Hi Guys
I suppose you though that you had heard the last from me, well you aren't that lucky!
After initial problems with having to replace all four PCCB's I have now had a chance to really try out the car. Porsche may well have said that the "clicking" (clunking in my case) was not a safety issue but the noise became unbearable when used at any speed on the French motorways. Two visits to the OPC were required before identification of the problem (although Porsche themselves were aware of the problem well before I collected the car) plus a further visit to install them.
Now that Max is run in and been touring and tracked I feel able to make a few comments.
I did not have a really good start as the PDI was skimped and not only were the rear carpets missing but the special tool supplied to attack the PDK switch in case of need was missing without even mentioning the PCCB problems below which denied me full use of the car for over a month.
Brief summary so that you do not have to read too much of my gibberish although I am happy to expand or answer any specific questions.
Likes:-
Absolutely amazing car. Performance a quantum leap from my 997 Turbo. (Well it feels like that although I don't suppose there is much in it.) Pity top quoted speed is still below 200mph, perhaps if the sound system was dumped it would be revised. Love PDK although at first was surprised when you braked positively to get around a corner and it blipped the throttle and changed down for me. I use it carefully on the road because the car speeds up a bit first especially downhill. Magic on the track though. Brake hard changes down twice ready for exit.
Lots of safety electrical gubbins make the car feel really safe and frankly it is very safe. Brakes work really well, allow hard braking as well as the ABS allowing maintenance of control which kept me out of the gravel when I became over enthusiastic on the straight.
Overall feel on the road, extra length and width not really welcome however it feels very stable and comfortable even without resorting to "comfort" tyre pressures. Not sure which bits are doing the work but the car turns in quicker and more accurately (rear wheel steering?)
Sheer slingshot acceleration, (Porsche Silverstone were talking sub 3 seconds 0-62 mph on well run in models) Personally I have no need for launch control and cannot see when I would use it as although I track my cars I only sprint my motorcycle.
Wheels really nice looking when clean. (but see later!)
Quality interior feels solid and looks the part. Comfortable seats infinitely adjustable with memory (same as 997)
Instruments give almost too many choices. I usually run on "vehicle" but when I want to monitor tyre pressures it is six clicks on the lever to bring them up then six clicks back again.
Adaptive cruise control, Though I would give it a try as it was standard on my girlfriends Jeep Cherokee Overlander but the Porsche one is really brilliant in traffic here. The Jeep shouts at you when it has decreased speed to about 20mpg basically saying you are in control now, whereas the Porsche brings you to a stop and puts the electric handbrake on! Just press the accelerator and off you go again.
Dislikes
No front mud flaps any more, regressive particularly on track as lots of rubber thrown up on the flanks now. (Incidentally anyone used Greased Lightning Showroom Shine? At last track day someone was using this which seemed to effortlessly remove rubber compared to the Porsche product I was using. I tried some on the Jeep and seemed really good but didn't want to try it on my car in case it is too abrasive)
Wheels terribly hard to clean inside without removal but:-
I watched the technician remove one of the centre lock wheels and my worst fears were confirmed. Removal and replacement is not a DIY job without spending quite a bit on special tools. Clive has published an excellent step by step article on this in Mays Porsche Post but it is beyond my comfort zone even if I bought the extra gear. The potential for damaging bits like bodywork and PCCB's is alarming.
Sunroof doesn't slide flush into roof, retracts up and over the roof and vibrates at speed, looks cheap and nasty
Passenger oddments tray deleted from sill (where bonnet and boot controls are on drivers side.
Door courtesy lights no longer bicoloured lens white to front red to rear, now just red.
Paddle steering wheel not multifunction, I really miss this facility and cannot understand why the two types are incompatible. Safety issue really and I hate reaching down to adjust Sat Nave radio etc.
Electric handbrake, hated at first and the OPC didn't know how to release it. RTFM. Getting used to it and see above re Adaptive Cruise Control.
Auto stop start, absolute pain in the rear over here, OPC says default cannot be off due to EU regulations. I don't live in the EU! When stopped if battery level goes to a certain point it starts on its own which is quite eerie.
Exhausts, I enjoyed cleaning the outside of the stainless steel pipes on the 997 which looked so bright compared to the inner pipe but these black "painted" pipes just look dirty inside and out all the time.
Turbo inlets look and are cheap, nasty and lacking the sheer "up yours" of the previous design.
Rear view amazing but spoilt by having so much of it black like the road.
Front spoiler good idea for our ferries but black makes it hard to see when down therefore no visual impact, it would be nice for it to be in contrasting or body colour or even have the "Turbo S" in a contrasting colour. Neither of my spoilers activate automatically and I really don't want the OPC experimenting on why so I am content to activate manually when required as not needed here at all.
Paint undercoat. I received a couple of tiny chips on the front spoiler and was delighted to find that the undercoat is bright orange so every little chip shows!
I am a nit picking git and most of my dislikes are rather minor so overall a great car, just wish it was cheaper!
Alan if you read this you will see that my Avatar has disappeared completely and the new one failed to load although I received a "successful message!_
I suppose you though that you had heard the last from me, well you aren't that lucky!
After initial problems with having to replace all four PCCB's I have now had a chance to really try out the car. Porsche may well have said that the "clicking" (clunking in my case) was not a safety issue but the noise became unbearable when used at any speed on the French motorways. Two visits to the OPC were required before identification of the problem (although Porsche themselves were aware of the problem well before I collected the car) plus a further visit to install them.
Now that Max is run in and been touring and tracked I feel able to make a few comments.
I did not have a really good start as the PDI was skimped and not only were the rear carpets missing but the special tool supplied to attack the PDK switch in case of need was missing without even mentioning the PCCB problems below which denied me full use of the car for over a month.
Brief summary so that you do not have to read too much of my gibberish although I am happy to expand or answer any specific questions.
Likes:-
Absolutely amazing car. Performance a quantum leap from my 997 Turbo. (Well it feels like that although I don't suppose there is much in it.) Pity top quoted speed is still below 200mph, perhaps if the sound system was dumped it would be revised. Love PDK although at first was surprised when you braked positively to get around a corner and it blipped the throttle and changed down for me. I use it carefully on the road because the car speeds up a bit first especially downhill. Magic on the track though. Brake hard changes down twice ready for exit.
Lots of safety electrical gubbins make the car feel really safe and frankly it is very safe. Brakes work really well, allow hard braking as well as the ABS allowing maintenance of control which kept me out of the gravel when I became over enthusiastic on the straight.
Overall feel on the road, extra length and width not really welcome however it feels very stable and comfortable even without resorting to "comfort" tyre pressures. Not sure which bits are doing the work but the car turns in quicker and more accurately (rear wheel steering?)
Sheer slingshot acceleration, (Porsche Silverstone were talking sub 3 seconds 0-62 mph on well run in models) Personally I have no need for launch control and cannot see when I would use it as although I track my cars I only sprint my motorcycle.
Wheels really nice looking when clean. (but see later!)
Quality interior feels solid and looks the part. Comfortable seats infinitely adjustable with memory (same as 997)
Instruments give almost too many choices. I usually run on "vehicle" but when I want to monitor tyre pressures it is six clicks on the lever to bring them up then six clicks back again.
Adaptive cruise control, Though I would give it a try as it was standard on my girlfriends Jeep Cherokee Overlander but the Porsche one is really brilliant in traffic here. The Jeep shouts at you when it has decreased speed to about 20mpg basically saying you are in control now, whereas the Porsche brings you to a stop and puts the electric handbrake on! Just press the accelerator and off you go again.
Dislikes
No front mud flaps any more, regressive particularly on track as lots of rubber thrown up on the flanks now. (Incidentally anyone used Greased Lightning Showroom Shine? At last track day someone was using this which seemed to effortlessly remove rubber compared to the Porsche product I was using. I tried some on the Jeep and seemed really good but didn't want to try it on my car in case it is too abrasive)
Wheels terribly hard to clean inside without removal but:-
I watched the technician remove one of the centre lock wheels and my worst fears were confirmed. Removal and replacement is not a DIY job without spending quite a bit on special tools. Clive has published an excellent step by step article on this in Mays Porsche Post but it is beyond my comfort zone even if I bought the extra gear. The potential for damaging bits like bodywork and PCCB's is alarming.
Sunroof doesn't slide flush into roof, retracts up and over the roof and vibrates at speed, looks cheap and nasty
Passenger oddments tray deleted from sill (where bonnet and boot controls are on drivers side.
Door courtesy lights no longer bicoloured lens white to front red to rear, now just red.
Paddle steering wheel not multifunction, I really miss this facility and cannot understand why the two types are incompatible. Safety issue really and I hate reaching down to adjust Sat Nave radio etc.
Electric handbrake, hated at first and the OPC didn't know how to release it. RTFM. Getting used to it and see above re Adaptive Cruise Control.
Auto stop start, absolute pain in the rear over here, OPC says default cannot be off due to EU regulations. I don't live in the EU! When stopped if battery level goes to a certain point it starts on its own which is quite eerie.
Exhausts, I enjoyed cleaning the outside of the stainless steel pipes on the 997 which looked so bright compared to the inner pipe but these black "painted" pipes just look dirty inside and out all the time.
Turbo inlets look and are cheap, nasty and lacking the sheer "up yours" of the previous design.
Rear view amazing but spoilt by having so much of it black like the road.
Front spoiler good idea for our ferries but black makes it hard to see when down therefore no visual impact, it would be nice for it to be in contrasting or body colour or even have the "Turbo S" in a contrasting colour. Neither of my spoilers activate automatically and I really don't want the OPC experimenting on why so I am content to activate manually when required as not needed here at all.
Paint undercoat. I received a couple of tiny chips on the front spoiler and was delighted to find that the undercoat is bright orange so every little chip shows!
I am a nit picking git and most of my dislikes are rather minor so overall a great car, just wish it was cheaper!
Alan if you read this you will see that my Avatar has disappeared completely and the new one failed to load although I received a "successful message!_
])
