Dilemma with my S4

[cpufreak]

I'm a bit unsure what to do...

I spent part of last week at a Porsche Driving Experience, driving Boxsters, Caymans, and 911s on circuit, and Cayennes off road.

The Boxster S, and Cayman S were both really good cars, and lots of fun but paled on comparison to the 997 C4-S, which was quite simply the best car I've ever driven. (I also got to drive a normal Carrera, unfortunately though, it had TipTronic).

Having got back home, and driven my S4 quite a lot over the weekend, I'm now struggling to enjoy journeys with it. In its current stage of tune, its as quick as most of the porsches I drove in a straight line, but the lack of feedback through the steering, makes it feel quite vague.

With a 997 C4-S specce'd the options I'd want looking to cost around ~76k, I can't justify, or really afford to tie up that kind of money in a car (want to buy a new place towards the end of the year) but looking at autotrader, I can afford a 996 C4, of similar, or younger age than my S4.

Insurance is a bit more than the S4, but again its affordable.

I'm obviously going to get some test drives in some 996s, to see if they match up to expectations...but am unsure as to whether to proceed or not...

I mean I've done quite a lot to my S4 over the last 10 months (Brakes, Suspension, Full Milltek, Remap, Cruise control), and until last week was delighted with it.

I've got a trip to the nurburgring coming up, where maybe I'll fall back in love with the S4...

If not, would I be better off selling/swapping the enhanced bits of my car with other members, and selling the car standard, or selling it enhanced?

Is anyone able to talk some sense into me, or something?

cheers

Andy

[rs666]

Give it sometime and the memory will fade.

I have driven both and although both are great the 997 is a leap ahead of the 996, so not sure you'll get what your after in a 996.

[simple1]

Andy, have to agree with Damom, you will fnd the 996 does not quite do what the 997 can....... I even considered selling 996 turbo to buy 997 S, but realised I could not live with the loss of power on a perminent basis even though the 997 was a far better driving car. Think long and hard before jumping.

[Nige_RS4]

Andy, try fitting the powerflex bush kit (all-round). This gives the S4 the 'feedback' you seem to like/want from your car. Personally, I would have to think long and hard about fitting it again, as it made normal driving less comfortable. Great for track days and when you're in the mood, but for long distances I'm not so sure I would want that much intrusion. Certainly made my S4 feel more like my BM* (censored).

[s4woody]

the grass aint always greener on the other car...

[GaryC]

I owned a 996 C2 from new for two years before the birth of our second child saw it traded in for an RS6 as the Audi was the best compromise available which combined practicality, performance and driver appeal. Putting practicality aside and focusing just on driver appeal, the 996 easily beats both the RS6 and S4 (which I have driven for several days as a loan car). So if you don't need four seats and a big boot then go for it.

Gary.

[cpufreak]

Thanks for the replies. I'm aware that the difference between a 996 and a 997 add up to greater than the sum of the part, but I expect the driving experience is still going to be a vast improvement over my S4..the 996 was still afterall designed as a sportscar.

The 997 C4S I drove had PASM (the active airsupension), amongst other options, which I guess a 996 wouldn't have. This gave the option of switching between damper settings, thus giving an effective best of both worlds, with a 'comfort' setting for day to day, and sport for when pushing on.
- Certainly driving it on the roads (15miles driving over B/C roads) between the track + where the event was being hosted, it had a compliant ride, and was as easy to drive as any other car I've driven.

I don't have regular need for the rear seats in the S4, so I really don't need the practicality it gives me, the rear seats in a 911 would be sufficient for the very occasional short trips which might need them.

I'm going to leave it a month or so, as I don't have time prior to the 'ring trip, but I think the best thing to do is to try and get an extended test drive in a 996 (i.e. a weekend), and see if a 996 would fit my requirements, and satisfy my wants. If it wont, it wont, and I'll have to motivate myself into a position where a 997 isn't prohibitively expensive.

cheers,

Andy

[derdle]

Have you considered getting an RS4 instead? Still an Audi and still very much a stealth machine and not "in yer face" like a Porsche.

Also blatting someone else's car around a track is different to using your own baby on the road. Why not book yourself and your S4 onto a track day?

[cpufreak]

Have you considered getting an RS4 instead? Still an Audi and still very much a stealth machine and not "in yer face" like a Porsche.

Also blatting someone else's car around a track is different to using your own baby on the road. Why not book yourself and your S4 onto a track day?

I've tracked my S4 before (nurburgring last year, donington in december, nurburgring again in a few weeks). The S4 is capable, but its not as much fun. Its never going to be, no matter what I do to it, as it wasn't designed from the ground up as a sports car.

I don't want an estate car, which rules out a B5 RS4, and for the money that a B7 RS4 costs, I'd sooner have a porker.

My opinon which is probably different from most, as I live + work in london, is that these days 911s really aren't in your face...they've kind of mellowed over time.

Flashypants people in these parts tend to go for the likes of Gallardos, F430s, Astons, and Bentley CGTs...

cheers

Andy

[GaryC]

I've not driven a 997, but if good steering is your thing then quite a number of journalists have said that the steering on the 996 is better (even if they go on to conclude that as an all round bet the 997 is the superior car). The interior of the 996 is well below the Audi in terms of quality (cheap indicator stalks and sprayed aluminium look plastics aren't too hot for a £60k car), but otherwise I don't think you'll be disappointed.

Try to get a drive in one with a factory sports exhaust if you can - it was a pretty common option. I didn't spec mine with one and regretted it for most of the duration of ownership, but just couldn't justify the £2500 to retro-fit it on a car whose days were numbered when child number 2 was on his way.

Gary.

[rs666]

I was impressed with my father-in-law's 997 4S at the weekend except for the plastic interior door handles....yuk....criminal in such a nice interior. Coloured to look like alu, but felt as tacky as you can get. Shame on you Porsche!

[simple1]

Mine is in the garage again having just returned from £1100 service..... and still missing...........
Turns out that when the engine was removed in November to repair an oil leak after rather a hard weekend in Spa/Ring, they managed to damage something on top of the engine which has created several air leaks......the engine is coming out again

[Burnham]

rs666 - that was exactly my thoughts when I sat in the 997!! The only think that let it down was the door handles...they look bad and they feel bad. Certianly not 993 build quality

[Speed_Junkie]

why not keep your s4 for road and buy a trackday warrior for pleasure??