F355bob

What are the downside to a tune besides the possible more stress on an engine and warranty issues? Can the car be driven in very cold weather without any issues? I live in Wisconsin and will drive the car in cold weather, sometimes in zero degrees. Will a car with a tune have any issues with these low temps, like hard starting or stumbling when cold? Any problems in heavy stop and go traffic as far as overheating? Will a car with a tune be as daily drivable in all conditions as a stock car?

97supratt

Other than what you mentioned and putting a smile on your face everyday. No none at all. Driveability stays the same.

polobai

I know with e85 (if you were to do a full e85 map for example), there are issues with starting other cars in below freezing temps. Other than that, no issues other than what you mentioned.

Bob Z.

True. My car with a Cobb tune drives just like stock unless I start digging into the throttle. I use my tune almost strictly when passing someone on 2 lane roads where I need a little more oomph to safely get around a slow poke (or fast poke).

ipse dixit

money

Bob Z.

Just the opposite actually...cheapest way to add HP & TQ.

ipse dixit

that's assuming adding HP and TQ are a good thing to a 991.

Bob Z.

They are to a 991,2!

ipse dixit

Never have I driven a 991.2 and thought, "gosh, I wish this car had more HP and/or TQ"

A flatter TQ curve for sure, but not more TQ. At whatever RPM.

arter

You always want more...... that is one reason why each generation has more than the prior one.

My first sports car had 135 hp and I thought that was great....

ipse dixit

No doubt.

But you have to consider the whole package. Can't just focus on drivetrain, without looking at the chassis, springs, shocks, swaybars, brakes, etc.

Giving a girl just bigger ***** doesn't automatically make her a more beautiful girl.

Bob Z.

Think of the new Turbo S - much more power and the rest is basically the same...adding an extra 100 of each is not going to break anything. And if you ran for a little while with a tune and then took it off you would change your mind I am sure!

gatorfast

Agreed. Simply adding a tune isn’t increasing the power enough to necessitate brake and suspension upgrades. It just adds some more fun

Dennis C

You have to decide what you’re trying to accomplish with a tune. If you want to own the fastest car on the street, then you’ll never be satisfied. There’s always somebody with a faster car. There are people who tune Honda Civics to the point that they are quicker than a 911 Turbo S. In my opinion, the Porsche experience is much more than just acceleration or top speed figures. It’s about enjoying the whole package.

I think it’s important to consider things like warranty, and your tolerance for risk. There are many tune options available, and virtually all of them claim to be perfectly safe. However, when you modify a car under warranty, you can’t be sure that the warranty will be valid in the event of a major failure. If your tuned 911 suffers a PDK failure, I don’t think Porsche will honor the warranty.

I recently decided to tune my 2014 911 Turbo S. I had a mild tune installed, and I waited until the car was no longer covered by the factory warranty. The biggest change that I’ve noticed is the torque at low RPM. The car drives as it did before the tune if I’m not pushing it, but it’s a torque monster at 3,000+ RPM if I push it. I find it addicting, and I’m happy with the tune. It almost makes the car feel new again.

As mentioned above, tunes offer the most performance for your dollar in a car with forced induction. If you don’t like a tune, you can always revert to the original factory settings.

thesaintusa

Having had economy cars that were tuned (04 STi and 93 RX-7 GT35r single turbo) and taking them to the track/autox, there comes a point where you clearly trade off drivability for more power/handling.

My RX-7 could easily show up a 911 turbo back in the day, but with 1/2 the smoothness, linear torque curve, and without the fuss.
The Subaru was similar but 11 yrs newer than the RX-7. The ride was harsh and the NVH was brutal. It handled amazing and was dialed in perfectly. It still takes on clover leaf on ramps with more composure than the 911, to the point my wife asks what I need to do to make the 991.2 handle like the Subaru.

Overall, they are in a completely different league, and the 991.2 is an amazing car. Things I prefer about the RX-7 is the styling, and the absolute lack of stability control and traction control. Plus the manual transmission. In the Subaru I miss the handling and the manual transmission.

I need another 911, but with a manual transmission. arghhhh

As for more power in the 911, definitely can use another 100 hp and 100 tq and still be a great driving car. The sensation of hammering it on the highway in the 911 does not match the feeling in our E63s.