Croc999

10 month i'm with my 2010 Boxster S.
It has this steering wheel:



I manually upshift/downshift PDK a lot, even during normal driving.
Generally i don't have problems with its PDK buttons and actually i like that i can do upshift/downshift on either side of the wheel.

In competition events or hard canyons driving I quite sometimes accidentally press thumb buttons and and get unintended upshifts .
As a cure i've learned not to put my thumbs on the spokes - but it's sure not the best situation.

So i think to change to 981 style wheel and i want to hear your experience.



In addition it looks fresher/more modern (at least to me ).
I've tried it in a friends 981 and it felt good.
I know it's same diameter - but is it just me or somehow it indeed feels smaller?

The cost is of course is a downside .

Also i'm concerned that if now my fingers are all the the time on the buttons - with 981 wheel the fingers needs to be moved from the wheel grip to the shifting paddles. Is this an issue or completely seamless?

Any other gains/losses involved?

Thanks

f4 plt

The paddles will quickly become second nature and as you said you accidentally hit the buttons frequently, always at the wrong time. The paddle wheel you showed was actually available on the 987 PDK cars and your dealer or Suncoast can get one for you. The installation is a five + minute job but I would let your dealer do it as it involves disconnecting the airbag and checking the steering position sensor.

A good mod/ improvement for any PDK car

66mustang

I have that wheel on my car. It is awesome, if you have Sport Chrono you get lights on the wheel also. Paddles are second nature.

The other benefit is you have the neat stitching at 12 o'clock.

Dr.Bill

Adding the Sport Design steering wheel would be the best thing you could do. I think I've replaced two of the ones with buttons. Sold them on e-bay to a guy who recovers them with various exotic materials.

Croc999

thanks a lot for your input.
is there such think as a black leather wheel with red stitching? red top-center stripe?

Croc999

it's done:



installation was quite easy.
horn works.
but "sport plus" display on the spoke doesn't light up - any idea why?

Gary R.

Mind giving the approximate cost of this, I like the new wheel a LOT better!

Croc999

sure.
got it from Suncoast:
http://www.suncoastparts.com/product...9872s_knobsPDK

1,000$ plus shipping.

Gary R.

Thanks!

66mustang

You may have to go to dealer to have it programmed to light up

Gary R.

What are the installation steps? Is the wiring the same for both? I hope you get the light working!

Croc999

installation is exactly as described online.
The swap was very easy. The only tricky part was to get the air bag out - it took like a 10 minutes playing with the metal stick inside the hole to find where exactly to push to pop out the air bag...

Horn works after turning on the engine for the first time.
PCM got OK after driving forward for about 30 seconds.
Paddle shifters work.

ForceReconTrojan

Great!

But just to point out that is also a 987.2 steering wheel you have not a 981. I have the same on my 987.2 Spyder and was an option.

Croc999

yes, i'm not sure whether this wheel is exactly the same part# as 981's.
so i called it "981 style" wheel

Gary R.

Just did my first DE in my 09 S and was swearing at the shift "switches" on the wheel at the same points in the track every lap (unintentional upshifts). I'll be getting the wheel with proper paddles ASAP. As far as i'm concerned the stick is backwards too, should be forward for downshifting, pull back for upshift like a sequential, but that is what it is. Can you disable the steering wheel shifters somehow? Have another event in two weeks, won't be getting the new wheel in that time frame.