Carrera 2 vs. Carrera 4

Hello all, I've owned two Porsches in the past, a 1989 944 and a 1988 944 Turbo S. I sold them both around 10 years ago or so, but find myself wanting to get a 911. I've found two 996s, and despite reading all I can, haven't been able to decide which particular model would be "best" for me. The first car is fairly local, a Guards Red 2002 Carrera with a bit over 60,000 miles. It has an aero package and spoiler, black leather interior, and is fairly well optioned, although the interior looks a bit rough in places. The other is a really clean 2001 Gaurds Red Carrera 4 with 22,000 miles, black leather. And pretty much a base model. Neither have had the IMS bearing addressed. They're both within less than $1000 of each other, although the C4 is across the country, with no real chance to test drive it. I'm inclined to gamble on the lower mileage C4, even though I'll pretty much have to buy it sight unseen, due to the low miles and clean appearance. My questions are if the cars have similar reliability due to the added complexity of all-wheel drive. I'm also interested in the feel of the cars. The only comparison I was able to find was an old Top Gear clip where the Stig and James May preferred the 2, even though the 4 was a half second quicker on an indoor rally lap. For those who who have driven both styles, which did you prefer? Thanks, Brad

C2s are more of a classic 911 driving feel without the ponderous understeer feel of the c4 c4s depends what you are using it for and where . Daily driver in a place where it rains and snows a lot , c4 performance driving and the odd track day , a c2 manual , plus c2s are easier to sell when it's time there are a lot of people here who love their 3.4 cars but 2001 were the most problem prone of the early motors the later 3.6 cars have a bit better interior , better gear box , slightly more power and a 20% stiffer chassis , plus the turbo headlights and if on stock wheels the 18" Carrera lightweights are imo the nicest factory wheel on a 996

We've had our 01 C4 since new and the only AWD related part that has been replaced in 75k is the flex disk which was dry rotted. C2 vs C4, my only comparison was against a single test drive of a Targa which is top heavy in comparison and had the PSE on a 3.6 and had PSS10s installed. So not really a good comparison, but the PSE and 3.6 definitely made an impression.

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no need to gamble, ask for a Rennfax (situ where another RL'r checks out a car for you) and get an inspection before you buy these are wonderful cars to own Guards Red will ingratiate you with resident council and a lifetime of free legal services

I cant say how you feel about your 944s but I was always in 928S4s and My first 911 was a 04 C4S and I thought it was smooth as silk compared to my 928s Much more responsive and nimble. As I went thru other 911s I will advise you to always get an S and dont worry if its 2 or 4 because you wont feel much difference

I'd go for the '02 C2 Aero. I had a '99 C4 aero, which I absolutely loved. If the '01 was an aerokit car, I'd say go for it, but since it's not an aero car, get the '02. And, yes Fracture is correct that as long as the car is Guards Red, you can't go wrong.

Hard to lose here but a 3.6L c2 aero is rare. Take it & run imo. And I'm a fan of mk1 cars. Either will make you happy but I'd go for the one you can test drive.

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Fracture knows a thing or two about Rennfaxs.

You can always make a C2 from a C4 if you like the driving of a rwd better then a 4wd. i personality would go for a C2 if it isnot your daily driver. Even if that would be the case I would still prefer the C2. In the wet you just drive more careful. How is the 4wd behaviour in the snow compared to rwd? With the engine in the back you have tons of traction compared to any other car.

AWD best if you're not confident about driving a 911 in slippery conditions. That's the only reason to buy one. It matters not a bit that it might be slightly quicker, depending on situation, unless you're racing. It's the driving feel that matters far more, and why would you buying a 911 if that doesn't matter? The AWD is also significantly heavier, and has steering influenced by the weight and torque of the front driveshafts. Not saying the AWD has bad steering, of course.

You can ask if the owner will take the car to an indie shop for a PPI on your dime. Done that several times and is well worth the expense. Post where the car is located and someone in the area will pipe up.

I would probably go with the lower mileage and cosmetically better C4 if the prices are basically the same. Reliability? Basically the same. Either way you are purchasing a vehicle that is 15 years old. Low miles or not, if the bushings are original they will need to be replaced, so keep that in mind. Check the oil filler tube, if it's original, that will need replacement too and often the cracks are not noticeable. Good luck.

Hmmmm, hard choice, mostly because I like the differences in the C4, but what really stands out is the aero package, especially mated with guards red. Both still have generously low miles, obviously the C4 moreso, so in this case I would ask what you're planning on long term. Driving miss Daisy, track days, etc? I purchased a low mileage C2 aero 6MT because it was just that. A basic no-nanny drivers car that I hope to keep forever being it my first P car. So in reality, everyone can give you their biased opinion, but it between the two, it really boils down to what YOU like the most about each.

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My advice is to avoid buying a car sight unseen with no test ride/drive no time to give the car a thorough used car check out. If you can't visit the car and are set on having it you should try to arrange to have the car checked out by some place local to the car you beleive you can trust to do a thorough job. There is a lot riding on this. C2 vs. C4 in my opinion comes down to price, condition, options. The C4 has AWD but after approx. 150K miles in my 996 Turbo I can tell you the AWD feature is pretty much all for show. The AWD system is not going to pull the car out of a ditch if the rear wheels are spinning. In fact prolonged spinning of the rear wheels in this situation can burn up the viscous coupling. The AWD system adds weight, more things to go wrong. Tire selection becomes very critical as you want to ensure you buy tires that retain the front and rear wheel revs/mile relationship. That is the rear wheels/tires want to be sized so they turn more -- but not too many more -- revs/mile than the front wheels/tires. It is the difference in rotation speeds between the rear and front wheels/tires that heats up the viscous coupling fluid and tranfers torque from the rear axle to the front axle. Proper tire selection for marginal traction conditions (read snow/ice) is far far more important than AWD at least the C4 AWD. (For years before 4-wheel/AWD was available save with surplus Jeeps -- which were favored by farmers to use well, around the farm -- folks managed to get around just fine with proper "snow" tires fitted.) I wouldn't shun an otherwise acceptable C4 just because it has AWD but I wouldn't let AWD sway me when comparing a C2 and a C4. The best car wins regardless of which drive system it has.

Front diff seals can leak on the C4 - expensive if not fixed.

+1 on C2. C4 is more weight and driveline resistance at the same HP. If you want the wider body and AWD get a Turbo for more power to push it around.

I had a 99 C2 coupe and now an 02 C2 cab. There is a big difference from the 3.4 to the 3.6 imo. The mid range on the 3.6 pulls like a freight train by comparison. Also they are less prone to intermix, but watch for bore scoring on 3.6. AWD on a 911 is definitely not a selling point for me. The added complexity and weight aren't necessary to drive the front wheels that have virtually no weight on them.

My mistake. C4 still the one on the left. C4S is on the right

Thank you all so much for the insight. I've decided on the C2, but the seller is asking quite a premium over what Edmunds.com says the car is worth. The seller maintains that a collectible car like this doesn't really follow normal price guides. The Nov 16 Excellence article says the car is worth $29,000 to $35,000. IMO, that price guide is FAR too imprecise to accurately value a car...and did I mention it's a year old? What do you guys think a nice 2002 Carrera 2 is really worth? Thanks, Brad

Let him sit for a week or two (or three). Time is on your side going into fall as the buyer pool is thinning. If you have the patience, you have the power in this negotiation. The 996 Carrera is simply not a collectible car - especially with 60k & worn interior parts. The GT3RS is a 200k car & the GT3s are appreciating, but the Carreras & generally ANY m96-powered car is not something you can charge a premium for. The exception being a mint mk1 aero as there is a growing fanbase for those models... maybe a rare, highly optioned C4S or C2/C4 with good colors. But again, mileage and condition . Acknowledge the positives of the mk2 Guards Red aero car so the owner knows you 'get it' but I don't think there's a need to pay $30k in this market. $25k is a good price for that seller in the current market. If the car is sound mechanically, has a good DME report & the seller wants 35k or bust, maybe drifting high in the 20s is reasonable. Odds are the market will humble him & make the car yours within a few months.

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Edmunds? No no no...worthless. Look up a 1988 Porsche 911 in Edmunds, what's it worth $12,000. You can't buy one for less than $35,000. Plenty of 996s for sale and plenty of price points: Ebay, Cars.com, Autotrader. I say it's worth around $20k - 22k. But the range could be anywhere from $12k - $25k

Collectible 996 ? Now there's an oxymoron if I've ever heard one! The seller is somewhat deluded...

I appreciate the input. I'm picking up the C2 on Saturday, assuming it passes the PPI. Thanks, Brad

FWIW got mine off a dealership lot for $27k @ 23k miles C2 Aero with minimal options. Most would say overpaid, myself included, but I knew what I was getting and don't regret it. Just do your checks and as much research as possible and enjoy the drive.

+1 on C2 (especially that in 2002 the 996 went to the 3.6L) buy the best one you can, the lower the mileage the better; I would not pay more than $20-22k for a 996 with 60k miles which did not have the IMS done, that's a $2.5k expense on day 1 assuming you do the clutch at the same time

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LOL, been said about many collectibles before they became.....collectibles. Time will tell, but I'd put money on factory original mint low mileage 996s being very collectible in the near future. The GT3 and Turbos are pretty much there already.

I'd take the Carrera 2 all day over the Carrera4. 1. It's a MkII 2. It's got the aero package. 3. It's red. Don't let the ultra low mileage of the C4 sway you. Buy the model you prefer based on overall condition. BTW I owned 3 944's previously. A base 944 a 944S and a 944 Turbo.

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Congrats on the c2. Post pics! It sounds like a beauty