Discuss my Carrera build
03-16-2018, 09:52 AM
#1
Discuss my Carrera build
I've always want a 911 mostly because I like the classic looks of the car. The 991 really seems to catch my eye so when I finally got the funds to buy one, I decided to build one. Fair warning, this will not be a race car, I'm not a spirited driver, and I'm mostly going to use this as a daily driver in the summer and for long highway hauls so I'm trying to make it as comfortable of a car as possible. 0-60 times and track-ability isn't a huge deal.
Since my local dealer will let me spend as much money on crap I don't need, I lurked on forums and decided I'd ask the internet for help instead.
First of all, I live in Colorado. I won't be using it in the winter as a DD, but it will see light snow and rain, will the Carrera 4 with the right set of tires do well in those conditions? My Porsche owning friends say that a "real" Porsche is RWD, but I really want to know it the AWD gives you better traction in the nasty stuff and will it still handle ok when it's dry.
I'm also on the larger side of 6'3'' and 235#.All the cars at the local Denver dealer have the Power Sports Seats Plus, which have all the bolsters and make me feel like I'm being crushed by a fat woman, I may have misunderstood the seat options so this bears more investigation. Do the base model seats offer more comfort for larger individuals? I saw that they can be upgraded into 14 way (is that a good upgrade over the base seats?)
In terms of wheels I was going for the base 19" Carrera wheels to give me as much of sidewall as possible for curbs and potholes. Is there a decent tire selection for the 19" wheels (once again ride quality, noise, and bad weather traction is more important here than speed rating), and is there a significant ride quality difference between 19" and 20" wheels?
Interior wise I don't need much, I was debating whether the Sport-Tex (odd name) is a good upgrade over the standard base model seats? Anyone have any experience with this material? Are there any "must have" interior upgrades over base, including the Bose stereo?
Outside is pretty basic, too. I'm trying to keep the ground clearance of this thing as high as possible so no fairings, diffusers, lowering ride height etc. Only addition I thought about was a rear wiper, delete model designation.
Transmission is something I can live with in stop and go traffic as well as highway driving, so I'm deciding whether the MT vs AT is a good idea. I know some sportier cars have really jerky ATs in stop and go traffic to the point it's irritating. What's the verdict on the Porsche AT? And can I live with the MT in traffic?
Overall I was looking at
Carrera 4
Graphite Blue Metallic
MT vs AT?
19" wheels (have dealer install all weather or similar Colorado tires)
Standard interior vs Sport Tex
4 way Power Sport seats vs 14 way
Bose Stereo
Rear wiper
Delete model designation
Like I said, this will be more of a long haul highway car, a GT as they used to call them in the old days--can you even call a 991 a GT? Whatever.
I also want to point out that I haven't owned a "car" ever (just trucks and 4x4s) so any other advice is welcome. I don't mind if this thing gets honest wear and tear on the roads, as I don't plan on babying it, but it'd be nice to know if it would rust and dissolve in the snow and ice as well.
Since my local dealer will let me spend as much money on crap I don't need, I lurked on forums and decided I'd ask the internet for help instead.
First of all, I live in Colorado. I won't be using it in the winter as a DD, but it will see light snow and rain, will the Carrera 4 with the right set of tires do well in those conditions? My Porsche owning friends say that a "real" Porsche is RWD, but I really want to know it the AWD gives you better traction in the nasty stuff and will it still handle ok when it's dry.
I'm also on the larger side of 6'3'' and 235#.
In terms of wheels I was going for the base 19" Carrera wheels to give me as much of sidewall as possible for curbs and potholes. Is there a decent tire selection for the 19" wheels (once again ride quality, noise, and bad weather traction is more important here than speed rating), and is there a significant ride quality difference between 19" and 20" wheels?
Interior wise I don't need much, I was debating whether the Sport-Tex (odd name) is a good upgrade over the standard base model seats? Anyone have any experience with this material? Are there any "must have" interior upgrades over base, including the Bose stereo?
Outside is pretty basic, too. I'm trying to keep the ground clearance of this thing as high as possible so no fairings, diffusers, lowering ride height etc. Only addition I thought about was a rear wiper, delete model designation.
Transmission is something I can live with in stop and go traffic as well as highway driving, so I'm deciding whether the MT vs AT is a good idea. I know some sportier cars have really jerky ATs in stop and go traffic to the point it's irritating. What's the verdict on the Porsche AT? And can I live with the MT in traffic?
Overall I was looking at
Carrera 4
Graphite Blue Metallic
MT vs AT?
19" wheels (have dealer install all weather or similar Colorado tires)
Standard interior vs Sport Tex
4 way Power Sport seats vs 14 way
Bose Stereo
Rear wiper
Delete model designation
Like I said, this will be more of a long haul highway car, a GT as they used to call them in the old days--can you even call a 991 a GT? Whatever.
I also want to point out that I haven't owned a "car" ever (just trucks and 4x4s) so any other advice is welcome. I don't mind if this thing gets honest wear and tear on the roads, as I don't plan on babying it, but it'd be nice to know if it would rust and dissolve in the snow and ice as well.
Last edited by LandCruiser; 03-17-2018 at 08:04 AM.
03-16-2018, 10:37 AM
#2
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I’m a big fan of model designation delete.
Opinions (on options) are like @$$holes. Everyone has one.
That written, you need to walk/drive/fly as far as necessary to test sit the various seats. There is no point in plunking-down $100k+ for a car with seats that you don’t like.
There are four seat types:
Power Sport Seat 'Architecture':
1 - 4-way Power Sport Seats
2 - 14-way Power Sport Seats
Sport Seat Plus 'Architecture':
3 - 4-way Sport Seats Plus
4 - 18-way Sport Seats Plus
The 18-way seats have adjustable bolsters. If they are adjusted for a tiny person then they definitely will make you feel like you are “being crushed by a fat woman.” However, I’m squarer that you are and find the 18-ways the most comfortable of all - if properly adjusted.
Also, I find it interesting that you write that your dealer has nothing but Power Sports Seats Plus-equipped cars. Most dealer-spec 991 orders I’ve seen will have one of the packages that includes the 14-way Power Sport Seats, not either of the ‘plus’ seats.
The seats are basically the same across 981->718->991.1->991.2. So, as long as your dealer has a selection of 718, 981, or 991 cars, new or used, you really should be able to test sit 3 or 4 of the seats.
(*) The basic seats of each architecture in the 718 are only 2-way power, but the shape and how they fit (or don't fit) your a$$ is the same.
Opinions (on options) are like @$$holes. Everyone has one.
That written, you need to walk/drive/fly as far as necessary to test sit the various seats. There is no point in plunking-down $100k+ for a car with seats that you don’t like.
There are four seat types:
Power Sport Seat 'Architecture':
1 - 4-way Power Sport Seats
2 - 14-way Power Sport Seats
Sport Seat Plus 'Architecture':
3 - 4-way Sport Seats Plus
4 - 18-way Sport Seats Plus
The 18-way seats have adjustable bolsters. If they are adjusted for a tiny person then they definitely will make you feel like you are “being crushed by a fat woman.” However, I’m squarer that you are and find the 18-ways the most comfortable of all - if properly adjusted.
Also, I find it interesting that you write that your dealer has nothing but Power Sports Seats Plus-equipped cars. Most dealer-spec 991 orders I’ve seen will have one of the packages that includes the 14-way Power Sport Seats, not either of the ‘plus’ seats.
The seats are basically the same across 981->718->991.1->991.2. So, as long as your dealer has a selection of 718, 981, or 991 cars, new or used, you really should be able to test sit 3 or 4 of the seats.
(*) The basic seats of each architecture in the 718 are only 2-way power, but the shape and how they fit (or don't fit) your a$$ is the same.
Last edited by worf928; 03-16-2018 at 11:11 AM.
03-16-2018, 10:42 AM
#3
I’m a big fan of model designation delete.
Opinions (on options) are like @$$holes. Everyone has one.
That written, you need to walk/drive/fly as far as necessary to test sit the various seats. There is no point in plunking-down $100k+ for a car with seats that you don’t like.
There are four seat types:
Power Sport Seat 'Architecture':
1 - 4-way Power Sport Seats
2 - 14-way Power Sport Seats
Sport Seat Plus 'Architecture':
3 - 4-way Sport Seats Plus
4 - 18-way Sport Seats Plus
The 18-way seats have adjustable bolsters. If they are adjusted for a tiny person then they definitely will make you feel like you are “being crushed by a fat woman.” However, I’m squarer that you are and find the 18-ways the most comfortable of all - if properly adjusted.
Also, I find it interesting that you write that your dealer has nothing but Power Sports Seats Plus-equipped cars. Most dealer-spec 991 orders I’ve seen will have one of the packages that includes the 14-way Power Sport Seats, not either of the ‘plus’ seats.
The seats are basically the same across 981->718->991.1->991.2. So, as long as your dealer has a selection of 718, 991, or 991 cars, new or used, you really should be able to test sit 3 or 4 of the seats.
(*) The basic seats of each architecture in the 718 are only 2-way power, but the shape and how they fit (or don't fit) your a$$ is the same.
Opinions (on options) are like @$$holes. Everyone has one.
That written, you need to walk/drive/fly as far as necessary to test sit the various seats. There is no point in plunking-down $100k+ for a car with seats that you don’t like.
There are four seat types:
Power Sport Seat 'Architecture':
1 - 4-way Power Sport Seats
2 - 14-way Power Sport Seats
Sport Seat Plus 'Architecture':
3 - 4-way Sport Seats Plus
4 - 18-way Sport Seats Plus
The 18-way seats have adjustable bolsters. If they are adjusted for a tiny person then they definitely will make you feel like you are “being crushed by a fat woman.” However, I’m squarer that you are and find the 18-ways the most comfortable of all - if properly adjusted.
Also, I find it interesting that you write that your dealer has nothing but Power Sports Seats Plus-equipped cars. Most dealer-spec 991 orders I’ve seen will have one of the packages that includes the 14-way Power Sport Seats, not either of the ‘plus’ seats.
The seats are basically the same across 981->718->991.1->991.2. So, as long as your dealer has a selection of 718, 991, or 991 cars, new or used, you really should be able to test sit 3 or 4 of the seats.
(*) The basic seats of each architecture in the 718 are only 2-way power, but the shape and how they fit (or don't fit) your a$$ is the same.
03-16-2018, 11:09 AM
#4
Rennlist Member
As already mentioned above, options are there for the people who want them. I'm in the Denver/Boulder area an opted for a C2 that was a mix of comfort (14-way, LCA) but than hit a bunch of the performance and wheel options. I wasn't able to find an allocation without waiting 4+ months just for the build to start, so I purchased out of state -- does Stevinson or Prestige have you locked in for a build, or are they just trying "to find one for you"? Regardless, I'd look around a bit, even out of state as you can get a decent discount on cars already in inventory.
Personally, I can't deal with the 4-ways. They're fine, but the level of customization and comfort the 14-way and 18-way are (in my opinion) are unmatched in this class of car. In your case, I would also consider getting the front-axle lift if you are planning on doing a considerable amount of daily driving as there a fair amount of places within CO that you'd likely use it time to time.
FWIW, the 911 is an incredible car and by no means am I trying to talk you out of it, but if you're looking for a bit more year-round comfort, have you checked out the 2018 Panamera 4?
Personally, I can't deal with the 4-ways. They're fine, but the level of customization and comfort the 14-way and 18-way are (in my opinion) are unmatched in this class of car. In your case, I would also consider getting the front-axle lift if you are planning on doing a considerable amount of daily driving as there a fair amount of places within CO that you'd likely use it time to time.
FWIW, the 911 is an incredible car and by no means am I trying to talk you out of it, but if you're looking for a bit more year-round comfort, have you checked out the 2018 Panamera 4?
03-16-2018, 11:24 AM
#5
As already mentioned above, options are there for the people who want them. I'm in the Denver/Boulder area an opted for a C2 that was a mix of comfort (14-way, LCA) but than hit a bunch of the performance and wheel options. I wasn't able to find an allocation without waiting 4+ months just for the build to start, so I purchased out of state -- does Stevinson or Prestige have you locked in for a build, or are they just trying "to find one for you"? Regardless, I'd look around a bit, even out of state as you can get a decent discount on cars already in inventory.
Personally, I can't deal with the 4-ways. They're fine, but the level of customization and comfort the 14-way and 18-way are (in my opinion) are unmatched in this class of car. In your case, I would also consider getting the front-axle lift if you are planning on doing a considerable amount of daily driving as there a fair amount of places within CO that you'd likely use it time to time.
FWIW, the 911 is an incredible car and by no means am I trying to talk you out of it, but if you're looking for a bit more year-round comfort, have you checked out the 2018 Panamera 4?
Personally, I can't deal with the 4-ways. They're fine, but the level of customization and comfort the 14-way and 18-way are (in my opinion) are unmatched in this class of car. In your case, I would also consider getting the front-axle lift if you are planning on doing a considerable amount of daily driving as there a fair amount of places within CO that you'd likely use it time to time.
FWIW, the 911 is an incredible car and by no means am I trying to talk you out of it, but if you're looking for a bit more year-round comfort, have you checked out the 2018 Panamera 4?
The other question regarding the Panamera, I really want the 991. I like how it looks. This wouldn’t be a completely rational purchase, but it would get used heavily. I was looking at the hydraulic front suspension lift, that might be very helpful in driveways and parking garages. Is it a huge weight addition/reliability issue?
Same thing goes for the low speed power steering assist, it seems like dealers really want to sell you a car that is optioned the way they have it, rather than the way you want it. I may have to go to a larger dealer.
03-16-2018, 11:48 AM
#6
Burning Brakes
I've always want a 911 mostly because I like the classic looks of the car. The 991 really seems to catch my eye so when I finally got the funds to buy one, I decided to build one. Fair warning, this will not be a race car, I'm not a spirited driver, and I'm mostly going to use this as a daily driver in the summer and for long highway hauls so I'm trying to make it as comfortable of a car as possible. 0-60 times and track-ability isn't a huge deal.
Since my local dealer will let me spend as much money on crap I don't need, I lurked on forums and decided I'd ask the internet for help instead.
First of all, I live in Colorado. I won't be using it in the winter as a DD, but it will see light snow and rain, will the Carrera 4 with the right set of tires do well in those conditions? My Porsche owning friends say that a "real" Porsche is RWD, but I really want to know it the AWD gives you better traction in the nasty stuff and will it still handle ok when it's dry.
I'm also on the larger side of 6'3'' and 235#. All the cars at the local Denver dealer have the Power Sports Seats Plus, which have all the bolsters and make me feel like I'm being crushed by a fat woman, do the base model seats offer more comfort for larger individuals? I saw that they can be upgraded into 14 way (is that a good upgrade over the base seats?)
In terms of wheels I was going for the base 19" Carrera wheels to give me as much of sidewall as possible for curbs and potholes. Is there a decent tire selection for the 19" wheels (once again ride quality, noise, and bad weather traction is more important here than speed rating), and is there a significant ride quality difference between 19" and 20" wheels?
Interior wise I don't need much, I was debating whether the Sport-Tex (odd name) is a good upgrade over the standard base model seats? Anyone have any experience with this material? Are there any "must have" interior upgrades over base, including the Bose stereo?
Outside is pretty basic, too. I'm trying to keep the ground clearance of this thing as high as possible so no fairings, diffusers, lowering ride height etc. Only addition I thought about was a rear wiper, delete model designation.
Transmission is something I can live with in stop and go traffic as well as highway driving, so I'm deciding whether the MT vs AT is a good idea. I know some sportier cars have really jerky ATs in stop and go traffic to the point it's irritating. What's the verdict on the Porsche AT? And can I live with the MT in traffic?
Overall I was looking at
Carrera 4
Graphite Blue Metallic
MT vs AT?
19" wheels (have dealer install all weather or similar Colorado tires)
Standard interior vs Sport Tex
4 way Power Sport seats vs 14 way
Bose Stereo
Rear wiper
Delete model designation
Like I said, this will be more of a long haul highway car, a GT as they used to call them in the old days--can you even call a 991 a GT? Whatever.
I also want to point out that I haven't owned a "car" ever (just trucks and 4x4s) so any other advice is welcome. I don't mind if this thing gets honest wear and tear on the roads, as I don't plan on babying it, but it'd be nice to know if it would rust and dissolve in the snow and ice as well.
Since my local dealer will let me spend as much money on crap I don't need, I lurked on forums and decided I'd ask the internet for help instead.
First of all, I live in Colorado. I won't be using it in the winter as a DD, but it will see light snow and rain, will the Carrera 4 with the right set of tires do well in those conditions? My Porsche owning friends say that a "real" Porsche is RWD, but I really want to know it the AWD gives you better traction in the nasty stuff and will it still handle ok when it's dry.
I'm also on the larger side of 6'3'' and 235#. All the cars at the local Denver dealer have the Power Sports Seats Plus, which have all the bolsters and make me feel like I'm being crushed by a fat woman, do the base model seats offer more comfort for larger individuals? I saw that they can be upgraded into 14 way (is that a good upgrade over the base seats?)
In terms of wheels I was going for the base 19" Carrera wheels to give me as much of sidewall as possible for curbs and potholes. Is there a decent tire selection for the 19" wheels (once again ride quality, noise, and bad weather traction is more important here than speed rating), and is there a significant ride quality difference between 19" and 20" wheels?
Interior wise I don't need much, I was debating whether the Sport-Tex (odd name) is a good upgrade over the standard base model seats? Anyone have any experience with this material? Are there any "must have" interior upgrades over base, including the Bose stereo?
Outside is pretty basic, too. I'm trying to keep the ground clearance of this thing as high as possible so no fairings, diffusers, lowering ride height etc. Only addition I thought about was a rear wiper, delete model designation.
Transmission is something I can live with in stop and go traffic as well as highway driving, so I'm deciding whether the MT vs AT is a good idea. I know some sportier cars have really jerky ATs in stop and go traffic to the point it's irritating. What's the verdict on the Porsche AT? And can I live with the MT in traffic?
Overall I was looking at
Carrera 4
Graphite Blue Metallic
MT vs AT?
19" wheels (have dealer install all weather or similar Colorado tires)
Standard interior vs Sport Tex
4 way Power Sport seats vs 14 way
Bose Stereo
Rear wiper
Delete model designation
Like I said, this will be more of a long haul highway car, a GT as they used to call them in the old days--can you even call a 991 a GT? Whatever.
I also want to point out that I haven't owned a "car" ever (just trucks and 4x4s) so any other advice is welcome. I don't mind if this thing gets honest wear and tear on the roads, as I don't plan on babying it, but it'd be nice to know if it would rust and dissolve in the snow and ice as well.
Like you, I was also interested in everyday usability, so I stayed with the 19-inch wheels and tires. There's no difference in speed capability and bad weather traction between the two. All standard tires on the 911 are ultra-high performance summer tires, capable of sustaining the car's top speed, though the 20s might have a tad more absolute grip. Tire selection in both 19 and 20-inch sizes is limited, but it might be slightly worse with the 19s. For example, most people think that the best tires for these cars are the MIchelin Pilot 4S. These are available in the 20-inch sizes, but not the 19s. A variety of snow tires are available in both sizes, though all-seasons are not.
For me, the ride of my car is perfect. With the suspension in NORMAL mode, the car is taut and very controlled, but also supple at the same time. It's very comfortable, both in the city and on the highway. The one big downside is road noise. Depending on the pavement type and surface, road noise range from barely acceptable to atrocious. I'm taking a 2000-mile round trip to Chicago ina few weeks and might try my Bose noise-reduction headphones. You should definitely take an extended test drive--from DIA to Evergreen, for example--to gauge this for yourself. Compared to the road noise, wind noise is insignificant, and the engine noise is also minimal. And the road noise increases with speed, making it a particularly problem on long trips in theis part of the country, where you can easily cruise at 80 mph.
As to the manual vs the PDK, that's also a personal choice and the PDK is probably the best transmission of its type. However, as I do not commute and hold the opinion that sports cars have manual transmissions, the choice was clear to me. The transmission and clutch in the 991.2 are excellent and very satisfying. The car also has so much torque that in traffic-constrained driving--all to common in the Denver area--you can skip gears with abandon. I often shift 1-3-5-7 in everyday driving to minimize shifting.
My advice is to make sure you properly evaluate the 911's road noise. It is the least satisfying aspect of the car--particularly on long trips.
03-16-2018, 11:58 AM
#7
Three Wheelin'
Yep you are always going to get a lot of opinions on how a car is going to be optioned. I live in Colorado too. I've been buying Porsches since the 70's. Drove every transmission and sat in every seat Porsche made/makes. I'm from the school of thought that "less is more." If I could option a car with roll down windows I would. Our car is a DD. A C2 with manual trans and the basic, free, 4 way seats. The seats fit us perfectly. Manual trans is perfect. Drive to Aspen, Telluride in the winter, climb Independence Pass, Loveland Pass etc. You really can get by without 4 wheel drive. You are going to be limited any way by the ground clearance of the car. 4 wheel drive is not going anywhere in two feet of snow. All you need is a good set of snow tires and the C2 goes anywhere.
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03-16-2018, 12:15 PM
#8
LandCruiser, sounds like fun times ahead for you! I also live in the Denver area, I drive my 4S cab year round. I have 20" summer wheels and tires (MSSP 4S) and 19" winter wheels and tires (Conti WInter contact). If the roads are deep snow, super icy or melting and slushy, I drive my Land Cruiser! Otherwise, I love the ride and handling of my 911. I have not taken a cross country trip, but I have the 14 way seats and find them to be infinitely adjustable, especially love the thigh extension adjustment. Bottom line, drive some more cars and check road noise (not an issue IMHO) and seat comfort. Lastly, I love the team down at Colorado Springs Porsche and always recommend buying CPO!!! Buy and enjoy!
03-16-2018, 12:36 PM
#9
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I don't mean to derail this thread.... but have you driven a Macan? Based on what you're looking for this is a better fit for your objective needs. Emotionally, some of us (me) just want THE icon.
RWD vs AWD is preference, AWD will not help you stop - more then enough traction in these cars with RWD. Others will have opinions but the traction aspect is 75% mental. I am 6'3" & 235 also - LOVE the 18 way seats. Base with base suspension is the highest ride height. In Colorado the new boosted engines will be an even bigger performance advantage! My opinion is that sans seats, the least options the better for what you're describing ig you get a 911 but I think you would be better off with a Macan.
RWD vs AWD is preference, AWD will not help you stop - more then enough traction in these cars with RWD. Others will have opinions but the traction aspect is 75% mental. I am 6'3" & 235 also - LOVE the 18 way seats. Base with base suspension is the highest ride height. In Colorado the new boosted engines will be an even bigger performance advantage! My opinion is that sans seats, the least options the better for what you're describing ig you get a 911 but I think you would be better off with a Macan.
03-16-2018, 01:23 PM
#11
LandCruiser, sounds like fun times ahead for you! I also live in the Denver area, I drive my 4S cab year round. I have 20" summer wheels and tires (MSSP 4S) and 19" winter wheels and tires (Conti WInter contact). If the roads are deep snow, super icy or melting and slushy, I drive my Land Cruiser! Otherwise, I love the ride and handling of my 911. I have not taken a cross country trip, but I have the 14 way seats and find them to be infinitely adjustable, especially love the thigh extension adjustment. Bottom line, drive some more cars and check road noise (not an issue IMHO) and seat comfort. Lastly, I love the team down at Colorado Springs Porsche and always recommend buying CPO!!! Buy and enjoy!
How good are they?
03-16-2018, 01:39 PM
#12
Rennlist Member
2.Graphite Blue with sports tech is a great combination.
3. 19" all season? First time I heard of such option. What I usually hear is separate 19" winter tires and 20" summer tires.
4. Seats see prior discussion. I have 18 on my 991.1 and 14 on my Cayenne. I feel 14 is nicer for my spine. You just have to sit on them.
5. Bose for sure
6. Rear wiper will make you an eccentric in the US 911 crowd but a normal one in ROW. If you find it necessary, get it
7. Model delete - Personal. It saves you some $ in the future if you have to re-paint the bumper
Have fun!
03-16-2018, 02:09 PM
#13
Rennlist Member
I've always want a 911 mostly because I like the classic looks of the car. The 991 really seems to catch my eye so when I finally got the funds to buy one, I decided to build one. Fair warning, this will not be a race car, I'm not a spirited driver, and I'm mostly going to use this as a daily driver in the summer and for long highway hauls so I'm trying to make it as comfortable of a car as possible. 0-60 times and track-ability isn't a huge deal. WHY YOU BUY THE CAR SHOULD BE ALL ABOUT YOU AND YOUR NEEDS NOT ANYONE ELSES. THE CAR WILL BE PLENTY QUICK AS A BASE CAR.
Since my local dealer will let me spend as much money on crap I don't need, I lurked on forums and decided I'd ask the internet for help instead.
First of all, I live in Colorado. I won't be using it in the winter as a DD, but it will see light snow and rain, will the Carrera 4 with the right set of tires do well in those conditions? My Porsche owning friends say that a "real" Porsche is RWD, but I really want to know it the AWD gives you better traction in the nasty stuff and will it still handle ok when it's dry.. THE AWD CARS FROM PORSCHE ARE AMAZING. I HAVE OWNED 4 TT CARS ALL AWD, A 4S AN AWD AND NOW A TURBO S A AWD CAR. AMAZING HANDLING, FIRMLY ROOTED TO THE ROAD AND THE WIDEBODY FOR ME IS WHAT A PORSCHE SHOULD LOOK LIKE. WITH A GOOD SET OF WINTER TIRES YOU SHOULD BE MORE THAN FINE, I WOULD STAY AWAY FROM DEEP SNOW AS THE CARS ARE LOW AND YOU WILL SNOWPLOW AND IT WON'T LOOK PRETTY IN THE SPRING.
I'm also on the larger side of 6'3'' and 235#. All the cars at the local Denver dealer have the Power Sports Seats Plus, which have all the bolsters and make me feel like I'm being crushed by a fat woman, do the base model seats offer more comfort for larger individuals? I saw that they can be upgraded into 14 way (is that a good upgrade over the base seats?) I AM NOT YOUR HEIGHT BUT I LIKE THE 14 OR 18 WAY SEATS . ARE THEY NECESSARY, DEPENDS ON WHETHER YOU HAVE BACK ISSUES AND NEED MORE OR LESS SUPPORT, SIT IN A CAR WITH THE DIFFERENT VERSIONS AND DECIDE FOR YOUR SELF.
In terms of wheels I was going for the base 19" Carrera wheels to give me as much of sidewall as possible for curbs and potholes. Is there a decent tire selection for the 19" wheels (once again ride quality, noise, and bad weather traction is more important here than speed rating), and is there a significant ride quality difference between 19" and 20" wheels? 19'S WILL GIVE YOU A GOOD RIDE AND ARE STILL GREAT TIRES FOR SPIRITED DRIVING.. I AM A MICHELIN DISCIPLE AND NOT A FAN OF PIRELI'S . DON'T KNOW WHAT YOUR CAR WILL COME WITH OR IF YOU CAN CHOOSE.
Interior wise I don't need much, I was debating whether the Sport-Tex (odd name) is a good upgrade over the standard base model seats? Anyone have any experience with this material? Are there any "must have" interior upgrades over base, including the Bose stereo? YOU ARE MOVING INTO THE MORE SUBJECTIVE AREAS AND I WOULD RECOMMEND YOU GO LOOK AT THE OPTIONS AND PICK THE ONE THAT SUITS YOU TASTE AND BUDGET.
Outside is pretty basic, too. I'm trying to keep the ground clearance of this thing as high as possible so no fairings, diffusers, lowering ride height etc. Only addition I thought about was a rear wiper, delete model designation. AGAIN THIS IS A CHOICE ISSUE. I LIKE MODEL DELETE WITH JUST PORSCHE 911 ON THE REAR, EVEN THOUGH MINE HAS A SMALL PARAGRAPH ON THE BACK.
Transmission is something I can live with in stop and go traffic as well as highway driving, so I'm deciding whether the MT vs AT is a good idea. I know some sportier cars have really jerky ATs in stop and go traffic to the point it's irritating. What's the verdict on the Porsche AT? And can I live with the MT in traffic? I HAVE ALWAYS OWNED MT CARS TILL THIS CURRENT CAR. I NEVER FELT THE MT WAS A PROBLEM TO DRIVE DAILY BUT WHEN I WORKED IN NYC I TOOK THE TRAIN. THE PDK TRANSMISSION IS THE BEST OF THE BEST SO YOU SHOULD NOT HAVE ANY WORRIES ABOUT IT. I LOVE MINE NOW AND UNDERSTAND WHY IT IS SO POPULAR.
Overall I was looking at
Carrera 4
Graphite Blue Metallic
MT vs AT?
19" wheels (have dealer install all weather or similar Colorado tires)
Standard interior vs Sport Tex
4 way Power Sport seats vs 14 way
Bose Stereo
Rear wiper
Delete model designation
Like I said, this will be more of a long haul highway car, a GT as they used to call them in the old days--can you even call a 991 a GT? Whatever. SOUNDS LIKE YOU KNOW WHAT YOU WANT. YOU WILL BE ON PINS AND NEEDLES WAITING FOR IT.
I also want to point out that I haven't owned a "car" ever (just trucks and 4x4s) so any other advice is welcome.THE VIEW FROM A 911 IS A LITTLE DIFFERENT THAN A TRUCK BUT ONCE YOU GET USED TO IT YOU WILL BE IN LOVE. I don't mind if this thing gets honest wear and tear on the roads, as I don't plan on babying it, but it'd be nice to know if it would rust and dissolve in the snow and ice as well.
Since my local dealer will let me spend as much money on crap I don't need, I lurked on forums and decided I'd ask the internet for help instead.
First of all, I live in Colorado. I won't be using it in the winter as a DD, but it will see light snow and rain, will the Carrera 4 with the right set of tires do well in those conditions? My Porsche owning friends say that a "real" Porsche is RWD, but I really want to know it the AWD gives you better traction in the nasty stuff and will it still handle ok when it's dry.. THE AWD CARS FROM PORSCHE ARE AMAZING. I HAVE OWNED 4 TT CARS ALL AWD, A 4S AN AWD AND NOW A TURBO S A AWD CAR. AMAZING HANDLING, FIRMLY ROOTED TO THE ROAD AND THE WIDEBODY FOR ME IS WHAT A PORSCHE SHOULD LOOK LIKE. WITH A GOOD SET OF WINTER TIRES YOU SHOULD BE MORE THAN FINE, I WOULD STAY AWAY FROM DEEP SNOW AS THE CARS ARE LOW AND YOU WILL SNOWPLOW AND IT WON'T LOOK PRETTY IN THE SPRING.
I'm also on the larger side of 6'3'' and 235#. All the cars at the local Denver dealer have the Power Sports Seats Plus, which have all the bolsters and make me feel like I'm being crushed by a fat woman, do the base model seats offer more comfort for larger individuals? I saw that they can be upgraded into 14 way (is that a good upgrade over the base seats?) I AM NOT YOUR HEIGHT BUT I LIKE THE 14 OR 18 WAY SEATS . ARE THEY NECESSARY, DEPENDS ON WHETHER YOU HAVE BACK ISSUES AND NEED MORE OR LESS SUPPORT, SIT IN A CAR WITH THE DIFFERENT VERSIONS AND DECIDE FOR YOUR SELF.
In terms of wheels I was going for the base 19" Carrera wheels to give me as much of sidewall as possible for curbs and potholes. Is there a decent tire selection for the 19" wheels (once again ride quality, noise, and bad weather traction is more important here than speed rating), and is there a significant ride quality difference between 19" and 20" wheels? 19'S WILL GIVE YOU A GOOD RIDE AND ARE STILL GREAT TIRES FOR SPIRITED DRIVING.. I AM A MICHELIN DISCIPLE AND NOT A FAN OF PIRELI'S . DON'T KNOW WHAT YOUR CAR WILL COME WITH OR IF YOU CAN CHOOSE.
Interior wise I don't need much, I was debating whether the Sport-Tex (odd name) is a good upgrade over the standard base model seats? Anyone have any experience with this material? Are there any "must have" interior upgrades over base, including the Bose stereo? YOU ARE MOVING INTO THE MORE SUBJECTIVE AREAS AND I WOULD RECOMMEND YOU GO LOOK AT THE OPTIONS AND PICK THE ONE THAT SUITS YOU TASTE AND BUDGET.
Outside is pretty basic, too. I'm trying to keep the ground clearance of this thing as high as possible so no fairings, diffusers, lowering ride height etc. Only addition I thought about was a rear wiper, delete model designation. AGAIN THIS IS A CHOICE ISSUE. I LIKE MODEL DELETE WITH JUST PORSCHE 911 ON THE REAR, EVEN THOUGH MINE HAS A SMALL PARAGRAPH ON THE BACK.
Transmission is something I can live with in stop and go traffic as well as highway driving, so I'm deciding whether the MT vs AT is a good idea. I know some sportier cars have really jerky ATs in stop and go traffic to the point it's irritating. What's the verdict on the Porsche AT? And can I live with the MT in traffic? I HAVE ALWAYS OWNED MT CARS TILL THIS CURRENT CAR. I NEVER FELT THE MT WAS A PROBLEM TO DRIVE DAILY BUT WHEN I WORKED IN NYC I TOOK THE TRAIN. THE PDK TRANSMISSION IS THE BEST OF THE BEST SO YOU SHOULD NOT HAVE ANY WORRIES ABOUT IT. I LOVE MINE NOW AND UNDERSTAND WHY IT IS SO POPULAR.
Overall I was looking at
Carrera 4
Graphite Blue Metallic
MT vs AT?
19" wheels (have dealer install all weather or similar Colorado tires)
Standard interior vs Sport Tex
4 way Power Sport seats vs 14 way
Bose Stereo
Rear wiper
Delete model designation
Like I said, this will be more of a long haul highway car, a GT as they used to call them in the old days--can you even call a 991 a GT? Whatever. SOUNDS LIKE YOU KNOW WHAT YOU WANT. YOU WILL BE ON PINS AND NEEDLES WAITING FOR IT.
I also want to point out that I haven't owned a "car" ever (just trucks and 4x4s) so any other advice is welcome.THE VIEW FROM A 911 IS A LITTLE DIFFERENT THAN A TRUCK BUT ONCE YOU GET USED TO IT YOU WILL BE IN LOVE. I don't mind if this thing gets honest wear and tear on the roads, as I don't plan on babying it, but it'd be nice to know if it would rust and dissolve in the snow and ice as well.
Prepare yourself for a ton of opinions as you will get them. By the way here is mine. I'll put it in all caps next to your questions.
03-16-2018, 05:20 PM
#14
I'm not much of a MT vs AT argument guy. I think an MT is nice, but hill starts and stop and go traffic can get old after a while.
I'm going to go back to the dealer and actually try to get some more *** time in the seats and make sure which one really fits best. I think the seat is probably the most important part of the decision.
AWD vs RWD seems to be a contention that really gets people as much as MT vs AT, but since I'm in the mountains, I'll go with AWD.
I'm glad someone brought up the hydraulic front lift thingy, coupled with the base model ride height, this can give me more clearance keep down the nose scrapes. Looks like it's good up to 37 mph.
Rear wiper is really good in the rain so you can see what's behind you. Never understood why that's a bad thing.
Can't seem to see any other "useful" features (to me at least) except the Bose radio and the gauges in some cool color.
I'm going to go back to the dealer and actually try to get some more *** time in the seats and make sure which one really fits best. I think the seat is probably the most important part of the decision.
AWD vs RWD seems to be a contention that really gets people as much as MT vs AT, but since I'm in the mountains, I'll go with AWD.
I'm glad someone brought up the hydraulic front lift thingy, coupled with the base model ride height, this can give me more clearance keep down the nose scrapes. Looks like it's good up to 37 mph.
Rear wiper is really good in the rain so you can see what's behind you. Never understood why that's a bad thing.
Can't seem to see any other "useful" features (to me at least) except the Bose radio and the gauges in some cool color.
03-16-2018, 05:30 PM
#15
This is all just my opinion, your milage may vary:
I have a 991.2 C4 and I absolutely love it
In bad weather conditions the AWD will not be as much of a factor as tires, I said this in another thread but if the conditions were such that I was tentative on taking a C2 with winter tires out, I wouldn't take the C4 out
I love the AWD on the C4 because the car literally feels glued to the road (immense grip) especially entering and exiting corners, the wider hips/body, and killer lightbar design on the 991.2.. The C2 might feel more lively, with a more active rear end which is what many think a classic 911 should feel like
I think the C4 is the sleeper hit of the Carrera lineup and that is me trying to be unbiased as mine is being turned in for my GT3
For your build, I will say mine came spec'd with 14 way seats and I hate them. I just cannot get comfortable with them, especially in drives longer than 30 minutes my lower back starts to ache and that's after playing around with all the adjustments, but I am smaller than you at 6 feet 175 pounds. Out of the 4 options on the Carreras, my personal favorite are the 4 way Sport Seats Plus. Seats are highly subjective but try to go in a test drive with them versus just sitting in the seat for 30 seconds at the dealership. I would add Sport Design Mirrors for sure.
The 19s will likely ride better/smoother than the 20s, but I had to have the killer looking RS Spyder wheels which are a pain to clean
I dont know about your area but I have had 0 issues with ground clearance on my C4, I don't know if the front lift is necessary for it as it's more about approach angle for the 911 in my opinion
*lastly* I think graphite blue metallic is being phased out so confirm with your dealer you can still lock in and spec that color
I have a 991.2 C4 and I absolutely love it
In bad weather conditions the AWD will not be as much of a factor as tires, I said this in another thread but if the conditions were such that I was tentative on taking a C2 with winter tires out, I wouldn't take the C4 out
I love the AWD on the C4 because the car literally feels glued to the road (immense grip) especially entering and exiting corners, the wider hips/body, and killer lightbar design on the 991.2.. The C2 might feel more lively, with a more active rear end which is what many think a classic 911 should feel like
I think the C4 is the sleeper hit of the Carrera lineup and that is me trying to be unbiased as mine is being turned in for my GT3
For your build, I will say mine came spec'd with 14 way seats and I hate them. I just cannot get comfortable with them, especially in drives longer than 30 minutes my lower back starts to ache and that's after playing around with all the adjustments, but I am smaller than you at 6 feet 175 pounds. Out of the 4 options on the Carreras, my personal favorite are the 4 way Sport Seats Plus. Seats are highly subjective but try to go in a test drive with them versus just sitting in the seat for 30 seconds at the dealership. I would add Sport Design Mirrors for sure.
The 19s will likely ride better/smoother than the 20s, but I had to have the killer looking RS Spyder wheels which are a pain to clean
I dont know about your area but I have had 0 issues with ground clearance on my C4, I don't know if the front lift is necessary for it as it's more about approach angle for the 911 in my opinion
*lastly* I think graphite blue metallic is being phased out so confirm with your dealer you can still lock in and spec that color