996 C2 vs 996 C4S

I've got the opportunity to look over a 996 C4S at my local Porsche dealer. He reeled off a list of features that it had over the phone but I think that most of them are standard items on the C4S. So, is there a list somewhere that shows the additional options that are standard in the C4S versus the C2? I just want to go to the dealer armed with some facts so that he doesn't try to point out standard features as extra options on the car. I remember seeing a thread somewhere that showed this list but cannot find it now.

Errrrrr.... Wider rear wheel arches 18" Turbo look wheels Red brake callipers Side Skirts Revised front aerodynamics - akin to the Turbo Electric seats/memory Sports seats are an NCO but you lose the electric adjustment Porsche Sound Package Errrr.... think that's it .... it is 2 years since I learnt it!

Thanks, Michael. I tried using the 'search' function again and found thread: http://www.porscheclubgbforum.com/tm.asp?m=155689&mpage=1&key=C4S&#159292 One of the posts lists the differences. As I suspected the salesman as the OPC was just reading out the standard spec and trying to make it sound like options. I guess I won't be taking a look at it after all.

Of course, you could print out the standard specifications, go back to the same salesman and ask him to confirm the specifications he says enhance the value of the car over a 'basic' model. As he recites his [incorrect - I am being charitable] list, read your one aloud as he speaks and let him know, in no uncertain terms, that he is trying to mislead you. Then you start negociating....

Externally the main difference is the turbo look body shell - this means the wider rear wheel arches although there are no air intakes in the wings. The rear bumper is wider to accomodate the wider arches and has the exit holes behind the rear wheels. Since there are no intercoolers, they are just cosmetic. The exhuast tips are the larger size, the same as the turbo. The distinctive item at the back was the name, with the extra S, and the red reflective strip that ran between the lights harking back to previous 911 generations (no other 996 model has this). The wheels are turbo II look - but they are not hollow spoke like the turbo, they just look the same. They were 18 inch with 295/30ZR18 rear and 225/40ZR18 front tyres, same as the turbo and wider than the C2. The wheel centres have C4S on them. The front has the facelifted appearance, since the C4S came out after the facelift. The front bumper is the same as the turbo and more aggressive, with the wider nostrils at the side and the centre opening for the centre radiator. Unless you have a tiptronic, then there is no radiator in the middle I seem to remember. The plastic lip on the bottom of the bumper is different to the C2 and different to the turbo. The door sills have a plastic guard as with the C2, but may say C4S, I can't remember. The brakes disks are larger than the C2 (same diameter as the turbo) with red 4 pot callipers all round. The car rides 10mm lower than the C2 - same ride height as the turbo. Inside the primary difference is that the C4S had a full leather interior, on the C2 this was an option. Everything should be leather, except for the radio surround in the dash, the centre console between the seats, the storage cubby cover between the seats, the sunvisors and the steering wheel centre. Electric comfort seats were standard (fore/aft, up/down, back rest angle). Trip computer was standard. PSM (stability management) was standard. Green top tint on the windscreen and floor mats are standard (but this should be the same on the C2s). Sat nav (PCM), telephone, sunroof, parking sensors, rain sensing wipers, auto dimming mirrors, crested headrests, shortshift, aluminium insert on handbrake and chunky gearlever, CD-autochanger, Litronic headlights, stereo upgrade to Porsche system or Bose were all options on the C4S.

Just experimenting to see if these pages will upload as an image, if they do hope it proves of interest, although the quality is very poor in order to fit into the 200kb limit! C4S page 1...

Page two....

Excellent information from the previous posters! Thank you very much. I'm going to have a look at what the OPC has tomorrow but will probably give the particular C4S a miss as he's trying to sell it for £55K and it doesn't appear to have any options apart from ceramic brakes and a PSE. It's an 04 model.

Those alone would have been almost £6K new on the car.... I guess the main thing missing in this day and age is PCM although I've just replaced mine with a Kenwood system in any case....

Mike: It's got the standard single-slot CD player. Can this be replaced with a new head unit with satnav? Is this what you meant when you said you replaced yours with a Kenwood?

I replaced my PCM1 with a double DIN Kenwood system (which I've just finished today). This does SatNav (including TMC), has a iPod connector and plays DVDs. You can also add a TV tuner, CD/DVD Changer, DAB unit, etc so is more versatile than the Porsche OEM system (IMHO). My C4S was pre-MOST so I could reuse the Porsche amp and most of the cabling. The only downside was loosing the phone but most of the time I use my headset and if it becomes an issue I can get a Parrot bluetooth unit and have it wired into the head unit. If this C4S has a single DIN unit you can either get a single DIN Kenwood/Pioneer/etc unit with a slide out screen or move the aircon controls into the centre console creating a double DIN gap in the dash. I would probably go for the single DIN unit as the 'double DIN' slot in the dash is actually bigger than double DIN. Gaxor has done the same in his 996 as well. I'll take a snap and post it here so you can see what I mean.

Mike I bought an 02 C4S on Friday - love it! The only thing i'm missing is sat nav. Would you recommend trying to find a second hand PCM system? (is it a needle in a haystack?) I've seen Gaxor's Kenwwod looks awesome. Is it a very expensive conversion? If i've got the Bose system, can I use existing wiring looms etc? Sorry about all the questions - but i'm so bad at reading maps and really need to get some navi sorted!

One of the magazines, 'Total 911' I think, did an article recently that concluded that PCM was not very good. They suggested that, if you need Sat Nav, buy a 996 without it and have an integrated aftermarket system fitted. I think there are a variety of excellent systems available from Blaupunkt, Becker, Pioneer, Kenwood and Sony.

TomTom Go have just bought out a new small unit called the TomTom One. I think, with a bit of imagination you could install it and it would look good in the 996 (and I don't mean by using the windscreen suction bracket supplied). I use the TomTom Go 300 in the 'family' car and have an IPAQ running TomTom in the 996, it has a fixed cradle attached to a 996 mobile phone bracket and looks good. The TomTom always does well in tests against it's competitiors and costs a lot less than the stereo replacement types.

I agree, and this was my reasoning for sourcing a 996 'without' PCM2 installed from the factory. Im probably in the minority, but I feel that that PCM represents very poor value for money, and that aftermarket kit or portable SatNav systems (TomTom) offers substantially better benefits, albeit its not fully integrated into the vehicle, which is why you can take it with you into other cars, as I do. People seem to be obsessed with what OPC's and forums users tells them is 'necessary' for resale and PCM is mentioned again and again. Just a coincidence I suppose that this one of the OPC's highest cost options on new cars, which makes them a nice margin too.[ ]