ww007

Hello everyone,

Been lurking in the forums for a bit. I've been looking to upgrade my 2011 BMW 335i convertible to a new Carrera S, but I've been hesitant to pull the trigger due to cost. Well, I was just involved in an accident (lone driver, no injuries luckily) and things are not looking good for my beloved BMW; the damage is so extensive that it is has been over a week (!) and the body shop still has not been able to fully assess the damage. My guess is that it's going to be a total loss; if not, I'm not sure I'd still want to drive the car anymore.

Anyway, the car will mainly be a daily driver, with possibly once in a blue moon track day. As such, my main goal was for comfort and loading it up on technology stuff (I love my gadgets). I've configured the car based on suggestions from other threads. Also, I plan on leasing the car for 3 yrs (for tax purposes). I live in LA btw.


So here is what I came up with in the configurator:

911 Carrera S
$96,400

Packages


Burmester® Audio Package
P3A
$5,010

Premium Package Plus with Adaptive Sport Seats Plus
P3C
$6,155

Exterior Colors

Basalt Black Metallic
Z4
$710

Interior Colors

Carrera Red natural leather interior
NG
$4,840

Exterior

Model Designation "911"
911
$0

Electric folding exterior mirrors
748
$320

Sunroof in glass
653
$1,990

Window trim in high gloss Aluminum
559
$395

ParkAssist (front and rear)
636
$990

Performance

Sport Chrono Package
640
$2,370

Porsche Dynamic Chassis Control (PDCC) with PASM sport suspension
031
$4,050

Porsche Doppelkupplung (PDK)
250
$4,080

Wheels

20-inch Carrera S wheel
423
$0

Wheel Accessories

Wheel center caps with colored Porsche Crest
446
$185

Interior

Instrument Dials in Black
022
$0

Adaptive Sport Seats Plus (18-way)
P07
$0

Interior Leather

Fuse box cover in leather
CUJ
$380

Natural leather interior
998
$0

Steering column casing in leather
XNS
$465

Interior Carbon Fiber

Multi-function steering wheel in Carbon incl. steering wheel heating
XHL
$1,250

Audio and Communications

Electronic logbook
641
$650

Online Services
UN1
$210

Voice Control
671
$595

Total Price*
$131,995

And I thought BMW was pricey on their options! Porsche really nickel and dimes you for every little thing. Speaking of which, does Porsche ever give any rebates or incentives, and do they apply to customized vehicles?

Since I currently don't have any other cars to drive, ideally I'd just pick up a car off a dealer lot, but based on online inventories, they aren't loaded up nearly as much. I'll probably either rent a car or just buy a cheap used one and sell it after the Porsche comes in.

Sorry for the formatting, I don't know how to elegantly copy and paste from the Porsche configurator.

So what do you guys think?

Thanks!

chuckbdc

That will be a joy to drive every day- and with a 991 you can. The combo of red natural leather as you have it spread out and the basalt black will be a stunner (and a feeler?). The only things I can think of are:
- 5mm spacers which, with Sport PASM fill wheel wells to perfection,
- PLDS (dynamic headlights) are useful and have black components that look neat
- interior lighting package (may be included in some options) to set off that interior
- heated and cooled seats are friends every day with leather
- PDCC doesn't move me. Sport PASM on an S has a very small roll rate as it is, just enough to give 911y feedback; PDCC dynamic adjustment ultimately sustains perfect suspension geometry and returns higher performance- but far off the chart that I am on; some say it makes the ride smoother, but I can't figure out why it should.

ww007

Thanks for your feedback! I chose the red interior because my BMW had it and I loved it I could also go with silver for the exterior, but not sure if it would match the red interior.

Sorry, in my copy and paste was not very good (I just copied and pasted from the "Summary" box); anyone know how to copy and paste every included option from the configurator?

Anyway the premium package already includes the following:

Automatically dimming mirrors
Interior and exterior mirrors dim their reflectivity automatically when the driver could be blinded e.g. by a following vehicle’s headlights
Porsche Dynamic Light System (PDLS)
Dynamic cornering lights, speed-dependent headlight range control, adverse weather function and headlight washer system
Adaptive Sport Seats Plus (18-way)
Driver and front passenger seats with raised side bolsters on seat cushion and extended backrest side bolsters for additional shoulder support and with electric adjustment of
- seat backrest
- seat height
- fore/aft position
- seat cushion inclination
- seat cushion depth
- 4-way lumbar support
- seat cushion side bolster
- backrest side bolsters
Includes driver memory and electric height and fore/aft adjustment of steering column
Includes smooth-finish leather on seat centers and side bolsters, backrest rear shell in Silver Grey color
Seat Heating (front)
Electric heating of front seats with 3 levels of adjustment
Seat Ventilation (front)
Electric ventilation of front seats with 3 levels of adjustment
Porsche Entry & Drive
Vehicle locking and unlocking as well as engine start without active use of the key, system comprises cabin and external antennas as well as proximity sensors in the door handles and in the front end
Light Design Package
Additional dimmable ambient LED lighting in overhead console, in area of door handles, door storage compartment, rear seats and footwell for driver and front passenger

So yes, the PDLS, interior lighting, and heated and cooled seats are included

What do the spacers do? just push the wheels out an extra 5mm? $490 seems kinda pricey for that... In the description, they also mention anti-theft? Will they prevent people from stealing my wheels / porsche emblems on the wheels?

And I keep reading on the forums that the PDCC with PASM helps with ride quality (which is a big plus on the streets of LA), which is why I chose it.

I was also thinking of adding the brushed aluminum trim to the dash, but not sure if it's worth it.

rpilot

Do some research here and elsewhere to understand PDCC better if you haven't already, to see if you still want it.

I have never used voice control in any car, past the first 10 mins, but YMMV.

Asthetic options are really upto you, but I will say this about the brushed alu trim: It looks very nice, especially the pictures I have seen, but balance that against the metallic feel of the shifter (vs leather) and the possibility of scratching it easier. On the plus side, it should cut down on the glare from the glossy standard ones.

If you don't know what spacers do, probably best to avoid them , imo, but many will disagree. They basically push the wheels out to make the wheel wells look fuller. Spacers are added mainly for cosmetic reasons, although I am not sure if they affect handling one way or the other.

Oh, also on the logbook, download the PC software from Porsche.. its somewhere.. do a google search and see if it actually usable before you spend money on this option. My guess is if you are adding it, you really want to log miles accurately for personal or business reasons.

Let us know what you finally decide....

chuck911

If you like the look of Sport Technology wheels they're a better way to go, being stronger, lighter and 1/2" wider than the other wheels, which fills out the wheel wells without resorting to spacers. rpilot +1, read up on PDCC this option seems to be more contentious than just about anything else. But basically, wow, great build and second chuckbdc that will be a joy to drive every day!

chuckbdc

Ah, I see you got right stuff.

Re the spacers: at 5mm at each wheel, the spacers widen the track just a bit. That might give more handling performance but mostly it fills the wheel wells with tire. I have them and maybe that is why I think they look so great and feel superior when parking next to a 991 without them even though it is likely no one else notices the difference. Won't help if someone wants to rip off the crested centers. see pic below and see if you can tell they are there.

I think silver with red looks as good as basalt with red. Both have the essential thing: soft luxurious tastefully loud RED!. But silver is way easier to keep looking clean. GT silver / red would be classic and deep rich looking, but this year's platinum silver has a great sparkle of its own.

I like the standard interior trim against my black leather. My other car has brushed aluminum and I like that too. Never scratched in 4 years. Either would look great with red leather, the aluminum is a nice custom touch to set the car apart.

One additional complication thought. I would personally trade off PDCC for the aero front and ducktail now that it is available. Some others on here have done that and the look is outstanding. See DOCHAUSER

ww007

Hmm... seems like the PASM contributes to ride quality more than the PDCC, although according to the Porsche web site's description of PDCC: "The results are improved dynamic performance and increased ride comfort at all speeds, as well as optimized turn-in and stable load transfer characteristics." But sounds like more performance for the track than anything, (which I've read from here and auto web sites) which I'll probably rarely be doing, so I guess I'll just save the $3000 and go for just the PASM!

I didn't realize the Sport Techno wheels were wider and lighter. I'm not a fan of the look personally, which is why I didn't really consider it. I'll probably pass on it for the additional $1355... Spacers maybe...

The GT silver looks nice but ouch for $3140??? I guess I'd have to see it in person to compare it to the Platinum Silver to see what the actual difference is.

The Sport design package is also pricey at $5000 so I think I'll skip that too... plus it supposedly reduces the approach angle a lot so not good for LA pavements.

And chuckbdc, do you feel the brushed aluminum is any less reflective than the regular trim?

Thanks all for your feedback!

chuckbdc

Sport PASM lowers the car another 10 mm over PASM via stiffer shorter springs and stiffer roll bars. Still supple but not so supple as PASM alone, If you don't like that stay with PASM and you won't go wrong. If you are not a Walter Mitty racer you won't miss it a bit.

My Boxter RS-60 was GT silver- always felt just a little more "special" as in $3500 more special, lol (it was the standard color for that model). I like the somewhat brighter platinum silver equally on the 991 and would not spend the extra myself.

Re the interior trim- I can't really see any functional difference between standard and brushed aluminum trim in either car. If you registered your eyes at the glass itself instead of the road through it you could assess the difference in the reflected objects- both are reflected in some circumstances. There is no issue of blinding flashes. Both trims complement the various other pieces of shiny in the interior quite well- so it seems to me to be a style thing.

Technovc

I have to say, I'm not sold on PDCC. As someone said, the PASM car doesn't have much roll and to me the PDCC sucks some of the life out of street driving. That said, the basic reason that PDCC might affect ride is that PDCC works like an active anti-roll bar. Your standard anti-roll bar is just a spring. When both wheels hit a bump of the same dimensions at the same time, the anti-roll bar geometry means it does nothing and so it doesn't increase the spring rate. But when one wheel hits a bump and the other doesn't then the spring rate on the wheel hitting the bump is effectively higher (firmer). That makes for a harsher ride. Now with PDCC, the anti-roll bar can be taken out of the equation on a bump, because the PDCC computer knows that the car isn't turning (there are sensors to tell it) and the bar has actuators on it that can engage/disengage. OTOH, when the car is turning, PDCC engages the anti-roll bar to increase spring rate to resist roll (this in principle is when you want it).

SiNi

I have driven PASM 991s with and without PDCC on fast country roads. The PDCC car is definitely smoother and more comfortable over bumps. It also feels more planted. I think it gives you the best of both worlds- minimal roll during fast cornering as well as a smoother ride over bumps. The sport PASM achieves the former at the expense of the latter.

It's an expensive option but I would definitely go for PDCC especially if you intend to use the car as a DD.

ww007

I'm sure this topic has been beaten to death but here is an article on the PDCC:

http://www.autocar.co.uk/car-review/...carrera-s-pdcc

The most salient points are these:

"On the basis of our testing, however, a PDCC-equipped 911 doesn’t distinguish itself from a standard one quite so clearly. During mixed road driving, the improvement in roll control was hard to detect – mostly because of the excellent control of the standard car – and over choppy surfaces there seemed to be little improvement in ride compliance relative to the baseline set-up of the Carrera S we group tested a few months ago. You’d certainly need a non-PDCC car, the right road and a particularly sensitive backside for a back-to-back comparison and to appreciate the net gain.

On the track, things are slightly different. PDCC does improve high-speed directional stability and outright lateral body control a little, but also seems to have a slight adverse affect on the fluid, predictable limit handling of the 991."

I know that's just one writer's opinion, but sounds like the PDCC is more for the track to help prevent body roll, so this being a daily driver, I think I'll skip it. And I totally forgot that the regular PASM is standard on the S; too many options and too confusing!. Yeah I definitely don't want to stiffen the ride on LA streets. Removing the PDCC + sport PASM saves $4000

ww007

Doh! And here I thought I figured it out... I guess an extra $3000 can't hurt I think I'll definitely skip the sport PASM though.

ww007

That makes sense... What I gather from everything is that the PDCC probably does improve ride quality, just how noticeable that is is questionable and may depend on the type of road you are driving over and, of course, how aggressively you are driving the car. Worse comes to worst, at least there seems to be little question that it improves track performance.

SiNi

ww007 I think you are exactly where I was a few months ago with regard to PDCC! I agonised over the decision more than any other option and it's easy to go round in circles. But, you have probably reached the point of no return, as I did, in the sense that your research is telling you that there probably are some advantages to PDCC for you and even though you are not 100% sure, the risk of you regretting not having it when you finally get the car is probably greater than the risk of being disappointed with it!

So, just go for it!

It is a fantastic car and you will love it with or without PDCC!

Nine Nine One

I would recommend that you definitely drive a PDCC equipped car before you add it - try and get as close to your build as possible. If you go on the Porsche USA website you can check inventory on various dealers in your area. I drove the PDCC and did not like the feel at all. I like a little roll in a turn and the lack of it felt unnatural. Over time I probably would have gotten used to it. I never pushed the limit to where the grip breaks loose but I would worry that it would be more discrete feeling with the PDCC. Now, I know someone who had the opposite experience, so, it really seems to be a matter of personal opinion and only you can answer that.