992 911 Carrera 2

[JonD212]

Hello All,
Just joined the forum as I'm about to depart from a long relationship with BMW and switch to Porsche.
I'd always ruled out the 911 on grounds of comfort, practicality/daily usability, ground clearance, load space, insurance and any other cons I could imagine. However, I've driven one today and I'm now struggling to think of negatives as all the aforementioned, including insurance, no longer apply; apart from the blistering speed, I simply cannot imagine how they got electric steering to feel so responsive - closest I've known was in my first BMW, an E92 3 Series coupe with hydraulic steering but this is in a different league altogether. Ok, it doesn't have the load space of my 640i convertible but there's room on the back seats so that's nowhere near enough to qualify as a negative.
I'd be very grateful for opinions, advice and pros/cons from you experienced Porsche hands and if anyone has time, Id' be grateful for thoughts on how I've configured it so far; Porsche codeL3QRP13.
Many thanks in advance - regards to all,
Jon D
PS: just thought of a definite negative - hanging on to my driving licence!

 

[abz2]

Hi Jon,
Tried your Porsche code to have a nose at how you had specced your car but it doesn't recognise the code.

 

[JonD212]

Thanks for the quick response, see what you mean - my mistake, I read the 'I' as a '1'. PL3QRPI3 works.

 

[Dylan1]

Not for me it doesn’t!!

 

[JonD212]

Not for me it doesn’t!!

Just checked and it’s working fine

 

[JonD212]

Not a number 1 between the P and 3, a capital letter I

 

[abz2]

Yes working fine now.
Nice colour combination. Not knowing what your use of the car will be hard to make a comment on options chosen.
We had the 4 way sports plus seats.
Didn't bother with adaptive cruise as never use cruise anyway.
I notice you haven't gone for BOSE which I would recommend.
I also see that you have chosen Sports Tailpipes and not a Sports Exhaust.

 

[JonD212]

Yes working fine now.
Nice colour combination. Not knowing what your use of the car will be hard to make a comment on options chosen.
We had the 4 way sports plus seats.
Didn't bother with adaptive cruise as never use cruise anyway.
I notice you haven't gone for BOSE which I would recommend.
I also see that you have chosen Sports Tailpipes and not a Sports Exhaust.

Thanks for your comments.
I'm retired so the car will be driven just for pleasure but it will be my only car so it'll also be used for the Tesco run. I live in Fife, Scotland and there's no shortage of relatively traffic free, twisty country roads. Apart from that and general local use, I do a long motorway trip about twice a year. My Sep '66 reg 640i has just nudged past 13k miles so that should give you an idea.
Definitely not bothered with the Bose as I never play music when I'm driving.
As to the Sports Exhaust, I activated it in the Carerra S which I drove yesterday, but normal mode was fine for me. Interestingly, the guy at Porsche Cardiff, who I found refreshingly knowledgeable and not in the least bit pushy, recommended that I save my money and stick with the standard exhaust; he said that the basic Carerra sounds the same as the S in 'Normal' mode. A very pleasant change from the flim-flam I've experienced from BMW over the past ten years.
I've configured the PPF but forgot to ask if it's applied before the car is driven, do you know if it's done at the factory? He also recommended that I go for the dealer applied Gtecniq hydrophobic treatment but at over £1k it sounds a bit on the pricy side. There's no shortage of professional detailers in central Scotland so I'll make local enquiries.
Regarding the Adaptive Cruise, I use it very often on my 640i, especially in towns and congested traffic. However, I think I'll take a while to get used to controlling it by that fiddly stalk as opposed to the very tactile raised buttons on the steering wheel spoke on my car. I'll also miss the HUD; really surprised that it's not an option on the 911.

 

[Chris L]

Hi Jon,
I also went for the following:

• SportDesign sideskirts
• Electric slide/tilt glass sunroof
• Privacy glass
• 20/21-inch RS Spyder Design wheels
• Leather interior package
• BOSE® Surround Sound System

The two options I would thoroughly recommend are the sunroof and the wheels.
Also, if I bought another one, I may go for the 4S. I picked the 2S as I’d been on a track day at Porsche Silverstone and driven both the 2S and 4S. It seemed to me that there was very little difference between the two. I also picked the 2S as I wanted the luggage space in the front. In fact I can get my Brompton push-bike in the front boot, as I could in my old Boxsters.
In day-to-day use now though, I regularly have the back end skittering around as I pull out of a junction. I’ve also had massive fish-tailing as I’ve booted the car away from junctions, even though I thought I had it in a straight line *before* I hit the accelerator! Sometimes, it could be that the tyres were cold, but it does make me more careful than I am in my fab little hooligan Audi S2!

 

[mphillips]

Hello Jon,

You're going to love the brand move I did the same – BMW 3 series Touring (!) to a 911. The wife said I couldn't have two cars, so decided to get a 'Jekyll & Hyde'. The 911 is simply amazing. I'm still impressed by its incredible ability to be both a luxury road car and a decent track machine. Here are a couple of my past posts on the forum which you might find useful…

Spec'ing a 992… https://www.porscheclubgb.com/forum/FindPost/1013908
A long drive to Switzerland… https://www.porscheclubgb.com/forum/FindPost/1042278

The options you've gone for look smashing. ACC is indeed a godsend, I use mine all the time. One thing I would suggest is, if you can, go and try the different seats at a dealer or the PEC at Silverstone (you'll get an invite before you have to solidify the spec anyway – this was the point I realised rear-wheel steer was a must have and 4wd was not). Certainly in the 991, and I don't know, but would anticipate it's the same in the 992, is the sports seats plus are also a bit softer in the seat cushion. On a long journey this can be more comfortable than sitting 'on' the harder standard seats.

Cheers,

Mark

 

[JonD212]

Hello Jon,
...ACC is indeed a godsend, I use mine all the time. One thing I would suggest is, if you can, go and try the different seats at a dealer or the PEC at Silverstone (you'll get an invite before you have to solidify the spec anyway – this was the point I realised rear-wheel steer was a must have and 4wd was not). Certainly in the 991, and I don't know, but would anticipate it's the same in the 992, is the sports seats plus are also a bit softer in the seat cushion. On a long journey this can be more comfortable than sitting 'on' the harder standard seats.

Hi Mark,
Many thanks for your input and pleased that you appreciate how useful ACC can be but, as I said in an earlier comment, the fiddly stalk confusingly close to the indicators, will take a bit of getting used to in comparison to the raised thumb buttons on the steering wheel spoke on my BMW 6'er.
The reason why I've gone for the best seats is primarily for the adjustable lumbar support. Although I'm quite slim, physically fit and active, there's no escaping my 71 year old back and it's amazing what the odd up/down, in/out tweak on the lumbar support can do to alleviate pain on a long trip.
I think this will be my last 'special' car before I have to consider electric and ease of getting in/out sensibility but I'm not known for the latter so I'll hang onto excitement for as long as the years permit.
I honestly think that the base 911 will be ample for me and I couldn't want for better better steering response than in the car I drove on Friday. The dealer told me that it was standard, apart from 'power steering plus' which reverts to 'normal' above 30mph. I've never known anything so tactile and responsive, so do I really need RWS?
I'll be ordering a set of winter wheels and tyres with the car to swap below and above 7deg C as I do with my 640 and if the difference is anywhere dramatic as it's proved on the BMW, that'll be enough for me.

 

[JonD212]

Hi Jon,
...In day-to-day use now though, I regularly have the back end skittering around as I pull out of a junction. I’ve also had massive fish-tailing as I’ve booted the car away from junctions, even though I had it in a straight line *before* I hit the accelerator! Sometimes, it could be that the tyres were cold, but it does make me more careful than I am in my fab little hooligan Audi S2!

Hmmm, thanks for the info Chris, 'massive fishtailing' wasn't what I expected to hear and I have to say that gets the head overruling the heart back to a Macan Turbo but with a 911 still getting my pulse racing the heart yearns for it. As I said to Mark in my previous post, I'll be including a winter wheel/tyre set

 

[Chris L]

Hmmm, thanks for the info Chris, 'massive fishtailing' wasn't what I expected to hear and I have to say that gets the head overruling the heart back to a Macan Turbo but with a 911 still getting my pulse racing the heart yearns for it. As I said to Mark in my previous post, I'll be including a winter wheel/tyre set

Hmmm indeed. Perhaps 'massive' is a bit strong, 'unexpected' might be better. To be honest, for one reason or another, I've only done 1,500 miles in the car whereas I've done ten times that in my Audi S2 and the Macan. So more time in it, will help no end, I'm sure. That said, it is significantly more powerful that both the other cars, so demands more respect.

Btw, I've signed up for the '8-11 May 2020 - 992 & 991 Isle of Man driving tour' trip next year; come and join us if you can!

 

[mphillips]

How anyone gets "massive fishtailing" on a modern 911 – with the electronics on – is beyond me. Mechanical grip levels of the 911 are astonishing (I've done trackdays with PSM *off* and struggled to make the car lose grip!) and with PSM [Porsche Stability Management] the 'nanny' electronics are both subtle yet incredibly effective. Jon, you'll get to find this out first hand at the PEC when you put the deposit down. They have a purpose built skid pan with a clever electronic kick plate which pushes the back end out. It's water on a plastic-like (might even be actual plastic) surface which basically behaves like ice. They'll have you driving on to it with and without stability controls on to demonstrate how the electronics are more than capable of making up for any deficiencies one may have in driving skill ;-)

The seats you've specced are the 14-way electronically controlled 'standard' seats – there are similarly controlled, including lumbar support, versions of the 'sports seats plus' (18-way adaptive); these have the 'wings' at about shoulder height and a slightly softer bum pad Or at least they were on the 991, which is why I proffer it's worth a sit on, just in case they suit your derrière better.

https://www.porsche.com/silverstone/en/experience/handlingtracks/tracks/

 

[Dylan1]

Ok I got in with the I!!
great car love the colours
sport chrono a must and agree with ACC- had mine retrofitted on the 991 and will tick that box on the 992.
i also wouldn’t bother with Bose or exhaust but would spec sunroof again and 18 way adjustable seats- expensive but my backs nackered too!!
id look at the RWS and while expensive the RS spyder 20/21 look absolutely the dogs ****
enjoy the car I’m sure you’ll love it
oh and they apply PPF at the factory btw

 

[Lancerlot]

How anyone gets "massive fishtailing" on a modern 911 – with the electronics on – is beyond me.

I agree. Chris, if you really are struggling with handling on acceleration out of junction, there may be something wrong with your car - even with everything switched off, this would usually be minimal.
I would be inclined to have it checked out at your Porsche dealership under warranty. []
Regards,
Clive

 

[JonD212]

Many thanks to all for your comments - lots to think about before I push the button.
I called in at Porsche Glasgow this afternoon and they had the new Macan Turbo in the showroom. I know it's a totally different type or car, but it's almost as fast as the 911 and the seats are amazingly comfortable...
For me it all started with the Macan but I got sidetracked by the 911 last week, certainly not rushing into a decision just yet.
I already know that if I get a 911, there'll be times when I'll wish I'd gone for the Macan and vice versa. I just have to try and predict which car will give me less regrets!

 

[PhilipM]

Jon

I think on spec it's each to their own as it's your money not mine.

I have a minimalist 992 2S in that the only options are metallic paint and sport chrono.

I don't have the sports exhaust because if you want some nice aural accompaniment switching sport mode on gives you a very nice sound when you're driving in a spirited manner. the 4 tail pipes look a lot better too IMHO/

I do use CC on motorways when the traffic is light - like today when I'll be heading for Eurotunnel and then hitting the page towards Strasbourg - but ACC is not something I need. If the traffic is moderate to heavy I won't use CC at all.

I just have the standard seats with a combination of manual and electric adjustment. I find them extremely comfortable and since I'm the only one driving the car I don't need a memory function.

Sport Chrono is worth having because of the features including the ability to switch modes via the little wheel on the steering wheel rather than having to use the touch screen, which I have to say is OK but not as user friendly as BNW iDrive.

As for the Macan option, yes its more practical in that there's a lot more room and it's a lot less money, but FWIW my mate has a Macan and it's been costing him a lot of money recently. Touch wood I've had zero issues with my car in 3.5 months and 10,000 km, and it's been a joy to drive.

 

[Chozzer996]

It's great to see someone departing from the GT Silver and Crayon norm. Those sport tips I wasn't sure about but the silver effect will go great with the wheels excellent choice.

I would consider PASM if I was you - it's not an expensive option and gives you a 10mm ride height reduction.

The only other option which I consider a "must" is glass roof - it makes the car feel so much more airy. Other than that its great spec - you didn't go mad like I did and added 18K in options : ).

 

[JonD212]

Many thanks to all for your informative comments.
I drove the 911 and Macan Turbo back to back, each for about 30 minutes over identical routes, last Friday and was very impressed with the latter. As I said earlier I know it's a totally different car but the acceleration is amazing plus it's far more comfortable and very practical. The last two considerations would have been bottom of the list a few years back but, at 71 they're becoming increasingly important.
It was a very difficult decision and I know there'll be times when I'll regret not following my heart to the 911 but I think there would be more regrets the other way around.