I had my Porsche 911 base Carrera 2, Non S, for about 2 years now.

Yeah I do not regret it, however I asked a lot of people and on this forum I think at the time and some people said noooo go for the S otherwise you will regret - well I don't regret it BUT more power is always of course better.

I drive a 2 litre BMW as well which is my everyday car, but interestingly I also drive my Porsche everyday as well. So the performance of the car still amazes me, the handling, the steering feel.

The only thing I don't like, the ride is a bit harsh on certain roads. Here in the UK we range from having very nice roads to absolutely rubbish. So I wish there was a way to make the ride a little bit softer, but this is not something I always notice.

So I don't regret buying the Non S, in fact I am slowly looking at my next car and I'm heavily leaning towards 991 Base Carrera because it is faster than my current car and looks better.

But does anyone else here regret buying the base carrera at all and wished they had gone for the Carrera S?

 

straight line speed wise, you probably wouldn't notice a difference- we're talking about less than half a second in 0-60. and if you think the base Carrera has a stiff ride, I think you'll dislike the S more- sport suspension plus an even stiffer suspension setting plus 19 in rims. Does your car have 18s? The one thing that makes a Carrera S worth it are the upgraded brakes I think, but it's not a deal breaker. sport chrono was a deal breaker for me while I looked for a car but it shouldn't have been- I've not really ever used it on the street. full leather wasn't on my must have list, but it is now- it makes the car look so special from the inside. I guess S has higher resale value as well so that might be a point in the S favor.

 

We certainly don't regret buying the non s version. I don't track and have never even gotten close to it's top speed.
As far as improving the ride, we replaced the original tires with continental DWS tires and they are much smoother, quieter and longer lasting the Michelin's that came on it.

 

It's only psychological.

 

This question in its current form has been debated ad-nauseam. Mostly by people who had bought a lower trim to justify their purchase. To find solace from the collective herd in their purchasing decision whatever the reason may be. There is nothing wrong in buying a non-S 911, but the math just works out in favor of "S" models. You pay a bit more in advance, and get to enjoy its actual or psychological advantages, and get that price difference back upon selling of said vehicle.

Now, if the purpose of this thread is to help the potential buyer in deciding between the "s" or the non "s" models, then I think a better question would be: "Do people regret buying "S" trim 911's?" I have yet to see a thread like this, and this fact should serve as a powerful reason to pursue the "S" trim 911's instead.

Again, I want to be clear that the your decision to forgo the "S", for whatever reason, is purely fine. I am just pointing out the analytical advantages of "S" models.

 

I am sure that there are people for whom the dollar difference does not justify the expense. And there are those who do not track, do not DE, do not autocross and have no interest in those activities, while still able to use and appreciate the pure quality of the machine.
These people tend to daily drive their car, are fanatical about maintenance and generally pretty good drivers... Hang out at any Cars and Coffe, any local club meeting and you will meet loads of them. They are fun guys who modify or not and know a lot, usually their 3rd or 4th P-car.

 

Interesting post. When buying my C2 I had the option of getting a C2S. The reason I went with the C2 was that I felt it was a simpler vehicle meaning that you didn't have the PASM and wasn't keen on the white dials. Yes its faster and has more power but how much faster can you really get in cars these days. Love my C2. The only upgrade I can think of going isn't a C2S but rather a GT3 or F430.

 

In my opinion it's more about buying a 997.1 vs 997.2. I would take a 997.2 non-S over a 997.1 S model. Maybe slightly off topic...

 

Aside from the normal S vs non-S discussion with respect to power and torque, the aftermarket company TPC has changed the game with their DSC (Dynamic Suspension Control) module and not just for people who track. On a 997 with regular PASM, hardly anyone uses sport mode on the street because it's to harsh, so having PASM doesn't buy you much. But once you remove the stock PASM controller and replace it with the fully programmable one from TPC instead of thinking in terms of Normal Mode and Sport mode, think of Setup 1 and Setup 2. I have a full track suspension in my C2S with Bilstein Damptronics, Tarett monoball top mounts, full RSS Stage 2 suspension bit and without any rubber bushings left anywhere. With the TPC module, my mode 1 is an everyday setup where I leave the shocks full soft until about 40% g-force then have them incrementally tighten to about 80% of full stiff. My mode 2 is for more spirited street or track driving and starts stiffer and incrementally stiffens to full stiff (insert joke here) at 100% g-force load.

In mode 1, the car is completely comfortable - I've taken it on 5 hour road trips without issue. In mode 2, the way it tightens the outside suspension dynamically in a turn is unbelievably confidence inspiring and makes the car handle amazingly.

All other comparisons aside, I think the S is worth it simply as an enabler to have what you need in order to be able to utilize the DSC suspension module whether with the stock PASM dampeners or upgraded coilovers.

 

Maybe if I'd test drove them side-by-side for a reasonable amount of time.

The fact that in New Zealand, there aren't that many 997.2 around, trying to do the above will be next to impossible.

My 997.2 is stock standard, and I'm happy with it because it feels so different to my 996 C4. The only thing that I wish I had is launch control. I was at the lights yesterday and I thought 'damn, if only I could do launch control'. The fact that my car was the only fastest/sportiest in the line of cars at the lights wasn't lost on me. So, do I really need launch control? Yeah, nah bro.

 

Ah, you gotta love this thread... Everyone looking to justify their purchase decisions. Who gives a crap. Both cars are very capable and each has an advantage during the purchase process. Any non S owner who tells you they wouldn't prefer an S is a liar.

I have a 997.2 non S, i would prefer it to be an S and I had choices but limited in the used car market. I really wanted white so I picked up a non S white over a diff color S. This was suppose to be a short term car I was all in on the GT4, so it was something to keep me amused but I got the mod bug and now I'll probably keep it forever even after I get my next 911. Also, I had a 997.1 non S and I knew what i was getting myself into...




Mods:
H&R Springs
Fabspeed CAI intake
Fabspeed Maxflow Exhaust
Fabspeed Xpipe
Fabspeed Race Headers with cat delete
GT3 cup car front bumper
GT3 OEM 997.2 rear wing
Clear OEM tails
Champion Werks full Carbon Diffuser





And it is all about the driver. Put a seasoned driver in my car, put me in a 991 GT3 and I'm sure I get smoked...

Ha!

 

Back to the topic at hand

 

I love my 997 4S. I also previously had a 996 Carrera, second 996 Carrera and a 996 C4S.

I enjoyed all of them. I’m actually thinking about getting another 996 out of boredom and nestoglia.

 

Only regret not getting one sooner!

 

I regret for not buying a Turbo...the S gotten to where i don't want to sell for the Turbo