KAGNJ

Hi all, I am a new member of the site. I have been reading the posts for a few months at this site and others around the web. After spending many hours reading the various comments/tone of the various forums, it seemed to me that this site offered the most informative and useful comments/info. I am looking forward to participating in the various topics and learning a lot from the passionate, knowledgeable members who frequent this forum.

As to my new TT Cab: I currently have a Boxster S that was my first Porshe. I really enjoyed it and the open air experience (it was my first convertible). When I decided to look for another car, one that offered more performance, I looked into the TT X50 and the new Gallardo. When the TT Cab became available, I wrestled with the "coupe vs. cab." issue that I read numerous posts both for and many against. With respect to the Gallardo, in the end, I felt that I would not be comfortable with the extremely extroverted nature of the car in the yellow paint scheme I loved. As to the TT coupe vs. cab., I went back and forth weighing the benefits of having a roof or going topless. In the end, I felt my experience in my BoBoxsterenjoying the pleasure of open air motoring--offset any negatives that I may have to endure. I still waffle a bit, concerned that I may have been better off with a TT coupe, but I know it should be an awesome upgrade after my BoBoxster
I have a November build date for the car. It is Slate Gray (saw the car and loved the color) 6 speed, black interior, has the X50 package (decided that a warranty and 0-60 in 3.9/3.8 sec was good enough for me and, HP is just a number, so even though it may be less than some after market tuners for the money as I have seen in various forums, it still seems to offer performance that is more than I could have hoped for, including being quicker than the Gallardo. Other items ordered: Alum. gauges, Slate Gray center console (and other painted interior elements), sport seats with painted back (thought it would look nice when the top is down), crest in headrest, "turbo" emboss in arm rest lid (?), red deviated stitching in seats and dash, red seat belts, alum. door sills, CD changer,
and thicker steering wheel. I will also get the crest in the center wheel cap and change the front turn signals to gray.

I would like to get some better wheels, maybe 19's; a better exhaust--more for sound than performance although both would be ideal, (as much as I have love Porsches, I have always been disappointed with how they tend to sound). I would also like to consider aluminum gas/brake/clutch pedals. A radar detector, built in is also something I will need!

Any thoughts, suggestions or pictures would be greatly appreciated. Also, any issues I should check out when i pick up the car? As I am new to the 996 TT family, any input would be quite valuable. I am sorry for starting off with such a long post, but I hoped to provide some background on my selection process and look for suggestions as well.

Thank you all for considering my questions.

nomercy

Congrats!! I am in the same boat. I have a TT Cab with a Jan build and am trying to soak up as much info as I can.

Bentley

The black interior will prove to be nightmare for you when the top is down on hot days. It will absorb too much of the sun's radiation and can lead to second degree burns to the legs, arms, and back. You can confirm this by checking with the Emergency department of your local hospital. Also. ask someone who has driven any black interior cabriolet with the top down during the summer and they should confirm this observation. You would be much more comfortable [and safer] sitting on a lighter colored surface. To those who suggest throwing a blanket over the seats I would ask: What class does that show about the Porsche Cabriolet owner? It is very tacky.

nomercy

My interior is black and I am not worried. I have had several rag tops and don't drive with the top down much when it is really hot out. In my opinion the best time to enjoy a cab is in the early evening/night or in the morning before the sun gets too hot.

Driving around in the heat of the day cooking in the car with the top down is just too uncomfortable. Especially when the AC and shelter from the hot sun is just a few button pushes away.

Bentley

I agree with you. But the logic of paying $8,000 to $9,000 extra, for the cabriolet, to enjoy 2 to 3 hours a day of convertible driving does not make much sense. To drive under such conditions and suffer heat burns from black upholstery is even less reasonable! It would seem that the best way to maximize the 'down-top' driving is to get a light colored leather for the seating; that way, the extra money spent can be enjoyed for more hours each and every day.
The other factors to consider is both the increased fade rate of the black upholstery as well as its faster degeneration over several years due to excessive heat build-up in the leather.

nomercy

You have a good point.

KAGNJ

A good point about the interior color--but, alas, I cannot change it now. My Boxster is red with the tan interior which has worked well for me in all sun conditions. I considered the same combo for the TT Cab. (it looked good in the official pictures) but felt the red did not highlite the flow of the cars lines to the same degree as the slate gray: its metallic flake shimmers reflected light off of the cars curves creating a finish of great depth and subtle charactor.

I suppose I will need to get some "Solarcaine"--does anyone have a detail for a built-in dash dispensor??

Bentley

I would verify your November build date. Quite often Porsche will have supplier situations which protract the actual build date. The production timing is not necessarity a fait accompli. If you do have a few days left before the build it would be prudent to order another interior color. The research you may perform now could save you years of grief later.

AMG ETR

Wow...seems like everyone has Jan. build dates for TTcabs....well I do to...actually my familly does. We have a White/black/black TTcab on order. Click on my link on the bottom to see all the factory options and planned mods to the car.
As for aftermarket options:
-WHEELS:We will be taking my HRE 545R's off my car and putting them on the TTcab (replacing mine with Black HRE 845R's).
-EXHAUST: will probably be a Fabspeed Quiet version exhaust (www.fabspeed.com)
-PEDALS:RUF Alum. pedals and dead pedal
Hope this helps...feel free to ask more questions as I really did not read the entire post and might have missed somthing...
Regards,
Evan

MMH

Nice work. I was very tempted by the slate gray but opted for a midnight blue TT cab (mine's a Nov build) with natural brown interior and deviating black carpets. Aluminum dials, sills, leather steering wheel and console.

I did midnight blue because I wanted natural brown and couldn't come up with a silver combination that worked without black interior.

I'd keep the gray and black -- you'll love it. It'll look great. Don't worry!

drafting

As far as I'm aware, if the order is in the PAG system, there's no changing anything on the car. I tried to modify my order two days after I placed it to get deviating stitching on my sport seats. "No way" was the answer. On top of that, PCNA messed up and ordered the car w/ black carpet ( a deviation from the Natural Grey that I wanted to match the interior). Even that couldn't be changed. Neither of these items bothers me in the least, but they do exemplify the very structured process by which PAG operates. fwiw ......

Jeff

Bentley

Porsche, as well as any automobile manufacturer, tries to keep consistency in its production however, the real world being as it is does not always comply. I have had friends historically who have had minor changes made by Porsche beforehand. In fact, one now has been told not to worry about a firm decision on a component for his pending expensive "non-six" delivery since there are a few days remaining.
Most of the time the dealer does not want the inconvenience of making any alterations to an order. The dealer will orally cite PCNA as the source of the refusal but they will not show you the denial in writen form from PCNA. The gullible Porsche buyer forgets the maxim "Trust But Verify".

drafting

"gullible"? whatever....

When you're sitting in the dealer's office while he is discussing the processed order w/ PCNA, I'm relatively certain that what's done is done. As I said, a minor item that goes wonky on an order is no big deal; almost anything can be gotten aftermarket. If there's something that you've got your heart set on, then you can always cancel the order if need be. In my case, the TT coupe that I spec'd was one of only a hundred or so coming to the US this year, and my car was robbed from the allocation that was slated for the Chicago Auto Show. I suppose that if a person has been buying P-cars for years and has a great relationship w/ their dealer, maybe there is some sway w/ PCNA. That's how life works in a capitalist society.


Jeff

KAGNJ

Has anyone have ideas for the following aftermarket items:
better wheels, maybe 19's;

a better exhaust--more for sound than performance although both would be ideal-(as much as I have love Porsches, I have always been disappointed with how they tend to sound);

aluminum gas/brake/clutch pedals.

Any thoughts or recommendations would be great.