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5 months into my 991 C4S as a DD and family hauler
I am now 5 months into my ownership of my 2013 991 C4S and thought I'd share some pictures and some of my thoughts on the options. Last weekend it was beautiful in the Pacific NW and got a chance to wash and wax the car.
For financial reasons, I looked for a used/certified car that had the options I wanted and this one was ridiculously loaded with things I wouldn't have considered when ordering. I have yet to see a thread where someone has asked, "Should I get the seat backs in leather?" I know everyone is thinking about it so I thought I should contribute.
I also have two 3 years olds and had to get car seats that were narrow enough to fit in the rear seat buckets so I have some pictures of how they fit for those with kids.
Mahogany Metallic
Leather Interior in special colour Umber
PSE
Heated steering wheel
PDCC
Rear wiper
ParkAssist (F&R)
Sport Chrono
Glass Sunroof
PSP
Folding mirrors
Multi-function steering wheel
Heated steering wheel
painted vehicle key
18 way seats
Burmester
Prem Pkg Plus
Black Wheels with colored porsche crest
5 mm spacers
Sports seats backs in leather
illuminated door sill guards in stainless steel
The car is amazing! I am in love, but enough to say there. Here are my thoughts.
Mahogany Metallic
not your normal color. looks black, brown, and purple sometimes. Thought it was really unique but have seen some Scions with something similar (but not metallic)
Leather Interior in special colour Umber
The car is basically team Brown. I love the full leather though and with the seat backs it is everywhere! The stitching goes all the way around the car and into the back seat. For all of us who love the stitching, and I do, I am seeing it put on dashes on all kinds of new cars (Camrys, Altimas, Mustangs) where it's obviously fake. I'm afraid it's becoming passe. Still I love running my hands over it and would want it any car that I'm this invested in.
PSE
Lots been said. Really fun. I like leaving it off until I'm driving hard but that's my 2 cents
Heated steering wheel
OMG I love this! I use it all the time and I love how the button is stealth and behind the wheel. It's great when the temperatures are in the 50's and I can open the window and sunroof to hear the engine and it's so nice and cozy inside and warm hands are the icing on the cake (I also feel completely hedonistic and self-indulgent)
PDCC
I love the way the car handles but you don't get the same progressive feel you do of the tire's sliding until you get close to the limits. I see where people feel that it makes the car feel video game-ish because of the lack of body roll. Still, I wanted this as a feature because PDCC makes cars supposedly faster around the track but not sure I would order one with it in the future.
I'm not sure whether it's responsible for the amazing ride. I don't have S-PASM. I have never felt the car is too harsh and I was sensitive to roads before with my 987S.
Rear wiper
don't use it but don't mind it. It blends in with the black trim on my car
ParkAssist (F&R)
I would get this every time although I hate the bumper plugs. It's just too useful because you can't see either bumper and I use mine as a DD where I parallel park several times a day for school pickup/dropoff.
Sport Chrono
Everyone knows what this does. I wanted it for the PTV.
Glass Sunroof
I love the light in the cabin and I was coming from a BoxsterS so with the sunroof and windows open I can hear the engine and it's beautiful. That said, I have had creaks and broken rails and the car has been in no less than 5 times for repairs and creaks. Each time they have found something broken so it's not me being a crazy owner. And it does creak subtly but I'm not going to try to get them to fix that because a. it may be impossible, and b. they're going to think I'm an aforementioned crazy owner
PSP
Don't really need it but this car had it. Feel is fine with it though.
Folding mirrors
I love these! But I wish the lighting would come on when reversing so you could see the wheels and curb at night when parallel parking
Multi-function steering wheel
I'm not a big fan of buttons on steering wheels but I love how minimalist and small the controls are. And if this is the only way to get a heated steering wheel, you can pry it from my dead warm hands.
painted vehicle key
this is cool but unnecessary. But it's a nice reminder of your car when you're not driving it. I would get this because it's only $300 and at this point, why not?
18 way seats
Awesome seats. I'm skinny, 6' tall and 30" waist so I love the adjustable side bolsters
Burmester
It's a ridiculously priced option but it's AWESOME. The clarity and detail of vocalists is amazing for a car. I have a high-end audio system at home with ProAc's and Mcintosh components so I like audio. Since I use my car as a DD and not a weekender, I find myself sitting in a lot of traffic while happily listening to the music
Prem Pkg Plus
Ventilated seats was another must have for me. I don't like to sweat through my fancy clothes and these help. I sound like such a softie.
Black Wheels with colored porsche crest
I like the way the car looks but normally am not a fan.
5 mm spacers
Makes the wheels pop for those of us without the SPASM. I like them
Sports seats backs in leather
It's kind of hard to believe that Porsche charges almost $2k for this option. I was sitting in the back seat of our Honda minivan the other day and their leather seats wrap all the way around the seat without it being an option. Of course the car sucks for everything except hauling spoiled kids around, but that's a different writeup. The leather seat backs are completely superfluous to anyone's driving experience. I have some pictures of it in case anyone is thinking of getting them. It does effectively make almost every surface under the roof liner leather.
illuminated door sill guards in stainless steel
I love these at night. It makes getting into the car at night feel exotic every time.
So that's my brief summary of my car's options. I can go on for days about how much I love the car, but I don't have to tell other RL's. The only upgrade I want to do is to replace my wheels with a set of the 50th's Fuchs someday.
Enough with my blather and here are some pictures.
Great car! I see the spoiled kids even made an appearance! My spoiled little buggers have to fight to see who rides in my Porsches, I have 3 kiddos. I didn't think that through very well driving either a Panamera or a 991. Seriously though gorgeous car, glad you are enjoying it.
Nice write-up. I currently have a 996 Turbo and the PO checked nearly every "leather swathing" box on the configurator: seatbacks, full console, instrument panel, upper console surround, air vents, visors, rear view mirror!, little console down by the sills where the trunk buttons are, steering column, Bose speakers, you name it; it's all covered in leather. The leather alone was over $14,000, in 2002.
In theory I'm happy to have it, since I paid exactly zero for any of it, but I don't know that I ever think about it once I'm in the car. But back then 996 interiors really benefitted from Full Leather a lot more than 997 or 991s.
Beautiful car! I visited your state for a backpacking trip last fall, around the Three Sisters range. Lovely trip, and enjoyed every minute of my time in Oregon. This is what I awoke to the 3rd morning.
Excellent review. Just for the record I think your car is one of the better looking 991's I have seen and I like your current wheels better than the 50th fuchs.
Portland, nice write up and pics. A manual to boot! Beautiful and unique C4s! Glad you daily drive it too. Recommend winter tires though. Enjoy and thanks for sharing. Ps, hope the kiddos can keep there dirty shoes off the leather seat backs��
Congrats. I've looked at 1,000's of 991's and the first time I've run across that color combo. Pulls it off quite well. My kids love the rides as well. They only get rides as a reward. Less stressful having them in our Odyssey though!
As far as the sunroof goes, this might help seeing all the parts have been fixed. Maybe the seals just need some lubricant now? Some info on it.
Thanks for posting. Congrats on your car. I like the brown with black wheels.
These are great photos of the Cosco high-back booster kid seat available from Target for $40. There have been a lot of references to this child seat, but few - if any - photos of the kid seat actually installed in the back of a 991. I have one in the back of my car as well. These photos will be helpful to other guys looking for a good-fitting seat.
Great write-up, and beautiful car! It's a really classy color combo (the black wheels add a nice dose of sportiness, IMHO) and it's truly a one-of-a-kind 991!
What I really love about this car is that it is very unique. The only problem I have with 991s is that they are a bit ubiquitous when compared with 993 etc. The options on your car are fantastic and really make it a great car. Incidentally, we have a Java Brown Tiguan, my wife loves it and I have to say it is my favourite colour SUV we have owned.
I also love how your car it is very much a family car, for me that is important. My son (now 11), loves 911s and in particular GT3s. He has good taste...
Very many thanks for sharing your thoughts, all very interesting!
I'd love to some pictures of your kids in showing how their legs fit when you are seated in the car, seeing that you are 6' tall. I'm 5' 9" and have a 5 year old and an 8 year old (small in stature). A 991 would have to be a daily driver for me. My kids are in seats similar to those pictured in your car. Can you tell us a bit more about the ages, how they fit in the car seats and how difficult it is getting them in and out?
Someone had suggested removing the seat back cushions so the car seats could fit 3 or 4" further back.
02-21-2015, 04:25 AM
5 months into my 991 C4S as a DD and family hauler
