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    Oct 16, 2007 12:13:53 PM

    reginos
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    reginos
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    Sport Seats: an essential extra?

    I am asking any of you with regular Sport Seats (not buckets)fitted to your 997s. How do you rate this extra for road use,in terms of enhancing driving pleasure and in terms of fatique (or its absence) after driving for long time? Always in comparison with the standard Porsche seats.
    Thank you!

    Oct 16, 2007 12:43:19 PM

    sws1
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    Reply to: reginos

    Re: Sport Seats: an essential extra?

    Don't have sport seats, but the regular seats are mighty comfy for me. I'm 6'2", 175, broad shoulders. This includes a 4.5 hour drive to the track a few weeks ago.

    Oct 16, 2007 12:50:51 PM

    easy_rider911
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    Reply to: sws1

    Re: Sport Seats: an essential extra?

    I have adaptive sports seats which are the same shape as sports seats. The extra features AFAIK are lumbar support and that they are fully electric.

    They are amazingly comfortable. I'm 6'3" with a big frame and a few extra pounds...I find the comfort level of the standard seats to be reasonably good but they don't provide enough side/shoulder support. The sports seats and adaptives are a noticeable improvement in my case.

    Best thing you can do is to go to your dealer and try them all out.

    Oct 16, 2007 1:35:21 PM

    wtsnet
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    Reply to: easy_rider911

    Re: Sport Seats: an essential extra?

    Quote:
    easy_rider911 said:Best thing you can do is to go to your dealer and try them all out.


    +1

    Try them all on long drives.

    Sports seats were extremely uncomfortable for me - short with broad shoulders - pushed my shoulders forward too much. I have the electrics. Lumber adjustment is excellent for me.

    Oct 16, 2007 1:36:32 PM

    dreamcar
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    Reply to: easy_rider911

    Re: Sport Seats: an essential extra?

    It is essential to try the various seats. I specced the (non adaptive) sports seats on my first 987 Boxster and had to change the car because SWMBO found them so uncomfortable. A very very expensive mistake! I've now got the non-sports electrically adjustable memory seats and we both find them the most comfortable seat of any car we've had. You also get full memory lumbar adjustment, key memory so that everything including the mirrors adjust to whoever unlocks the car. The auto-dip feature of the nearside mirror when engaging reverse is also really useful when parking to avoid curbing those expensive wheels.

    Oct 16, 2007 1:45:53 PM

    vincesf
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    Reply to: dreamcar

    Re: Sport Seats: an essential extra?

    An ESSENTIAL extra? Not at all. The standard seat offers great comfort and decent lateral support. Also, take a look at anyone's sport seat a year out and you will notice, particularly on the bolster of the side you enter from, disclored buffed and cracked. Porsche uses a fine leather, but does not compensate as some other manufacturers with a higher durability leather on this well travelled/ scuffed section, which occurs from merely getting in and out of the seat.
    vincesf

    Oct 16, 2007 5:06:10 PM

    Le Chef
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    Reply to: vincesf

    Re: Sport Seats: an essential extra?

    I agree with Vince on the scuffing. After a year I'm p*ssed that the driver's seat is showing so much wear. I have to move the seat back to get in without touching the bolster.

    The seat and wheel are set as per all the usual driver's ed instructions: low as possible, arms slightly bent with wrists resting on the top of the wheel, and legs not quite fully extended when depressing clutch or brake. I'm 5'10" and 175lbs and the weight is evenly distributed!

    I would rethink getting sports seats next time around for the wear issue. Comfort is great though!

    Oct 16, 2007 5:08:11 PM

    NM
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    Reply to: easy_rider911

    Re: Sport Seats: an essential extra?

    Quote:
    easy_rider911 said:
    I have adaptive sports seats which are the same shape as sports seats. The extra features AFAIK are lumbar support and that they are fully electric.

    They are amazingly comfortable. I'm 6'3" with a big frame and a few extra pounds...I find the comfort level of the standard seats to be reasonably good but they don't provide enough side/shoulder support. The sports seats and adaptives are a noticeable improvement in my case.

    Best thing you can do is to go to your dealer and try them all out.



    I agree - i'm also quite broad, so thought the std seats would be better suited - assuming that they were more generously proportioned. On a test drive i found them uncomfortable as the top of the seat around my shoulder is quite narrow hence i felt like i was sitting 'on' as opposed to 'in' the seat. After the test drive, tried sports seats in the showroom and decided to go for the manual ones. Maybe a bit of a risk as i hadn't gone out for a drive in a car equipped with them, but glad i bought them. They're very comfortable and my shoulders feel properly supported.

    But we all have diff opinions and needs so best to try them out yourself....

    Oct 16, 2007 5:09:32 PM

    NM
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    Reply to: NM

    Re: Sport Seats: an essential extra?

    BTW - must cost a fortune in Cyprus. I and my family are cypriot (although born and raised in London) and i know from relatives over there that the tax on cars is huge.

    Oct 16, 2007 5:33:23 PM

    MMD
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    Reply to: NM

    Re: Sport Seats: an essential extra?

    Got a pair of _standard_ 996 era seats in my 986S. They are just fine.

    997 _standard_ seats are acclaimed for being an _improvement_ over 996 seats.

    Therefore, my guess is you'll have zero regrets about getting standard 997 seats.

    I gor A.S.S. because they have every control avaliable for seats. I think making slight adjustments in body position makes long trips in this 40-something body more comfortable. The A.S.S. are great also for frisky cornering because they are so form-fitting with the air-filled bolsters.

    Here's a summary of seat options:

    Oct 16, 2007 5:59:57 PM

    reginos
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    reginos
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    Reply to: NM

    Re: Sport Seats: an essential extra?

    Quote:
    NM said:
    BTW - must cost a fortune in Cyprus. I and my family are cypriot (although born and raised in London) and i know from relatives over there that the tax on cars is huge.


    Taxes have come down considerably since 2006. Also the tax now is a lump sum according to engine size and not a percentage on total value as it used to be.Therefore, tax is the same no matter what value of optional extras you choose. Moreover, under the present tax regime, depreciation is allowed on tax for imported used cars e.g. a 3 year old used car from say the UK carries very little tax .

    Oct 16, 2007 6:33:37 PM

    GR
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    Reply to: reginos

    Re: Sport Seats: an essential extra?

    I've got a 986 with sports seats and they are fantastic. The standard 997/987 seats offer nowhere near enough lateral support for me and the sports seats are just about acceptable. Perhaps being fairly slim accounts for this. In fact I'm seriously considering the new sports buckets when I get round to replacing mine but I'll spend time trying them first

    Oct 16, 2007 7:27:40 PM

    SimonWall
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    Reply to: GR

    Re: Sport Seats: an essential extra?

    I've got sport seats. They are a nice to have option, but not essential if you are looking for somewhere to save cash.

    Oct 16, 2007 8:47:39 PM

    Jeannot
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    Reply to: SimonWall

    Re: Sport Seats: an essential extra?

    I had sport seats in a 986, adaptative in a 997 and now regular in a 996...
    I have to say the adaptative sports seats was the nicest option of the 997 (after PSE that is). You can tweak them at will, from very fitting to standard. I really miss that option a lot...
    But to the original question, it depends on your build. I think the standard sport seats do not fit everyone. I did not like too much the ones on the 986S, I much prefer the standard in that generation. Not sure about the 9X7. Good luck!

    Oct 16, 2007 9:19:59 PM

    MMD
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    Reply to: Jeannot

    Re: Sport Seats: an essential extra?

    FWIW Sport Seats (the main seat option of the time) in the 996/986 were verrrry uncomfortable if your proportions were too big. They would _kill_ shoulders of some guys; you knew it immediately if you sat in them.

    Never compare Sport Seats of the 996 era with the 997 era cars.

    Oct 16, 2007 10:15:50 PM

    Pentium Offline
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    Reply to: reginos

    Re: Sport Seats: an essential extra?

    I have the adaptive seats and I would never buy them again.
    I never used more than twice a year the extra bits they have over the sport seats. So I would say, yes, the sport seats are a must.

    I own my 997 since 2004 and I have 56.000 km.
    I also tested for about 3.000 km the standard sport seats in a C2S and there were exactly the same. Maybe they are tailored to suit my body, I don't know. I would reccomend to try the seats before buying.

    Oct 17, 2007 8:44:27 PM

    John H Offline
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    Reply to: Pentium

    Re: Sport Seats: an essential extra?

    Quote:
    Pentium said:

    I have the adaptive seats and I would never buy them again.
    I never used more than twice a year the extra bits they have over the sport seats.



    Why would you want to use the 'extra bits' more than once?

    Do you change size regularly?

    They're also very useful if another driver uses the car - I say get ASS every time.

    Oct 17, 2007 8:51:38 PM

    MMD
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    Reply to: John H

    Re: Sport Seats: an essential extra?

    Quote:
    John H said:


    Why would you want to use the 'extra bits' more than once?





    Hey! I make _slight_ changes all the time.

    It's a way to feel more relaxed I guess. Seat bottom tilt up and tilt down is the best, IMO. The pneumatic bolsters are "fun" to change too. Just gives you better circulation; I don't have any joint or circulatory problems so my guess is that slight changes on a routine basis would benefit everybody. That's why I got ASS.

    Oct 18, 2007 5:04:54 AM

    JAMS
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    Reply to: MMD

    Re: Sport Seats: an essential extra?

    I could use a little ASS... how much was that again?

    Oct 19, 2007 5:02:32 AM

    hamilton93
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    Reply to: JAMS

    Re: Sport Seats: an essential extra?

    Agree with the try them all theme. I got the regular sports but i fit very well in them as i am 5'9" and 155lbs, i'm guessing taller and larger there is a point where they will not fit well. So sit and drive....before you buy

    Oct 19, 2007 9:11:33 AM

    Porsche-Jeck
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    Reply to: reginos

    Re: Sport Seats: an essential extra?

    reginos, I agree with everyone who said you have to try them - it really depends on your body.
    I'm very happy with the (standard) sport seats in my 987S - no probs even after long trips.
    If you intend to track the car now and then, either sport seats or adaptive sport seats are better than the standard seats as they offer a bit more lateral support (at least for me).
    Still a compromise and far from the tightness of the bucket seats. After a track day I always have some muscle-ache in my bottocks, because the seats are not tight enough.
    For normal spirited driving on public roads the sport seats offer enough support though imo.

    Oct 19, 2007 10:20:45 AM

    Pentium Offline
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    Reply to: John H

    Re: Sport Seats: an essential extra?

    JohnH: we should all "change size" regularly ... it's called winter! With a thick coat on you it's better to readjust the seat. And again in spring ... so yes, I adjust the sides twice a year.

    But again, I would not waste my money again on adaptive seats. It's cheaper to take off the coat

    Oct 19, 2007 3:46:06 PM

    MMD
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    Reply to: Pentium

    Re: Sport Seats: an essential extra?

    May I also add... .

    When I first got Sport Seats in my M3 I thought I made a biiiig mistake. My butt was killing me after a short drive when I first got the car. Then after a few weeks either the seat broke in or my butt got used to it.

    Same thing happened when I got my 997S with ASS; but it didn't last very long.

    Like a new bicycle seat, sometimes it takes a while to get used to the hardness of the sport seats.

    Oct 19, 2007 6:46:08 PM

    Neil Schneider
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    Reply to: hamilton93

    Re: Sport Seats: an essential extra?

    My adaptive seats were in the car when I bought it used. I like them a lot and my friend(after sitting them) ordered them in his car. That said, they are a pricey option and I don't know if I would have ordered them in my car if I specked it out.

    Oct 20, 2007 7:01:31 AM

    Matt C
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    Reply to: Neil Schneider

    Re: Sport Seats: an essential extra?

    I have the ASS and love them. I believe they offer the best of both worlds for someone like me who uses the car for regular street driving (some commuting, weekends tours) but also for some track days (2-3/year). For the former, you can set them to be very comfy, while for the later, you can set them to be very tight. Having said that, I probably would have ordered the buckets if they had been available back then...

    Oct 22, 2007 10:32:11 AM

    john999s
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    Reply to: hamilton93

    Re: Sport Seats: an essential extra?

    I went from standard C2S to manual sports C2S as I like the lumber support in both but wanted a bit more side support.

    There is more support around the shoulders, sides but the seat base doesn't seem much different to me.

    I have had trouble with the pneumatic lumber adjust in the past on electric seats-I could never get it consistently comfortable-and I really like the shape of the standard seats so I didn't go the full electrics route. However for broader people I can imagine that they would be painful in the shoulders as they are quite firm. You either fit them or you dont!

    Oct 22, 2007 12:08:38 PM

    Jim48
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    Reply to: MMD

    Re: Sport Seats: an essential extra?

    Agreed. I had to lose a load of weight over the last year, and the standard seats are an even better fit for me now.

    I would suggest getting the heated seats option, as this makes it a bit more comfortable if you have minor aches in your back or legs. I got this option (I think it cost $480), and it is well worth it.

    Jim

    Oct 22, 2007 12:25:39 PM

    john999s
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    Reply to: Jim48

    Re: Sport Seats: an essential extra?

    Agreed Jim. Heated seats are just great. Essential I'd say if you have cool temperatures.

    Oct 22, 2007 1:18:33 PM

    Pentium Offline
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    Reply to: john999s

    Re: Sport Seats: an essential extra?

    Agreed too. Heated sport seats are a must.

    Oct 22, 2007 2:56:11 PM

    easy_rider911
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    Reply to: Pentium

    Re: Sport Seats: an essential extra?

    With Winter approaching and temperatures dropping here in the UK, heated seats are a welcome feature.
     
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