"I picked up my 997S yesterday. In the first 1/2 hour driving home I felt completely beat up..."

buy a caddy. i heard they now put 400 hp in 'em and you can listen to mozart over the stereo and whisper sweet nothings to the rear passengers at the same time...

 

There must be something wrong with the car. Sounds like you are planning to get it checked out anyway. Good luck!

 

It sounds like something is wrong with your car. The 997S is ridiculously refined and smooth by Porsche standards.

 

Hmm, don't they take 'em for test drives before customer pick up? If the exhaust was that off you'd think they would have detected it. When you turn on the Sport mode it also turns on the PASM. The PASM can be shut off independantly for that smoooooth ride you may be looking for.

 

I can sympathize with your experience to some extent. I test drove a 997 a few weeks back, great car, wish I could afford one. I made the mistake of opening the sun roof w/o rolling down the side windows, noise was head pounding. Maybe that was your problem, once I closed the sun roof the noise went away. I had the same problem in my 82SC, I couldn't open the sun roof without opening the windows also.

 

Yea, I noticed if you open one of anything i.e. window or sunroof it does create a pressure vacuum in the car and goes away once you open a second item.

 

The resonance isn't unique to the 997, and seems to be worse the larger the interior of the car. Try driving an X5 sometime and you'll always have to crack the windows to make it tolerable. The fact that cars seem to be getting more and more airtight no doubt contributes to this.

As for the 997 being loud, rough, etc., something must be wrong with the car. If anything it's too smooth and quiet for a sports car.

 

Buy a mercedes and get a hair transplant!!!!

 

There definitely is something wrong with your 997S. I have very sensitive ears, particulary to exhaust resonance, and the 997S just sounds beautiful to my ears. All the right sounds without any resonance in my opinion.

 

If anything i wish exhaust was more robust, i hope to add sport exhaust later.