Best 911 for 1st time owner under 65k? - Page 4 - 911/Carrera GT - PistonHeads UK

Hey all, I've been saving for over a year to buy my first 911. I don't know a huge amount about the entire 911 lineup and all the generations in any great detail, but from what I've researched so far, the two cars that appeal the most to me under my budget of £65k would be a 911 991.1 Carrera 4S (for the natural aspiration, although, I've never owned or driven a naturally aspirated car...) or a 997 Turbo. I'm looking for your expertise and opinion on what to consider (as nobody in my circle of friends or family are petrol heads), any caveats and tad-bits of information that will help me with my decision. My usage is very limited, I work from home, and we have a Macan S 2023 for a family car, so it will be quite low milage as a weekend car and a car for me to drive around town in doing odd jobs in the week like the post office or supermarket. Should I be considering anything else?

Great question. Personally I'd go for the best 991 you can afford. Then again, I'm looking at 997 Turbo manuals myself, so maybe you shouldn't listen to me

Buy the newest you can from an OPC so you have a half decent warranty on it.

Is that 991 actually N/A?

Might 65K buy an early 991.2? Echo the comment about a decent warranty. Generally reliable cars but they can go wrong in an expensive way.

Hoofy said: Is that 991 actually N/A? Yes, 991.1 is NA. Turbos came in for 991.2.

I'd go for the 997 Turbo, its got enough old school feel along with being modern enough not to cause to much headaches. It'll also hold its value better. A manual would be the sweat spot for extra engagement. Stalk some of the known specialists for peace of mind. (911Virgin/RPM/9E/Ashgoods etc)

Camerons have a few in stock, in budget https://www.cameronsportscars.com/stocklist/?Websi...

Twinfan said: Hoofy said: Is that 991 actually N/A? Yes, 991.1 is NA. Turbos came in for 991.2. Thanks! Tried googling and still wasn't sure.

I’d go 991, but don’t discount the 2wd over the awd version. They do drive differently, so you may prefer one over the other. Maybe a slight cost advantage as well on the 2wd.

I would try and go for a 991.but what flavour is the question. Drive lots one or two will gell with you. Heck I drive two 911 turbos back to back and they both felt different to each other! One was alive and fun the other meh! Have a 991.2 targa 4s currently and love it to bits.

mostlymauiwaui said: Hey all, I've been saving for over a year to buy my first 911. I don't know a huge amount about the entire 911 lineup and all the generations in any great detail, but from what I've researched so far, the two cars that appeal the most to me under my budget of £65k would be a 911 991.1 Carrera 4S (for the natural aspiration, although, I've never owned or driven a naturally aspirated car...) or a 997 Turbo. I'm looking for your expertise and opinion on what to consider (as nobody in my circle of friends or family are petrol heads), any caveats and tad-bits of information that will help me with my decision. My usage is very limited, I work from home, and we have a Macan S 2023 for a family car, so it will be quite low milage as a weekend car and a car for me to drive around town in doing odd jobs in the week like the post office or supermarket. Should I be considering anything else? 997.2 preferably a GTS.

I would go for a 997.2 C2S manual - should leave you a decent amount of money for running costs (or your next car). I think the 997.2 is one of the best modern(ish) drivers cars. Do not think you will lose a material amount of money on one of those if you decide you want a 991 or a Turbo later on.

If you can stretch then a 991.1 GTS is my recommendation. Cracking engine.

Hi I bought a 991.2 a couple of weeks ago , private sale as well . All I can say is wow the turbo engine is really something else compared to the normally aspirated engine, for general use it’s fast in all situations. Plus the screen with Apple car play is a real bonus.

In a similar position myself, around £60-70k to spend on my first Porsche, ofcourse a 911 is the first thought. I prefer 991.2 just for the facelifted looks, however the engine is different, changing from 3.8 N/A to 3.0 Turbo. £65k gets you a good 991.2 Carrera S, Ashgood Porsche have just posted a £70k 991.2 Carrera T if that's of interest. I also looked at 996 Turbos, with the X50 power kit, I prefer the 996 look over the 997 personally. For me though, I think a Cayman GT4 is a better value for money option at £65k and this is the direction I've headed towards.

m88ony said: If you can stretch then a 991.1 GTS is my recommendation. Cracking engine. Agree with this.. if you go for a 991.1 then the GTS is a big step up from the 991.1 S in terms of driver engagement which it sounds like you will want if it’s a weekend only car You won’t get a manual with your budget but PDK cars come up around £68k if you can stretch to that It will also hold its value better than the equivalent S

Its probably worth keeping your eye out on collecting cars as they seem to regularly sell 991's and the prices seem a fair bit lower, although I would be having a very careful look as some of the cars can be a bit questionable

If it’s for a weekend car, for me a really good, well maintained, lowish miles 997 C2S would be the choice, in manual form.. Or, as someone above said, the Ashgoods 991 T would be very, very tempting. https://www.ashgood.co.uk/vehicle-details/used-por... Decent guys to talk to and deal with as well. slightbudgetcreep

The post office and supermarket aren’t really what the 911 is for. Personally for me I would probably go as late a 997 as you can get or even a 996 GT3 (just) avoid the bloatware and then go drive the thing,

It makes sense to buy the newest car you can get for the money. For me my 60k (ish) would be a base 991.2 from OPC. These models don’t have the attraction for the image conscious and that makes them a brilliant bargain. You won’t find the car lacking in speed or driving dynamics and comes with the 2 year warranty ( sometimes more if the previous owner sold before warranty was up ) . Any porsche can throw expensive bills so the 2 year easily renewable warranty gives peace of mind. Make sure the brakes/tyres are good and you can probably have the first two years driving for just the purchase cost. Good luck with your choice.

mostlymauiwaui said: ….and a car for me to drive around town in doing odd jobs in the week like the post office or supermarket. Should I be considering anything else? Hold on, am I missing something here, is a 911 the right car for this kind of ‘driving’?

Louis Balfour said: 997.2 preferably a GTS. These are very expensive still. Been a while since I looked, but the only one on AT was up at something like £85k not so long back.

rawenghey said: Louis Balfour said: 997.2 preferably a GTS. These are very expensive still. Been a while since I looked, but the only one on AT was up at something like £85k not so long back. My old one recently changed hands for under £50k. It was no garage queen but an exceptionally good car.

I have a manual 991.1 C2S cabriolet with sports exhaust and use it as a daily driver. Rear seat space is important to me and that excluded the 997 from the start. I was driving a turboed B58 engined BMW, which was great, but fancied NA whilst I had the chance so avoided the lower spec 991.2 available at my budget. I would like the Apple CarPlay but that will be developed by Porsche at some stage or aftermarket is available. As stated on here, the models feel different so have a drive in some to see what you like.

Louis Balfour said: My old one recently changed hands for under £50k. It was no garage queen but an exceptionally good car. Oh, wow, I didn't realise. If I wanted a great engine a GTS in either 997.2 or 991.1 form would be wonderful. OP needs to try the 3.0 turbos though as that shove can be just as intoxicating as the noise of the NAs. Horses for courses, but as always with the 911 range, there's something for everyone

Mankers said: mostlymauiwaui said: ….and a car for me to drive around town in doing odd jobs in the week like the post office or supermarket. Should I be considering anything else? Hold on, am I missing something here, is a 911 the right car for this kind of ‘driving’? Judging by the hundreds of 911s out there being driven daily, yes it is.

Zarco said: Mankers said: mostlymauiwaui said: ….and a car for me to drive around town in doing odd jobs in the week like the post office or supermarket. Should I be considering anything else? Hold on, am I missing something here, is a 911 the right car for this kind of ‘driving’? Judging by the hundreds of 911s out there being driven daily, yes it is. It depends how quickly you want to become bored. The 991 nearly finished my love of Porsches, because it was just too easy to drive on all occasions. You could pootle about in it and it felt like any German saloon. So I did pootle about in it, down to the shops etc. Fortunately I had the good sense to sell it and buy a 997 before it was too late. If I were ever to buy a new Porsche again, it would not be a cooking 911. For me, they stopped being special after 997.

If it were me and my ££, I'd go either 997.2 or 991.2 The early 1st gen Porsche electric steering really is a let-down in the 991.1 Carreras if you care about that kind of thing.

Louis Balfour said: Zarco said: Mankers said: mostlymauiwaui said: ….and a car for me to drive around town in doing odd jobs in the week like the post office or supermarket. Should I be considering anything else? Hold on, am I missing something here, is a 911 the right car for this kind of ‘driving’? Judging by the hundreds of 911s out there being driven daily, yes it is. It depends how quickly you want to become bored. The 991 nearly finished my love of Porsches, because it was just too easy to drive on all occasions. You could pootle about in it and it felt like any German saloon. So I did pootle about in it, down to the shops etc. Fortunately I had the good sense to sell it and buy a 997 before it was too late. If I were ever to buy a new Porsche again, it would not be a cooking 911. For me, they stopped being special after 997. I get what you mean. I just popped out in 996 Turbo after driving my shed Audi TT all week (a fun driver's car even if most people think it's naff), and by the time I turned out of my road into the next road (both very slow suburban roads unless you're a d head), I was reminded how special a slightly older Porsche was. It felt pretty visceral and not at all boring... and I hadn't even gone above 15mph at that point. Or maybe my particular car is broken? I'm thinking about my next fun car, and although I've been eying up a "pre-LP" Gallardo, for a similar price I could get a 996 GT3...

When considering an S, I never understood why people prefer 4 wheel drive. They cost more, are heavier and to a certain extent compromise handling. Maybe if you want to push the car in heavy rain or snow and need it as a daily driver…. Everyone to their own I suppose.

Hoofy said: Louis Balfour said: Zarco said: Mankers said: mostlymauiwaui said: ….and a car for me to drive around town in doing odd jobs in the week like the post office or supermarket. Should I be considering anything else? Hold on, am I missing something here, is a 911 the right car for this kind of ‘driving’? Judging by the hundreds of 911s out there being driven daily, yes it is. It depends how quickly you want to become bored. The 991 nearly finished my love of Porsches, because it was just too easy to drive on all occasions. You could pootle about in it and it felt like any German saloon. So I did pootle about in it, down to the shops etc. Fortunately I had the good sense to sell it and buy a 997 before it was too late. If I were ever to buy a new Porsche again, it would not be a cooking 911. For me, they stopped being special after 997. I get what you mean. I just popped out in 996 Turbo after driving my shed Audi TT all week (a fun driver's car even if most people think it's naff), and by the time I turned out of my road into the next road (both very slow suburban roads unless you're a d head), I was reminded how special a slightly older Porsche was. It felt pretty visceral and not at all boring... and I hadn't even gone above 15mph at that point. Or maybe my particular car is broken? I'm thinking about my next fun car, and although I've been eying up a "pre-LP" Gallardo, for a similar price I could get a 996 GT3... Great points. It's a interesting conundrum. When does a cool/fun car that you can be used daily become too sensible/boring and spoil the fun? If you need to limit the use so you don't get bored, maybe you should buy something more focused/compromised.

Paulwil said: When considering an S, I never understood why people prefer 4 wheel drive. They cost more, are heavier and to a certain extent compromise handling. Maybe if you want to push the car in heavy rain or snow and need it as a daily driver…. Everyone to their own I suppose. I wouldn't want to 'push' any car in heavy rain or snow...

Paulwil said: When considering an S, I never understood why people prefer 4 wheel drive. They cost more, are heavier and to a certain extent compromise handling. Maybe if you want to push the car in heavy rain or snow and need it as a daily driver…. Everyone to their own I suppose. I've always thought it was for the wide body looks mainly. I get it but would prefer a C2 for the same reasons as you.

This looks like a really good, non S 997, but with PASM (20mm lower) and PSE. This makes it look like an S. https://www.pistonheads.com/buy/listing/15318081 The 3.6 is a sweet engine and in the real world, you will not notice the difference. PDK, but looked after and from a very good, reputable independent.

Zarco said: Hoofy said: Louis Balfour said: Zarco said: Mankers said: mostlymauiwaui said: ….and a car for me to drive around town in doing odd jobs in the week like the post office or supermarket. Should I be considering anything else? Hold on, am I missing something here, is a 911 the right car for this kind of ‘driving’? Judging by the hundreds of 911s out there being driven daily, yes it is. It depends how quickly you want to become bored. The 991 nearly finished my love of Porsches, because it was just too easy to drive on all occasions. You could pootle about in it and it felt like any German saloon. So I did pootle about in it, down to the shops etc. Fortunately I had the good sense to sell it and buy a 997 before it was too late. If I were ever to buy a new Porsche again, it would not be a cooking 911. For me, they stopped being special after 997. I get what you mean. I just popped out in 996 Turbo after driving my shed Audi TT all week (a fun driver's car even if most people think it's naff), and by the time I turned out of my road into the next road (both very slow suburban roads unless you're a d head), I was reminded how special a slightly older Porsche was. It felt pretty visceral and not at all boring... and I hadn't even gone above 15mph at that point. Or maybe my particular car is broken? I'm thinking about my next fun car, and although I've been eying up a "pre-LP" Gallardo, for a similar price I could get a 996 GT3... Great points. It's a interesting conundrum. When does a cool/fun car that you can be used daily become too sensible/boring and spoil the fun? If you need to limit the use so you don't get bored, maybe you should buy something more focused/compromised. Indeed. I did use to commute in my 650bhp R32 Skyline drag car. That was annoying to drive and I couldn't be arsed now - heavy triple plate clutch, big single turbo (all or nothing, kicked in about 5000rpm!). To drive in stop-start traffic, you engage the clutch a little to get it rolling then put it back into neutral. After 8 months of commuting with it, I sold it because it was too much for London traffic. And after that, the size of my left leg shrunk back to normal.

i'd go for a 997 turbo every time in your position, i've always found the normal carrera / s to not actually feel that fast

Lot's of comments with very useful insight so thank you all very much for jumping in with your thoughts. There have been a few additional suggestions; 991.1 GTS = Lovely, but I think it's going to be above budget of 65k. I'm seeing good condition listings for around £74k. It might be worth considering still however in terms of finance with depreciation factored in so I will get a speculative quote for one. 991.2 = As mentioned, the Macan S we have as a family car has a 2.9L Turbo engine, so I would prefer if possible to keep it N/A. 991 T = I don't know much about these at all, will look closer at them... 997 Turbo = still very much on the cards What are people's experiences like with being able to test drive these cars at dealers? Is there any particular etiquette? I obviously would love to test the difference between a 997 and a 991.1. Paulwil said: When considering an S, I never understood why people prefer 4 wheel drive. They cost more, are heavier and to a certain extent compromise handling. Maybe if you want to push the car in heavy rain or snow and need it as a daily driver…. Everyone to their own I suppose. To be honest, it's mainly for the light bar at the back. I'm in love with it. happy fish said: Hi I bought a 991.2 a couple of weeks ago , private sale as well . All I can say is wow the turbo engine is really something else compared to the normally aspirated engine, for general use it’s fast in all situations. Plus the screen with Apple car play is a real bonus. Well we already have a 2.9L turbo in the macan S so was hoping to keep it N/A, but the facelift and overall modernisation improvements do appeal... Percy. said: For me though, I think a Cayman GT4 is a better value for money option at £65k and this is the direction I've headed towards. Interestingly, I've heard this from someone else and it's a serious consideration, however, It's not just about the drive for me, I do prefer the overall look of a 911 over a Cayman. MrVert said: Or, as someone above said, the Ashgoods 991 T would be very, very tempting. Ashgoods have popped up in this thread at least 3-4 times, thanks for the recommendation, I'll reach out to them in due course I think! Polome said: Good luck with your choice. Thanks for the tips! speedster986 said: I have a manual 991.1 C2S cabriolet with sports exhaust and use it as a daily driver. Rear seat space is important to me and that excluded the 997 from the start. I was driving a turboed B58 engined BMW, which was great, but fancied NA whilst I had the chance so avoided the lower spec 991.2 available at my budget. I would like the Apple CarPlay but that will be developed by Porsche at some stage or aftermarket is available. As stated on here, the models feel different so have a drive in some to see what you like. Sounds exactly like my current train of thought. I've never driven an NA car before, and the Macan S has a 2.9L Turbo. I know it's an entirely different car and drive but still... What has your experience been like so far with the 991.1? Louis Balfour said: It depends how quickly you want to become bored. The 991 nearly finished my love of Porsches, because it was just too easy to drive on all occasions. You could pootle about in it and it felt like any German saloon. So I did pootle about in it, down to the shops etc. Fortunately I had the good sense to sell it and buy a 997 before it was too late. If I were ever to buy a new Porsche again, it would not be a cooking 911. For me, they stopped being special after 997. Well I drive a 2020 Mercedes E350 Coupe at the moment if you want to talk about boring cars to pootle about in 😅 So I take it you recommend a 997 then? n12maser said: The early 1st gen Porsche electric steering really is a let-down in the 991.1 Carreras if you care about that kind of thing. Is this because of the switch to electric steering? I don't think I've ever experienced hydraulic steering before so im not sure I could appreciate the difference. MrVert said: This looks like a really good, non S 997, but with PASM (20mm lower) and PSE. This makes it look like an S. https://www.pistonheads.com/buy/listing/15318081 I've got this link bookmarked! It would be nice to keep as much in my pocket as possible. WCZ said: i'd go for a 997 turbo every time in your position, i've always found the normal carrera / s to not actually feel that fast It's high up on my list! I think the next step is to test drive both.

m88ony said: If you can stretch then a 991.1 GTS is my recommendation. Cracking engine. That's a big stretch ;-) Edit after looking around it's actually not as bad as I thought but it is budget creep. However depreciation could create some balance, so will explore further, thanks for the suggestion! Edited by mostlymauiwaui on Wednesday 9th August 16:55

find another 15k and get a 997.1 gt3. if you dont, youll wish you did for the sake of 15k

Cayman GTS 4.0!

cslwannabe said: Cayman GTS 4.0! IMO this is the best value 718 4.0 litre and with second hand values approaching £60k what’s not to like! I have always maintained most 718 Gt4 never see a track better off with the 90% car Gts for road use! For a few k for some nice coil overs could even be better than a non track Gt4 perhaps Gt4 touring!

Given how overpriced the new and used car market is (£50k for a hot hatch!) the 4.0 GTS is a relative bargain imo. I should be keeping such thoughts to myself!

Paulwil said: When considering an S, I never understood why people prefer 4 wheel drive. They cost more, are heavier and to a certain extent compromise handling. Maybe if you want to push the car in heavy rain or snow and need it as a daily driver…. Everyone to their own I suppose. I think this is a very good point. The 4 wheel-drive versions are definitely compromised compared to their two-wheel-drive siblings imo.

I have found the 991.1 to be exactly what I wanted. Brilliant noise (with and without the sports exhaust). The steering feel maybe a little ‘numb’ but that is compared to other Porsches rather than every car. Certainly it is not as raw as the 996 Turbo S I had use of. As a daily it’s relatively modern tech and with the need of usable rear seats it makes sense. Porsche certainly think so - the new S/T is NA, manual and RWD. I would have loved a GTS but couldn’t justify the extras. My budget six months ago was the same as yours.

There’s a nice 991 t at Ashgoods for £65k. I had a 997.2 C4S for a weekend car and never quite felt special enough so bought a 981 Spyder. The 997 also felt a little old so if I was looking again I’d go 991… but for a weekend car I’d want something slightly more special than a regular Carrera or S.

If you like yellow this is a great spec C2S 991.1 Powerkit/PCCB/PDCC/PSE https://911virgin.com/listings/991-1-c2s-pdk-facto...

Wills2 said: If you like yellow this is a great spec C2S 991.1 Powerkit/PCCB/PDCC/PSE https://911virgin.com/listings/991-1-c2s-pdk-facto... Oh I didn't realise you could get the GTS powerkit on an S model. What an odd option for Porsche to have. Would that not make the GTS redundant? Either way, good shout, looks lovely - I do like brightly coloured cars though.

rawenghey said: Wills2 said: If you like yellow this is a great spec C2S 991.1 Powerkit/PCCB/PDCC/PSE https://911virgin.com/listings/991-1-c2s-pdk-facto... Oh I didn't realise you could get the GTS powerkit on an S model. What an odd option for Porsche to have. Would that not make the GTS redundant? Either way, good shout, looks lovely - I do like brightly coloured cars though. The powerkit has been an option for a long time goes back quite a few models IIRC at least to the 996 on the n/a cars longer on the turbo ones, the GTS was a model created by putting a few options together, that C2S is a GTS in all but name really.

I switched from a 981 GT4 to a manual 997.1 Turbo last year and I'm really enjoying the 997. It is used as a weekend and occasional use car. They are two great cars but are really chalk and cheese. As an event, the GT4 takes the win. The bucket seats and 'racecar' feel really made it feel special. The auto blip and corner speed make you feel like a complete hero when driving it. It's a very fun car to own and drive, let down slightly by the long gearing. The 997 Turbo is just a beast. If I haven't driven it for a couple of weeks, it still makes me swear out loud when I floor it for the first time. The sheer grunt of the thing is very addictive. The back seats add a level of practicality missing from the Cayman. I sometimes use it for the school run and it will take plenty of shopping/bag/boxes with the seats folded. Whilst it's not the purest 911 experience, the steering feels far more natural than the GT4 electric system, in spite of the 4 wheel drive. I don't think you can go wrong with a well sorted, manual 997 Turbo. They are getting old now and can throw up big bills, but then so can any regular 911. But if it's NA you want, you should probably try to test drive a 996 GT3 or stretch the budget and look at a 997 GT3. Values of those aren't going anywhere and the Mezger engines are very reliable.

Billy_Whizzzz said: There’s a nice 991 t at Ashgoods for £65k. I had a 997.2 C4S for a weekend car and never quite felt special enough so bought a 981 Spyder. The 997 also felt a little old so if I was looking again I’d go 991… but for a weekend car I’d want something slightly more special than a regular Carrera or S. imo the t is not special enough for a weekend car

The biggest issue im facing now is finding a lender that will provide a APR% finance package sub 10%. The lowest ive found so far is 10.9%. Mostly related to the age of the car. I'm being told it has to be at least 5 years old to get a better rate, which kind of forces me into the realms of a 991.2. Does anyone have any recommendations on providers or brokers who might be able to help?

mostlymauiwaui said: The biggest issue im facing now is finding a lender that will provide a APR% finance package sub 10%. The lowest ive found so far is 10.9%. Mostly related to the age of the car. I'm being told it has to be at least 5 years old to get a better rate, which kind of forces me into the realms of a 991.2. Does anyone have any recommendations on providers or brokers who might be able to help? At least five years old for a better rate? Or less than? Tried Cambridge and Counties Bank or Aldermore? No experience, but I believe both do older cars.

Re money, interest rates are through the roof and cheap loans are no more (for the time being at least). If you want the 911 experience with the aim of borrowing less (or nothing), I'd aim for an older Turbo. I'm very happy with my 996 Turbo (and prefer the interior and exterior styling to other 911s). The only thing I feel it could do with is a better (louder) exhaust system but I'm in two minds due to me getting on with my neighbours. It's got a driving experience that I love every time I jump in, even to top up the battery for 20 minutes along a straight dual carriageway with moderate traffic! Edited by Hoofy on Friday 11th August 09:31

This combination works for me. Although the Macan has more power, the 996 turbo still impresses me everytime I drive it.

simonsti said: This combination works for me. Although the Macan has more power, the 996 turbo still impresses me everytime I drive it. Is that a Manta in the garage? Always had a soft spot for them.

BubblesNW said: Is that a Manta in the garage? Always had a soft spot for them. Yes it is.

This one looked quite nice to me, not too old. £66k + fees and delivery, 43,000 miles. PORSCHE 911 3 CARRERA 4 S (991) PDK Convertible 43,845 mi Warranted 2 Grade 2 2016 (16 reg) SILVER PDK 2 doors Service History This one looked even more up my street.£45K? I might just go for a manual gearbox for a second hand one with no warranty. PORSCHE 911 3.4 CARRERA 4 (991) PDK Coupe 70,108 mi 1 Owner PDK Service History

politeperson said: This one looked quite nice to me, not too old. £66k + fees and delivery, 43,000 miles. PORSCHE 911 3 CARRERA 4 S (991) PDK Convertible 43,845 mi Warranted 2 Grade 2 2016 (16 reg) SILVER PDK 2 doors Service History Not sure I'd want a convertible 911, but what does the Grade 2 refer to?

simonsti said: This combination works for me. Although the Macan has more power, the 996 turbo still impresses me everytime I drive it. What Macan has > 400BHP? Hoping to do the same BTW - my daily is a 996 turbo, looking at a 2017 Macan GTS for the family hack!

991.1 C2S, manual. And know you have bought the last 911 with a manual box, rear wheel drive, naturally aspirated and four seats so you can actually enjoy it as a (young) family. If you get a bodykit on it, know you have a future classic on your hands.

Is the steering on a 991.1 as bad as some of the reviews suggest, or is just poor compared to what came before and after?

JackReacher said: Is the steering on a 991.1 as bad as some of the reviews suggest, or is just poor compared to what came before and after? I can tell you that the steering on the 991.2 is good after 30K miles experience. Having test driven the 991.1, I don’t recall there being much in it, but then I didn’t get that much road variety. When something changes there is always a huge focus on it. Hydraulic v EPAS is only the mechanism of assistance, rather then all the other factors involved. Maybe some people palpate when the belt takes hold, but it doesn’t mean that there’s more feel from the road. Owners who’ve gone from 997 to 991.1 will know.

Grantstown said: JackReacher said: Is the steering on a 991.1 as bad as some of the reviews suggest, or is just poor compared to what came before and after? I can tell you that the steering on the 991.2 is good after 30K miles experience. Having test driven the 991.1, I don’t recall there being much in it, but then I didn’t get that much road variety. When something changes there is always a huge focus on it. Hydraulic v EPAS is only the mechanism of assistance, rather then all the other factors involved. Maybe some people palpate when the belt takes hold, but it doesn’t mean that there’s more feel from the road. Owners who’ve gone from 997 to 991.1 will know. I went 997.1>991.1>997.2 The 991 steering was numb. I drove lots of 991s and they were all numb, My PDCC 991 was super numb - zero feedback at times. The PDCC 991 could be terrifying because it had zero feel and an anomaly with the PDCC made the car feel like it was oversteering at high speed on long, sweeping bends.

definite vote for a 991.1 c4s... had mine and it's one of the best cars I've owned, currently selling but only to scratch a GT itch!!

Zarco said: Paulwil said: When considering an S, I never understood why people prefer 4 wheel drive. They cost more, are heavier and to a certain extent compromise handling. Maybe if you want to push the car in heavy rain or snow and need it as a daily driver…. Everyone to their own I suppose. I've always thought it was for the wide body looks mainly. I get it but would prefer a C2 for the same reasons as you. 997T here. Personally, once I'd decided a 911 shape ticked the boxes for the car I wanted, I also then ruled out RWD as I'm unnerved by the bobbing nose of RWD 911s. It suggests the front isn't reliable...or the back end is waaaay too weighty. Which it is, albeit with mighty engineering to control it. 4WD makes it more or less equally reliable front and rear. I've owned enough RWD/front engined cars to prefer that handling when it comes to liveliness and throttle response. But with the 997T there is something to be said for very deep pockets of ability and go-kart handling.

Great news!

Little update; I've decided to go for a 2018 991.2 GTS for financing reasons, its almost working out cheaper with the APR% factored in on the older 991.1's. Hopefully will have it all sorted by end of next week and collecting! Anything I need to be looking for in particular with this model when doing a pre-collection check? Edited by mostlymauiwaui on Thursday 17th August 22:57

nebpor said: What Macan has > 400BHP? Hoping to do the same BTW - my daily is a 996 turbo, looking at a 2017 Macan GTS for the family hack! 2023 Macan GTS has 440BHP, my 2004 996 turbo has 414BHP.

simonsti said: 2023 Macan GTS has 440BHP, my 2004 996 turbo has 414BHP. Wow - didn't realise the new GTS was that powerful - cheers! Aiming now at a Macan Turbo I think (2017ish) as it seems to be a bit softer than the GTS and it's for family/wife duty