CP

Hi,

Deviating from my usual travel threads here. May be it is just me, I have never paid much attention to car interiors: full leather, headliners, instrument layout, material quality, ergonomics, color, finish material (CF, brush alum, wood), steering wheel size and thickness, seat belt color, audio quality, etc. etc. etc..

To me, if the seats feel good, I can get good AC, I'm fine with it. I'm much more into how the car looks on the outside, how it drives, and now may be, how it sounds.

Since I started visiting car forums after I bought my M5 in 2001, I realized a lot of members actually paid a lot of attention to car interiors. Witness the discussions in forums for the newer models: 996, 997, Cayman (where one can still custom their interior) I read many threads about options on interior.

When I bought my Cayman, I spent $0 on interior options. May be I am cheap (I think I am), but I found the OEM interior perfectly acceptable. I can't imagine (more like justify) myself spending may be $10k doing full leather, custom leather color, CF trims, color seat-belts, painted interior parts, upgrade Bose sounds, adaptive power heated seats, etc. etc. etc. Once I get the car moving, none of those makes any difference to me.

Am I alone in this total indifference in car interior, or I 'm just not properly initiated?

Thanks for your education, as always.

CP

Mark in Baltimore

It kind of depends on the purpose of the car, but interior color is extremely important for me for almost any type of vehicle. For a 993, I love all-business black interiors. Some say that that it's too severe, but it looks like, well, the business to me. I could also live with a tan or a red interior, depending on the exterior color. That exterior color very much affects the interior color. Before I bought my polar silver/black 993, I passed on a polar silver/green interior. I just couldn't the green look.

That said, for a new, street car, I like having the right options to make it nicer, at the expense of some weight and performance. Heated seats are nice but not necessary. Alcantara is nice but not necessary. Nav is nice but necessary. Ad nauseum. I'm rambling and multi-tasking, so I may not make much sense.

csertich

To me, a car must have a good standard/traditional/functional layout of instrumentation and other controls. If I were buying new, as long as the car's interior was functional and somewhat aesthetically pleasing, I wouldn't spend a lot of extra money on additional leather, c/f, etc. Interior color on the hand is very important to me. I've had cars in the past where the interior color just plain bothered me.

The steering wheel is one other area that I focus on. Thank goodness the standard 'buick' like wheel in the 993's is replaceable.

And you are right-seat comfort is important. I hope to solve that issue for me in the near future.

So I guess I am middle of the road on this. Some interior items are show stoppers for me (color) and others just don't matter.

That's not to say that I haven't seen some beautiul interiors in Rennlist posts. The full leather with the stitching above the instrumentation is kind of cool. I've seen several custom interiors on 993's here on Rennlist that look beautiful. I just won't be spending the money on my interior for such upgrades.

chuck

justin993

The full leather is nice, but not a must on a 993. My car came with full Flamenco Red interior. I like it, the dash is real nice and the gauges rings are in red leather and look real nice. Steering wheel, mats, and now sparco seats are in black, and break up the red nicely.
I think full black is the best bet if you want to go little options.
I really dont like the supple leather, could maybe live with it in black. I really think people order it just because they have to pay for it, I only say this because most of the 996tt seem to have it. It is not sporty to me, more suited for furniture.
I think when you get into the 993S models and Turbo (993/996/997)models, interior options are more important. Sport seats, full leather, and carbon fiber on newer models, all very expensive to do after the fact, and not that much more when you are already spending top dollar.
And dont get me started on Ferrari 360s, and all the people that ordered them with no options--why would you not get datonas, sheilds, and the challenge grills!

Dan V

The no-frills black 'messerschmitt' cockpit is actually one of my top 3 favorite things about the 993, up there with the engine and brakes. It blows away absolutely any other car interior.

Cactus

My favorite part of the interior is how small the dash is and how close the windshield is to you. Compare to literally any modern car and some are so big you could park a small car on them.

samsnead

Music and cold air is all I need, rather spend the rest on mods

CP

I see this thread going in the direction of: why I like the interior of the 993. My original post is of a generic nature, for any car really. I just don't pay much attention to car interiors.

CP

Boston911fan

This is just my opinion, but I am a very visual person, and want my car (whatever it is) to look good inside and out. To me, this is just as important as how it drives (but I TOTALLY understand those who just focus on how the car performs and could care less about aesthetics). My pet peeve is seeing cracked leather on the driver's seat. I've been looking for a 993 Cabriolet, and have turned a few down because of something as superficial as worn seats. It only takes an hour or less to clean and treat the leather once a year! Two of my cars are over 10 years old with over 100k miles and far inferior leather, but I treat them with leather care every year and have had no drying or cracking. As for color, to me it is important that it complements the paint. Other things like CF or wood depend on the car itself. I love the burl walnut wood in my BMW, but think it looks tacky in a 993. I'd love to find a 993 with full leather, but think the dash looks timeless and classy with or without it.

speednme

I kinda like the green....all it needs is the Porsche carbon fiber dash,console,e brake,shifter and door inserts..ala 993 turbo s and black floor mats to break the monotony of the green..oh yes interiors make a different...at least to me.

H.H.Chinn

Personally I value good supportive seats, less heating elements, as well as good material fit and finish. I like the ability to get contrast stitching on a full leather interior when the ability to order it is possible. Leaning toward a timeless design, I prefer the tasteful simplicity of an interior that is Porsche Design.

mooty

interior

must be black
must have AC
all other options, i rather not have

cdmdriver

The answer is - it depends on what you want from a car. My other car is a S550, and the interior on the Mercedes is everything. The full leather with wood inlayed interior, the heated and cooled seats with the massage action along with the indirect lighting etc..,etc... are very important to the total style and feel of a car of that stature. The Mercedes purpose is very different than that of the Porsche.

The Porsche is a pure sports car. Its sole purpose is to go fast. Any luxuries add weight and take away from the original purpose. The 993 gauges are laid out for a specific purpose and for that purpose they are flawless. Porsche added just enough comfort to drive on the street (not just the track), but just enough. Too much defeats the main purpose. So to answer your question about the Porsche interior- it think it is perfection!

avidtest

If you never paid much attention to interiors, and just enjoyed the visuals of the exterior, which I personally feel is most important, I'd say try not to get caught up in interiors and stay focused on the essence of what makes our cars so wonderful; the exterior (and the driving characteristics of course!). I like a basic, functional interior for the most part, with good fit and finnish. That is, until we start talking about classic cars. So many of the old cars had such wonderful interiors. There is only once car company today that produces an interior that makes me say "Wow!"....Spyker

http://www.motortrend.com/auto_shows...photo_119.html

tctung

I don't pay much attention to a car's interior, either.