996 C2 or C4S

C4S's are now coming into £40k price territory and was wondering what people's opinions are on them? Had my heart set on a 3.6 C2 with PSM but should I be considering these as well? I wasn't a big fan of a C4 (just preffered the front end on the C2) but does the track and suspension changes on the S make a big enough difference to start considering one?

IMHO, yes it does. I have had both (a 996 C2 & C4S) I now have a Turbo and although its a lot quicker, I actually prefer the 4S in many ways. Firstly the styling, without the wings or scoops of the Turbo it looks lovely & "clean" as a shape, I also love the retro red reflector round the rump. I actually prefer its looks to the Turbo. It also looks a lot "meaner" than a C2 with the wide rear & turbo look front end, so it really sets it apart from a C2 in the looks dept. The 4S also has such delicate handling that I prefer it to the Turbo - probably because the 4S is lighter. Its 4WD so compared to a C2 it has a tendancy to understeer more but its so correctable & in normal driving conditions its 95% RWD Its a fraction slower than a C2 in a straight line (same power more weight), however I could cover an A-B dash accross country much quicker in my 4S. If they did a 4S shape with a turbo performance, thats my ideal car ! The "purists" will always say a C2, rear wheel drive etc but for me the 4S was nearly perfect. J

It's probably not possible to say which is best - many traditionalists prefer the purer, lighter, faster C2. Others prefer the more sophisticated technical specification and chunkier styling of the C4S. If you are buying to a budget then, in theory, you should get a better (newer/lower mileage/higher spec) C2 for the same money as, perhaps, an older, higher mileage, lower spec C4S.

benefits of C4S....... The C4S offers all the following extra goodies as standard compared to the C4 (which already offers 4WD & PSM as standard over the C2): [- 18" Turbo 2 "look" wheels with wider tyres and wider track, 10mm lowered sports chassis, the wide-body Turbo body kit with its own unique rear reflector strip, upgraded brakes, (even more awesome than the standard C2, the same as the Turbo's with discs 330mm front and rear) Porsche's sound pack and full electronic seats. ] Combine all the above with its chunkier more aggressive "Turbo-esque" good looks and​ you can see why it has been such a big seller for Porsche, offering probably the best​ residual levels of all the models.​ As Oliver says it is a personal thing, but the sports suspension & larger brakes do make it a better drivers car than the standard C2 in my opinion, then you can add in the extra security of 4WD & those chunky looks + extras. More importantly the new 9974S isn't half as special when compared to the 997S, so C4S should keep the best residuals of the 996 range, if you buy at the right price!!

Or you could specify manually adjusted sports seats as a NCO.

Jimbo - sounds like you are in the same boat as I am. I've been through the C2/C4/C4S options myself. The C4S sets itself apart from the others, with more aggressive looks than the C2/C4, but retaining the 'clean lines' that the Turbo lacks with its 'more aggressive' side scoops. The C4S trim and spoiler pack just makes the car look better than a C2/C4. I also happen to think that the C4S will deliver better 'residuals' than the C2/C4 due to fewer being available. Prices are coming down as well. I've been tracking the figures for the past 10 months and what was around £56-£57k at an OPC with similar spec, is now coming in at £53k or so. There's even an '05 model on sale for £56k at one of the OPCs'! I'm guessing that once the 997 C4S models become more prevalent in the 'used' market, the price will fall another £2k or so. In the meantime, some of the independents have been offering 3-year-old models around the mid-£40's. I've not checked out the condition of these cars - some of the other guys on the site may be able to give you a steer. I've just been looking at the option of 'upgrading' to a Turbo - a 3-year-old coming in at mid-to-late £50's at the indys and some good deals at the 'low-60's level at the OPCs'. It's only money, after all! Just steer clear of the silver ones - I'm after one of them!!

I have a March 2003 C4S and have covered 82,000 miles since buying it in July 2003 from an OPC. It's my first Porsche and had looked at a few other models before buying it. Seeing this one in the showroom, it stood out from the other models for the reasons stated in the other posts and also its colour (Cobalt Blue). It's used everyday as a business car hence the mileage (84,600). From a driving experience perspective and the confidence of 4WD, I have been more than pleased with the performance. As far as residuals are concerned I had a chat with my local OPC and got some ideas against a 997 just to get an idea of market values. I guess at the end of the day, it's down to how appealing your car is to a particular buyer and the supply of similar models at the time. It's just suffered its first 2 mechnical failures (noisy belt tensioning pulley and broken coolant hose: see my earlier post re Coolant Hoses and Servicing). Apart from that it's been OK. I guess it's time to think about extended warranty as it looks like I'll be keeping it for a good while longer, unless someone wants to make me an offer I couldn't refuse!!! IMHO I'd go for the C4S on the looks and the driveability. Rgds John

I have a 2003 996 C2 14k on clock. It has 10mm lowered suspension - factory fitted by the original owner. The ride seems a little harsh on longer journeys - not bad, just noticeable. Could I get the dampners adjusted to try and take the edge off this? Is it like this because the car has only done 14K? If I can, would I lose any of the cornering ability? How much would this be likely to cost? (I'd prefer to go to independant.) Might the adjustment be covered under the waranty? I have read that the C4S model has 10mm lowered suspension - is this the same thing as mine? Any thoughts on this would be welcome! Thanks. Adrian.

Hi Adrian, Yes the C4S came with M030 10mm lowered sports suspension as standard. there is also the GT3 style X-74 30mm lower set up. Check your VIL sticker under the boot lid or in your service book to check which option is fitted to yours. If you have M030 I wouldn't mess with it, although it is a little harsh on B roads it transforms the cars handling, a standard set up has much more body roll and float. I have owned both and simply couldn't bond with the standard set up, it was far to floaty and understeery for me. Having said this some other guys prefer the softer set up, best thing to do is visit your OPC and test drive a 996 on standard suspension, but be sure to push hard to see the draw backs, then decide for yourself. Hope this helps.

Thanks, Grant. Very helpful stuff! Do you happen to know how the vin number would read if I did have the M030 set up?

Adrian I have noticed a slightly less harsh ride by letting the tyre pressures drop a couple of psi, literally just 2 or 3 psi lower. Hugh

Thanks, Hugh. I've got 225s on the front and 285s on the back (Carrera 5 spoke) which run at 36 and 44psi respectively - so I'm sure there's some room for movement there! I'll give it a go - and keep a close eye on wear!

It is the VIL sticker not the VIN number, this lists the factory build information about your car, including the country spec (+ vin number etc) and the options fitted to the car new. You will find this under your boot lid or in the service book. the long list of codes should include M030.