997 Carrera S vs. 996?

Has anyone driven the Carrera S? I have driven the standard 997 and I was not impressed, it actually felt less involving behind the wheel than my 996. I have never driven the Carrera S however. Is this a large upgrade? I am very happy with my 996 but I always want more power!!!! IS it a significant increase in the Carrera S or is a Turbo needed to make much of a difference?

The S is nice, I dont think its worth switching over, The power difference was there but I am not sure how much faster it was. This is why the Turbo is the only option for me.

I am starting to think the same thing about needing a 911 turbo. I had a 944 Turbo S before the 996 and I am starting to miss that BOOST. I am not sure which was faster by the clock(my 944 turbo had some mods) but feel of the pants the turbo s was quicker and I MISS IT!!!!!

im considering 05 997s cab or 03 996 cab...big diff in money..are you guys wishing your 996 had more power? 996 just doesnt seem like that much of an upgrade from my box s...opinions?

Did you test drive your box s back to back with the 996?

i drive the box every day...996 felt quicker - but not by far..and interior is exact same less the back seat - which really isnt usable

Rob, don't kid yourself. I had a Boxster S. I now have a 996 cab. Big difference. The way the engine transmits power to the road is significantly better. Not only do you notice the difference in power, but also in how the car plants itself. Go with your gut, but if you're on a budget, you will be MORE THAN pleased with the 996.

do you really think? you dont wish for anoher 1/2 second in acceleration? be honest

It's not the speed, per se. It's the way the power is laid out. I drove a Boxster S for 5 years and know the car in and out. It's a wonderful car. Great handling. Fun. A blast in the sun on a day at the beach. BUT, the 911 really does feel spectacularly different. The steering feels heavier and more reliable on the road. The engine doesn't need to rev at all to get you moving, unlike the Boxster. It's a 'feel' thing more than anything else. Anyway, not to hijack the 996 vs. 997S thread. As for that discussion, it would only come down to budget for me. Your talking 10s of thousands of dollars apart in cost. Is it worth it? Is that what your asking? Only you can know by driving them both and seeing what you think you are getting. But, if you go used, i'd really recommend CPO. Ask Bob. He'll surely agree with this line of thinking from now on.

i just bid 87500 for an of 911 s cab with 5k miles.....seems like a good deal for seller and buyer??? thoughts?

If I had the budget, I'd go with a 997S over 996 or 997. The power and sound are pretty amazing. I think you may want to consider 996TT since you like the boost. 996TT will also be easier to mod for more power. It's simply the best value 996TT in performance and looks. Reliability of 997S wins though. 997S feels more nimble due to less weight. 997S has also won over many GT3 owners as a daily driver. That should give you an idea on the performance level. I don't think any GT3 owner will be impressed with a 996 or 997. So, the difference is there.

I have been debating the same thing. Put $15,000-$20,000 into the 2002 996 in performance and exterior mods or: -Buy a 1 year old 997S and avoid the first year depreciation. Of course you will just start modding this one too. Credit cards no longer at zero. -Get a couple year old turbo-all the power and looks you want but depending on where you live can you really use the power difference? In So Cal, no very often. - Get a new 997S just the way I want it-option it exactly as you want (X-51 anyone?) and be completely happy, for a while. Just as you get your loan down, crank it back up with a purchase of a new or newer "better" car. lol You only live once, so if you can afford it, get what you want regardless of common sense. Now the question is what do you want?

Agree with Kilgrt, not a significant jump up,wait and get a 997TT. I was all set to trade mine in a few months ago, but they wanted to f me on the trade in big time , so I will wait a yr or so, who knows it's gonna take alot to top my current car, that doesn't cost me a dime!

Judas priest, how much faster do we need to go? A TT on regular roads is overkill, a 996 will get you thrown in prison so fast your head would spin. A well optioned 996 is a far better proposition than a new or 1yr old 997, no doubt.

I thought the S denoted that it came with the x51-

Well Said

interesting because most people I included note that the boxter's steering feel is actually heavier. I have mimiced the feel by increasing the front swaybar stiffness.

S denotes 3.8L engine, standard PASM, and other options standard, among other stuff. X-51 is available for 3.8L cars, but is said to be "back-ordered" (for lack of a better term).

Ah yes, I forgot that the displacement was different. Thanks- What is the output with the x51?

381hp/306 lb-ft. May be something on PCNA or PCA websites about the Club Coupe, which is X-51. Also, articles in Excellence and Panorama about the Club Coupe.

I think it was 26 extra horsepower and 11 extra lbs-ft of torque vs. the 997S. Excellence Magazine had a very detailed argument on the Club Sport (997S with x51) vs. the regular 997S. Frankly, it seemed like they 'tried' to like it more but really couldn't come up wtih a lot of reasons shy of wanting to have more horsepower that was 'very very nearly somewhat' detectable. Here's the link so you can read it in detail: http://www.excellence-mag.com/art1/art1p1.html

Damn Kevin, you beat me to it.

[Image-only post; no author-written text. Original image references:] https://rennlist.com/forums/graemlins/evilgrin.gif

I'd go with a 996 TT, probably pick one up cheaper then a 997S.