On some bridges (with a lot of spacers and ridges) it can be very noisy. Also, stop and go is very painful (for me). Lastly, watching out for steep driveways (out of parking lots, for example) can be a pain.
Regardless, at other times, I'm in heaven when I drive my 997S. So, for me it is a night time and weekend driver.

 

regarding the steep driveways: what would be the front ground clearance of the 997 and how far does the lowest part of the bumper extend forward of the wheels?
reason for asking is our house has a very steep driveway and I want to make sure that when I do buy a 997 next year I will be able to drive it into my garage.
I would appreciate some measurements of you owners out there (non lowered cars of course).
cheers
KK

 

I sold my daily driver C4S 2003 for being too rough and uncomfortable. When I was in my early 20s, I loved every curve that came up on my 993, but with the C4S in my 30s, I just couldn't take it.

Now that I have an 05 997 3.6 with the 19" wheels, I knew in advance that I would dump this car if it were my primary driver because as previously mentioned, it's info overload. Lots of driver input required. Great fun, but not at 430am when I'm off to work.

My 997 patiently awaits the next spirited drive next to my CLK 55 AMG which is a much more comfortable and just slightly slower ride.

 

I know this is going to sound terrible and I apologize in advance, but if you feel this way in your 30's maybe you should get a Lincoln Navigator and just get it over with. I suppose it's a generational thing, but I've always thought you were supposed to be able to feel the road when you drive. And isn't "driver input" the whole point of driving? I'm 60 and I love every moment in my 911 be it in traffic or on the open road. I don't envy you're having to commute at 4:30 a.m., but wouldn't that be the best time to be in a Porsche? Little traffic and few cops. Just my .02.

 

KrisKringle

I have exactly the same problem, and have established that the only way I can get a 997 in my garage is to have the drive dug up and re-profiled.

I obtained the figures you need from a dealer in the UK who, I believe got them from Porsche.

C4 (PASM)
Approach angle 11.1 degrees
Departure angle 14.9 degrees
Ramp angle 12.6 degrees
Ground clearance 107mm

C2S (PASM)
Approach angle 11.5 degrees
Departure angle 13.5 degrees
Ramp angle 12.5 degrees
Ground clearance 108mm

Like me you will probably query why the C2S has a shallower departure and ramp angle but I was told these are the numbers, either way they're quite close to each other so I just worked on the worst case number throughout.

Additional information you will need is the wheel base, wheel diameter and front/rear overhang. I got most of these numbers from 5 October Autocar article but had to estimate the tyre outside diameter - if any one has a definitive number for this please advise.

Front bumper to front wheel centreline 1026mm
Wheel base 2350mm
Rear wheel centreline to rear bumper 1051mm

I prepared a spreadsheet for my particular drive layout which I'd be happy to email to you, this allows experimentation with numbers and includes a data table giving possible solutions. I'm sure it could be adapted for your particular situation. I also did a scale drawing in PowerPoint which I used to show in animation mode that the car does indeed make it to the top. If I decide to proceed with the drive rework I have sketched out a space-frame model that I will get built in timber that the contractors will use to confirm correct profile before final surfacing.

Hope this helps.

 

It's a matter of taste and personal preference. I love feeling every bump on the road, but not on my way to work, looking at the head end of an eighteen or thirty six hour work day. I want comfort. On the weekends, when I'm off, I'll have my fun in the Porsche. Not everybody wants to be racing to work at 430am, including me.

 

thanks Snarf for the info
got some measuring to do...
cheers