orthojoe

Somehow, I don't think Porsche is liable for some stupid yahoo wasting the time and money to import a car seat that is not available for sale in the united states or approved. I would say that the onus is on the yahoo, not Porsche.

Z356

Sure? You must be kidding me. Do you know this as a fact? You must be doubly kidding me. This is an internet forum, Joe. Anybody can post anything. A better question to ask is: Is this explanation plausible? Does it make sense? If it doesn't, just disregard.

Go ahead and source a current European ROW gt3 seat for your upcoming MY2015 991 gt3. Take your chances and see if it works.

By the way, has anyone made a gt2 'sport bucket seat' made to work (airbags/sensors) on a 991 to date? And wouldn't it make more sense to wait for the 991 gt3 RS 'sport bucket seat' to be released in the US? It will be safer in your 991, DOT legal, height & tilt adjustable and probably not that more expensive than your grey-market, non-adjustable & antiquated gt2 seat!

Saludos,
Eduardo
Carmel

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cpturbo

Porsche probably only changed the wiring connectors. Why not just look at both wiring harnesses and and make a connector to swap in the 997 seats with deustch connectors. I bet it would work just fine.

orthojoe

I'm not kidding Ed. Yes, we are sharing theories and opinions, but people also post real factual information on the internet as well. I've always assumed the porsche exclusive info you post is fact, and not an opinion, so I wanted clarification in this case. What you posted very well could have been fact. Sure, your explanation is plausible and makes sense, but so does my scenario unless proven otherwise. I'm not sure why my opposing view offends you.

Already found a source. Working on logistics.

Has anyone really tried to make it work besides just bolting in? Most people aren't the type to experiment with this kind of stuff. That doesn't mean it isn't possible. As far as the RS seat is concerned, I'm tired of waiting. I also have no idea when those seats would even be available to purchase as tequipment. Has anyone seen those unicorn steel 410mm rotors that were supposed to be available for PCCB buyers yet? I love the antiquated GT2 seat. Needs no adjustment for me, never did. There is also something very cool about having a euro spec vehicle in the US.

Me too.

Mike in CA

Looking forward to the pics if you get it done. 'Course, you need the car first...

Z356

It is just my theory...so caveat emptor!

It doesn't offend me.

Suncoast made an attempt and then backed off. Here is what we know of that inconclusive experiment. I posed the question in writing to Ric Knab who works for that sales organization back in 2013. This was posted here at Rennlist on 4/04/2013:

"I also took the opportunity to ask Ric Knab at Suncoast about the compatibility of the 'gt2' type seats for the US specs 991 and 981's"

Question #2 - RE: Fact that PCNA has not homologated any type of 'sport bucket seat' for the MY2014 991 gt3 or any US spec 991 or 981 for that matter!

A) Will the existing 997 era gt2 sport bucket seat you sell (airbags/folding type) plug into a 991 or 981 Porsche and work 100%? Airbags & passenger seat sensors work?

B) If answer to #1 is 'no', will the current gt2 seat available currently in Europe/ROW be able to be imported by YOU, sold to us in the USA, & plug into US spec MY2013/MY2014 991, 981 or 991 gt3 and WORK (airbags, passenger seat sensors, and no fault codes to light up the instruments panel)????? If the answer to #2 is also 'no', can you give us an explanation as to why not? Is it the electrical wires on the 991 that are different? Is it BUS interface? What is the reason?

Answer from Knab: "We tested the 997 GT2 bucket seat into a 991, the wiring was incredibly different. Once we saw that, we decided not to investigate any further. I don't have specifics on this, but we made a wise decision to walk away, and not attempt to modify any wiring. We didn't check the mounting points to see if they were compatible. So again, my professional opinion is that it's not possible to install the 997 seats in a 991/981. I'm sure people will try, maybe it could be done with wiring modifications or PIWIS. I can't help with that sort of retrofit. I haven't heard anything official on the new sport bucket seats, but if Porsche won't ship a car to the USA with the seats installed, they probably won't allow us to order them. At the moment there are no retrofit seats, so I can't get a plug-and-play seat at the moment anyway. Building the seat, piece-by-piece wouldn't be possible for us, that's not something I can help with. If someone is interested in these seats, all we can do is wait and see if Porsche releases them in the future. Keep in mind, the 997 model was launched in 2004/2005, the GT2 seat didn't appear until 2008. So that was three years into production before the retrofit was available, and three years until it was an option for US models."

We have already touched on this result (Sunset trying to fit a 997 gt2 seat on a 991) on a different thread started by mdrums - 'Major Fail -No Sport Bucket Seat Option'. So where does that leaves us, PCNA's US 991/981 customers? Will Gert at Carnewal be allowed by Porsche to ship the current Euro 991/981 'gt2 type' seat to US and will that current Euro 991/981 'gt2 type' seat plug into a US 991, 981 or 991 gt3 & work correctly? Or did Porsche designed the electronics of the US spec 991/981 in such a way that the current Euro 991/981 'gt2 type' seat will NOT work and will NEVER work with it? Indeed, no other 'bucket' seat will fully work until they decide to issue a US approved 991/981 'gt2 type' seat for this market? This is what I am afraid of and I think that is a topic for further discussion on this forum!"

https://rennlist.com/forums/991/7492...d-991-gt3.html

Saludos,
Eduardo

orthojoe

LOL. Ain't that the truth! Doesn't look like I'll see the car until the fall at this point.

I'm glad to hear this. Your theory is certainly plausible. I could very well end up with euro spec bucket seats that still aren't compatible with the car. It is certainly a risk I am taking.


I do remember this post. I may email Ric Knab to find out how far they went. My assumption is that the wiring harnesses were different and they (rightfully so) gave up.

TRAKCAR

Cheaper, easier, safer..
Get the seats with removable halo for street.

https://rennlist.com/forums/showthre...ferrerid=59610

orthojoe

That is my 'backup' plan.

JasonAndreas

for what its worth, I've never heard of PAG being unwilling to sell a ROW part in the USA.

MaxLTV

You really got me curious about removable halos. Which seats have it? I know about Sparco Ergo but multiple options would be good just in case those do not work out (and they are not the best looking, not that it matters much).

Z356

Jason:

After discussing the lack of a 'sport bucket seat' option in the US 991/981 for more than one year, I don't doubt now that you can import that gt2 'sport bucket seat' from Carnewal. I also don't think that gt2 'sport bucket seat' imported from Belgium would be different from the one that Suncoast, or your local dealer, could also import from PAG. The issue now is whether that gt2 Porsche 'sport bucket seat', regardless your source of importation, would operate as designed (airbags would deploy) in a US spec 991/981. If it could be done, don't you think some enterprising American 991/981 owner would have already accomplished it and let us know! The 991's started reaching our shores in early 2012 and they are a common sight at DE all across our country. Necessity is the mother of invention. If someone had found a way to make either 997-era gt2's or ROW 991/981-era gt2's fully operable (airbags deploy in case of accident, etc) in a US spec 991/981, you don't think someone would be advertising the fact that you can go around the regulations by buying a particularly imported Porsche gt2 'sport bucket seat' and using their DIY installation instructions to make it work as designed? I would think so.

Saludos,
Eduardo
Carmel

* Suncoast still imports authentic Porsche gt2 seats...supposedly for 997/987customers. When PAG gets a NEW order for a gt2 from a dealer such as Suncoast, what gt2 seat do they send out to them? Given that gt2 seats are currently still in production for ROW 991/981 today, do you think PAG in Germany has a warehouse full of old 997-era 'gt2' seats just waiting to be ordered by someone like Suncoast? Or are they going to send a current gt2 seat if that new order comes in! Whether they switch the wiring harness or plugs for these orders we don't yet know for sure. The Suncoast gt2 tested by Ric Knab on a 991 were probably 997-era gt2's that Suncoast had already in stock. I don't know what kind of plugs or wirings come on more recent gt2 seats that have arrived at US dealers in more recent times. But that would be interesting to find out.

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Conekilr

Even if the connections were the same or someone made a connector to work, my dealer said that they would not program the airbags even if I provided the code because of liability issues since these seats are not currently approved for North America. It's as simple as that.

Z356

I know. I am with you, brother!

But we know that there is always some computer wizard out there that can operate a PIWIS diagnostic tool OBD2 OBDII...whatever...and get around that particular dealer liability concern by doing it in the privacy of his garage. But I don't want to be the driver & passenger on that vehicle in case of a severe accident? Did they, or did they not, deployed...that is the question! And what will your insurance company say?

Saludos,
Eduardo
Carmel

PS Conekilr: Did you finally get to order a PTS 991 gt3? If so, in what PTS color?


.

Conekilr

Eduardo, My car is affected by the stop sale and will in all likelihood be allocated as a 2015 build (original build date was to be April 29th). I am still waiting to hear from PAG as to the new timeline but my PTS order stands. I am doing Fashion Grey.