Narrowed it down to two: 02 911 coupe or 02 911 C4S

This is a follow up post to my one below. Now narrowed it down to two cars. Both have desirable colors and options I want. Car # 1. 02 911 Coupe rear wheel drive with 7k miles, existing factory warranty for one more year, than CPO for an additional two years. Total of three years under warranty. Still negotiating but final price should be about $50-51k Pros: 3 yrs of warranty (worry free driving), would not need tires, brakes or clutch anytime soon. Cons: Not a C4S Car # 2. 02 911 C4S, 48k miles, will need rear tires, no warranty, probably would have to take my chances and go without a warranty, warranty direct is almost $5k. Price $51k firm. Pros: Always loved the look of the C4S, my dream car. Cons: Needs rear tires, no warranty, I assume it will need brakes and a clutch before car #1 does. I would be very happy with either car. The car would only be used as a second car. I would plan to keep it for about 2yrs and put a total of 20k miles on the car and then trade up to a 997 or maybe a 996 turbo or GT3. I would love the looks and the better handling of the C4S but I would be concered with not having a warranty. Spending another 5k on a warranty would put this car over my budget. I believe the C4S would have a better resale value but I'm not sure if this one would because when I sell it two years from now it will probably have close to 70k miles. I also don't need all wheel drive, I already have a 2005 Audi S4 as a daily driver, but handling is very important to meet. If the C4S handles better on the road/track that would be a big plus for me. I would plan to do about 2 or 3 De's or autox per year. Please let me know your opionions. thanks Glenn

Just read Road & Track and they had the RS4 and the 911 C4S head to head I would get the CPO car. Why deal with the thought of having to fix something out of pocket. C4S very nice car but if you had to fix a major part that would really put you over budget. It might even need a Clutch or at least before you sell it. The cost of ownership would be thousands less with the CPO. Just my thoughts and good luck..

car number one only have 2 year CPO warranty. Existing warranty is expired.

Car #1 has what 41k fewer miles and warranty for the same price. No brainer man. Car #1. I know in NJ there is a very valid reason for C4, but there is a big disaparity in what you're getting for the same money. I would definitely go with #1.

great advice... keep them coming

Don't count the CPO warranty quite so highly. It doesn't cover nearly as much as the original factory warranty. Check the paperwork to see what is not covered.

Also a 4 year old car with only 7k miles is not necessarily a good thing.

Read the fine print before you decide on a warranty. CPO is NOT a bumper to bumper warranty like the original factory warranty. It only covers major components. For $5K, Warranty Direct is probably like bumper to bumper coverage, right? Also, CPO is only 2 years or 100K miles. 3rd party warranties you can pick and choose the time and miles, up to about 4 years 100K miles. CPO costs the dealer about $2K.

I would immediately say car #1. 7K is really low miles on an 02'. Unless you need to drive in snow, there is no point in getting the 4WD. Beyond this, the only advantage to the C4S is the Turbo styling. With the 4WD drive system in the 996 the rear tires do all the work until they slip. This means about 99% of the time the car is just running RWD. The really downside to the C4S is that it is 276 lbs heavier than a 2WD Carrera and hence slower in both acceleration and top speed. If you are looking for best performance then you go with a Carrera, Turbo styling go C4S. Keep in mind that this is why the best performing 911's (GT2 and GT3) are only 2WD. On the warranty, are you sure the Carrera has a year left on the warranty? I have one of the last 02's built. My car was sold in August of 02' when the 03's were coming out. If there is still a year on the basic warranty, then that car could not have been sold and registered to the first owner until the summer of 03'. This means the car sat on a dealers lot for a year before it sold. This is not very likely unless it was an unusual color combination that was custom ordered or loaded up with equipment that drove up the price. Getting it on a CPO would definitely take care of any issues.

I do not think it is that unusual for a car to sit on the dealer lot for that long in New Jersey. In fact I bought one of the very last new 996's. I bought a 2004 black on black in December of 2005 brand new with 24 miles on the clock when delivered to me. There was also an atlas grey 2004 brand new at the same time. They were both at Schneider Nelson Porsche in NJ. So there is a very real possibility that the car could have sold as a new car in 03 or later. It just depends. Riad does have a point that 7k miles for an 02 might not be a good thing, but if I am hedging my bet on a used car I would take the one with less use on it working on the assumption that I can get a lot more out of it. Assuming the useful life is 100k miles with car number one I have 93% of use left in the car with some warranty. With car number 2 I have jsut barely over 50% left with no warranty. I say easily go with #1, but I think every person is a bit different on that, and there are certainly valid reasons for car #2.

It's a 2nd car? Go with the Dream Car. .02 cents from a total stranger.

#1 wll need new rear tires in 3-4k miles!

"On the warranty, are you sure the Carrera has a year left on the warranty?" It turns out it does not have any original warranty left. I had looked at the carfax and looking quickly it looked like original service date was 7/03 but it was actually 7/02, so bumper to bumper warranty just expired. but it will still have the CPO for two more years.

I think the rear tires of car #1 are new. I looked at the pictures and they look new to me. I will verify them in person.

do you have access to the full service history of these cars? Higher mileage means nothing on a well maintained Porsche. Brake pads are a pretty straight forward DIY. Rear tires, well that's part of the yearly cost of enjoying this type of car. While the C4S is heavier than the C2, it has more than just AWD going for it: turbo chassis- brakes and suspension, full leather interior, full power seats with memory, wide body with meater rear tires (295mm). Any RMS repairs on either of those? Usually the clutch gets done at the same time if it's about due. I've also seen people fry their clutches within 2K because they didn't know how to drive a manual properly. I'd be a little leary of a 4 year old car with only 7K on it. Why didn't the previous owner drive the thing? Did he even know how? Do a search and you'll see that these cars don't like to sit unused; that's when you start to see seal failures. How many previous owners on each of these?

I'd also be leery of Car#1... if you have your heart set on the C4s... go for it...

Only 7K miles in 4 years for car #1? That car could have a lot more problems as you add miles on it. Car #2: 48K miles in 4 years should have brought up all the major (engine, transmission) issues in the stock equipment. If the service records for #2 are clean, I'd go for it any day. Plus you'll be driving what you really wanted.

#1 sure looks clean. I don't like the argument that 7K isn't enough miles for an '02. Your warranty coverage totally negates that. You have a year's worth of visits to the rev limiter to bring the mileage up to where it should be. Then CPO kicks in for 2 more. Is it your 1st 911? If so check out the rwd, rear engine experience first. If you go to turbo in the future, you'll have your awd experience then. Or you may become a rwd "purist" and move to GT3. Gee you're in a tough position Have a ball making this decision.

Your dream car is your dream car. The C2 might be the better choice, but the C4S isn't a bad choice by any means. Why settle? This is not to imply that I think the C4S is the better car, but it is your dream, and no one else's.

Get the one you want. If the C4S is you dream car just get that one.

The C4S has already taken the larger depreciation hit, and if you really want to move up in 2 years, you will be much better off. You will be able to sell the C4S easier. I have an 02 C2. Trade in on an 02 now(with average miles) is probably 35-37K. 51K is top dollar, in two years there will be no CPO warranty left, and you will be looking at a car worth 30K. The added mileage on the C4S will be relatively less percent, and that combined with the fact that it is generally a more desirable car, will keep its value relatively higher.

Except in the case of resale. If he is looking at putting a lot of miles on a car he would be better off with car #1. If he isn't going to drive as much, #2 should be fine.

The C4S should still hold it's value a bit better than a C2.

Easy decision..buy the one with the biggest butt.

Not sure about the pricing of either of these cars. But if you really want a C4S (sweet car) and you're concerned about the mileage on this one, I'm sure you can find one less "experienced" if you are patient - there has got to be a few in your area.

But a less experienced C4S will fetch a lot more $$ and I think he has a budget of 50k.

If it were my choice for the same money, same model year, then I would take the C4S hands down for the following reasons. It is a C4S ! Will hold it's value better in the long run regardless of mileage. Now if you cannot sleep without a warranty and don't want to spend the extra for a 3rd party warranty for the C4S then you choice is clear. 2 cents.

I was up for the same decision about 5 months ago....In Feb, I found my '02 C4S and could not let it go. At the time, I was also looking at 3 other cars, an 03 targa, 99 aero coupe, 04 coupe. The C4S was mine the moment I saw it - the body is just so damn sexy I can't stand it. However, I must say - I got mine for the same price as the one you're looking at - but mine had 25k miles and CPO (although I do have to replace the rear tires as well...still working on that one). But like some of the latter reply-ists have been saying - if that's what you really want, you should get it. It's a super sweet car whose lines you can't deny, all while having the traction in a pinch ....mine is a second car too, but I've found myself in a surprise rainstorm too many times here in CO. I'm sure many here would disagree, but this isn't exactly a sensible car - it's about how it fires your sense of passion - if you can maximize the experience every time you drive, then enjoy that which you covet the most.

I don't think anyone would disagree that it's not a sensible car... paying $100K for any car is retarded, but it's a Porsche thing, some get it, some don't. Se la vi!

You'll get a longer life out of the C2, but you'll always want a C4S. That being said, I'd still go for car #1 - I'm not a big fan of the warranty requirement, but you're getting a virtually brand new C2 vs. a well used C4S.

I got a great 96 C4 last time around but kicked myself for not scraping together more pennies for a 4S. I love the WBs.

I made a decision..........

...and the winner is??...

Car #2, the C4S. PPi will be done next week.

Congrats, I think you'll be very happy with the c4S. I jsut dropped my car off at the shop and they had a red C4S in the used car lot. Nice looking car.

Alan C. - I noticed you changed you avatar. It looks nice!

Congrats. We picked up our '03 C4S 2 weeks ago and are loving every minute of it. It may weigh a little more, but the feel on the road is solid.

Welcome to the C4S family!

Way to go! You will not regret it.

The 996 C4S is a fantastic 911!! Let us know if you pull the trigger, take lots of pics and post them.

ppi being done this week, if everything goes well (which I'm sure it will), I will pick up the car on Friday

Great, these cars are basically unbreakable, even the RMS is a minor deal blown way out of proportion.

I'm very excited. I can't wait.

liike a kid on the night before Christmas...try getting some sleep tonight..LOL

I remember "that" feeling...............it's pretty hard to beat! Steve

good for you.. those are worth more than the price you posted..