Next 911 - a 997 or a SC!

[nickpan]

Hello All,

I would like to purchase my next 911 and I'm stuck between a 997.2 C2 manual and a '79 SC. Both coupes.

I'm fickle when it comes to car ownership - in the last 4 years, I've owned:

996 C4 - sold after 2 years as wanted to try something air cooled
993 C2 - sold after 18 months as didn't find it "raw" enough
912 SWB - sold after 6 months as much too old and slow for my liking
996 C2 - sold after 6 months when the sleepless nights about bore scoring set in

I'd like my next 911 to be a keeper. I've put together the following pros/cons score table (attached) to help me decide but all this has done has left me even more undecided.

In sum - the 997 offers a lot of practicality and versatility but I fear I'll grow bored of it. The SC I have my eye on is very much a dream car but I fear my lack of mechanical knowledge or the fact I have no garage at home (it would live 20 miles away in a garage) would mean it gets little use.

First world problems I know but I'd really like to make the right decision this time around.

Anybody with first hand experience of the two? I can only afford one!

A big thank you,

Nick

PS: I have an Audi Q3 for daily car duties which serves us very well.

 

[GMG]

...the metric is a lot easier to these eyes ; head or heart?I

 

[nickpan]

...the metric is a lot easier to these eyes ; head or heart?I

Perfectly summarised! :worship:

Heart says the SC. Maybe these sorts of purchases should always be driven by the heart. Definitely used my head when purchasing the Audi Q3.

 

[DRZ911]

...the metric is a lot easier to these eyes ; head or heart?I

Totally agree that "heart" should generally win over "head".

The one thing that would temper this for me on this occasion would be the SC being garaged 20 miles away. For "heart" to win, the SC needs to be something you can see every day without any hassle. So because of this restriction, would go down the 997 route in these particular circumstances if it can sit outside where you live so that you can see it every day.

 

[Luddite]

Your assessment that the 912 was too OLD and slow kinda nails your thinking for me...

While the SC has more street cred and poke than your 912 had, in terms of technology and driver comforts compared to the 997, I suspect the SC will feel VERY OLD. I spent some time repairing corrosion on my old air cooled cars, boy can they rot, even the galv ones. Apparently it is becoming difficult to get parts for the K-Jetronic FI system which has it`s own share of complexities, though it is very reliable. The air injection system pipes can corrode which is a bit of a pain too, assuming the air pump is still in place... Like all 911`s there are different specs which can affect the assessment of value, the SC Sport being more desirable than the non sport...

If you have any thinking re the reported bio-fuel unsuitability for pre Y2K 911`s, and other climate change possibilities re taxation or possible future restrictions on usage, or indeed the possible effect of Covid on the air-cooled MARKET, then the 997, might seem a better bet, either way it seems there is so much up in the air at the moment, that buying any big ticket item would seem to have it`s risks and perhaps none more so than recreational vehicle related.... but I claim zero expertise at predicting the future, unlike many who are full of..err..confidence.. :?:

Good luck in making the right decision for YOU. :thumb:

 

[T8]

Your own relevant experiences are probably better than most on here.

996 C4 - sold after 2 years as wanted to try something air cooled
993 C2 - sold after 18 months as didn't find it "raw" enough
912 SWB - sold after 6 months as much too old and slow for my liking
996 C2 - sold after 6 months when the sleepless nights about bore scoring set in

Based on the above you should already know what to expect from a 997. It won't be much different to the 996s you've had but you will have more peace of mind.

I would think that an SC would be rawer than your 993 and will obviously be newer and quicker than your 912.

IMO it depends whether you prefer chalk or cheese.

You may want to weight those scores according to how important each aspect is to you.

I'm interested to see which way you jump.

 

[nickpan]

Thank you for all the great feedback. I've weighted the items based on what's important to me and sadly arrived at the same score. Shouldn't come as a surprise to me as I always knew this decision was a tricky one!

- The environmental angle is a concern for me - while the 997 is leap years ahead in terms of emissions, the SC is tax exempt and ULEZ exempt which implies the the government thinks banning historical vehicles in support of climate change concerns isn't high up on their agenda... Appreciate a future UK government could do a U-turn on this

- I am wary of the air cooled bubble - I was wary of it when I bought my 993 in 2017! That being said, I think the government's response to COVID will ultimately result in interest rates remaining lower for longer which IMO is what is driving the pricing bubble. That being said, the depreciation curve of a 997 is much more predictable which is somewhat more comforting

:?:

 

[Luddite]

You got me with the mention of the SC being tax exempt, ULEZ, I can understand as a saving. which adds two more items to contemplate..! Operating in London traffic with a manual box, and no air-con, heavy clutch if it has not been replaced in the semi-recent past...?

I only drove a new 993 for a day on my favourite roads, and it`s handling and power delivery were far superior to my then 10 year old SC, though it was no tired old slouch.. I used to enjoy the surge in acceleration as the revs rose and the wail in the tail, though it was Baz who said with circa 80k miles on the clock the surge may have been down to worn piston rings apparently a known issue with the SC, but it was still a LOT of fun to drive at the time, and very very different to the 993, so much so that after the day with the 993, a mile or two down the road in the SC I definitely did not feel I was driving a lesser car, though each to their own, TODAY I would have a 993 or 964 in a heartbeat, the SC...Hmm..? I think I might prefer a 3.2 Carrera if an IB 911 might be on the cards..

The 997 may not be without issues as apparently the intake plumbing can crud up as the result of DFI robbing the manifolding, ports and valve heads of the washing effect of petrol, which apparently can result in a reduction in performance in as little as 30k miles..due to a drop off in volumetric efficiency I guess...? Apparently there numerous methods being tried to resolve this, though some manufacturers have apparently added a supplementary injector in the manifold to restore the effect of petrol wash..

In terms of "classic" evaluation, although compared to air cooled 997`s seem to be commonplace, just check the for sale numbers across the range available on here...? However the 997.2 may have potential dependant on spec, and perhaps more so in time as the last of this that or the other ever seems to be promoted as adding street cred/value... Thinking no electric steering...normally aspirated, etc.etc.etc...?

I have been struggling with air cooled or 997 for a couple of years now, but I dont see any more worth than 25-30k for a car that does not need 10-30k spent on it.... So the air cooled is currently out of my reach, but the 997.2 is coming close, give it six months, and who knows...? At my age it could be all too easy to wait too long... :floor:

Hope I have not muddied the water.. ld: