Im lookin to purchase a 05-newer pre-owned 911. Wondering if the c4s is worth the 5-10k price difference. I know the bhp is only shy 20 in the c4 model.
few questions....
Couldnt the hp deficiency be made up by an air intake and exhaust later?
I see the displacement is smaller too. is it a different motor or smaller bore and stroke?
Are there differences in suspension? and if so can they be improved in the future with after market susp. parts.
also any options that i should try to look for?
plan on using it as a dd. not tracking it.
i know you could turn anything into a higher performing vehicle, sinkin a ton of cash into it, i think the real question is the c4 and c4s totaly different animals. thanks for input!!
Actually it's 30hp difference and 22lb-ft of torque. The S weighs 55lbs more, weight distribution is 40.3/59.7 on the 4S and 39.7/60.3 on the 4, 0-60 factory times are 4.6 for the 4S and 4.9 on the 4, the 4S comes with standard PASM (adjustable suspension, 10mm lower ride height), larger red brake calipers, bixenon headlights, 19" rims, aluminum gauges (vs. black), sport steering wheel with circular airbag (vs. triangular).
The S has .2 liters more displacement, a 2 stage induction system and 11.8:1 compression vs. 11.3.
The difference is worth it IMO, you can change the intake, exhaust and cats on an S and get more out of the change than you will with the non-S. The PASM suspension is great for DD and the occasional trackday.
Options are very personal and a lot of things can be retro-fitted, but for me, I would definitely want heated seats and sport chrono. The nav is adequate but a little archaic in the 997.1's, and if you get one without you can put in a large screen kenwood/pioneer/etc system that's far superior. Full leather looks very nice and would be difficult and very expensive to do as a retro-fit.
The C4S is worth it in my book for the added HP and torque. Gives the car more grunt from a standstill and above 4,000 RPM a noticable improvement in excelleration by helping to overcome the added weight in the drivetrain of the 4 wheel drive. And as Topspd states above, there are a number of standard features on the "S" that don't come on the non "S", the best of which are the PASM suspension and big red brakes in my opinion, that add value to the car and could not be upgraded after the fact at anywhere near the premium you'll pay for and "S" over an non "S".
As for options, Sport Chrono is a popular, if a little overrated, option. Heated seats area must if you live where it gets cold. Nav can be added later but you can get it for free if you can find a car that has it. Full leather in a coupe would work for me. In a cab it's not so weather friendly should you get caught in the rain with top down.
Keep in mind the '05 C4 and C4S will still be the 996 bodystyle which may not be to your liking. The C2 models were upgraded in '05, but the C4 models were upgraded in '06.
To your other questions, I would recommend that you take a look at the option lists between the two cars that you are interested in and compare based on that. Some things you will likely find:
(1) The $ gap between a used C4 and C4S should be significantly smaller than what it was when new
(2) Either car will be an exceptional vehicle and (in my opinion at least) an upgrade from your old Cayman.
