Who is considering a 997?

Who is "upgrading" to a 997? Is the 997 that much better than than the 996. The interior is better, there may be some upgrades for engine longevity and a slight performance enhancement, bottom line - why is the 997 better and is it worth the extra cash???

I'll "upgrade" when my 996 breaks. I couldn't see myself getting a 997 for any of the reasons you mention--they're good reasons, but I don't find them worth the price of admission as compared to keeping a 996 around.

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Well put +1 on tooloud.

I'm also on that ship - keeping my 996 until it falls apart. Have 112k km on the odo now, and still going strong. Entry price for a 997 is just to high, and it will depreciate in value a lot faster than my 996 will

I had the choice between lots of base 997 (non S) and 996 C4S's for the same money 2 years ago when I bought mine. The 996 C4S was really the top of the NA 996 line (other than the track oriented GT3) and better equipped (full leather, turbo brakes/suspension, wide body, etc...) than a base 997. Tried lots and lots of them back to back for months, and IMHO there wasn't enough "improvement" in the 997 to justify it; it seemed like more of an update to the 996 than a complete evolution. I won't make a move until the 998 has been around for a couple of years and the initial depreciation has been assumed by someone else. Then there should be a more marked evolution from the 996.

I went from a 996 to the 997S. I loved both. I think it just depends on what you want as to whether or not it was worth it. For me the 997 seat position alone made the move worth it. I have much more head room which at my height was a huge issue. I do like the 997 dash better too. Still I loved my 996 and I think it just comes to personal preference for most people as to whether or not the upgrade it worth it.

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for the $ i spent on my 996c4s, i could've gotten a similar condition 997s w/aerokit (mint, lower miles). but then i would not have been able to within the limits of my automotive conscience been able to modify the looks of it (wheels, suspension, etc). but if u aren't as vain as i am about cars, if you can swing it, it's a no brainer, just make sure like blkblk, it's a 3.8. the car is clearly faster, with awesome brakes (just make sure it's the ceramics) and updated everywhere. for me, my timing was off as i'm very impatient/instant gratification when it comes to cars, but then it's not better enough to make me want to swing at it right now if that makes any sense. i'm totally happy with my c4s. i'm lucky to have this car.

I am really struggling with getting a 997 right now. My 996 is just so clean. I don't think the 997 is such a huge leap in performance, I really enjoy the styling. Since my car spends 7 months a year in storage, due to the weather, I am not sure that a 997 is worth it anyway. Like I said I am struggling with this.

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The fact that you're struggling with it kind of tells us that you're not or you'd already have one, or at least that's the way I look at it.

No offers on my 996 yet. I can still change my mind.

When the warranty's up on my 996, it's a 997 for me (hopefully GT3, or else 997S w/X51). I see the 997 as continued evolutionary improvement by Porsche...which in no way denigrates the 996 experience. I love mine everytime I get in and fire it up!

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Big +1. Besides, my car only weighs 3029#. Find me a present day 911 that weighs that much.. C.

honestly, i love the 997....... if i could i would... it just looks much nicer... given that i liked the 993 models a lot.... the 997 looks like a beefier brother with the right angles and it looks really proportional in my eyes....

I was thrilled with my 996 cab but I will get a GT3 or other 997 when the depreciation comes down further. I see points from both sides of the argument here. But for me, the minor upgrades/evolution are significant enough for the purchase. But then of course, with the 998s on the horizon, I will also lust after that. So who knows for now, it will hit me in a couple of years.

I currently own a 2004 996C4S which I absolutely love and it has been such an incredible car with never a single problem. However, I went to Europe this fall on a Porsche Travel Club trip for a week and drove a 997C4S with ceramic brakes. The 997 drives much different and easier and the ceramic brakes were amazing. AFter driving the 997 and having a longtime thirst for a turbo, I have my 996C4S for sale and an order in for a new MY08 997TT. I have been waiting since last fall and it will be here in early April, the waiting is killing me. Also, I must admit that the headlights on the 996 look very dated to me - I prefer the looks of the 997. Bottom line, all Porsches are amazing and beautiful.

997 lights look more dated to me. i'm excited to see what the 998 brings.

I think the 997 is great, but for the money I like my 996 better. I would do the TT if money weren't an issue, but I don't see enough of a performance difference between the non GT/TT models for my $$$. Just MHO, but I'd rather supercharge mine or just wait for a used TT. I haven't driven it, but the 997 otherwise looks/feels too similiar for the cost. Just me. That 997TT however...

When my '99 C2 really starts to show its age I would trade up. Every evolution of Porsche is better than the last. I had a 993 and it was nice, but the 996 is nicer and I am sure a 997 would be nicer still. My prime motiviation though in trading up now would be to get back into a warranty. I have to confess to being a bit nervous to no longer having that safety net below me.

To what other's have said I'm keeping my 996 C4S until the wheels fall off, then I'll look at the 997 - or future models.

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Rob, that is not hard in NYC........potholes galore........

I " ugraded " to a BASE Cayman, and I'm very happy!

As a 997 owner who has driven a fair share of 996s, I really see no reason to upgrade unless you absolutely have to have the 'new thing.' The driving experience is strikingly similar, the difference largely lying in aesthetics and minor performance tweaks that are expected with a successive model. P.S. I disagree with Ben. The Ceramics are far from a necessary option, especially if you plan to track the car.

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This is kind of where I netted out also. I love much about the look of the 997, but at current pricing it's a TON more money for hardly any more performance or driving experience.

I agree with MrBonus as well. Unless you must have the changes in the aesthetics (like I do), there's not enough of a reason (especially financially) to upgrade to a 997. The PCCBs may not be "necessary," but man I love them!

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This is true!

always wanted the latest and greatest.....

I was looking at a 997 GT3. But then, I'm coming from a different direction. In 2002, by the numbers, the C4S was the best performing NA 996, and the GT3 was never and will never be imported to the US. Got upset when the 996 GT3 came out, and got REALY upset when I found out what they were willing to trade-in for my less than 2 year old car. So, I kept the C4S. Fast forward to 2007, and I put an order down for a 997 GT3. I was still happy with the C4S, so I just put a deposit down for, if and when my local dealership would get a 997GT3, but no sooner than the spring 2008. They had 2 allocations last year and I got dibs but passed. Now, no more production. No biggie. I stick with the C4S. Bottom line for me, IMHO, the 997's don't offer any significant advantage from my C4S, and I think the 996 C4S looks better than the 997's. Bring on the 998 GT3 and I may go through this hoopla again.

I wonder what Porsche will do when they hit the 999, the Porsche 1000?

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I'll bet they just start over again!

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901? Maybe get the original number afterall? Could you imagine a water-cooled 911 with the #'s 901. Woo, that would be a firestorm for years to come on this forum.........

Interesting thread: I took a 997S cab out for a spin with my son this past weekend. I was blown away with the low end torque and over all engine performance. I was really impressed with how solid the body was and the car seemed light to handle. From a performance point of view it was a very nice car. I did like the extra room in the cabin and ergonomics was a lot better. As always Porsche does it better with the next generation of car. I did not like the dash and door panels. I get where they were coming from. A mix if the past and present. I was so disappointed with the Bose system in the car. Did not help we just stepped out of my car with the audio upgrades. I am also one of the few that likes the 996 headlights. So they shared the asking price and I was like WOW. Coupled with how the 996 values are these days.. So I walked away. My son and I were driving home. He is 14 so like most at that age has no sense of a buck. So what blew me away is he said it was not worth it and liked our current 911. Not that the new one was not cool. He also likes the aero package and interior So I have a 99 C2 with only 24k on it. Bought it 5, 6 years ago with 9k. Don’t drive it in the winter. Don’t want the chew up paint from gravel. The car has a factory aero package, full leather; the build sheet is almost fills the under the hood sticker. Like new condition. Don’t drive it as much as I would like. Oh and this has been fully paid for years and knock on wood very little problems. So does it make sense to pull the trigger? At this time I say no. On the upside I finally got a set of Savanna heated sport seats. So I will have to open another thread and see what my Wiring issues may be going from full power with heat and lumbar to the new sport seats. My son indicated the new seats are cool and can put off the new 911 for a while. Thanks all for your different inputs!!

Heck guys, not only am I a drive it until it breaks kind of guy, I'm a drive it after it's had repairs given the hit and run incident from a while back. I think if it was time to get a new vehicle, it might have to be a BMW motorycle or a Duck.