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    PASM in Sport mode at high speed

    Last weekend I enjoyed the Boxey again tossing it around those curvy and hilly countryroads. As ususal I activated SC + PASM Sport mode to enjoy the corners even more

    When returning home from my favourite countryroads I usually take the Autobahn (nice stretch of some 40 km, mostly 3-lane without speedlimit - Dreamcar knows the stretch I'm talking about ). This time I forgot to deactivate the PASM Sport mode before entering the Autobahn.
    As there was almost no traffic I tried to push the car as quick as possible to the max. speed. Geez - I felt like a F1 driver at the bumpy Interlagos racetrack . The digi speedo indicated 274 km/h and the teeth rattling ride asked for a really firm grip on the steering-wheel (my wife warned me that she might get a problem with the beer she had 20 minutes before during a break at a biergarten )
    Only after going slower while approaching an intersection I realised that I unintentionally drove PASM in Sport mode all the time
    For further explanation about the road condition: the specific Autobahn stretch is not as smooth as the Hockenheimring, but it isn't really bumpy like a countryroad neither. Nevertheless, what appears to be mildly ondulated bumps at high speed with PASM in normal mode seem to transform into proper speed bumps with PASM in Sport mode.
    The Sport mode is great fun at countryroad speeds, but at speeds > 200 km/h it might be used only on supersmooth racetracks. Don't get me wrong: inspite of the really harsh ride the car felt rock solid (well planted) and to a certain extent it was a blast (reminding me of the feeling in real racecars), but after a couple of minutes I got tired of my eyeglasses hopping up and down on my nose

    Now the question for the tech experts: I understand that the PASM software is feeded with paramaters like the intensity of acceleration / braking, corner speed and that it permanently stiffens/softens the dampers according to these parameters. I also understand that PASM in normal mode (when driving "hard") can match the damper set-up of Sport mode (when driving "soft").
    So if you cruise at high speed just straightline (no hard braking, no hard accelaration, no corners) - why is PASM in Sport mode not able to become at least as soft as the stiffest set-up in Normal mode when the car is running over some bumps (the bumps should trigger a softer set-up IMO) My single amateur explanation is, that the parameter "highspeed" (however defined) would outrule all other parameters when driving in Sport mode (I'm sure that PASM in Normal mode also triggers a stiffer damper set up at those speeds, but it's still way more comfortable).

    Any ideas

    Re: PASM in Sport mode at high speed

    Thanks Porsche-Jeck! It's always interesting to read your reports. I wonder if you would find the -20mm sports suspension equally bone-jarring on the same stretch of road?

    All the best!

    Re: PASM in Sport mode at high speed

    Glad to hear you had a blast PJ.

    I'm still not convinced that PASM does a very good job of adjusting itself... my personal experience is that it doesn't stiffen up hard enough and quick enough. Mind you, I still have unresolved concerns about the handling of my car, so I can't speak for everyone.

    It would be good to have a PASM display, similar to the Tyre Pressure display, that showed the instantaneous damper stiffness of each corner of the car. I'm sure that would be relatively easy for Porsche to do if they wanted to.

    Re: PASM in Sport mode at high speed

    I'm glad at long last that soemone else thinks PASM in sport os too hard for motorways and autobahns. Hidden compressions on the M6 toll road (pretty much race track smooth to look at) have my organs bouncing around.

    Re: PASM in Sport mode at high speed

    Quote:
    wtsnet said:

    I'm still not convinced that PASM does a very good job of adjusting itself... my personal experience is that it doesn't stiffen up hard enough and quick enough.



    Yes, the system might have a problem with conflicting parameters: highspeed = stiffer suspension vs. bumps = softer suspension. Might work at lower speed, but the software might get confused at 270 km/h

    Having said that I'm very happy with the PASM so far:

    > highspeed cruising with PASM in normal mode - even on suboptimal Autobahn stretches - feels just right; no "synthetic" or road-disconnected feeling at all

    > in the city it's very comfortable, but you still feel that you're driving a sportscar

    > on twisty countryroads (especially in Sport mode) is where it really shines The only disadvantage is that the spirited countryroad stints eat the tires rather quickly (after 5,000 km the profile of the rear tires already is 2 mm less compared to the front tires )

    I pursued your posts about the suspension/damper probs with your car. I'm not a tech expert, so I'm sorry of being unable to make some helpful comment Perhaps just one question: do your dealership's mechanics feel the same when going for a testdrive in your car or are they just denying the probs ? There's nothing worse than a butt-dyno telling you: "There's something wrong with the car's balance, so don't really push it" and no mechanic being able to verify the prob. Maybe it's time to ask another shop for an opinion. Or maybe you just let another experienced UK-Rennteamer drive your car to hear his opinion (I'm very sensitive with the road feeling of a car and sometimes I just feel like a hypochondriac unless a buddy would confirm my observations)

    @ Easy: thanks for the nice words I would love to test the 997 S with the -20mm suspension (no chance so far).
    From all what I've heard it must be just great - I'm sure you will enjoy it in your car (just 3 months to go for you ). The common opinion seems to be, that PASM in Sport mode is harsher compared to the -20mm.

    If you want to go for a real highspeed test without putting your licence at risk I'll be more than happy to work as your living navigation system with all the suitable Autobahn-streches stored in my brain

    Re: PASM in Sport mode at high speed

    Quote:
    Porsche-Jeck said:I pursued your posts about the suspension/damper probs with your car. I'm not a tech expert, so I'm sorry of being unable to make some helpful comment Perhaps just one question: do your dealership's mechanics feel the same when going for a testdrive in your car or are they just denying the probs ? There's nothing worse than a butt-dyno telling you: "There's something wrong with the car's balance, so don't really push it" and no mechanic being able to verify the prob. Maybe it's time to ask another shop for an opinion. Or maybe you just let another experienced UK-Rennteamer drive your car to hear his opinion (I'm very sensitive with the road feeling of a car and sometimes I just feel like a hypochondriac unless a buddy would confirm my observations)


    Yes, you are absolutely right about feeling like a hypochondriac! OPC didn't seem to want to take the issue seriously, or couldn't find anything, when I last took it in. However, it did seem great for about a week afterwards. The only way I can rationalise this to myself at the moment is if it is a software 'averaging' problem that got fixed if they did a software reset during the service, THEN took it out for a test drive. It also feels maybe a little like the alignment is out. But all I can do is speculate until I get chance to take it in again with normal tyres on, and sit on them until they give me an answer. Certainly my buttometer tells me I can't push very much at the moment, which is very frustrating! Maybe I'm just a lousy driver, and the car is fine you'll certainly here more from me when I DO find out something. I will at some point take a long test in a similar dealer car to compare. Thanks for the response though!

    Re: PASM in Sport mode at high speed

    Quote:
    percymon said:
    have my organs bouncing around.



    Which organ ? Make sure to take the right passenger with you and at least ONE organ wouldn't bounce around anymore

    Before ordering my car of course I read all the automag-reviews (not that I'm counting that much on the written stuff ). I remember one author who felt embarrassed because a Merc did overtake him at 240 km/h or so because the author didn't have the balls to push the P further as he felt that the P was jumping all over the place on the Autobahn at this speed due the automatically stiffening dampers. Another one claimed that the Boxster would lap a better time around the NBR with PASM in normal mode...lot of controversial stories.

    But as I said - I'm very happy with the system so far and I have no prob of driving in Normal mode at highspeed. Of course PASM is a rather new technology to Porsche and I'm convinced there is a learning curve they are sliding down.
    As long as it's just software-adjustments needed to further improve the system it should be easy to do. I think it's quite encouraging that they even implant (a modified) PASM into the new GT3.
    As I said in an earlier post I also had the impression that my car (built in March 06) feels different (better) than a PASM equipped demo-car I drove in June 05 - might be either a slightly changed software or just my wishful thinking

    Re: PASM in Sport mode at high speed

    Quote:
    wtsnet said: Yes, you are absolutely right about feeling like a hypochondriac! OPC didn't seem to want to take the issue seriously, or couldn't find anything, when I last took it in.



    Wtsnet, stick to your guns! Porsche dealers are better than most but beware because I had a nightmare with BMW when I got a new Mini. After turning into a corner, the car would suddenly lurch and because of the passive rear steer, adjust its line alarmingly. I knew it wasn't right but 3 trips to the dealer and they told me:

    1st. nothing was wrong
    2nd. they're all like that
    3rd. still no problems (implying very unsubtly that I was imagining it)

    Funnily enough, it was at a Ferrari service centre that I was discussing this problem and the manager said "Oh, the 360's all do that - it sounds like stiction in the dampers" which I should have thought of. Anyway, I took the poor little Mini over some setts (200m of 1/2" sleepers set into a sinusoidonal sequence) to bed them in and that sorted it out!

    Going all Aesop on you, the moral of the story is that I would not trust any service personnel on driving matters. If you're concerned, get a professional driver to take your car out get his/her thoughts. If there is a problem, they could then back you up.

    Re: PASM in Sport mode at high speed

    Porsche-Jeck,
    I was told when ordering my 987S(w/PASM) that there are two(2) distinct sets of algorhythms for normal and sport and that they don't overlap.

    Re: PASM in Sport mode at high speed

    Exactly. If PASM were able to compensate for every type of driving and every road surface, there wouldn't be any need for seperate "Sport" and "Normal" settings.

    There is some overlap of course, but Sport is going to be more harsh--it isn't going to soak up the bumps like Normal will. I like Sport, but rarely use it on the street for the same reasons that Porsche-Jeck mentioned.

     
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