Some further driving impressions:
I have had the opportunity to push the car a bit more. The options I have on the chassis are PASM, PTV with mech LSD, Sport Chrono (so Sport plus, dynamic gearbox mounts), TPM but a manual gearbox of course.
Overall its an extremely well balanced car which is easy to drive at moderate speeds but rewards your skills as you up the pace and start to exploit the chassis. This is a very fast car through corners and direction changes with excellent brakes and enough power to entertain.
It feels a bit softer on standard settings than I expected and really rides well. It is never uncomfortable. The front of the car can be placed absolutely accurately and seems far more throttle sensitive than I expected. I'm not sure if it's the road conditions, the options on the car, the winter tyres or what but it is very responsive and balancing the car is more important than I expected it higher speeds. It certainly gets your attention when it goes from a bit more understeer than I expect through neutral to hooking up for the drive out of the corner. It truly rewards when you start to push a bit harder.
Compared to the 997 C2S it feels very different and the back does feel less well nailed down than that car although every thing else feels better with the possible exception of steering feel off centre on slippery roads before it gets loaded up. On the other hand the front feels more nailed down so perhaps that's part of the trade off. It may of course be the more sophisticated rear suspension of the 911 coming into play.
I drive it mostly on Sport which offers a faster throttle response (with higher idle speed it seems), the PSE on which really adds a level of emotional intensity with the roof down and of course kills the start/stop. I really don't like start stop systems on these cars. The different throttle map helps the response for heel and toeing especially now the brakes are bedded in the the pedal sinks a little more which also helps. As with all Porsches it does sound somewhat rough and rattly when you fire it up from cold in the garage.
I hate the new 'hand' brake now even more. It is counter intuitive to me, is in an inconvenient place and even worse you have to press the brake to let it off. If there is one thing I would change on the car that would be it.
Roof down just above zero the car is excellent for a soft top in winter. Now I've sorted the heating arrangements (I have heated seats as well) its perfectly useable without gloves and with just a hat a relatively light jacket. The heater is excellent. I have more km's with the roof down than up even though its the middle of winter and snow all over.
So overall I'm delighted with the car and can heartily recommend it. It is no longer the poorer alternative to a 911. At this point I don't miss anything about the 911 apart from a little visibility sometimes, a little bit of torque when I'm being lazy and of course the heritage feeling which you can only get with something with a 50 year history.
The weather is still bad but I'll post some pics as soon as the sun comes out and I've washed it :D
....ah winter top down driving! So exhilarating! One of the many many aspects we enjoyed so much in our beloved and much missed 06 Boxster S
Taking our 997S back to the supplying dealer in a few weeks time for the annual mandatory safety check - I will need a very strong will not to be drawn back to the Boxster magic, especially as the 981S is such a brilliant car. I do hope they don't let me play with one of their 981S demonstrators whilst our car is in the workshop......
--
Porsche 997 Carrera S PDK Aqua Blue / Black - Toyota Yaris D4D "Clockwork Rat"
bridggar:
Why fight it - you only live once. 981 is a fantastic product. (as is 991) Scratch that itch!!!
I'm fighting a losing battle not to scratch the itch - I've blown far too much money on cars in the last few years and I don't think SWMBO would permit it anyway......
But OPC Bristol, part of the Dick Lovett Group, who also own OPC Swindon where I'm taking our 997 for its MoT in a few weeks have this magnificent fully loaded ex demontrator which has made the itch really bad...
--
Porsche 997 Carrera S PDK Aqua Blue / Black - Toyota Yaris D4D "Clockwork Rat"
Feb 13, 2013 11:46:09 AM
If I did scratch the itch it would be by means of a second hand scratcher not a new one. No way could I justify the cost of a new 981 any more. Not sure I can justify a used one, either.
--
Porsche 997 Carrera S PDK Aqua Blue / Black - Toyota Yaris D4D "Clockwork Rat"
dreamcar:
GT silver with carrera red leather at OPC Solihull......I'm going to have to go for a sedative and a cold shower....
Well,
I have used a cold shower to town down other desires so far but if it helps you in that regard...
That GT silver car looks truly beautiful. After all, maybe you should drive one while your car is being serviced. Chances are you are still perfectly fine with the 997 and the itch will go away by itself.
bridggar:
BTW - what is this "annual mandatory safety check" you mentioned? Never did that with my 997 and am not aware of needing it on 991?
The MoT test. I called it "annual mandatory safety check" for the benefit of the international Rennteamers that might not know what an MoT test meant and that it is a legal requirement here for all cars over three years old.
--
Porsche 997 Carrera S PDK Aqua Blue / Black - Toyota Yaris D4D "Clockwork Rat"
Ferdie:
dreamcar:
GT silver with carrera red leather at OPC Solihull......I'm going to have to go for a sedative and a cold shower....
Well,I have used a cold shower to town down other desires so far but if it helps you in that regard...
That GT silver car looks truly beautiful. After all, maybe you should drive one while your car is being serviced. Chances are you are still perfectly fine with the 997 and the itch will go away by itself.
I am sure you are right Ferdie - actually SWMBO who was heartbroken the day we said an emotional farewell to our 06 Boxster S has said she likes the 997 and probably wouldn't want to back to a Boxster. But when we had an all too brief drive in a 981S at Silverstone the sheer brilliance of it blew us away, the 991 far less so, it has to be said.
Of the three cars I've illustrated here the GT Silver one is by far the best colour combination, but the Guards Red one had the best spec.
--
Porsche 997 Carrera S PDK Aqua Blue / Black - Toyota Yaris D4D "Clockwork Rat"
For those who are thinking about a Boxster or Cayman or coming to one from a 911, here is the final spec on delivery of my 'S':
GT Silver with black roof, Full extended black leather, manual SportsPlus seats, Heated seats, Porsche crests on headrests (still not sure that was a good decision), SportDesign steering wheel, PDLS Xenon, PDC front and rear, Electric folding mirrors and dimming mirrors, Rain sensor, Sport techno wheels (Pirellis), PCM Navigation and phone prep, Interior light package, Bose sound, PSE, PASM, PTV, Tyre pressure monitoring, SportChrono with the dynamic gearbox mounts, Cruise, 2-zone Climate, delete model name, Windschott, Top tinted screen, Isofix and Child prep, Grey seat belts, standard mats. It was built in Stuttgart.
I wanted the Aha integration but missed the spec change cutoff. Perhaps I can do that as a retrofit. I've also bought the Boxster 19 inch winter wheels and tyres (Michelin)
Coming to a German spec car from UK spec 911's I would have missed the leather and top tint and aimed to get to a similar spec to my C2S's and added the things I couldn't order last time (Like a LSD with PASM and split temperature which wasn't ever an option before.)
I like the contrast of the black plastic parts on the outside but not the finish so if I was nit-picking I'd probably have the external black plastic parts finished in satin or gloss black to keep the look but improve the finish. The new cars with raw black plastic are in danger or compromising the quality look of earlier cars IMHO.
bridggar:
DC - could be worse - I'm currently hankering after a Cayenne to replace my XC90.....
Never much liked the Cayenne - until we drove one for the first time last year at Silverstone and came away hugely impressed. The off road abilities were very ably demonstrated by the expert driver consultant there was simply awesome and the icing on the cake.
A friend of ours has an XC-90, he purchased it to tow his huge caravan around. Must admit as a load carrier it was impressive and very comfortable, but only in the same way as a super tanker is impressive - and felt about as manoeuvrable as one!
When eventually we leave the sports car scene and drop to two cars, as we will have to in a few years time when SWMBO retires, we quite like the idea of a BMW X3 30D or 35D M Sport - the Cayenne would be too big for just the two of us and would probably cost a lot more to run and maintain than the BMW.
--
Porsche 997 Carrera S PDK Aqua Blue / Black - Toyota Yaris D4D "Clockwork Rat"
dreamcar:
I know, I've had two Boxsters, it's amazing how much you can pack in there. The 997 is much better in that regard, however.
what are you talking about - you can't even put a set of pressed shirts on hangers in a 911; they do fit in a Boxster trunk.
2012 991 C2S -PDK / 2010 997.2 turbo cab manual, sold / 2008 Cayenne GTS Manual /2008 RS 60 sold /04 C4S sold - 08 Cayenne Turbo PDCC sold