Steve 96C4S

I noticed that there was some scuff marks on the front corner of my driver's seat near the electronic seat controls when I got it last January, so I've tried to be careful getting in & out so not to make it worse. Then I noticed I was scuffing that soft rubber piece that runs the length of the door sills to the point that it started scraping off a bit, so I've had to enhance my technique getting in & out to not scrape that either! When I get in, I sit in sideways first, being ever so careful not to touch my shoes to these 2 areas, then bring my legs around to the floormats making sure they don't snag these spots. When I get out, I swing around sideways and slowly raise myself out without scuffing said areas.

Am I the only "ultra careful" (my wife might call it **** ) one here?

On another note, I picked up my car today from a body shop I took it to in Rockville Md that's usually done great work on our cars, and that scuff mark on the front was pretty badly scuffed up even worse, with white dirt clinging to the area, as well as white/grey dirt all over the mats, and on the bottom of the dash and carpet area on the door.

I had brought the car to be painted as I stupidly misjudged the garage one day while pulling it in and scraped down to bare metal the right front bumper (argh!). I told them to PLEASE be careful with my "baby" when I dropped it off. They charged me $281 to fix the driver's side front bumper, but when I picked up the car, the passenger window was open and it wasn't locked, sitting out there on their filthy lot! I was pi$$ed. They claimed they kept it inside last night and only just brought it out this morning as I had planned to pick it up today. They also said that in the future, they are looking into getting paper floor mats to protect the carpeted mats like the car dealers use. Jeez - they should be using these now!

I just hate bringing my car in somewhere for one thing, and then I pick it up and it's got another thing wrong with it - a much more scuffed up seat than when I brought it in, like someone was wearing dirty work boots and stupidly scuffed the corner of the seat when getting out.

What can you do, you know? I called the owner and told him about the seat as it was needling me all day, and he said to bring it back in to have him look at it. Has anyone ever had that offending seat corner fixed somehow? I'm guessing it's vinyl. Maybe I'm making a mountain out of a molehill. I used Leatherique conditioner on the leather tonight in the garage and vinylexed the heck out of the interior. It looks alot better, albeit a small chunk of vinyl is now missing from the seat corner!

Thanks for letting me vent! They did a decent job on the painted corner bumper - I think. I'll have to wash it and see how it looks after a good detail job (and yes, I know I shouldn't wax it for 2 months).

Steve

Mark in Baltimore

Steve,

I, too, perform all kinds of twists and hovers so that my butt avoids hitting the seat bolster and so my shoes avoid the area near the seat controls. I still hit it more oftem than I care to admit. I use the rain gutter as a handle to help lower me in and pull me out.

When I was 993 shopping, the seat bolster was the most common place for interior wear, and it's not hard to see why.

They're nice cars; I think most of us want to keep them that way!

911

Yes, I'm very cautious as I slip in & out of the car for that very reason. I'm even like that w/ my Carrera, too.

Speedraser

I'm always very careful, Steve. You're definitely not the only one with this wonderful illness.

Kolbjorn S

I *pretend* I have a very difficult-to-enter bucket seat with cage and all, so I enter by placing right hand on the steering wheel, right foot carefully in, then support myself by placing left hand on the carpet just inside the door sill, and sort of lift myself inside the seat (standard leather comfort seat), while lifting left foot as to avoid scraping further up on the seat. This works every time, without scraping at all. I repeat the process when I exit. The process looks kind of strange, but since I'm **** about preserving my car, and it keeps my seat nice, why not!

Terry Adams

I am cautious too, but now with the added reason of a bad back. It's a bit worse since I lowered the car, but the handling improvement is worth it.

chris walrod

I too am careful, very careful getting in and out of the car for the same reasons. I want to protect the sport seats that I have since they are in excellent condition. So much so, I removed them and installed a pair of Cobra Imola 2's. Actually I needed more headroom with a helmet and to properly use 6pt belts.

I miss the sport seats since they are stored upstairs in our spare bedroom, but the Cobra seats are really comfy.

Tone

I'm not that carefull. I know what you mean though as I am noticing some of the similar wear -- door rubber, but not as much on the seats.

Everyone is different. Some people get pleasure of taking the extra steps and keeping their car as new. I'm sure it makes them feel good and will own a mint car as it ages.

I get please in driving it out & watching it wear & age. If something bothers me enough I'll replace/fix it. I love running to the airport, an errand to the store, in the rain, etc. etc.... Tasks better suited for my auto wagon, but I enjoy the utility of this car and being able to do it in a 911.

fluid15

I love having my car look new, but as far as the leather goes (still looks near-new) I decided to accept it will begin to develop crack-lines at some point and I'll pay the money to have them re-dyed at a not so cheap price. I really intend to keep the final air cooled 911 example and want to appreciate the interior as much as the exterior.

As far as being upset with the way it was treated, I agree with you. You have every right as a customer to request any wrong doing be corrected. Almost any business will respect that if delivered properly.

jorisg

Ì too very careful with entering the car. First I place one hand on the door sil, just inside and kinda use this arm as a lever to get into the seat without hitting or scraping anything. I really have to control myself when friends are stepping into the car butt first with their feet still outside and then perform a kind of twist inside the seat to get their feet inside.

Or what about those mechanics that go into your car sitting on the side of the seat???

Am I overdoing it??

David in LA

Since the GT3 seats have high seat and side bolsters I have no choice but to enter my car sitting sideways and contort myself into the car...I've gotten to the point where it doesn't look so ridiculously awkward anymore

willisit

I find it hard to get in without catching the bolster.. mine is very low and I tend to "fall" in to the car. I'm used to it with the DeLorean (a right pain).

You're not alone!

pjc

Had a problem a few years ago - fell and did the splits! Ever since I find it painful to stretch one leg into the footwell first - my solution is to use the "ladies" technique - sit first then legs together. No pain and it protects the rubber and seat quarter!

PJC

Steve 96C4S

Oh good - I'm not the only one trying to preserve my air cooled beauty. Sometimes I feel like a fruitcake as I carefully do the little ballet that get's me seated without wearing out the seat bolsters, messing the soft rubber piece by the door sills, mashing the steering wheel's scrumptious leather or abrading the surface of my perforated standard seat. And yes, when a friend get's in the car, I don't even look. I don't want to know what they're doing or how they're getting in. I don't have riders that much, so I just "let it go" if they're doing something "damaging" to the seat.

I WILL go back to the body shop and show them what their body man did to the seat corner. Maybe they'll fix it, maybe they'll tell me it was already like that. It can't hurt to at least show them.

I think my technique for getting in it is: I put one hand on the hard rubber molding by the door sill, one hand on the middle of the seat, and swing myself in so nothing scrapes or chafes. I've learned a bit from your posts. Thanks!

Loving my car, and grateful I can afford this extra car! Not many of my friends have an extra sports car... in fact, none of them do! I'm a fortunate guy.

Steve

Rezal

Women think I'm being a gentleman when I open and close the door for them when in reality, it's because I don't want them bashing it on a curb or stressing the check strap (I hope none of my dates are reading this!)