Advice Requested: '00 C4 Cab vs '00 C2 Cab

All else being equal would you go for a higher mileage C4 (59K) vs a lower mileage C2 (30K)? I live in the NE (Long Island) and this would be a weekend car for me (no track). TIA for any input ppl are willing to share. Thanks, Jeffrey

i have a 01 C2 cab in NJ. love it, it's my 3rd car, so i don't want c4. man, drove around last weekend with top-down, and raise the top(smarttop mod) while waiting for traffic lights after sunset.

hey pl, you're also on the nnj porsche club huh? us tri-state pcar owners gotta stick together! i have a '00 c2 cab, bought it last summer and loving it! If its only a weekend car and not your only mode of trans, then C2 with low miles is a great pick up. I thought i'd miss not having AWD, but did fine without it this winter. Trust me, im used to awd's as my other car is an e320 4matic and previous ride was an X5. I live/work in Manhattan during the week so getting around town during a blizzard isn't an issue. Its when i have to get back to my place in central NJ that becomes an issue. hope it helped...

Snow tires on any car will take you virtually anywhere you need to go. The problem with Porsches in the winter is NOT whether they are C2 or C4 cars, but the amount of clearance under the car if the snow really piles up. If so, it'll be like driving a snow plow all the way home. That said, my C2 handled like a charm during the two big snows we got this year. Then again, I'm riding winter tires.

I have a C4 cab in Denver, Colorado and it is soooooo sure footed in the wet and cold. I love that. I think for my first Pcar, it was the right choice, and I'll for sure feel better if my wife is out in it and gets caught in the snow - but next time I won't be as bothered between a 2 and a 4. I would like to be able to kick the tail out a bit better from time to time ;-) When it comes to resale, I may be very happy to have the 4 of course, because around here there is a perception that it's a safer winter car.. I'll probably keep this 99 for another 3 years, so a 10 year old C4 price will I hope be more solid than the other alternatives around at the time. Keith

yeal, i am in nnjr pca. we have so many events. almost EVERY weekend. i live in central nj and commute to jersey city every day, traffic isn't all that bad, after gas price went beyond $2. let me know when you go out next time.

I also have a c2 that I drive daily, with good snows this thing goes thru anything, But nycibo is right id its too much snow , you will be pushing, I thing its a good rule of thumb to always buy the newest you can afford.

I guess the point of my question is...What (if any) are the benefits of the C4 over the C2 and is it worth the extra cost (in this case mileage)? and, ancillary question: Is 59K miles too many for a '00 C4? Jeff

if you drving it when road is wet: yes otherwise: no 59K is normal for 00 car.

The question should be...how much are you paying for a C4 with 59k miles and what condition is it in?

I'll answer in 2 parts....The C4 drivers VERY differently than the C2, you can either love it or hate it. Drive them both. There is a misconception that the C4 is not as true a sports car, I disagree. I think that stock the C4 has too much understeer, but that can be dialed out with alignment and suspension mods easily. In the wet, the C4 has an advantage. Its an amazing car. Also driving an AWD car fast can be VERY fun once you understand how. Next the difference between these cars is not just miles, there are options. How well optioned are the Cars. The C4 probably comes standard with more options, it was a higher level car. But this doesnt mean someone can't get a fully loaded C2. So things like full leather(a must in my opinion), CD, changer, Litronics, PSM (which will be standard on the C4), wheels 17 vs. 18, seats (manual, power, full power, comfort, sport, heated), aero kit, exhaust, etc...all these come into play, and then the general condition of the cars. How were they cared for? I went with a 99 C4 cab for less money than an 02 C2 coupe because the 99 C4 cab was fully loaded and just FELT better. It being a weekend car, you may not put lots of miles on it so the mileage shouldnt matter, and resale value of the C4 will be slightly higher....

Thank you! Of course the cars are not equal but I went into this process looking for a '99-00 C2 Cab and of course I kiss a few frogs and then I run into something I didnt expect to be able to (stretch) afford...an '00 C4 Cab. It turns out the only Porsche I have ever driven was this same make/model and I loved it but I am trying to justify the stretch of the budget (meaning no mods for a while). Thanks, again, Jeff

Not really answering your question, but if you can get into the 2002 MY cabs it's definitely worth considering because of: glass rear windshield w/ defrost, engine increased to 3.6L, turbo style headlights and some other things I can't quite recall. IMHO an 02 would be a bigger improvement than AWD.

Unfortunately, I have not seen a '02 any where near my budget. But thanks for the suggestion. Jeff

Jeff If you use your car for extended road trips (especially with spouse), check the trunk size difference.....C2 is much larger. Good luck Ian

Jeff, C2 CAB!!! You wont regret it!