Moved posting. Question about buying 2000 C2 or 2002 Cab

Hi there, I posted wrong place (911), didn't know seperate 996 forum here. Anyway..here is again my concern. I'm trying to get some help to have clear direction for used one search. This is my budget Min.$40k ~ Max $55k Based on some reading and few visit to used porsche dealer I came out with idea that I search for 2000 C2 or 2002 Cab. Here's my my though, correct or give me some opinion. First, Cab or C2/C4? I really want to get a Cab but does rattling noise really botter? how about some maintenance issue later one? And prior 2002 yr, it's not glass rear with cab so if I stick with Cab it will be 2002. Also do you feel lots of difference between 3.4L vs 3.6L? Reason I compare those two, it's money factor. If I go for the C2, I think I rather go for 2000 model since those prices are lower. Oh, I'm not a car performance oriented guy. So being little heavy on Cab doesn't make much difference to me. I mean, issue between non-cab and cab and technical change between 2000 vs 2002 that related to maintenances are my main concern. Looking forward you guys comments and thanks for your help. Motozine

I think you've answered your own question. If a little extra weight and slight loss of chassis stiffness won't bother you get the cab. The roof will not rattle (I've never been in one that did and my 986 at 5 years old still does not "rattle"). The only other difference you will likely notice is a small increase in road/traffic noise through the cloth top. I think the biggest worry you'll have is finding an '02 for $55,000.

There are so many threads here discussing this very issue, one from just a week or so back. Do a search of 3.4 vs 3.6 to start. Alternatively, you can just browse back a bit. It should answer most of your concerns and help you make a sound decision.

If maintenance is your major concern, get the newest/latest you an afford. No real differences in reliability with model year, I believe, so that reliability will hinge on how many miles, how old, and how well maintained the car was.

Yeah, read some past posts in past threads but it's tough for us to tell you whether you will prefer a C4 or C2, cab or coupe. Where do you live? Will you drive the car in the winter? (If so, perhaps a C4 might be the way to go since they are great in the snow)

Fishman, no Porsche is "great in the snow" if you don't first swap out the summer tires and put on some good snow tires. Then, even the C2 handles well on snow covered pavement in the winter. Then again, I wouldn't want to go racing around your favorite corner during a blizzard either way...

Buy mine!

My C4S with snow tires is great in the snow. The definition of great in the snow isn't that you can race around corners, I'm not sure if any car can do that. Great in the snow to me means better than 95% or more of the vehicles on the road, including SUVs, in (light) snow conditions. That the C4 and C4S are great or at least very good in the snow is the virtually unanimous consensus of Rennlist users. Check out some of the many threads on the topic. https://rennlist.com/forums/996-forum/102809-great-winter-porsche-story.html https://rennlist.com/forums/showthre...4&page=2&pp=15 https://rennlist.com/forums/996-forum/147234-c4s-and-snow.html https://rennlist.com/forums/996-forum/182628-17-wheels-on-a-c4s.html https://rennlist.com/forums/showthre...7&page=2&pp=15

Fish, you didn't pay careful attention to my post. The point is, the C4 will be crap in the snow if you don't swap out the max performance tires FIRST. Heck, you could take a Hummer and put Michelin Pilot Sports on it in the dead of a snowstorm and that truck ain't going nowhere. The corollary is that virtually any car with good snow tires on it will be SOLID in the snow, even if it isn't 4WD or AWD.

Yeah, I agree with that. I drove my C4S in the snow once before I got my snow wheels and tires and did ok, but didn't have to go up steep snow covered hills or go very far so it wasn't much of a test. The car is great with snow tires.