Underblu

C'mon man some outdoor pics of your beautiful Red Spyder please. I can't seem to find a Red Spyder in the entire NY tristate area to look at and I will have to finalize red or black really soon

il pirata

It's Ohio...

Milehigh981

The only reason I was happy my build got delayed until next year.

Mark Dreyer

Evidently so because I'm getting a lot more attention than what I would expect a Boxster to receive.

ir_fuel

Noticed this too during my test drive.

A couple of years ago I had a 987 Cayman S. Now that is what you would call anonymous Porsche driving. NOBODY looked at that thing. Things were quite a bit different when driving the Spyder last week.

SMLaker

The "looks" are much more about the subtle aggressiveness look that's different and catching people's eye. My Boxster GTS got a lot of looks/comments because "something about it looked different".

I think the Spyder looks much different from a Boxster.

Goofnik

I took delivery of mine on Monday, picked it up from its XPEL Ultimate install on Wednesday. I live in Boston. When I have to drive, it will be my DD, as it's my only car.

"What do you do in winter when it's only 5F out?"
If the roads are clear enough for me to drive (and I *have* to drive), I drive it top down. If I drive it top-up, what message does that send either than, "I've made a mistake"? Top down, heat cranked up (I did not spec heated seats). If it's really bad I'll have the windows up for a few minutes so I can warm up, but they'll go back down again.

"Oh, so you just wear a heavy jacket?"
I don't own a heavy jacket.

"... are you serious?"
Yes. Aside from my 14 months with a Cayman GTS, I previously drove a roadster (Mazda MX-5 Miata, NC-1) for over 8 years. Top was down for over 99.9% of trips. I even drove top-down straight through torrential downpours (with windows up) in cases where I could maintain highway speeds, because physics. Moreover, other motorists thinking I'm nuts is part of the appeal (and further validates the vanity plate).

"LWBS of Sport Seats Plus?"
I got Sport Seats Plus because I could not order a car with LWBS. If I could've ordered a car with them at the time, I would've had them. I have the 2-way SSPs as I did in my CGTS. However, eventually (likely in 2 to 4 years) I will replace the SSPs with the LWBS.

"Oh, so this is a temporary thing for you I take it?"
Nope. Plan to keep it for 50 years. Initial impressions in the first 300 miles is this resolves my quibbles that prevents my CGTS from being my forever car. We'll see how that pans out over the next few months, but I think I've done got it right this time (aside from future plans to reduce weight and do some minor suspension tweaks).

"So... you're just nuts?"
Nope. I just realize that there are always tradeoffs. Feeling a bit vulnerable is both a positive and negative for me. I'm willing to accept a bit of discomfort in exchange for more adrenaline and the ability to get more enjoyment at more reasonable (i.e. legal) speeds.

s2ktaxi

how are you finding the rear visibility as a DD?

Underblu

I think it's awesome if you can enjoy the car top down in cold weather is thatfor real.? why would you forgo heated seats?

I have LWBS spec'd in my order and seat heating is still something that gives me pause because it's so nice to have in a convertible. Especially one driven in the NE

Goofnik

Significantly worse than the Cayman GTS, and I think just about anything is worse than a top-down NC or earlier Miata (which had very low rear decks). I always shoulder-check despite having my mirrors properly set, though looking across the passenger side of the car my view is mostly blocked by the streamliner since I'm a bit under average height (5-foot-8).

I did spec the rear camera. For backing into spots it's a non-issue in general if you didn't spec it (I use the taillights as a good reference). The only advantage it really provides to me is I can more quickly take advantage of the last foot of maneuvering room.

One thing is the brake light connecting the streamliners does block out headlamps quite nicely!

I look at Porsches as sports cars that offer optional luxury features, not a luxury sports car. Over 80% of my years behind the wheel were in Mitsubishis and Mazdas which simply offered basic functionality. Which I was fine with! So I simply looked at this exercise as buying a sports car that happened to offer a few nice things and had a ridiculously nice interior.

I've never had heated seats before, so I don't need them now. Moreover, once I switch to LWBS I'd lose them anyways, so why pay money for what would be a temporary feature, and future buttons that would do nothing? Actually, the heater in the Miata was ridiculous. There have been 10F days where I've had to turn the heater OFF for a few minutes because despite being top and windows down, it would get too hot inside.

You're also talking to someone who will walk 3.5 - 4 miles roundtrip to get groceries in winter, in what most people would call a spring jacket. I don't even really own long sleeve shirts. You're only cold if you want to be.

Chris C.

Goofnik - what suspension mods would you make to the 981 and why?

What shortcomings did you experience on the Cayman GTS? (considering one of those too)?

Trying to decide if ride height and stiffness of the Spyder are reasonable around San Fran city roads (think no maintenance for 10 years and LOTS of city traffic, plus hills and steep driveways!)

Thanks!
Chris

CAlexio

Im right there with you wondering how to even approach the hill to my house.. When I drive my current car I think about all the crazy potholes and bumps there are in SF, gonna have to drive veeeerrry carefully and slowly methinks

jeanrabelais

I'm good with the open top winter driving too. For around the city top down and heater on is the best of all worlds. It's the hot summer months where the top comes up for me.

Archimedes

Have you driven an X73 981? Gonna be like that, which is a challenge in SF, not due to the suspension stiffness, but due to the clearance. While the X73 suspension is shorter/stiffer, the dampers are better than the standard 981 suspension, so the ride is no more harsh IMO. But you do have to be very careful with front clearance.

Goofnik

So as an immediate disclaimer, I take modifying cars *very* seriously. I'm the guy who is willing to wait large chunks of a decade for aftermarket maturity. The timeline for the Boxster Spyder is 10 to 15 years before completion, and none of the modifications involve adding more power, or more grip.

The immediate thought regarding the suspension is to remove some of the compliance, add additional feedback and more precisely locate everything by replacing the stock bushings. This may just be multi-layer bushes, or polyurethane/delrin. I don't believe I'll end up going to monoballs since they'll have to be replaced much more often, but my mind may change over time. Regardless, don't expect me to touch this stuff until at least mid-2017.

1. I had ordered PDK. It was technically brilliant. In traffic it is excellent. When I am completely on it, it is also excellent as it reduces the number of things I have to think about when I'm in the moment. However, the middle ground is where things simply felt un-involving and too easy.
2. The Cayman had X73, not PASM, which has a far far stiffer rear anti-rollbar than PASM (I think nearly 40% stiffer). Even then, the rear wasn't as playful as I would've liked unless I was getting rather deliberate with my inputs.
3. Before the Cayman I drove a Miata for over 8 years, nearly all of that top down. Losing the roof makes you feel as if you're going much faster than you actually are. The feeling of vulnerability -- and the bit of additional anxiety and discomfort -- significantly adds to the experience for me.

Although the second item could be addressed with modifications, the first and third could not be addressed cheaply. A different car was the answer. Simply put, for me the Boxster Spyder will be a much more entertaining package, even within the speed limits.

I've driven in SF. Quite a bit. Come to Boston, drive around it -- including the cobblestones throughout the very hilly Beacon Hill, and the roads constantly ravaged by potholes from an average of > 4 feet of snow every year (we had 9 feet last winter) -- and tell me with a straight face that your roads are worse. Because you won't be able to say that.

If I wasn't paying attention, I could do serious damage to the bumper cover of the Cayman GTS (X73) and the Boxster Spyder just getting gasoline. I don't have an issue because I properly take it at an oblique angle, though I do hear the small neoprene spoiler (that's part of the underbody spoiler) deflect when I slowly enter. That's simply how you do it when you have steep approaches -- take it very wide, never head on -- unless you want to risk bashing up the front bumper cover, or scraping the underbody spoiler.