jcnesq

I asked my car wash / detailer this morning what he thought. After I ditched the Targa, he told me that he didn't want to rain on my parade before, but he actually didn't like the BBS's I put on the Targa. So I pleaded with him to tell me the "truth", and he insists he likes the 997S wheels. Maybe he has lousy taste, but he is "up close and personal" with a lot of nice wheels on a daily basis.

Like I said, maybe I'm just so enamored with the 997S that the wheels seem likeable (they shout 997S, and they have the nice yellow calipers peeking through). Hope I don't learn to hate them, but so far so good.

SkipSauls

I've had nothing but compliments on the wheels, including many Porsche owners who say things like "they look so much better in person than in the pictures". That being said, I'm a true believer in "too each his own", and hold my tongue when I see some of the ugly wheels that people put on their Porsches.

But, since the piling on has already begun, I'll jump in and let everyone know that in my opinion chromed wheels are about as ugly as it gets on a Porsche. Porsches simply do not need "bling", even if they're driven around for show in someplace like LA where such nonsense is commonplace. It's bad enough when the chromed wheels are oversized with freaky fins and other nutty designs, but it's even worse when a great looking wheel like a turbo twist is blingerized!

914und993

The 997S wheels reprise the styling element on the root of the mirror pods. I guess they do this to break up all the curvy lines, but I don't like it either. I like the rest of the car, except I still can't love the "styled" instrument cluster. I guess these are just more steps toward my being another cranky old man.

Chip

Edward

Opinion Alert:

I thought the S rims looked horrid in the pics, so waited to see them in person. Then hated them in person Really, though, why the busy, cluttered look? "New" design for the sake of "new" isn't good.

As for the new 5 spokers, I think these look even better than the '02 5 spokers (which I like a lot!). Their spokes a just a bit meatier (and thus less "delicate" looking) and their spoke faces are less angular and much more in keeping with the flowing lines of a 911, especailly a 993, IMO. I wonder if any will choose to "downgrade" their 19s for these 5-spoker 18s on their order forms? Besides, knowing what we know about 18s vs 17s, I couldn't imagine there is any advantage to having 19s unless you like the look ...or maybe need to clear the brake calipers?? Oh wait, I think the rears are wider, too. Again, all IMO and certainly nothing disparaging to the 997 or their new owners. I was actually really pleasantly surprised, overall, how much I like the car as a whole.

Edward

ientre9y11

I'm with lexpilot and JoAnne. Every time I look at car wheels, I think about how long it will take to clean them and how hard it will be. Can't imagine getting the BBS spoke wheels for that reason. I love the 993 turbo twists, real easy to and fast to clean.

TamiyaGuy

I believe the intent was to draw similarities with the older silver cookie cutter style wheels. The complexity of the new design (especially the area around the bolts) would seem to be intentionally geometric in execution.

Well, as geometric as you can get today without being totally out of place.

jcnesq

BTW, the "styling element on the root of the mirror pods" is functional - I can't find the description, but the openings send a strong blast of air towards the side windows to blow away rain (and bugs?). Anyway, supposedly its functional.

RJT

Come to think of it, maybe Porsche did know what they were doing. Can you imagine how boring this world would be if we all liked the same things?

JoAnne

BTW: Jim your detailer is right, BBS wheels are the WORST to clean... well, maybe not as bad as the old Dayton wire wheels were to clean but still pretty darn bad!!!

jcnesq

Hi JoAnne! 'twas nice to meet you last Sunday (very briefly). I wasn't really thinking cleaning - but Duh, no wonder the detailer doesn't like BBS wheels! And yeh, I'm old enough to remember wire wheels - had some on my second car, an MGB.

Tony356993

I do not like them either. Just nit my style.
T

Steve 96C4S

In all fairness I made a special trip to Rockville Porsche today to see the new 997"S" in person to check out these wheels in the flesh (metal). I was surprised that they didn't have one on the showroom floor, "just" a black GT3. God that car looks HOT! I'm not much of a 996 fan, but the look of that car in all black is smoking hotttttt.

The sales guy says that they just sold a 997 off the showroom floor but there should be one out back. I tell him I'm I'll walk back there myself to look at one after he asks me if I'm interested in buying one. I of course mention "not for a long time". He shrugs me off and points to where the car is. It turns out to be a silver car with the "H" wheels. I was amazed in person how different it looks from the pics of the red, yellow and black cars I've seen. In silver the "H" wheel isn't so prominent, and actually looks OK. Not my favorite Porsche wheel by a mile, but OK. Better than I expected it to look. I started to wonder if it might have a different wheel from the one I saw in all the pics, as it didn't look awful at all. It wasn't till I got home tonight and compared what I saw the other day to the pic I posted in this thread that I realized it DOES look better in person, or at least on a silver car for some strange reason.

Overall the car looks OK. I think my 993 looks fan-freakin'-tastic - not just OK. [I'm highly biased!] I say OK (on the positive side) as it looked like it rode quite low to the ground compared to mine, and was sleek and new. I say OK (on the negative side) because I found the styling to STILL be kind of bland compared to a 993 "S" model. The exterior didn't really grab me like our "S" models do... It still looks like a 996 to me with a bit of a facelift. The interior looked like an ultra luxurious car with every spiffy button and aluminum trim known to mankind - not that there's anything wrong with that. The steering wheel looked somewhat out of place in a 911, like a Nissan 350Z or something Japanese. All that aluminum trim and magnitude of buttons is a turnoff to me... I'm just a bare bones, basic-black sort of interior guy. That's why I love the "antiquated" traditional 911 look so much in my beloved 993. I'm SURE I won't replace my car for at least 15 years. It's just so darn sweet and simple.

Don't mean to offend. Just reporting what I see.

Steve

AW

I suspect Porsche wants you to order one of the more expensive option based wheels. That's the only way I can rationalize why in the world, Porsche would design a car so nice and put awful cheap wheels on it...

AW

max911

997 Jim, after seeing your avatar with mini Porsche driving daughter, and looking at some of my photos from GAF, a light bulb went on. I have a couple pics of a black 997 with a pedal car stuffed inside it.

The wheels seem a lot more appealing on your black car than the silver display car. Maybe all of the black holes in the wheels tie in with the all black body??






They don't look as bad on the black car when you step back and take in the whole car at once. But, I am sure some different wheel styles will make the 997 appear even better.
To me though, these wheels still look too much "swiss cheese" , too much "cheese grater"

traveller09

Ok, I will admit to being one of the few odd ***** that actually likes the new wheels. I think they add a modern updated look to stylish new 911.

Everyone has different taste and I see a lot of wheels I like better than others. I will agree with Skip though, the only thing I can not stand on a 911 is chrome wheels.

But, when it is your money the only person you have to please is yourself!

Ron_H

Now I don't feel like the Lone Ranger, because I, too, detest those ugly un-Porsche-like wheels. Porsche is trying too hard to be trendy in my opinion and has been doing so since the 996. It will probably just get worse. Funny how a maker with no one to impress and nothing much more to achieve must feel insecure enough to cater to mediocre trendy tastes. Porsche had always rowed their own boat, but no more. No offense intended, but that's my opinion and I have been around Porsche long enough to know when they ceased thinking for themselves.