joe'sdad

First post:

I've always said that the 911 was a great car. But, that was really just on paper. Honestly it was really just on poster paper since the 3.2 and 928 days of my youth. I've been a german car fan from the start, growing up in the backseat of a '72 2002 with over 200k miles on it. It's the heavy, palatable build quality that the Japanese cars just can't match with their plastic-y, mushy feel. My first car was a '77 Nova, then a SAAB 900, followed by 7 VWs, 2 Audis, 4 BMWs, 3 Mercedes, and as of today, my FIRST 911: 2013 Platinum Silver C2 with SC, suspension, PTK, etc.

Mind you that my e39 M5 remains in the driveway with 82k miles, and after stumbling upon http://www.zeperfs.com/en/ this past weekend when dueling 911s against themselves and other M-cars, I don't think that I can send her on her way. It's an older car that got me back into turning wrenches (albeit minimally) and reminded me of days gone by learning that to be a car guy you really need to see how they work, and how improvements and mistakes translate into driving.

But this is a new era for me. The 911 is a vehicle that I think will translate into an initial appreciation for what Porsche has designed, as well as the quality in how they have built it. A car that will engage more of my driving senses than my need for raw power. Pulling this trigger really started with an M235 - Cayman battle where the HP was unequal but the build and handling was incomparable. My old M5 is still likely more powerful in 4-6th gears, even compared with the C2S if you read the numbers, but after taking my first on ramp at speed (do you remember yours?) I was almost ashamed of being "Bimmer boy" over the past 8 years. WOW!

I have much to learn (like how to turn off the radio), and hope that the community of enthusiasts are driven by driving and less by status here. Simply having the GTS driving route mini-site on the company page really turned my head. I'm very glad to have started with a base C2. I'm hoping to learn about the advantage of turbos and hear from owners in this forum why they are anything but silly. I'm excited initially to have a vehicle that I can use more of, rather than the limited first quarter of a GT3 on my daily commute in DC traffic.

So for today I need some road to drive. Along the way I'm looking for consensus and input on accessories, improvements, maintenance pitfalls or gotchas. I'm obviously excited to see a version of what used to be only a poster on my wall as a kid sitting in my driveway. Thanks!

drcollie

I've on Porsche # 5 now and I have also owned (6) BMW's (as well as 3 of their motorcycles). And you know, I keep going back and forth between the two marques. Have put some Audis in the mix as well as Mercs, but at the end of the day tend to go with P-cars or Roundel jobs.

I think what you will find in the Porsche is a refinement of the BMW goodness, its just sharper in all aspects by degrees, not leaps and bounds. The problem with the Porsche of course, is the price of the vehicle and is typically 40 % more than a comparable BMW. Some days I think its worth it, other days not so much. Also, the Porsche seems to be to overall more reliable in my experience, with none of the BMW - characteristic system failures like control arms, cooling systems, high pressure fuel pumps and door seals that seem to plague various models.

You can't go wrong with either brand, really. I think the Porsche just makes you grin a little more every day on your drive, which is good because that wallet sting is a bit more, too!

estrellajon

I came from BMWs as well with a short AMG ownership before my current 997.1TT. I work on all my cars and definitely Porsche parts are like triple the cost of BMW parts purchasing from ECS tuning for the maintenance stuff, and I go to other vendors for clutch and performance stuff. This is Porsche #3 for me and tend to go back. I love BMWs for my daily

joe'sdad

drcollie, I think I agree with you. The grin is very different. I'm a little less satisfied with the pulling power, and I knew that going in. My older M5 is about 900 lbs. heavier, with only 50 more HP, but it felt faster. But, it's an older car. Like my first beat up Yamaha Maxim 550 - cruising at 75 MPH was a very different experience on a friends R1100 R. The quality of the build and the desensitization of the cabin and suspension almost requires a ton more power for it to "feel" the same. Thank goodness for the engine noise that remains appreciable from the driver's seat. Love it!

eg991

Congrats on your first 911, from a fellow owner who likewise dreamed about the 911 when he was a kid. I think you'll find that the 911 is a bit sharper and more precise all around than the BMW. Both great cars, but to me the 911 is the gold standard (before my first 991, I drove a E93 M3).

Arcoril

There was actually just a thread about this a few weeks ago. Hold down the left **** under the PCM display for 1 second.

What I'm currently wondering about is how to get the current XM song name to show up in either the multifunction display or on the footer of the PCM screen. The latter works fine for MP3s but not for other sources. I just don't want to keep switching back to the tuner screen every time I want to see the name of a song.

PelicanParts.com

Congratulations! Post a picture up for us when you get the chance. It's always very satisfying when you're able to finally own the car you've wanted since you were a child.

joe'sdad

That turns off the entire PCM including my phone and nav. I want to turn off the radio but I think the only real function is mute, volume down, or select aux.

trucheli

About a month ago I was in your same shoes. I have been driving M cars since 2009 but I always wanted to own a P car. I became a first Porsche owner trading my 2015 M4 for a 2015 991 GTS. The only thing that I can tell you is that I am not looking back. Every time that I seat and I start the car I feel that I am in a true drivers car and not in a sport luxury car. I have not pass 4K revs but even at that level I can't stop admiring the sound of the exhaust, brakes, PDK shifts and suspension. I have never experience this with my M4 not even with the E92 M3 V8. I will keep this GTS for a while if not forever. My second vehicle will always be a BMW but for now own I always will be driving a Porsche.

ChoyV

Welcome to the Dark Side. The M's and the AMG's are great cars. Having owned both of them but the 911's is different. Are they better than the M's and AMG's? Maybe yes or maybe no! But for me, the satisfactions on turning that ignition switch and waking up that boxer NA engine is something.

Winegums

I'm an E46 M3 owner and I'm looking to get in a 911 soon. I really enjoy my car but it's starting to age and I'm looking at parking it to do some much needed maintenance soon. Daily driving the E46 M3 is quite pleasant and I'm hoping that the 991 is the right choice to replace it.

Huncowboy

Joe,

Congrats! I and many others here can relate. I got into a base 2014 911 just two years ago after many BMWs and a few Audis. Never had a Porsche before.

My first impression was the same as yours. It does not seem to pull as hard after the 335, 650, 550, 335i and now M5... but it actually does you just have to work for it. Although, the F10 M5 is a bit faster... just a bit may be 0.2-0.4s on 0-60. In daily driving even with the PDK the switching down of gears, and whatever else goes into reaction time to reach optimum rev, makes the car feel sluggish compared to turbo cars. May be this is why Porsche went with the turbo engines for the 991.2. But if you rev the car to 6000, hold it, then floor it... it is brutal. And the sound is like a dream. And mine is the slowest 911 w/o chrono. And the corners... I switch back and forth driving the M5 and the 911 and I love them both. But the 911 in the corners... yummm... so much fun. It is made for idiots like me. When it goes it slides evenly sideways and it is easy to regain control. Very forgiving. I don't dare to turn things off on the M5. Living in VA, you will have more opportunities to drive it and the fun factor will be even higher. Me living in SE FL I am considering the face lifted '17 SL550... now that the GT3 can't be ordered and the RS and the turbo is just a bit too much for me, for now. But I will wait until I get to drive the 991.2 before I decide. Either way... I will always be a 911 guy for the rest of my life and chances are you will be too.

And no... you can't turn the radio off only the whole PCM. May be the 991.2 will change that.