TL;DR: Moving from a Corvette C7 to a 911 so I can take my two kids (4 & 8) on weekend drives. Deciding between a 997.2 (3.6) and a 991.1 (3.4), both base RWD manuals at around €60k–€75k. I do all my own garage maintenance and want decent reliability, reasonable running costs, and decent value retention. Which would you pick?

​Hey guys,

​Looking to get my first 911 and torn between two specific specs: a 997.2 Carrera 2 (3.6 manual) and a 991.1 Carrera 2 (3.4 manual).

​I currently have a Corvette C7, but with two young kids (4 and 8), a 2-seater just doesn't work for family weekend trips anymore. I drive pretty casually, so base NA power is plenty.

​Both cars hover around the similar price here in Europe, but I’m torn on a few things:

​DIY wrenching: I do all my own work in the garage (fluids, brakes, plugs, coils, suspension...). The 997 seems way more straightforward under the hood, while the 991 looks buried under fans and plastic (rear bumper off just for air filters?). Is the 991.1 actually a headache to maintain at home, or am I overthinking it?

​Kids in the back: How big is the real-world difference in rear seat room between the 997 and 991 for a 4- and 8-year-old?

​Value & reliability: Both engines (MA1) seem rock solid, and I'm sticking to RWD manual to avoid PDK/AWD complexity. But between the low-production analog 997.2 and the rarer manual 991.1, which makes more sense to hold long-term?

​Would love to hear from anyone who has worked on both or made a similar switch!

997.2 vs 991.1 Base Manual - DIY wrenching & hauling two kids coming from a Corvette?