AGARubberDuck

I'm specifically asking for opinions/thoughts from owners of 955/957 AND 996/997.
I have an '04 CTT. It has a ton of miles on it, but kept up extremely well. I absolutely love the power and handling, but also very much appreciate the quiet and comfortable, (pampered if you will) interior quality.

I'm in the market for a 996 or 997 911, either S 4S or turbo. I've driven an '02 4S example in the 100K+ mile - low $20k range, and have to say I'm very unimpressed. The power doesn't seem to touch the CTT, and the ride was noisy(not in a very good way), harsh, and overall left a poor experience in my mind. The body was ridged, turning and going over uneven pavement certainly showed everything was tight, but still couldn't shake the feeling I was back in my old '92 Honda Prelude Si, a $500 college car. Or perhaps since it had all sorts of leather around, the '86 300zx turbo I had after that. Every bump in the road echoed and thundered throughout the cabin, and the raspy engine noise almost precludes conversation.

Did I simply find a horrible example? Or should I be looking for some sort of GT in the lines of a Maserati or Jaguar instead of a 911? There is an '07 S available nearby for closer to $32k. I'm going check that one out but maybe my expectations are way off.

tomc_mets

Could be a bad example. First 911 I test drove had a stumble and outside when accelerating out of first gear. Totally unimpressive. But, if you drive a number of examples, you'll get a feeling for what is normal and what is not, and for what model/trim level is the one for you. Good luck in the hunt. It's almost as much fun as driving them...T

RKD in OKC

Since you currently like your Cayenne Turbo don't think you will be happy with the performance of anything in the 911 range that is not also a turbo.

Almost too loud and rattly to hold a conversation sounds as if the 4S had been modified. Drove a C4S when car shopping after my highly modified 944 Turbo cratered and the C4S did not leave that impression on me. Try other examples!

My DD is an 04 CS, GT car for me is my 928 GTS. I like the V8 noises the 928 makes, handles and rides like a dream.

rpm's S2

The performance of my 996 let me go with a V6 Cayenne. I don't need my daily driver to carve canyons, that's what the Carrera is for.

Don't know what 911 you drove. Sure wasn't mine. As for your concerns about noise, etc... maybe a real sports car is not for you. As for the handling issues you describe, sounds like that car needed new tires. That would explain the twitchyness, tram lining, and some of the noise.

I'll just say this - while it might be fun (but more $$ in purchase price and gas) to have an S or CTT, I find my current fleet balance to be about perfect. The Cayenne is a great daily vehicle, with both plenty of room and plenty of power for that role. Also gets good gas mileage for its size and power. And for the weekends, I don't know of a better performance value than a good, well-maintained 996. Mine is amazing and beautiful. I smile every time I see it, and laugh every time I drive it.

wrinkledpants

I've driven both - suspension health makes a huge difference in handling and road noise. If the controls arms, et al, are solid - it should ride pretty quiet. If they're worn, it'll bang on everything and have a harsh sound in the cabin. Given the price range and mileage you drove, I gotta believe that suspension was due for an overhaul.

I think the C4S is the least fun 911 to drive, but the most practical for folks that need AWD in the winter. The 997 will have a nicely updated interior. The Turbo will obviously be in a league of it's own for power.

My B5 S4 Avant would hang with a stock 996TT; it was fast. My 88 911 was the slowest car I've ever owned, but by a mile......a big mile...... the most rewarding. I think in today's age, power is almost dime a dozen today. Putting 450 lbs of torque to the ground in an AWD car is fun, but you get used to it.

Handling, steering, and the reward of driving a RWD NA motor in a fairly light-weight and simple car is far more rewarding to me. Handling never gets old, and it requires skill to get it right. My grandmother could get into a new 991 Turbo and rip a sub 12 second quarter mile.

I love my CTT since we need a mountain car that can carve up the canyons in the summer, deal with deep snow, and go off-road. If I were in the market for what you're looking for, I'd rather have a 997 C2S than a 996TT. With fresh suspension, they should handle and be as quiet, if not more quiet, than your CTT. NA motors are just so much more fun to drive than FI motors. But, that's just my opinion and one data point for you. For a lot people, HP is king.

FRUNKenstein

Uhh, I'm gonna have to say





B5 S4 Avant: 340 hp, 302 ft lbs torque, 3936 lbs, 0 to 60 mph 5.1 seconds (sedan)
Stock, non-X50 996tt: 415 hp, 415 ft lbs torque, 3,395 lbs, 0 to 60 mph 4.2 seconds

wrinkledpants

It was far from stock. The block will take around 500 ft lbs of torque to the wheels before it needs rods. And your stats are from the B6 S4. The B5 was a tad lighter and with 250 hp and torque from the 2.7TT. I'm not saying the 996TT is slow. Just providing context for the OP.

rloggie

I have a 2004 996TT with very low miles and a 958 Cayenne TT. The 996 has no rattles, tracks straight and is a blast to drive. It's stock with a UMW tune and it's drives like a new car. I wouldn't have it if it was squeaky, rattled, or felt less than 100%. It just wouldn't be fun for me. Point is, buy a very well sorted car. Don't buy the least expensive that needs too much TLC unless you want a new hobby. There are still examples out there with sub 20K mi. and they're worth the price. Others with more milage with outstanding service and upkeep will more than satisfy.

I love the CTT for what it does, but with 500 HP its still a luxury SUV / Spaceship vs. a low slung two seater sports car. The 996TT is considerably faster.

My 2 cents.

fpena944

I have a 958 turbo and a 996 NA so a little bit of a different comparison but thought I'd chime in anyway.

When I compare the power of the two the CTT is undeniably the faster car at least in a straight line. The 996 requires high revs to really get going but that's part of the fun with the car. The interior of the Cayenne is also several notches above the 911 but even with 162k miles my 996 is still free of squeaks and rattles. That said though I do have an aftermarket exhaust and my 911 is very loud.

I wouldn't expect the same type of refinement and comfort from a 911 compared to a Cayenne until you get to the 991 series. They're just built for two very different purposes. Not that a 996/997 isn't a good daily driver as that's how I use mine myself, but if you're used to the level of comfort in a Cayenne you might feel that lacking in a 996/997.

tkrtape12

I enjoy my CTT very much only mod ECU flash, I also really enjoy my 928, I've thought of looking at the 996 market as they are pretty affordable Turbos. I really miss my heavily modded 951 was so much fun to take to track events and I was not worried about blowing it up due to the low cost.
Great to hear the good side of high millaged 996's

FRUNKenstein

You are right - I stand corrected.
B5 S4 Avant: 251 hp, 258 ft lbs torque, 3,704 lbs, 0 to 60 mph 5.6 seconds
Stock, non-X50 996tt: 415 hp, 415 ft lbs torque, 3,395 lbs, 0 to 60 mph 4.2 seconds

wrinkledpants

Yep. A standard stg 3 S4 is on-par with a stock 996TT. S4 is a great GT car, but kind of a floppy chassis. 996 is a much more balanced sports car in the steering/handling/power department. Was simply pointing out the fact that easy power (AWD + torque) wasn't as fun to me as less power but more responsive driving dynamic. A fast, free revving engine contributes to that.

Not mine - just for comparison sake.

WJGreer

Normally these conversations are people coming the other direction - "I've driven a Corvette for 20 years and this Cayenne doesn't feel anything like a sports car to me," so this is actually an interesting discussion.

About 2 years ago I had a clean line on a 997.2 because a neighbor was moving back to the UK and had to unload it kind of fast. I hadn't been in a 911 in several years, and I had been driving an F10 BMW 5 series which is a more relaxed car than you would think it is.

The 911 felt brash to me. It was loud. It was rough. It didn't really feel fast until I got the revs way up there. I got back into my 5 series and it immediately felt like I was driving inside of a big pillow. And it had more torque.

I passed on the 911, mainly because the condition was rough and the guy had an astoundingly good offer from CarMax on it already. But - the experience proved to me that the most important car on your test drive is the one you drive up in, because the new car will feel conspicuous to you in the ways it's different than what you are used to. Sort of like how your perception of a second wine is inaccurate unless you rinse your palate of the wine before it.

I guess few people end up regretting a purchase of a 911, unless they couldn't afford it to begin with or they had no idea what kind of car they were getting into. Once you get used to it, it will become home and the ways that it is excellent will begin to win out in the experience.

Plus, for what they are, recent 911s are really very nice inside. The '02 4S you drive was a 996, and Porsche has done no less than revolutionize their interior quality since then, across the board.

AGARubberDuck

Great input from everyone, within a day no less. Thanks!

I will be driving/checking out several more. Hopefully I just had a poor first experience. But as rpm's S2 mentioned, perhaps a 'real' sports car isn't what I'm after. The CTT has left such a highly-positive impression on me I just assumed the 996/997 would be an excellent addition to the stable.

wrinkledpants

Don't rule out a Cayman S. No back seats but still tons of storage space. Better interior than a 996, and IMO, more fun to drive.

You're definitely not going to get a luxo barge like the CTT in terms of sound levels in general. You're dragging your butt on the pavement, so you're going to hear a lot more. If you want CTT levels of power and refinement, but with sports car handling, you should be looking at Audi's. The B8 S4's are getting pretty cheap. Slightly faster than the CTT, and with an active rear diff, can be tossed into corners pretty good.

Most people choose a sports car for the more visceral experience. That's all around - more feedback in the steering wheel, more sounds, more engine sounds, more tire sounds. It all helps tell you what's happening with the car. My 911 took two hands on the steering wheel just to get to the grocery store. I can drive the CTT up I-70 to the resorts at high speeds with a latte in one hand.