6 month review from a none-purist
06-26-2016, 09:05 PM
#1
Rennlist Member
Thread Starter
6 month review from a none-purist
In a simple sentence-- "just love my 2013 CPO base 911".
Always wanted a 911, but never did own one. My wife and I started looking for a new car last year, and we wanted to look into a used 991. I had some doubt after the first test drive, the base 991 was not as fast as I imagined, in fact, it felt slower in the test route---street traffic---than our Audi S4, and considerably firmer and less comfortable. However, the car was fun to drive, the classic yet modern shape and the feel of quality just surpassed any car we owned before, and it was priced at the cost of a new well equipped 5 series bimmer, it seemed to be a no-brainer and we decided to get one. Not reading a lot of rennlist at the time, we looked around and decided on a white base model without any performance add on like sport chrono or PSE, and it was a PDK. Here are some thoughts after 6 months of ownership:
Pro:
1. love the NA engine; after knowing the engine's characteristic, it is so much fun to rev the engine, keep it in its power range, feel the acceleration and hear the glorious sound. And the throttle response is so smooth that it is a pleasure to drive. I used to have a BMW 535i with twin turbo engine, although it felt fast, but I hated the engine's response, it was either too much or too little throttle and difficult to drive smooth. I certainly hope the new turbo engine in the 991.2 retains the NA engine feel. Anyway, I am quite content with the base 991.1 engine and it is fast enough for me.
2. love the base suspension; I was a bit unease about doing fast corner at first because of the rear engine layout, but the limit was so high that I have yet got close to it, and I am going faster and faster with confidence. Also, after replacing tires to the new Michelin Pilot, and adjusting the tire pressure to the comfort setting, I felt the car rides firm but not uncomfortable, and the drive feel just surpassed any of our previous cars.
3. PDK is great; It shifts so quick and smoothly, and when driven aggressively in auto mode, it alway seems to be in the right gear, amazing!
4. the seats felt very comfortable and supportive, there is no compromise in driving position, and the all around view to outside is great. There is very little negatives that would normally accompany most other sport cars. Even the frunk is big enough for most occasions.
5. Bose stereo is better than expected, based on the impression I got online initially;
6. surprisingly good fuel economy.
Con:
1. tire and road noise; I was surprised at the level of tire noise and the sound I heard from stone hitting the fender or chassis while driving. I know engine/exhaust sound is an important part of a 911, but I am not sure if the road noise needs to be part of 911's appeal.
2. some rattling noise from interior parts; I heard quite a few of them. A rattling noise from a loose mirror switch was replaced under warranty, but the dealer was not able to fix some noise from the rear side of the car. Somehow after 6 month, maybe with leather conditioner and silicone spray on rear seat tilt mechanical parts, I eliminated most noise, and the car felt much tighter than we first brought it.
3. I experienced strong engine hesitation during acceleration about two months into ownership, fortunately there was a fault code and my local dealer replaced a high pressure fuel pump and solved the problem. So it is no longer a concern.
Overall, I could not be more happy with our choice. The only thing I might have done differently if I knew what I know now is that to go for a S model so I do not wonder about if it would be better.
Always wanted a 911, but never did own one. My wife and I started looking for a new car last year, and we wanted to look into a used 991. I had some doubt after the first test drive, the base 991 was not as fast as I imagined, in fact, it felt slower in the test route---street traffic---than our Audi S4, and considerably firmer and less comfortable. However, the car was fun to drive, the classic yet modern shape and the feel of quality just surpassed any car we owned before, and it was priced at the cost of a new well equipped 5 series bimmer, it seemed to be a no-brainer and we decided to get one. Not reading a lot of rennlist at the time, we looked around and decided on a white base model without any performance add on like sport chrono or PSE, and it was a PDK. Here are some thoughts after 6 months of ownership:
Pro:
1. love the NA engine; after knowing the engine's characteristic, it is so much fun to rev the engine, keep it in its power range, feel the acceleration and hear the glorious sound. And the throttle response is so smooth that it is a pleasure to drive. I used to have a BMW 535i with twin turbo engine, although it felt fast, but I hated the engine's response, it was either too much or too little throttle and difficult to drive smooth. I certainly hope the new turbo engine in the 991.2 retains the NA engine feel. Anyway, I am quite content with the base 991.1 engine and it is fast enough for me.
2. love the base suspension; I was a bit unease about doing fast corner at first because of the rear engine layout, but the limit was so high that I have yet got close to it, and I am going faster and faster with confidence. Also, after replacing tires to the new Michelin Pilot, and adjusting the tire pressure to the comfort setting, I felt the car rides firm but not uncomfortable, and the drive feel just surpassed any of our previous cars.
3. PDK is great; It shifts so quick and smoothly, and when driven aggressively in auto mode, it alway seems to be in the right gear, amazing!
4. the seats felt very comfortable and supportive, there is no compromise in driving position, and the all around view to outside is great. There is very little negatives that would normally accompany most other sport cars. Even the frunk is big enough for most occasions.
5. Bose stereo is better than expected, based on the impression I got online initially;
6. surprisingly good fuel economy.
Con:
1. tire and road noise; I was surprised at the level of tire noise and the sound I heard from stone hitting the fender or chassis while driving. I know engine/exhaust sound is an important part of a 911, but I am not sure if the road noise needs to be part of 911's appeal.
2. some rattling noise from interior parts; I heard quite a few of them. A rattling noise from a loose mirror switch was replaced under warranty, but the dealer was not able to fix some noise from the rear side of the car. Somehow after 6 month, maybe with leather conditioner and silicone spray on rear seat tilt mechanical parts, I eliminated most noise, and the car felt much tighter than we first brought it.
3. I experienced strong engine hesitation during acceleration about two months into ownership, fortunately there was a fault code and my local dealer replaced a high pressure fuel pump and solved the problem. So it is no longer a concern.
Overall, I could not be more happy with our choice. The only thing I might have done differently if I knew what I know now is that to go for a S model so I do not wonder about if it would be better.
Last edited by siitech; 06-27-2016 at 02:12 AM.
06-26-2016, 11:58 PM
#2
Three Wheelin'
Congrats on the 911! She looks fantastic in the photo. I would recommend getting a set of MPSS tires when your current set runs out to decrease road noise. I switched from Pzeros and it made a world of difference.
06-27-2016, 12:54 AM
#4
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Great photo.
Tire noise was a well known "feature" on 997's. Wheels magazine in Australia did a "round Australia" trip in one back in 09 and that was a theme throughout:
http://www.wheelsmag.com.au/features...tralia/image-3
Porsche said they fixed it in 991's but maybe not.
Tire noise was a well known "feature" on 997's. Wheels magazine in Australia did a "round Australia" trip in one back in 09 and that was a theme throughout:
http://www.wheelsmag.com.au/features...tralia/image-3
Porsche said they fixed it in 991's but maybe not.
06-27-2016, 01:12 AM
#5
Rennlist Member
In a simple sentence-- "just love my 2013 CPO base 911".
Always wanted a 911, but never did own one. My wife and I started looking for a new car last year, and we wanted to look into a used 991. I had some doubt after the first test drive, the base 991 was not as fast as I imagined, in fact, it felt slower in the test route---street traffic---than our Audi S4, and considerably firmer and less comfortable. However, the car was fun to drive, the classic yet modern shape and the feel of quality just surpassed any car we owned before, and it was priced at the cost of a new well equipped 5 series bimmer, it seemed to be a no-brainer and we decided to get one. Not reading a lot of rennlist at the time, we looked around and decided on a white base model without any performance add on like sport chrono or PSE, and it was a PDK. Here are some thoughts after 6 months of ownership:
Pro:
1. love the NA engine; after knowing the engine's characteristic, it is so much fun to rev the engine, keep it in its power range, feel the acceleration and hear the glorious sound. And the throttle response is so smooth that it is a pleasure to drive. I used to have a BMW 535i with twin turbo engine, although it felt fast, but I hated the engine's response, it was either too much or too little throttle and difficult to drive smooth. I certainly hope the new turbo engine in the 991.2 retains the NA engine feel. Anyway, I am quite content with the base 991.1 engine and it is fast enough for me.
2. love the base suspension; I was a bit unease about doing fast corner at first because of the rear engine layout, but the limit was so high that I have yet got close to it, and I am going faster and faster with confidence. Also, after replacing tires to the new Michelin Pilot, and adjusting the tire pressure to the comfort setting, I felt the car rides firm but not uncomfortable, and the drive feel just surpassed any of our previous cars.
3. PDK is great; It shifts so quick and smoothly, and when driven aggressively in auto mode, it always seems to be in the right gear, amazing!
4. the seats felt very comfortable and supportive, there is no compromise in driving position, and the all around view to outside is great. There is very little negatives that would normally accompany most other sport cars. Even the frunk is big enough for most occasions.
5. Bose stereo is better than expected, based on the impression I got online initially;
6. surprisingly good fuel economy.
Con:
1. tire and road noise; I was surprised at the level of tire noise and the sound I heard from stone hitting the fender or chassis while driving. I know engne/exhaust sound is an important part of a 911, but I am not sure if the road noise needs to be part of the 911's appeal.
2. some rattling noise from interior parts; I heard quite a few of them. A rattling noise from a loose mirror switch was replaced under warranty, but the dealer was not able to fix some noise from the rear side of the car. Somehow after 6 month, maybe with leather conditioner and silicone spray on rear seat tilt mechanical parts, I eliminated most noise, and the car felt much tighter than we first brought it.
3. I experienced strong engine hesitation during acceleration about two months into ownership, fortunately there was a fault code and my local dealership replaced fuel pump and solved the problem. So it is no longer a concern.
Overall, I could not be more happy with our choice. The only thing I might have done differently if I knew what I know now is that to go for a S model so I do not wonder about if it would be better.
Always wanted a 911, but never did own one. My wife and I started looking for a new car last year, and we wanted to look into a used 991. I had some doubt after the first test drive, the base 991 was not as fast as I imagined, in fact, it felt slower in the test route---street traffic---than our Audi S4, and considerably firmer and less comfortable. However, the car was fun to drive, the classic yet modern shape and the feel of quality just surpassed any car we owned before, and it was priced at the cost of a new well equipped 5 series bimmer, it seemed to be a no-brainer and we decided to get one. Not reading a lot of rennlist at the time, we looked around and decided on a white base model without any performance add on like sport chrono or PSE, and it was a PDK. Here are some thoughts after 6 months of ownership:
Pro:
1. love the NA engine; after knowing the engine's characteristic, it is so much fun to rev the engine, keep it in its power range, feel the acceleration and hear the glorious sound. And the throttle response is so smooth that it is a pleasure to drive. I used to have a BMW 535i with twin turbo engine, although it felt fast, but I hated the engine's response, it was either too much or too little throttle and difficult to drive smooth. I certainly hope the new turbo engine in the 991.2 retains the NA engine feel. Anyway, I am quite content with the base 991.1 engine and it is fast enough for me.
2. love the base suspension; I was a bit unease about doing fast corner at first because of the rear engine layout, but the limit was so high that I have yet got close to it, and I am going faster and faster with confidence. Also, after replacing tires to the new Michelin Pilot, and adjusting the tire pressure to the comfort setting, I felt the car rides firm but not uncomfortable, and the drive feel just surpassed any of our previous cars.
3. PDK is great; It shifts so quick and smoothly, and when driven aggressively in auto mode, it always seems to be in the right gear, amazing!
4. the seats felt very comfortable and supportive, there is no compromise in driving position, and the all around view to outside is great. There is very little negatives that would normally accompany most other sport cars. Even the frunk is big enough for most occasions.
5. Bose stereo is better than expected, based on the impression I got online initially;
6. surprisingly good fuel economy.
Con:
1. tire and road noise; I was surprised at the level of tire noise and the sound I heard from stone hitting the fender or chassis while driving. I know engne/exhaust sound is an important part of a 911, but I am not sure if the road noise needs to be part of the 911's appeal.
2. some rattling noise from interior parts; I heard quite a few of them. A rattling noise from a loose mirror switch was replaced under warranty, but the dealer was not able to fix some noise from the rear side of the car. Somehow after 6 month, maybe with leather conditioner and silicone spray on rear seat tilt mechanical parts, I eliminated most noise, and the car felt much tighter than we first brought it.
3. I experienced strong engine hesitation during acceleration about two months into ownership, fortunately there was a fault code and my local dealership replaced fuel pump and solved the problem. So it is no longer a concern.
Overall, I could not be more happy with our choice. The only thing I might have done differently if I knew what I know now is that to go for a S model so I do not wonder about if it would be better.
06-27-2016, 01:33 AM
#7
I have a 14 base 991 MT. Love it.
Power does lack and I do wish there were more "sometimes" but if you use the sport button it does help on the street. Although I wouldn't use this on the track since the old saying, "pedal to the metal is pedal to the metal" regardless of sport button or not.
I would recommend to get a good alignment at least. Not sure where you are located but there should be some reputable shops around.
I lowered my ride on techart springs, awe xpipe and performance alignment. This thing is a whole other animal.
Power does lack and I do wish there were more "sometimes" but if you use the sport button it does help on the street. Although I wouldn't use this on the track since the old saying, "pedal to the metal is pedal to the metal" regardless of sport button or not.
I would recommend to get a good alignment at least. Not sure where you are located but there should be some reputable shops around.
I lowered my ride on techart springs, awe xpipe and performance alignment. This thing is a whole other animal.
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06-27-2016, 11:47 AM
#9
Rennlist Member
Pzeros are the noisiest of the available tires. +1 on the MPSS.
I am taking a 991.2S on a track at PEC - Atlanta this Thursday. Watch for my write up on Rennlist.
To the OP: Very good write up. Thanks for posting. If I can make an unsolicited suggestion: Replace your orange side markers with clear ones. It looks so much better on white (IMHO). $55 bucks and a few minutes of your time (after watching video which you can google online)
06-27-2016, 01:02 PM
#10
Three Wheelin'
Pzeros are the noisiest of the available tires. +1 on the MPSS. I am taking a 991.2S on a track at PEC - Atlanta this Thursday. Watch for my write up on Rennlist. To the OP: Very good write up. Thanks for posting. If I can make an unsolicited suggestion: Replace your orange side markers with clear ones. It looks so much better on white (IMHO). $55 bucks and a few minutes of your time (after watching video which you can google online)
To the OP: Very good write up. Thanks for posting. If I can make an unsolicited suggestion: Replace your orange side markers with clear ones. It looks so much better on white (IMHO). $55 bucks and a few minutes of your time (after watching video which you can google online)
06-27-2016, 05:15 PM
#11
Rennlist Member
Thread Starter
I already put on 4 MPSS tires, they are much quieter, especially for local driving. However, they still get quite noisy at higher speed and on freeway.
06-27-2016, 05:18 PM
#12
Excellent write up Siitech and beautiful car. Thank you for sharing.
I have a Carrera S and agree with many of your points. Like you I bought my 14 C2S used without knowing as much about the car as I do now from joining Rennlist.
Coming from American muscle cars the one thing I do miss a lot is the low end torque but I don't really miss anything else. The 991 is such a great car in every other way. That one thing might drive me to consider ordering a 991.2 exactly like I want it to get a few extra performance features I would like and that nice low end grunt the turbo provides. I also like the sound the turbo makes when it spools up.
I have a Carrera S and agree with many of your points. Like you I bought my 14 C2S used without knowing as much about the car as I do now from joining Rennlist.
Coming from American muscle cars the one thing I do miss a lot is the low end torque but I don't really miss anything else. The 991 is such a great car in every other way. That one thing might drive me to consider ordering a 991.2 exactly like I want it to get a few extra performance features I would like and that nice low end grunt the turbo provides. I also like the sound the turbo makes when it spools up.
06-27-2016, 05:20 PM
#13
Rennlist Member
Thread Starter
Pzeros are the noisiest of the available tires. +1 on the MPSS.
I am taking a 991.2S on a track at PEC - Atlanta this Thursday. Watch for my write up on Rennlist.
To the OP: Very good write up. Thanks for posting. If I can make an unsolicited suggestion: Replace your orange side markers with clear ones. It looks so much better on white (IMHO). $55 bucks and a few minutes of your time (after watching video which you can google online)
I am taking a 991.2S on a track at PEC - Atlanta this Thursday. Watch for my write up on Rennlist.
To the OP: Very good write up. Thanks for posting. If I can make an unsolicited suggestion: Replace your orange side markers with clear ones. It looks so much better on white (IMHO). $55 bucks and a few minutes of your time (after watching video which you can google online)
06-27-2016, 05:40 PM
#15
Three Wheelin'
