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    My First P-Car

    About to finalize the specs on my first P-car. I can't believe my wife is actually letting me get it! I think I convinced her I was going through a mid-life crisis...at age 32. God Bless her. Here's the rundown...
    '08 Targa 4S
    Meteor Grey Metallic
    Black Full Leather AT
    19" Carrera S wheels 403
    Self Dimming Mirrors 267
    Sport Chrono Plus 640
    Stainless Steel Exhaust X54
    Power Seat package P15
    Heated Seats 342
    Fire Extinguisher 509
    Instrument Dials Black 022
    Supple Leather 982
    Short Throw Shifter XCZ

    Any opinions or photos on this option?
    Air Vent Slats Ex Color CDN
    I like having the airvent surround in leather since I don't know that I'm a fan of the airvents with the standard aluminum-ish border. I'm a little worried it'll look weird having painted slats in meteor but the rest of the trim unchanged (standard aluminum-ish color)...was hoping to save the extra $$ by not making all the trimmings match. Don't even think I could change things like the glove box handle anyway. I may skip it to save the $$ as well.
    Thoughts?

    Re: My First P-Car

    I don't have pictures offhand of CDN but I can probably find some. I would suggest skipping option 982 because the supple leather really doesn't look that good nor does it give much support. I'd strongly suggest getting the adaptive sports seats instead. Feels great and gives good support.

    Re: My First P-Car

    I agree that supple leather looks kinda..., maybe..., sloppy in an otherwise crisp, sharp interior. Looks good in really sumptuous interiors like Bentley or Jaguar.

    Get the Sport Exhaust so you can justify the _functional_ quad tips. Otherwise they are just "Ys" there for looks.

    Similar note: get nav so you have fewer totally useless buttons on the PCM.

    Get black leather or paint on the PCM and other front center console trim to downplay the huge number of buttons shown by the Volcano Grey.

    Definitely get Adaptive Sport Seats if possible.

    Fire extinguisher is good for saving lives of other people in an emergency situation. If my car starts burning I'm gonna let it burn to the ground. meanwhile there's LESS room for your heels/feet on long trips. Why not get an aftermarket unit and put it in the trunk?

    If you insist on coloring the slats do them in the aluminum color of the door handles and other aluminum trim. Why? Because when they are in aluminum they "complete" a visual line across the dash from door handle to door handle which seems to visually pull everything togeather.

    Sport shifter can be eliminated if you want to spend the money on other option(s). 997 shifter has been universally acclaimed as excellent. Unlike 996 unit (it sucked) which was the reason guys got the sport shifters upgrade. If you like the shorter throws then get it; IOW, it's not a "must have" IMHO (I know this because I did the SS change in my 986S which had a 996 shifter). Another was of putting it: Unlike with the 996/986 the SS is not an upgrade for the 997 it's a preference.

    Re: My First P-Car

    Quote:
    MMD said:
    I agree that supple leather looks kinda..., maybe..., sloppy in an otherwise crisp, sharp interior. Looks good in really sumptuous interiors like Bentley or Jaguar.

    Get the Sport Exhaust so you can justify the _functional_ quad tips. Otherwise they are just "Ys" there for looks.

    Similar note: get nav so you have fewer totally useless buttons on the PCM.

    Get black leather or paint on the PCM and other front center console trim to downplay the huge number of buttons shown by the Volcano Grey.

    Definitely get Adaptive Sport Seats if possible.

    Fire extinguisher is good for saving lives of other people in an emergency situation. If my car starts burning I'm gonna let it burn to the ground. meanwhile there's LESS room for your heels/feet on long trips. Why not get an aftermarket unit and put it in the trunk?

    If you insist on coloring the slats do them in the aluminum color of the door handles and other aluminum trim. Why? Because when they are in aluminum they "complete" a visual line across the dash from door handle to door handle which seems to visually pull everything togeather.

    Sport shifter can be eliminated if you want to spend the money on other option(s). 997 shifter has been universally acclaimed as excellent. Unlike 996 unit (it sucked) which was the reason guys got the sport shifters upgrade. If you like the shorter throws then get it; IOW, it's not a "must have" IMHO (I know this because I did the SS change in my 986S which had a 996 shifter). Another was of putting it: Unlike with the 996/986 the SS is not an upgrade for the 997 it's a preference.



    I concur with this. Ditch the extinguisher, supple leather, and S/S exhaust. Sat Nav and the Sports exhaust are a must. In the UK if the car doesn't have Sat Nav it takes more of a hit come trade in. Mind, you in the UK, come trade in we get hit really hard regardless of spec.

    Re: My First P-Car

    Plus with NAV I keep it in "map" mode when driving around for fun. It shows you roads you may not know are around you. I found (and later re-found) some good backroads that way.

    Oh, while we're at it, I'm not current with wheel options anymore but the inside of TT wheels are the color of brake dust: I love them! I must have washed them once, they're flat-faced and a quick wipe is eeeeeasy. My previous wheels were plain silver thru-and-thru and always looked dirty. Check to see if you like any of the darker wheel options (if any). Or..., heck..., get the Turbo wheels!


    Re: My First P-Car

    nothing from me but just happy for you on this exciting purchase...

    Re: My First P-Car

    Oh, don't forget to order your 1:18 scale model of your car while supplies last (no kidding). Will make your wait easier.

    Porsche Online store at their website:

    Re: My First P-Car

    Rear center console in leather? It is a very nice touch, I would throw the door part also...

    As said above, drop the S/S, fire extinguisher and supple leather.

    Don't know about Italy but a car this price without sat nav... Hard for resale.

    Re: My First P-Car

    If you're keen on leather everywhere, def consider rear centre console in leather. Otherwise, don't go mad with trim leather, particularly on vents. It's just more leather to have to look after. If it's your first P-car, really, don't go mad with the options. Think long and hard if you really really need them, as they'll be worth zip when you want to trade to your 2nd P-car. And PCM+Nav is a must.

    Re: My First P-Car

    you're getting a manual with a short-shifter, and a sport exhaust, which tells me a bit about your inclination towards power and performance... I would SURELY get the X51 power kit, bumping bhp to 381, and giving you fantastic off the line and mid-range power... the 2009 997 carrera S will be at about 375 bhp, and almost at 400 bhp with the power kit... you will want your car to be up there in a couple of years... go for the X51, very much worth it as a factory installed option... I own a C2S Cab. and drove an X51 powered C2S, and the difference is very much noticeable... try to drive both before you put in your final order... and congrats and whatever you do :-)

    Re: My First P-Car

    You might want to get the fire extinguisher, depending upon whether or not it is a requirement for driver training sessions and/or track time.

    In the U.S., most Porsche Club of America driver training sessions require one to have a fire extinguisher in the car. I didn't order one when I got the car, and my dealer told me that they could not install one. Therefore, I am going to have to find out from my PCA region or from PCA where I can get one installed, as I want to be able to participate in such events.

    Again, this depends on the requirements of any club or track you may want to join or race your car at.

    Jim

    Re: My First P-Car

    If you don't order Nav now you can add it later. Your dealer can retrofit the option but it'll cost you about 400 Euro for the install, plus the price of the unit.

    Re: My First P-Car

    Do get the nav. Stay far away from supple leather, it looks like *ss after a year.

    If ordering rear console in leather, do add CDZ ("Gear Lever Trim leather", i.e. the piece between the PCM and the shifter boot) and either CPT or CUV (Porsche emblem / Targa 4S logo + stitching on the lid of the middle storage compartment). Cheap options and worth every penny. They should actually be part of the rear console in leather option IMHO.

    I'd also get sun visors in leather (XMP). In a Targa, I'd go for a bicolor interior (black/grey probably in an Meteor car) to enjoy the extra luminosity without baking on the seats.

    Re: My First P-Car

    Thanks for all the great responses! Some things to think about...I was a little surprised at the response to the supple leather...my friend has a 97 Targa with supple leather and though it isn't quite taut it's very comfortable. Agree on the S/S tail pipes...though I
    don't know if I'll spring for the PSE...would love to have it but I'm already stretching the budget. I was initially going to just get a Cayman S, which then became a C4, and then a T4, and well since the facelift didn't happen for 08 and I'm not willing to wait, I decided to jump to the T4S. Needless to say I'm way further over than I'd planned! Though I would love X51, PCCB...Might spring for a couple of the inexpensive leather niceties though.

    As for the Nav, seems very popular but I'm less concerned about resale and that's a pricey option considering a Garmin or TomTom can fit the bill and be used in my Bimmer as well. My wife told me I might as well have titled the original email "My First (and last) P-Car...deal is this is it until I inherit it to my son.

    No fire extinguisher??? Ok that was a little joke...been watching your posts for better part of a year now...got lots of ideas and knowlege from it all so thanks...thought I'd catch a laugh to see what everyone said, though I'm not downplaying the importance of a good first aid kit and fire extinguisher especially where I live.

    Anyway I'm looking at a Feb build / Mar delivery so I don't have to drive back from Leipzig in too bad of weather when I pick it up. Can't wait to see it in person and post the pics! Thanks again.

    Re: My First P-Car

    Quote:
    ViperDriver said:
    My wife told me I might as well have titled the original email "My First (and last) P-Car...deal is this is it until I inherit it to my son.

    No fire extinguisher??? [edited] I'm not downplaying the importance of a good first aid kit and fire extinguisher especially where I live.





    _Definitely_ equip yourself for helping others especially in an accident. You inspired me to get an extinguisher for my car's trunk (already have first aid, flares, know CPR etc).

    As far as keeping the car a long time? I'm very unsure about that. I'm afraid the old standard expectation of being able to keep your favorite car for 20+ years has become unreasonable because of how complex and electronic _today's_ cars become. I hope I'm wrong.

    Re: My First P-Car

    I know I am in the minority here but I really like the supple leather in my 2004 996. The leather still looks good and is very easy to keep clean, even though it is a light color, Graphite Grey. I just dont think that the standard perforated leather with the stitching running down the center of the seat looks good. With the standard leather it appears that they tried to make a cheap looking leather look richer by perforating it. IMO, they were unsuccessful.

    My wife's MB CLK Cab has Ash Grey interior and the perforations in the leather are a pain in the butt when cleaning and conditioning the leather. Fortunately, because her lease is up, her car goes back to the dealer this week so I will never have to mess with that leather again!

    Re: My First P-Car

    Do you have any pics of the rear center console w/ Targa insignia? Wouldn't mind seeing it...

    Re: My First P-Car

    Sorry, I don't have one at hand. But here's what it looks like on a Turbo. The Targa 4S version is exactly the same except it reads "targa 4S"

    Also shown on the picture: optional Alu-Leather e-brake (option CFP with Tip, DAD with 6 speed manual).


    Re: My First P-Car

    Hey, thanks for the pic! Do you know if there is an option code to get clear side markers vs. the yellow ones? I think I saw in a post that the dealer should swap them out on request when you pick up your car?? Thanks again.

    Re: My First P-Car

    Don't worry, clear side markers are standard in Europe. Amber side markers (those everyone wants to swap out) are a result of US regulations.

    Re: My First P-Car

    Good to know. I may double check w/ the dealer anyway since its a US Spec purchase...w/ my luck it'll have yellow markers and Pirellis instead of white markers and PS2s!
    BTW I think I read somewhere that you have PCCBs? If so what do you think of them now that you've used them for a little while...

    Re: My First P-Car

    Ciao & welcome onboard!

    The T4S is surely a great choice, however a rather expensive one. The ceramic brakes have a great pedal feel and offer amazing deceleration. If you use the car on the road, you might benefit from them however they are not mandatory to complete the car. If you are really running on a tight budget, I would have second thoughts about it. Might as well consider the X51 first.

    Supple leather looked, in my eyes, great on the 996 models since they featured different (roundish) seat graphics and design. On the 997 version with their more angular and laminar appereance you should take a close look at them before ordering.

    Re: My First P-Car

    Ferdie -
    Grazie! Thanks for the info on the seats. I'm taking everyone's advice and deleting that one. I was mostly curious on the PCCBs, though with my line of work less time spent cleaning wheels and fussing w/ rusty rotors = more time to spend w/ my boy and fitting his car seat in back!

    I think I've spent more hours on the Porsche and Rennteam websites in the past 12 months than I have sleeping...I can only hope for my family's sake that once I "finalize" the order I'll be content...February will not come soon enough!!

    BTW, know anyone that's successfully put a rear-facing child seat in back and still fit their 5'2" wife in the passenger seat? No sense cruisin' through the Alps w/out my bombshell navigator and youngin'..

    Re: My First P-Car

    Quote:
    ViperDriver said:
    Ferdie -
    Grazie! Thanks for the info on the seats. I'm taking everyone's advice and deleting that one. I was mostly curious on the PCCBs, though with my line of work less time spent cleaning wheels and fussing w/ rusty rotors = more time to spend w/ my boy and fitting his car seat in back!

    I think I've spent more hours on the Porsche and Rennteam websites in the past 12 months than I have sleeping...I can only hope for my family's sake that once I "finalize" the order I'll be content...February will not come soon enough!!

    BTW, know anyone that's successfully put a rear-facing child seat in back and still fit their 5'2" wife in the passenger seat? No sense cruisin' through the Alps w/out my bombshell navigator and youngin'..



    I did, no problem
    Welcome to the club
    Carlos

    Re: My First P-Car

    Carlos,
    Thanks! Really enjoyed the pics of your travels through Switzerland...awesome looking Targa ...inspires me to knock out my break in period on the way back to Italy from the factory!
    Do you have a thread that talks about the rear facing child seat in back...I have several questions?
    Did you have to remove any part of the rear seat? What type of carseat did you use and did you use it with the base? I'd like to figure it out before I bring my wife and son out with me to pick the car up. Thanks in advance for any info you can offer!

    Re: My First P-Car

    '08 Targa 4S -- Targa and AWD, are you sure you need / want that much hardware? AWD if you will be driving it in the snow often, otherwise, RWD is just fine (even in winter with snows).

    Meteor Grey Metallic -- Nice color!

    Black Full Leather AT -- I didn't bother with changing from stock. Been 100% happy and in fact fortunate I didn't get more leather as it would get ruined at the track (windows must be open).

    19" Carrera S wheels 403 -- Are these the base wheels for your market?

    Self Dimming Mirrors 267 -- Up to you. In other cars I've been able to defeat (turn off) this feature. I don't like them at all because you cannot see who is behind you (ie: Police).

    Sport Chrono Plus 640 -- A waste of money for a stopwatch on the dash. Does zero for performance.

    Stainless Steel Exhaust X54 -- Are these just tips? The oem tips are extremely nice. So much so I kept them with the AWE system I added (headers, cats, and mufflers).

    Power Seat package P15 -- Up to you. I have manual sport seats. Set them once, forget about them (nobody else drives my car).

    Heated Seats 342 -- A must for those cool mornings!

    Fire Extinguisher 509 -- Also a must for me due to Drivers Education requirements. Most cost effective option Porsche offers.

    Instrument Dials Black 022 -- Wonderful choice, I love mine! Classic!

    Supple Leather 982 -- Nope, not into leather options.

    Short Throw Shifter XCZ -- Have you tried both? The 997 shifter is "short" compared with previous models. I tried the 997 Short and didn't like it and I'm a track junkie

    Good luck and enjoy!

    Re: My First P-Car

    Agree w/ the guys above, supple leather doesn't look right in a 911 at all imo.

    I'd ADD:
    Adaptive Sport Seats
    Model Logo center storage compt. lid
    Leather center console
    XPA - Thicker steering wheel
    PSE - Sport Exhaust which comes w/ Chrome tips (instead of just getting the chrome tips) Having the PSE & Sport Chrono is a great combo. loved it in my 997 S Cabrio. Gives the car a different feel & sound based on your mood/driving.

    If you're considering PCCB's, just get them. The iron brakes on the 997 really make a mess. PCCB's offer all the performance benefits of Ceramic's PLUS they stay clean. It took me longer to clean the wheels, calipers, hubs on my 997 than it did the rest of the car & it's no where near as rewarding, it's dirty work. My F430 has the Ceramics and they're such a pleasure.

    I'd ditch the black dials because you'll have a Silver Sport Chrono w/ Black dials.

    Re: My First P-Car

    AFAIK black instrument dials do include the SC dial, unlike red/yellow/brown instrument dials.

    Regarding PCCB: it all depends on how much you hate to clean wheels. Euro 8k is definitely expensive.

    Regarding amber side markers: if your car is a US spec car, you get them, even though the car is ordered from Europe (I assume you are a member of US forces stationed here, aren't you?).

    Re: My First P-Car

    TG - You know how it goes...I could tell you but I'd have to kill you... Hopefully my dealer will swap the markers for me.

    You know I've sat in the sport seats and neither my wife nor I liked the upper side bolsters...spent lots of time in my friend's 993 and liked the standard seats though it seams their a little different from 997s which I've only spent a short time in and thought they were very comfortable. That led me to order the standard electric seats. I am curious though...anyone with just the electric seats that can tell me whether the mirrors are memory too or just the seats?? The option descriptions would lead me to believe that only A.S.S. has the memory function for the mirrors, as ASS-i-9 as that would seem.

    Re: My First P-Car

    IMHO the regular power seats (P15) are a good compromise. A safe choice in any case.

    The mirror memory function is definitely included in the power seat package.

     
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