially if you are not tracking it. With that, if the S is in your budget, by all means get one. In general, the DFI 997.2s are very well built machines, and they aren't "maintenance heavy" for the level of performance you get. Good luck

 

Like others have said " an S if possible". For sure 2009 and up. I have a 6 speed and you can eliminate the Sport Chrono. Coupe or Cab? Buying used you may have to be a little flexible with options. CPO warrenty car is nice peace of mind too.

 

You'd love the sound of PSE (Porsche Sports Exhaust).

 

Honestly any 997 S is the way to go. I focused primarily on the 2009 and up 997.2 and almost missed the car that I eventually bought. I found a 3900 mile C2S fully loaded with every available option. And the one you simply cannot skip is the S. I have driven both and can attest to the difference. I would recommend skipping the LED lights on the subtle body trim cues of the 997.2 to have a 3.8 litre S. PSE is a must! Very nice option.

 

Thanks a lot for the input.
For sure I will ad heated seats to the list and I will aim for a C2S..
I would also like PSE but that's no blocker...

I found noone opting for the AWD...

Any comments on the PDK vs stick maintenance cost and failure rate?
PASM i understand is bullet proof but regarding PDK i know less..

 

PDK seems very reliable and there are very few failures noted.

Others have recommended full leather. It is a great option and really adds to the opulence of the car.
You are in Sweden, so I doubt you could live without heated seats.
The sport steering wheel is a really great looking piece. It is often equipped with the paddle shift levers, which are ideal. If you get PDK , the buttons on the wheel are stupid - you really want to get the paddles. Even if you are not going to the track.

You are in Sweden, you should definitely consider a C4S instead. They tend to feel a little less nimble in steering, so drive one. The 4wd system in a Porsche has also proven very reliable and will definitely extend your driving season! Put on some snows and have a great time. With a rear engine, they are great in the snow, even with 2wd.

 

I would not concern myself with cost of maintenance & failure rates.

Either buy with a Manufacture warranty or buy a warranty. My 997S cost of up keep is no different from my old Base 986. My 986 which was an IMS risk unit, never had an IMS failure but the warranty paid off when my rear defroster failed and I got my entire top replaced ($4200 job) with costs covered - $80 deductible.

These cars are inexplicably amazing for reasons I can't understand or fully articulate but I understand it whether I am gently driving my wife to dinner or pulling on the on ramp with the engine singing at 6000RPMs. From the research I did prior to my purchase you should not have dramatic variance in maintenance expense increases unless you are going with a Turbo. The only exception is if you buy a 4 vs 2, you will need to replace all four tires at once on the 4s.

I am thrilled with the 997S's extra horse power, it is nice but, at the end of the day I know I would've been just as happy with a Base C2. Coming from a mercedes with bells and whistles up the A$$ ... I am happy to own a raw sports car. I'd be concerned about heated seats if it was a daily driver or if I live in Chicago but either way, hope my bantering helps you formulate your thoughts and I can't wait to see what you pick out! Enjoy the process of 911 shopping!!!


Mike



PS: Variable suspension on the S models is pretty awesome.... assuming the 997.2 has it, I know the 997.1S brings it standard. The interior does not change drastically either on the 997.2 vs 997.1 unless you compare it to an automatic because of the PDK. I personally went manual 6 speed and love driving it. although manual will raise maintenance expense because you will have to change your clutch from time to time depending on how you drive.


My only PDK experience was in a 2012 Panamera I had for a couple months and I did not like that it could not make up its mind if it was going to take off in first or second, felt strange.

 

+1 on the AWD C4S. Had to drive home from my son's house last winter in 5 " , and still falling, of unplowed snow. AWD and snow tires can be the difference in getting home and calling a tow truck.

 

Thanks everyone for valuable input.
I am getting a better picture for what I need to have on my first purchase.

It will be a 997.2 C2S, leather options and heated seats, PASM is standard on the S model.
AWD not needed as I realized I need a winter car, mostly due to the enormous amount of salt on the southern swedish roads eating the car from inside..

PDK and Sports Chrono for comuting and to make the car more usable for other family members. (But if I get a bargin manual I revise this requirement and just have to live with having the car only to myself..)

New question - I have not understood if there are several leather options available on this model 2009/2010 or if it's only one additional feature (full leather)?

 

My advice is to test drive both standard Carrera and the S to see if the S is worth the extra $ to you. Porsche engineer their options very well so reliability isn't really a major issue unless you are intending to keep the car for a long times or run high mileages, then clearly PDK and PASM equipped cars will be more expensive to repair. The main benefit of PASM is improved more dynamic handling with little or no loss in ride quality. PDK is great but you do tend to end up using it in auto mode, which takes away some of the fun, but of course you have the paddles, if you go PDK ensure you get the optional wheel with paddles.

The key is finding a well looked after car with a full Porsche service history, key options are nav, Bluetooth, audio interface and Bose if you want best audio. Full leather lifts the cabin as do some nice alloy/ carbon touches, but the option list is HUGE, so I could fill this page with suggestions.

I know I am biased but if you are spending all that money on a car you need all the information you can get, if you invest in our 997 guide in addition to support from the great guys on this website, you won't go wrong.

http://www.porsche997book.co.uk/

 

This guide seems to be a great reference for 997 owners or prospects. I just ordered mine thru Amazon! Thanks!!

 

Thanks, your comments are exactly my own thoughts.
I am the type that buys a car and keep it almost until the local scrap yard gets if for the money of returned licens plates

I am opting for a 997.2 2009 car.
I will keep it for long (lets say 12-15 years at least if it last)
I drive some 10000Km (6200miles) every year so I will drive it about 140k Km (85k miles)
This means I will own it a good bit in to the 2020 (sounds scary..)
Will a 997.2 cope with some 200k -250k km on the meter?

I have had this strategy with mercs before (buying quite new cars and keeping them 11-12 years) with quite good success, however in the Porsche case I have to get a slightly older car (2-3 years) but I assume the Porsch quality and reliability covers for that!

I do the easier maintenace my self (breakes, Oil & most filters) and I don't really care for the Porsche Center "stamps" as I will not sell the car.

From your post I might be better of with a manual none PASM car but please post your comments on my owner strategy!
Maybe Im wrong and the please advise!

(will get the book though, seems like a must!)