mander

My Turbo S build locks in a couple of weeks and I am down to the question of getting SPASM or not. I live in the foothills of the Great Smoky Mountains and thus have already speced FAL -- too many steep driveway transitions. I haven't speced SPASM since this will be a daily driver and not a track car but now I am second guessing myself. Does SPASM make the car look significantly better? Is the ride/handling tradeoff worth it? My build is fairly conservative at 231,400 but I am not pinching pennies either.

big_willy

I would spec PASM (10mm drop) over PDCC. I think the 10mm drop looks better but have "heard" with the better handling you get withe PASM, the ride is a bit harsher too. There's no right answer - whatever you feel is best for your use.

ILL_SMO_Q

Ha!, when I asked I got quite the earful. Apparently its a divided team. Some say its rougher, some say its perfect. For me, I got it, its a cheap option... interestingly, some who said NO, only did so because they were going with Techart lowering springs, to get even lower. To me the SPASM, looks perfecct, I am NOT a fan of the tire dipping into the fender, but I like seeing as little gap as possible between the fender and the top of the tire, so I genuinely believe the spasm, is perfect for me.

As a added bonus, I have a cabriolet, so its already more 'flexible' due to the missing top, so adding a stiffer suspension might make it feel more coupe like, while getting some natural compliancy because of the missing fixed roof. Even if I had a coupe, I'd still do the SPASM. BTW, I believe PDCC comes on all the turbo S's so its not like you arent getting that too, you're just getting SPORT pasm vs regular pasm.

Rocket_boy

Lots of information with a search. I read everything, drove both before ordering. Did not spec it, and really like my choice. The SPASM suspension is a bit busier and harder on some roads - just enough so that I wasn't happy with it, some think it's great. Don't discount the non-SPASM version as being soft though - I didn't notice any true handling differences between the two. Both are more stiff, lively and more entertaining compared to the 991.1/.2 versions. I like the bit of extra clearance - and in the few miles I've had mine I know of at least 2 or 3 times I would have come close to scraping - and in all honesty I'm not waiting for FAL to do its job either - as it does take a bit of time to raise/fall. Great for areas you know you will have an issue with and can store in FAL, not so great when you're driving and simply come upon an unexpected event (happens to me all the time) - FAL won't save you then. Car looks a little better with SPASM - but also looks just fine to me without it. I'll sacrifice a bit of looks for true purpose,....last time I checked the front spoiler unit is thousands of $$$$. I like being able to just drive and not worry about any of this which is exactly what I got (no SPASM and no FAL) Didn't have any problem spending the monies on them - I spent it on other options that meant more to me.

BTW - non-SPASM in sport suspension mode is awesome (much better than 991.X which was pretty hard).....kicks it up a notch when I want it, but can quickly turn off. Good luck - seems to be a tough decision for most.

Norsk

^^ Yup, front spoiler is $3K for the lip alone, without the mechanicals.

NVRANUF

Using ride quality to confirm or deny ordering SPASM is an exercise in confirmation bias.
Order it if you appreciate the visual aspects of a 10mm lowered stance, do not order it if stance has no bearing on your enjoyment of an otherwise (yes I ordered it! ) wonderful car!

Amir1

Like many others, I too debated this issue. I did not order it. Car is on the way. I have seen u-tube videos of reviewers driving it on the track and there the difference is noticeable. However, I have no intentions of tracking the car. The looks without SPASM doesn't bother me. If the car is too stiff, I won't be happy. Many of the canyons and fun roads in Southern CA (Where i'm at) are far from being smooth. A little extra clearance and a slightly softer suspension should provide a nicer (Smoother) ride and help the wheels stay planted on rough roads. Besides, Several early purchasers who got SPASM complained about it being too stiff and regretted getting it. On the other hand, I have not seen any posts from those who did not get it claiming the TTS is too soft. So I chose to go without. Tough call though.

ILL_SMO_Q

Lets just be clear .4 of an inch isnt going to make or break someone from ripping off their front end or not. If its going to be THAT close, where you are going to have catastrophic damage, or you get by unscathed, you should play the lottery more because your luck is insane and equally improbable. It boils down to 2 things... Do you like things a little stiffer? If so, get the SPASM, do you like a lower stance? Get the SPASM, if you like neither DONT get the SPASM, if its yes to one and no to the other, than only you can decide which ultimately wins in the scorecard. I didn't buy a Cadillac, or even a Cayenne for that matter I bought a 911 turbo S, so I must want a pain in the *** sports car

Rocket_boy

I would disagree a bit. I frequently visit cities that do not have street rain gutters - so every entrance and exit has a pretty steep incline due to it - as this is where the rain has to flows. There's not even a "normal" car in these parts that hasn't scraped a nose. Not everyone has smooth black tops and freeways. A little extra clearance, even .4" can make a good difference and most agree it's probably a bit more that, which is fine by me. I do play the lotto also If Porsche didn't think it was an issue - they would not even offer FAL. Hope you're not comparing a non-SPASM Turbo/S with a Cadillac or Cayenne - if you think it is, then clearly you have never tested one. It's the same as a SPASM car with a little more clearance and the rough edge knocked off on certain roads and expansion joints - not much other than that, still stiffer than any 991.x. I put in about 30 minutes of seat time in both before making the decision - lucky in this respect. I'm glad though that you are as happy with your decision as I'm with mine. I'm glad Porsche offers both.

ILL_SMO_Q

Friendly debates are what forums are about, disagreeing on stuff is an opportunity to learn things. My joke about the Cadillac and Cayenne is that I prefer a sports car to be a rougher ride than say a SUV or other such 'compliant' ride vehicle. I've said in other posts, I always pick the 'harshest' setting for normal driving in my cars, to me, its what makes it feel like a sports car. Lets also be clear on 1 other thing I am NOT suggesting SPASM WITHOUT FAL (but OP did say he already spec'd FAL)....if I was going to roll the dice with 'NO FAL' then of course, I'd say SPASM isnt even a question, it would have to be PASM. But if you have FAL, and you still need to save .4 of an inch of space so you can make it into a place, maybe reconsider if you should even go

messiry

first, each one has his own preference. I will talk from my experience and I have SPASM on my TT (no PDCC). I had the chance to try both, and I noticed the rear (due to helper spring) a bit stiffer, the helper spring keeps the main spring under tension. I can compare it to the 991 GT3 feeling (Gt3 uses the same helper spring AFAIK), if you planning to track it get it, finally, I found that reducing the tire pressure significantly enhanced the ride quality, its not harsh for my taste.

hcvone

I ordered it on all 3, 21', 22', 23', and I lower my cars on top of that, they all have FAL, there are MANY places I can not get my 19' ZR1's into because of the carbon fiber front splitter being too low, all those places my 992 tts go without even using FAL, and places that made my 991.2's scrape, my 992 does not scrape those areas, and my 992's are lower. I never track my street cars

CanAutM3

A small technical clarification, it is not the helper spring that makes the suspension stiffer. It is the other way around: because the main spring is shorter and stiffer, it cannot expand sufficiently to cover the full length of the suspension travel. A helper spring is therefore needed to keep the main spring in tension when the suspension is extended.

CDinSing

I had a 991 GT3 and 3RS both lowered for track and lower than my turbo S with SPASM (just finished production). They all have FAL. We visit friends in Asheville, drive the mountain roads, and sometimes visit the dragon, a few times a year and never had problems scraping. I cannot speak to your daily drive. My advice is do or don’t based on your personal preference. Unfortunately I can’t tell give advice on the ride. My car is still a few weeks away and coming from an RS my calibration is probably way off.

mander

Thanks all for your comments. Clearly, the correct answer varies with an individual and their circumstances. I decided to go with PASM and not SPASM. I am coming from a 09C4S which did not have SPASM and which I have scraped lightly on occasion since I moved to TN so I think I've made the right call.