996 v 997

I'm just wondering how different the 997 is to my 996...is it the same thing just a bit more refined in places or quite different experience? And what about the 991 - is that more GT? It certainly looks a lot bigger...

You should drive one of each for comparison. The Porsche DNA is present in all of them, and you'll feel at home in all of them. That being said, the 997 is quite a bit different than the 996 in many ways. The same is true for the 991 vs. 997. Time marches on...

Don't know so much about the 997, but the 991 is lots different! Bigger, heavier... definitely more GT. The 991S has oodles of really usable power, and it's MUCH smoother on the street - a great town sports car. But I don''t think I'd like driving it on a track - give me a well-tuned 996 for that. 997 is probably in the middle somewhere.

nothing relevant.

I love my 996 for the driving experience but it now has a 997 engine (after A CEF at 66K kilometers). So, all I can say about the 997 is that I love the engine even more - pulls stronger all through the rev range and sounds even meaner than the 996 engine.

What does "that more GT" mean to you?

I'm four days into the trade from 996 to 997 and not entirely sure I made a good trade. I got what I wanted from the 997...more power and the automatic...and yet I found my 03 996 had a much much nicer interior...add another "much" compared to my 06 997. If the 993 was the last of the air cooled 911s...the 996 is the first of the water cooled. The 997 seems like the first of the committee designed 911s. You'll have to drive each and make up your own mind.

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My best description is I had a Miata and I have a BMW 535xi. The 996 is closer to the Miata and a 991 is closer to the BMW.

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Interesting perspective. I find the interior in my 997 to be a significant improvement over my 996. I preferred the color of my 996 interior (natural brown leather as opposed to sand beige leather), but I can't really find anything else that I would say was better about the 996 interior. Don't get me wrong - I loved my 996, but I struggle to see how you wouldn't consider the 997 an improvement.

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agreed x infinity. The 996 interior has aged poorly, material quality is suspect, and the design is unusual. 997 is massively better.

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+1, I like the 996 interior better than the 997, the only thing it's missing is a glove box. I don't need cup holders or Navigation, I like the simplicity. The 991 is a great car, it's lighter than the 997 even though it's larger, the interior is the best to date. Driving isn't as raw as the 996, but it's a great highway cruiser and push the sport button to firm up the suspension and it's also a great canyon driver. I never drove one at AX or DE, so can't comment on that. But, that 400 Hp (C2S) and flat six sound is heaven...

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I too liked the simplicity of the 996 interior...AFTER I changed out the original deck to a double din head unit, did the ashtray delete, relocated the AC, exchanged the cig lighter for a USB port and added a cubby. The 997.1 interior is more updated than the 996 but can look a little busy with all the Aluma Look trim and buttons. But the 997.2...simply perfect. Hang in there Johnny. You struggled with loving your 996 for a few weeks until you started writing love sonnets about it. But alas, your heart was always with that 993. So you did the smart thing...bought a 997. You are an interesting dude.

Each individual uses different criteria when they decide which car and which interior they prefer. I certainly understand the argument for simplicity. The 996 interior may be the sweet spot for many people because it has much of the simplicity of the older Porsches with an updated design. When I look at the interior of a car, the criteria that I use judge it include: Functionality, Ergonomics, Comfort, Material Quality, Build Quality and Overall Design. In my opinion, the 996 and the 997 are fairly equal in Functionality and Ergonomics. Both interiors work very well. I find the seats to be more comfortable in the 997. I also prefer the overall design of the 997 interior and the quality of the materials and the build quality seem to be better in the 997. The 997 feels like a much more modern car, even though a small number of years separate my 2002 C4S from my 2008 TT. I think the 996 and the 997 sit somewhere between old school Porsches and new Porsches. The 996 feels a bit more like the older versions while the 997 feels a bit more like the newer ones.

The 996 interior may have a lot more soft-touch plastic than leather and even some hard plastic here and there, but it's not overrun with shi, er, switches and stuff. The 997 cabin is great if you want to feel like you have a bunch of crap to tinker with. The 996 reminds me of our old MGA roadster - straightforward. A button or lever for the obvious necessities, and not much else.* I don't have heated seats, sat nav, bluetooth, individual climate control, or any other garbage to fuss with. A typical drive involves the key, the three pedals, the wheel, and maybe the PSM button if I know I'll be going somewhere that will confuse the car. I enjoy creature comforts in my Murano - the heated steering wheel is nice on my early-onset arthritic hands, and the satellite radio is enjoyable, and sure, the electric lift gate and the electrically actuated rear seats - you can raise them back up after hauling crap from Home Depot from the dash - are nifty, but all of this stuff in a sports car seems...superfluous. I realize there are things about the 996 that preclude it from being a "pure" sports car...PSM, for example, and air conditioning, and one or two other things - but I suspect it'll be the last "simple" sports car that Porsche ever mass-produces. If you want the kind of simplicity the 996 offers, you'll have to shell out for a GT3 or a limited-edition Cayman or Boxster... I'm basing my "997 has a lot of crap" comment solely on the pictures John Ireland posted of his "new" 997. Damn, it looks busy compared to the 996. And Sport Chrono on a tip? Why? Incidentally, I don't understand the whole "996 interior is crappy compared to the 993." Has everyone who writes that criticism actually LOOKED at a 993 interior? Broad expanses of flat surfaces, switches that look like they came out of a '78's Skyhawk, and a dash that was designed around the principle of "you can use ANY geometry you like. As long as it consists solely of straight lines." Prolly just me, but I enjoy owning a 911 with an interior that does NOT go well with Cocomats.

I know what you mean. The 996 definitely has more of an old school feeling. If you compare a 996 interior to a 997 interior with similar equipment, are they really that different though? The only buttons on my 997 dash that weren't present in my 996 were: PASM, sport and rear spoiler. The 996 has a 1990s "oval" theme to the interior, while the 997 is more angular. The ignition is in the same place. The headlight switch is in the same place. The instrument cluster looks similar in both cars. Both cars have a hand brake instead of an electronic brake like the 991. The overall design is obviously different, but there really aren't that many more buttons and switches. Try it one day... you'll like it!

Dennis I think it's the center console where the entertainment system sits that adds to the perceived complexity. I do think the 997 looks more upscale in comparison. Happy with mine but would be pretty happy in a 997 as well. One thing I do like with the 996 over the 997 is the location of the window switches. I like being able to reach down, and not over, to open/close my windows. But that wouldn't keep me from owning a 997 for sure!

Yeah, that's fair. Also, I deleted the lower console, gutted the stupid DSP unit, and tucked it up under the dash, so my 996 is deliberately less busy. It's probably true that a 996 with all the audio trinkets and nav is about as busy as the 997, but the black-on-black helps cut down on (what I see as) visual clutter. Since I bought used, I'm stuck with the DSP unless I toss the factory gear - and I have no interest in pimping out the audio system in the 996. The 991's massive center stack and switch extravaganza is probably fine for a gran turismo, which I suspect is the primary role of the current incarnation of the 911.

This is the interior of my 997.2. Note...pic is from the online manual, but since there are 1,910 cars just like mine...you get the idea. Much different than the 997.1. Not as busy IMHO.

I like the 997 interior but I can't figure out the navi or the chrono wart or the radio.....but I got 2 count'em 2 cup holders!

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Aside from black trim on the dash and PCM 3.0, what's different?

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The lower console delete is a nice option and it really simplifies things.

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right? the PCM has a few less buttons (which I find useful, btw) and thats about it. I swear some people will say anything to justify their choices.

I was just curious. They look very similar to me. I definitely like the 997.2 steering wheel better, and I do think the black trim looks very nice. I was just wondering if I was missing something else that had been changed.

I've been driving a lot of 997s and 996s for the past nine months, and a few things stand out to me. First, the interior. The 996 interiors in general aren't great. Materials seem to be a bit low quality, and they don't wear very well. It's tough to find one that doesn't have scratches and scuffs on all the "soft touch" plastic panels. While the ergonimics are certainly a step or two beyond the air-cooled cars, the materials quality is lacking. One big exception is that the full leather treatment, especially in black, which can hold up to anything in 997-land. That being said, 997 interiors aren't that great either. Sitting in a 997.1, it is tough to believe that it was once a $80-$100k car. 997.2s are better, but my takeway is that you have to get into a 991 to have an interior that is up to par with "luxury" car standards. Second, the engine/powertrain. I really like the M96 3.6L engine. The 997.1 basically has the same engine, but to me it feels and sounds very different. The 997s tend to "roar" where the 996s are more raspy. I prefer the latter. Regarding the 3.8L 997 S engines, they feel a bit sluggish to me. Not in terms of power, but in terms of response. The DFI engines in the 997.2 feel similar to me. Definitely more powerful, but less immediate and less responsive. Now, the best engine I drove during this entire process (actually, the best in my entire life) was the 996 Turbo. That's an amazing powerplant. Third, the ride/handling. No surprise - these cars are very sensitive to ride height and suspension setup. In the whole time I was test driving cars, I don't think I drove a 996 with stock US suspension. a 996 with ROW M030 or Bilsteins or "other" (there are many others) is just awesome. I drove several 997s with stock US suspension and didn't love it. Not great body control, and it really makes the car look a bit off. S cars with PASM are great, but unfortunately really tough to modify, if that's your thing. Overall, in my experience, most 997s seem to be set up more comfortably than most 996s, at least the ones that I drove. I think this ties out with one of the very few criticisms people have about 997s - they are more GT than sports car. Of course, people have been saying that about 911s since 911s have existed. Fourth, the looks. The 997 is overall a better looking car (this is of course my opinion). The nose of the 996 is weak - and this is not about headlights, it's about the front bumper cover and the intakes. I may be one of the few people that prefer the looks of the 996.1 over the 996.2, but that's just the way I am. The 997 front end is much better. I think the rear of the 996 is better than the 997, but that doesn't make up for the front end. A couple of caveats: a 997 at stock US ride height is not the best looking car. A 996.1 Aero is an amazing looking car. A 996 C4S is better looking than any 996 or 997. Disclosure: 996.2 C2 owner. tldr: 996s and 997s are great cars, I love mine

No Chrono for starters. Its really all about the controls that surround the PCM. No keypad for a phone. Fewer ***** that stick out. Very subtle and more symmetrical. Of course, this is just my opinion.

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Agreed. It was easier in my Boxster, since I didn't have the stupid DSP to deal with, but I really prefer as few distractions as possible. No blinky lights, no suspension modes to dick around with. The only additional gadget currently in the car is the TPMS/temp sensor - it alternates between temp and pressure, and if one of the corners gets too hot or the PSI drops below 25, its number flashes red. I like it because it's easy to ignore but still right there all the time. Looks like I could add one or two pounds tonight to the rears... As far as looks go, my GT3-look 996.1 is a stunner. I don't say this to be protective or defensive - I was not looking for a 911 AT ALL, and then I saw "my" 996 on my car dealer's website...walked into the showroom to verify that it looked as good in person as it did online, and left them with a blank check and a "don't sell this car to anyone else, I'll be back tonight to fill out the paperwork." So yeah, maybe I'm biased...and yeah, the taco wing is the "correct" wing for a .1 - but damn, I love how this car looks.

I recently was at a car meet up and parked my 996 widebody in between a 993 and a 997. The contrast was striking. The 993 looked petite and simple compared to the 996. And my 996 looked the same compared to the 991 that the guy down the street owns. Every generation gets bigger and further away from what the car originally was. They do get faster, lighter and more advanced, but they always loose a little something in the transition I think.

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I've only got the one Ultimate Cup Holder. Passenger can opt to go without, or hold on with one hand and drink with the other.

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I went through a similar process and you about nail it. The 996 is rougher riding and more of a true sports car. The M96 engine is amazingly responsive, especially above 3500 RPMs. And I like the way my sport exhaust sounds better than any 997 I have hard. And the 996 TT is just mindblowingly powerful. I almost bought one but went for a 4S instead.

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Got it, thanks. Obviously the 997.1 can be had without Sport Chrono also. I see your point on the buttons around the PCM - the PCM 3.0 unit definitely looks less cluttered. That being said, the phone buttons are handy when you are dialing a phone number!

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Same function on PCM 3.0 via touch screen. I think we can all agree that these are minor details and the 996, 997.1 and 997.2 are great cars...and all are far superior to the 993 or 991.

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Both M96-powered cars I've owned have revved nicely, and they make good power as you wind them out, but I wouldn't mind more peak torque. My 911 seems like a decent compromise - there's acceptable torque from the dig, but an extra 50 peak lb-ft wouldn't suck. That said, it's also nice to not be shifting @ 5000-5500 RPM. The M96's rev limit may seem lowish by 2015 high-end sports car standards, but when you're used to a pushrod V8, 7,000 RPM feels absurdly high.

Maybe it is the all the fake aluminum stuff and the white faces on the dial that I really don't like. As for the quality, I have paint pealing off the ac fan and temp control switches. The interior of my 996 was definitely better quality. However my wife finds the 997 seats better while I also preferred the 996. Well I bought the car and the deal is done, but someone also commented on the sound of the engine and the 996 is purer...the sport exhaust is just silly noise. At the same time the normal ride is better in LA...and the sport setting firms it up nicely. And I do like the wide hips.

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It's a narrow body.

This? Again?

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Johnny finally admitted in the 997 Forum that he does, in fact, have a narrow body. " Well I talked to the dealer (an Indie) I bought the car from and they are performing all the deferred maintainence I mentioned earlier, gratus. They are also giving me new front tires, and per someone here, I'm keeping the 305s on the rears. I found this deal to be very friendly and accommodating and all very straight and I am satisfied. As for wide bodies...yes I am wrong and all of you are right. It is the difference between my 996 normal body and my 997 normal body the misled me...along with the letter S which used to mean a wide body. Someone commented that I should have inspected the car more completely before buying it. Yes I should have. But I didn't and the seller is being a real gentleman about it. All in all, the 997 exterior is more attractive to me than my 996 and the interior is less attractive to me than my 996." -Johnny Irish My only question is, can a Dealer be an Indie? I get that there are Independent Dealers (i.e, Used Car Lots), but my definition of an Indie is a repair shop that is not within a Dealer's Service Department. Discuss.

He just realized he bought the wrong car, and you're going to kick him around on principle?!? Carry on.

I think I'm grumpy today...

Some of the best internets are powered by crappy moods. Hell, Steve Jobs was always pissy, and there are still hipsters all over the country getting his likeness tattooed on their junk.

I never drove a 997 but sat in a few and considered one at one point. The interior was worn and didn't seem to age much better than your average 996. The worst part of the 997 is the steering wheel. Did they copy it off of a beetle? The 996 3 spoke is probably the best wheel in any pre 991 car. I have a full leather interior in my TT so think the interior rocks. The interior in my 986 was vinyl and looked a bit cheap but aged well. I will add that I have seen some great looking 997 interiors too. If comparing the size of the cars the 997 took some cues from the cayenne as I park next to a 997 TT all the time at work and the car is a monster truck compared to my 996tt.

Have to say I agree with John about the 996 interior. I especially like the simplicity of the 3 spoke steering wheel and the gentle curves of the dash. I do prefer the front end (headlights) styling of the 997. But what really matters to me is the driving experience, and I do love that about the 996. Have yet to drive a 997, so time will tell. Actually looking now for 996TT so looking forward to that experience too!

My first 911 was a 2000 996, all leather interior. Then traded for a 2005 997.1. much nicer interior. Then traded for my current 997.2 S, the best of the three. I drove a friends 991, felt so much bigger. I hated the PDK, all of mine were 6MT

Wow, I had lots to say in this thread 5 years ago! It's funny how every time a new 911 generation launches, everyone says it's bigger and heavier. In some cases, that's true. In some cases, it is not true. When you look at objective data comparing the 997 to the 991, the 991 is actually smaller in some dimensions, and it weighs less than the 997. The same can be said for the 996 when comparing it to the 993. Lots of people complained that the 996 was too big and heavy when it launched to replace the 993, but it actually weighs less than the 993. Some of the 991 guys are now saying that the 992 is too heavy, too big, has too much electronic and computerized stuff, etc. The 991 is the last "real 911". The cycle continues.

Steering wheels shall have 3 spokes & wheels shall have 5 !

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Wow, so the 996 is the lightest of the whole 30-yr bunch?

I don't know the answer to that, but it wouldn't surprise me if the 996 was the lightest water-cooled car.

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The 1st Porsche I ever sat in was a 993. I hated the interior & it didn't seem to be very durable. I prefered my 1971 Firebird's interior & it's horsepower so I had ne desire to own or drive a Porsche. Later got a job test driving new Press fleet Porsche's in 2000. Obviously they cornered better than my Firebird. I liked driving the Boxster"S" best. The Boxster "S" had everything I needed & nothing I didn't need. When the 2003 Porsche's came in I didn't care for the updates other than the slight h.p. increase. Management change led me to quit the only job I ever loved. 1st thing I did was to buy my own Boxster "S". I focused on 2000's because they are simpler & I didn't want PSM. Found the color I wanted & flew up to Portland to buy it & drive back home down Hwy1.

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I had a 2000 Boxster S. The only reason I got a 911 is for the rear seats so my kids could also enjoy.

It's hard to find consistent source across all generations, but here's the best I could quickly find: 996.1: 2,901 lbs. for a C2 with a 6MT 997.1: 3,075 lbs. for a C2 with a 6MT 991.1: 3,042 lbs. for a C2 with a 7MT

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This link seems to have pretty rock solid (factory) data: Specs for all models (unfortunately not updated for 991) -> https://www.excellence-mag.com/resources/specs You have to go back to the 1984-88 3.2 Carrera for a 911 that is (slightly) lighter than the 996 -- the air-cooled 964 and 993 models were actually quite a bit heavier: (All weight differences below in parentheses are relative to 996.1 -- weights for all models below are for manual 2wd coupes): 3.2 Carrera (1984-1988) -> 2,866 lbs (-35 lbs) 964 (1989-1993) -> 3,031 lbs (+130 lbs) 993 (1994-1998) -> 3,020 lbs (+119 lbs) 996.1 (1998-2001) -> 2,901 lbs (basis for comparison) 996.2 (2002-2004) -> 2,959 lbs (+58 lbs) 997.1 (2005-2008) -> 3,075 lbs (+174 lbs) 997.2 (2009-2012) -> 3,186 lbs (+285 lbs)

I have a 996GT3 and a 997 CS. Interior wise, I actually prefer the simpler 996 interior of the 6GT3 over the more luxury 997. Powerwise, no contest. GT3 wins. Fun to drive, GT3. But, I cannot live with that car every day. It is just too rough.

Order of ownership with brief description: 1999 C2. Setup for street and track. PSS9�s, GT3 hardback seats, GT3 Tequipment roll bar, Schroth belts. By the time I sold it, it was well worn but running like a champ and could still look presentable. 2005 997. Bought from my son-in-law, who bought from long time, good friend of mine. Light years ahead of the 996 in quality of materials, and IMO interior design. Sold it because I could not stand the Guards Red. 2001 Boxster S. Decent enough car. Always kind of wanted one. But it never made me want to go out and drive it. Thought I bought it right but still lost money selling. 2004 40th Anniversary 996. Probably best Porsche I have owned. The X51 package is the difference. The power is nice, but it�s delivery just feels more refined. And the chassis just feels more competent than the �99 or Boxster by my butt-o-meter.

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Thats the only reason I would go to a 996, unless of course I could buy this:

Yeah, the power. A turbo might be in my future. It�s not like they cost that much more to maintain than a regular 996.

I have a 1999 996.1 C2 Coupe. Has the basic interior with the 490 High def sound system option. Car feels lighter thank my 997.1 Turbo. The turbos interior is more exotic and refined, especially in Terracota like mine. I love my 996 though. Its just a pure analog drivers car and I get compliments on it all the time. Instagram Instagram Instagram

The interior in my 996 Millennium is sure an upscale place to sit. I've driven enough 997's to think it really comes down to personal preference, neither is light years ahead of the other. When I sold my 986 a few years ago it was the early 996.1 that had my eye. The narrow body early 996 is aging extremely well and I love the 3.4 motor, the sound it makes is very reminiscent of the air-cooled cars, hell the block is a 964 part number with water jackets instead of cooling fins. The 997 just feels a bit more.. dull. You don't really hear that flat six unless you're hard on it and (to me) that's a big part of the experience. I think a lot of the 996 hate came from the same people who trash talked the 964 a few years ago, and look how that turned out. Sometimes the "most hated" Porsches are secretly the best

1 owner beauty! flawless full leather Graphite Grey interior.W/Tequipment and Exclusive options.......enjoy.

Intrestily today I had lunch with my best bud since 8th grade. We are both old retired guys now. He spent most his life as Porsche tech, service writer, parts manager and independent. Was griping to me about has two 356 engines, an 76 911 engine and transmission plus an orginal 30 year barn find 914-6 all at his house. ( I've got a frist offer in for that if available!). So, he is a real Porsche guy. Doesn't solitict any work, people lean on him. We got to discussing the later water cooled engines. I'll just say I'm a pass. I'd love to have a 996 GT3, GT2 or Turbo but that is a whole different engine. The standard 996 engine is just too big an unnecessary risk I'd rather not take. Just me. They can be remade by folks like Jake into very fine cars and pretty darn dependable, but $$$. It's a business decision basically.

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True, but that whole different engine in the GT2/3 is even more expensive to fix. Heck, a good air-cooled rebuild is big money if you do it right and do top and bottom end. But I get your point on the risk - the M96/97 engines seem high probability of failure.

I had a 997.2 C4S and now own a 996.1 C2. I sold my 997 a few years ago and missed having a 911. Originally, I was looking for anything BUT a 996. The more I looked at the cars, though, I started to get really interested in a car that cost less up front and I could modify without worrying about ruining the value. Plus, I just started realizing that people (including me) were really ridiculous about the subjective looks discrimination of the 996. It's a beautiful car when you don't try to fit it into a traditional 911 box. To me, the 996.1 headlights look great. I don't understand what people's problem with them are. Anyways, the 997.2 was faster and slightly torquier. The interior is somewhat nicer. The rear hips are much more pronounced on it, especially on a wide-body like I had. It's more of a head-turner and looks very expensive. Much less dated looks inside and outside. The sports button and ability to firm up the suspension was a nice touch, and my PSE equipped car had a nice tone. I wished that it would retain those settings, though. I hated having to press them every time I got in the car. All that said, I don't think that I enjoy driving the 996.1 any less than the 997.2. I barely notice the speed difference. It feels a little bit more raw, which I like. The stock suspension was too high and too harsh (to be fair, a stock 997 is too high also). With coilovers set up correctly on the 996, it becomes a perfect combination of enough, but not too much speed, plus excellent handling. Brakes are similarly good on the 996 and 997. I used to hate the 996 interior, but I've grown to love it. I had to do a GT3 center console delete, though. I hated how it looked with the console in there. A short shift kit is needed on both cars, IMO. In conclusion, yes, the 997.2 is the better car. I don't think it's $40-50k better, but it is better. I feel like I have 90% of the performance at a fraction of the price. Now... if you put a little bit of money into a 996 as I have with suspension and other minor things... I think the 996 is a lot more fun to drive than a stock 997. Do the same to a 997 and you will have a similarly better car. To be honest, there's not much difference between the cars in feel. A bit more rawness to the 996 but it's not night and day to me. They definitely feel like they are older and younger brother, as opposed to father and son. Two great cars that anyone who loves 911s should enjoy... unless you are a snob, in which case who cares what you think?

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while the leather of the millennium is gorgeous it does not hold up well to exposure to elements and the 996 wood trim is an exercise in embarrassment. Not the best example in this comparison. 997 interior quality is waaaaay better.

A few years back, I was weighing my options between a 996, 997 and a 991. I test drove several of each. Mu sense was that the 996.2 was slightly better than the 996.1 but not a lot. Usually they felt the same. The 997.1 was very much like the 996.2 with the obvious exception of the interior and exterior superficialities. I did like the front of the 997.1 but I liked the rears about the same. The roundedness of the instruments in the 996 seemed dated but a new or well maintained example looked nice. But you could see that the white coated descriptions would wear off over time leaving them confusing to later drivers. I wasn't super impressed with the 997.1 in comparison. The built in phone looks just as dated. The 997.2 is a significant improvement. Living in SoCal, the summers get hot. Once I tried out the seat ventilation in the 991.1 and 997.2 I knew this had to be a vital option for me. Also, I do work calls from the car so again, Bluetooth was another vital option and that began with the 997.2. In addition, the engines for the 996.2 and 997.1 are almost the same. The engines in the 997.2 and the 991.1 are the same (9A1) and are naturally aspirated. Weighing my thoughts, I decided it was either the 997.2 or the 991.1. Two main factors caused me to go with a 997.2 C2S: 1. The streering and suspension. The 997.2 is the last hyrdrolic steering on a Porsche and I FELT a connection with the road (I had been coming from several versions of the BMW 3). The 991.1 felt more like gliding along on a magic carpet. Great for sailing driving but something was lost in my enjoyment of feeling the road. 2. The depreciation curve. The 997s were MUCH farther along the depreciation curve. The 991S were a poorer investment monetarily. I could expect probably another $5k-7k drop over time with the 997 but the 991s were still going to drop closer to $20k-30k. As for the 996.2, I was very close to getting one. The financial risk was minimal because I don't think they'll depreciate much more and they DO have a great connection with the road. The 996.1 was also great but the price differences were almost nonexistent so I would have probably just gone for the newest one. But again, the main things that made my mind up were seat ventilation and Bluetooth. And boy do I not regret that. Seat ventilation rules especially with black leather. All that being said, my bottom line advice is to test as many as you can and one will speak out to you, being 996, 997 or 991. I have no comment on the 992.