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Being a self-described car enthusiast, the 911 is the one car I have always wanted. This seems to be a common thread among many 911 owners. I am now very fortunate to be able to finally own one.
I purchased my CPO 991.2 C2S in January 2017 following a several month search. My search included both .1 and .2 cars with four criteria being constant – S/Used/CPO/7M. This greatly reduced the offerings of all used 911’s on the market at the time. I found my 911 in New Jersey with 1,700 miles, 5.5 years of warranty and a nice blend of performance and comfort options as well as a preferred deleted one (see attached build sheet). This is my first Porsche after many other performance cars in my past (both NA and FI). This is also my favorite.
As my daily driver, the 911 poses some unique challenges to me personally due to my age, size, number of surgeries and tight garage space but I have developed a technique on ingress/egress that works well. Once inside, I find the accommodations to be very comfortable. The one cool thing about being a DD is the fact that I am always driving it. It is not a queen and only stays in the garage during snow/ice and extreme cold conditions. Fortunately, down time due to weather is somewhat limited in RVA. I am retired so I have no daily work route but have managed to put 8,200 pleasure miles on the car thus far.
I have participated in 2 HPDE events but was not bitten by the bug that so many others describe. I learned a great deal of the 911’s capabilities (and my own) and I am better off for it but time will tell if it ever sees a track again.
I found the gearbox required a somewhat “learned” touch when up/down shifting under load. Not a box you could slam, but one that liked to be guided somewhat. In the beginning, I was double dipping on the rev match out of habit. Now I just let the car do it for me and I like it. In daily driving, I find myself seeking to stay in 2nd and 3rd gears around town (35 to 55mph). This is the sweet spot for this motor/tranny and provides more smiles per mile than any other combination.
No turbo car discussion would be complete without speaking of lag. I find that lag does exist when the combination of rpm’s and gear selection are not optimal. If you stomp your foot while cruising in 4th gear, there is a slight pause, but the rush comes on quickly. If, however, you are in the mood (and conditions are safe) to drive in a spirited fashion and your gear selection is matched with your rpm’s, the lag disappears. I have also found that with shift points in the upper rpm’s, the throttle response is as linear as any other car I have owned.
I have mixed feelings on the sound symposers and the software induced exhaust crackles. I don’t dislike the symposers enough to stuff them with a sock and I don’t always drive around in sport mode. Sometimes sport+ gets the nod. I probably would not have ordered PDCC, but am happy to have it. I like the stance that the SPASM provides and have only found few situations where scraping is an issue. I drive with the windows down as weather permits and added the AWE wind diffusers and found them to be very functional. With the windows down, having the stereo turned on is pretty much a non-event. I have the stock Pirellis and find the road noise to be a bit excessive. Another minor peeve is the rock grabbing ability of the soft tires and the constant barrage of clicking in the wheel wells. I have found the 991 to be bulletproof thus far as so many on this forum indicate. My car has not exhibited any issues and other than a state inspection and two track inspections, it has not seen a mechanic. It received the annual oil change and state inspection last week.
The only modifications on my 911 are cosmetic/functional and include: clear sides, AWE diffuser, PPF track package, Gtechniq EXO coating, window tint and Weathertech laser mats. I found the stock shift **** cumbersome and opted for the Function-First **** and love it. Even though I have modded (software and hardware) previous cars, I am happy with the power and sound of my 911 and find no reason to spend big $$ to alter the stock set up.
So why is this one my favorite? It does everything I ask of it, so very well. It can be well mannered or it can be over the top based upon the gear selected and position of your foot on the throttle. The motor sounds unmistakably 911ish and the exhaust note is fine for my taste. The “sport” package provides the essential options that enhance the looks and driving experience. The HP curve comes on quick (especially in 1st and 2nd gears) and the flat torque curve comes on early and stays late making this a very enjoyable daily driver. 3rd gear is my favorite and 4th gear can get you in trouble. Sure, it has more power than needed on city streets, but that is the point. I don’t believe anyone buys a 911 because they have an aversion to power. The car handles, accelerates and stops extremely well and looks great doing it. I would be lying if I didn’t enjoy the looks and comments it receives on the street.
Disclaimer: This is my opinion of what I have experienced with my car for the past year.
Congrats on the milestone. I have similar observations. I do like the stock gearbox. The clutch is light (much lighter than in my 13 Boxster S) and the shifter requires a more delicate touch. Overall a very user-friendly gearbox and as nice, if not nicer, than the one in my Boxster.
Turbo lag? Yes there is some lag if you get caught in the wrong gear or use the shift indicator to guide your shifts. But second and third gears are indeed perfect for 35-55 mph. The burbling is overdone IMO in cars equipped with the SE so I opted not to get it. I find it juvenile and I do like driving in sport mode where the backfiring sounds are exacerbated (if the car has the SE). The car is plenty loud without the SE.
Regarding the engine, I was one of the earlier skeptics and lamented the loss of the NA flat sixes. But, after owning the car for about six months now, I think all those misgivings were misplaced. The car still retains its flat six character in sound and the engine still loves to rev except that now there a lot more torque. With the 3.4 L in my Boxster, I found I had to keep it in a lower gear most of the time because of the lack of low end torque and the dip in the torque curve at ~3k rpms. It used to manifest as a slight hesitation in power delivery at 3k rpms. With the turbo six, the power builds nicely across the rev rnage simulating the NA flat six but without the hesitation.
Thanks all for the kind remarks. I really do enjoy driving this car and look for any opportunity to do so.
With regard to the OEM shift ****. The shape of the actual **** is not round enough for me and it has a long shaft. I would find myself holding it like a pistol grip **** with my fingers going down the shaft. No XXX comments please The FF **** is perfectly round and sits lower and just feels right in my hand.
Last edited by AlBinVA; 01-14-2018 at 03:39 PM.
Reason: add pic
Thanks for sharing your experience - great to hear about people and their cars!
A question - what is the PPF track package?
That was how my installer described/marketed it. It includes front bumper, front fenders, entire hood, rockers, mirrors, hips in front of rear wheels and below intake behind rear wheels.
01-14-2018, 11:39 AM
My thoughts after one year of drivership
The FF **** is perfectly round and sits lower and just feels right in my hand.
