BostonDuce

I washed mine with Woolite- after 5 years it looked like the day it first left the dealer.

The alcantara is a fabric, and has to be cleaned periodically of it looses it's nap.

Eating, drinking, or other activities that produce bodily fluids are verboten.

BD

redyps

Yet another update. My dealer called and recommended that I include the Sports Chrono even though I was getting the 6 sp manual. I went back and looked at most all the forum posts regarding it (along with those on Planet-9) and came to the conclusion it was okay to add it into the configuration of my performance options only Spyder. That of course necessitated the radio and sound pkg plus. So I swapped out the lithium battery ($1700) for the chrono and radio ($1660). Along with the radio I also added the no cost options of the bluetooth and universal audio.

To recap what the chrono brings to a 6sp manual without PCM and my rational:

1) The throttle mapping may make it easier for blipping the throttle on heel and toe down shifts.
2) Although I don't expect to red line shift the car very often I do like the idea that it will pull all the way to redline if I want it to, so a hard rev limiter makes sense.
3) Getting a little less restrictive PSM for track events sounds like a good idea because it still gives you the safety net without having to disable it.
4) I thought it was a reasonable price conscious exchange for the lithium.

Thoughts...

n2cars

I'm not a Sports Chrono fan.

Only1Buck

I would ask others but I am not so sure the sports chrono adds much to 6 speed if it were PDK then different story...

s2ktaxi

The issue for most is the wart on the dash that comes with the factory installed SC. Consider getting the SC as a software only update after you get the car.

Marine Blue

As far as I know the throttle mapping is the only real difference in a 6spd. Essentially it improves throttle response and torque in the lower RPM's. Personally I wouldn't bother.

I'm curious why the dealer is making recommendations, have you already placed a deposit on the car and agreed on a price?

BostonDuce

While the throttle remap of the S/c improves the initial tip in, it has to come from somewhere, and that's at the end of the pedal stroke.

There is a corresponding dead spot in pedal-to-metal area when in 'Sport'. If you look at the graphs, they just shift the response curve to the left. Can't control the mechanical pedal stroke, so the electronic "full throttle" command comes sooner in the pedal stroke. No free lunch.

Not exactly the same, but the 'Sport" button in my E46 M3 had a similar response

Possibly distracting if you enjoy mashing, but YMMV.
BD

Marine Blue

Good to know. I guess it would give you the option to control throttle responsiveness based upon the current driving conditions but no added power.

redyps

Marine Blue - Yes, we have agreed on a price and yes I gave them a deposit. I have a very short window to make any changes to the order. The sooner I lock it in the better opportunity to move it up from a Feb build to a Jan build.

BostonDuce - I have not driven a 6 sp manual with s/c so I can't comment on the dead spot.

sk2taxi - I admit not everyone likes the chrono on the dash. I looked at the switch only option but prefer to keep this car completely stock. For me the after market switch option confirmed that there must in fact be a preference for some to include this on their non PDK cars (turbo and non) since most everyone knows to order s/c with PDK. So I figured yes for tracking or spirited driving they like sport mode.

So I surmised it was better to have it than not. The price was not a big issue since I can make it cost neutral on the build by swapping out the lithium battery.

I went back and looked at the LA Auto show pictures of the Spyder. Interestingly it has the chrono and no radio. I mentioned this to the dealer but he said that they have no order option available to them to do that. I also see that the main Porsche site includes the chrono on their 'wallpaper' car and then all their videos say no need for the radio. So maybe they originally envisioned that as an option but couldn't cost effectively pull it off since it probably was only practical to share the wiring harness for the radio.

pcw

That's right. There always seems to be a misconception regarding "sports Modes" or "remapping". Sports mode gives you a more aggressive map in the lower RPM range, but if you are to mash the throttle you are still working with the same HP/Tq.

I have an STI with 3 mode ECU maps, economy, sport and sport +, there is a clear difference between each map at the lower RPM range, but if you were to full throttle in the economy mode, the ECU would by pass the the lower RPM remap and make all adjustment to full throttle, ie timing, AFM, and boost. You are always working with the same HP/Tq dynamics. When I went stage 2 on my STI, the dyno numbers tell the truth, no advantage at all between the three maps under full throttle. Remapping is a numbers game, more here, less there but no real performance gains.

I feel it is misleading when Porsche publishes numbers that include PDK and SC, I get the PDK advantage shifting faster than a 6 speed but stating that the SC adds any more performance is just marketing efforts to get you to spend 1700.00 more. There is no "magic " HP button

pcw

BostonDuce

I have two words for you: LAUNCH CONTROL. That's the only dif in those two numbers.

BD