Several months ago one of our members gave us a very lengthy review of the options he ordered so that new folks to the Rennlist could better assess which options made sense for them. It was a useful tool for me,--I suspect it may be time again for such a review. (Plus, we have a lot new visitors to the Rennlist). Anyone want to give it a shot? I will in another month or so after I get my car again here in the states. One thing I noticed with a lot of the buyers over the last 9 months or so seem to wind up retrofitting things into their cars, e.g., PSE, telephone systems, and the elusive SATRADIO. Of course, as a retrofit, we wind up paying our dealerships a fair chunk of change. So, to help some of the newbies out,--how about it!


997 S Cabriolet 6-speed
98 Non-Metallic Paint to Sample (3AS Blue Turquoise)
06 Natural Leather Brown
CDZ Gear Lever Trim Leather
CUC Painted Model Desig Rear Lid
CUV Storage Cmpt Lid W/Model Logo
CZD Interior Light Cover Leather
M6H Brown Floor Mats
P01L Adaptive Sports Sts Lthr Int
V9 Black Top
XCZ Sport Shifter
XLF Sport Exhaust System
XMP Lthr Sun Visors Lighted Mirror
XMZ Rear Center Console - Leather
XRR 19" Carrera Sport wheel
XSB Sport Seat Backs in Leather
XTV Door Finishers Lthr
267 Self Dimming Mirrors
342 Heated Front Seats
451 Makassar Str Whl Multifctn
446 Wheel Caps w/Colored Crest
450 Ceramic Composite Brakes-PCCB
482 TPMS
498 Delete Model Designation
509 Fire Extinguisher
550 Hard Top
640 Sport Chrono Package Plus
672 Extended Nav Module
680 Bose High End Sound Package
692 Remote CD Changer
801 Makassar Package
TD5 Tourist Delivery

 

I think we're starting to see a little bit of this around the forum, but here goes with my initial impression. I have logged 3210 miles on my 997 cabrio 6- speed.

Background. I started with a one year old 914-4 many years ago (back when they spelled it "ye olde..."), moved to a new 911S in 1977 (factory delivery), a 1981 911SC that had been turbo-charged in 1983 and now this one. Horsepower keeps moving up; about 69, to 157, to 270, to 355. I have something over 275,000 miles in Porsches, mostly 911s.

997 S Cabriolet 6-speed

As an enthusiast, the 6-speed is the only way to go. I am not a commuter, which may be an overridding factor for the Tiptronic buyers. Coming from 5-speeds it does force me to be thinking all the time about which gear I'm in presently and which gear I'm heading for. With the 3-4 gears at the neutral position it is a bit easier to simply remember that I have to make sure I put some intentional pressure on the lever to the right to get to 5 and 6. Similar for making sure I'm downshifting in 2 and then 1. Just a minor adjustment on my part, but smooth right out of the factory. The Japanese have done a great job with this tranny, giving us another unbreakable feeling transmission for the 997.

98 Non-Metallic Paint to Sample (3AS Blue Turquoise)

Have essentially gotten bored with the normal range of colors that are offered by everyone these days. In fact, when I went to pick up my car it was easy to spot,--everything else was some sort of silver or black. I don't have to hunt for it in a sea of silver in a parking lot. Worth the extra price? Only in terms of being the only 997 in that color.

06 Natural Leather Brown.

Worth every penny. In fact, when I add up the cost of these six or seven dead cows in the car it totals out to more than I paid for my first Porsche! The natural leathers are truly in the top 5% of the quality hides The aniline treatment is first rate. In fact, the quality is so high that many may mistake the leather for vinyl, as there are no visible flaws,--period. The feel is incredible and so far the stuff takes a bigger beating than I thought it would, and still comes out looking great.

CDZ Gear Lever Trim Leather.

Merely selected to keep that part of the car all in leather. One of those tricks by Porsche to ala carte us into the collection agencies.

CUC Painted Model Desig Rear Lid.

Another one of those things that just makes the car a little different. Also, makes the name a bit more subtle. Porsche is starting to get like GM with all the fancy badges and designations for all to see. In a short amount of time I may go the dental floss way with these...

CUV Storage Cmpt Lid W/Model Logo.

Not mission essential but does add a little bit of bling to the car. Probably not worth the price.

CZD Interior Light Cover Leather.

Perhaps only needed for cabriolet buyers to keep the color continuity across the front top. I did draw the line with hte rearview mirror, concerned that somewhere down the road such a complex mechanism would only be more difficult to replace if it comes in something other than black.

M6H Brown Floor Mats.

What can I say?

P01L Adaptive Sports Sts Lthr Int.

With my back anything that can allow me to shift sitting positions and fine tune those positions on the fly is a plus. With the lateral g-forces available with this car anything that can keep me in the seat better without resorting to a 6 or 7 point harness is a good thing. There is some weight penalty, but then we face weight penalties all over the 997s.

V9 Black Top.

Pure and simple. I think simpler is better. I also understand that the lighter colors will show their ages quicker than the black. Unique colors also can be used to date a car and as I intend to keep this one for some time I don't need to date it any easier.


XCZ Sport Shifter.

My first Porsche with a sport shifter. As reported by most others, it is a little stift when starting out and cold. But that sensation goes away within a few miles. Will be interesting to see how that is after 10,000. Since I can't compare it to a normal shifter, it is hard to quantify the 'shortness' of it. But it is more efficient in distance traveled and time to do it. Best to do when ordering the car,--and then you know it should be adjusted correctly.

XLF Sport Exhaust System.

At first I didn't order this with the car but over time decided that many were heading in that direction on the Rennlist. Definitely a good move, but best when ordering the car. Pricy,--yes, for what it essentially is,--just noise. But it does compensate those of us driving the water-cooled cars. It can be a bit imposing over time (and a long drive) so it can be quieted down,--unfortunately, it is linked to the sports mode of the car which means I can't drive sportily without listening to the exhaust growl. I will probably do a special modification that will effectively retain the more aggressive throttle but quiet down the exhaust. (There are some times when it is best NOT to announce your arrival!)

XMP Lthr Sun Visors Lighted Mirror.

Necessary for cabrios with other than a black interior. Helps to finish off the car appearance wise. They also dress up what is a fairly cheap part on an expensive car.

XMZ Rear Center Console - Leather.

I was somewhat disappointed that when you order "Full Leather Interior" it's more like this and that and not the full interior like it used to be. Needed to keep the nearby touch surfaces all the same,--but vastly overpriced,--but then, it is a Porsche.

XRR 19" Carrera Sport wheel.

I originally went iwth the Carrera Classic 19" wheels until Porsche came out with the Carrera 4 cars and this latest wheel that is 1/2 wider front and rear. As any 911 driver can tell you, the more rubber you have in back the better. Coupled with PCCBs, the clean up details should not be too great, considering that I went from essentially 5 spokes to 10.

XSB Sport Seat Backs in Leather.

Another one of those Porsche rip-offs. Painted to match the exterior with my car was just too much for me and to leave the ABS plastic on the massive backsides of the Adaptive seats in a sea of leather was unacceptable. They should be available at no charge in full leather,--when you order a full leather interior.

XTV Door Finishers Lthr.

Ditto. And why aren't these considered part of the leather material on the door? I think the customization process with Porsche has merely jacked up the price of everything now. But, it does look a tad better.

267 Self Dimming Mirrors.

Ordered to make sure I had a power source overhead for a radar detector installation. Somewhat handy at times but can always be turned off if too invasive. Should be included on a $100,000 auto.

342 Heated Front Seats.

A great feature even if it isn't cold outside! Their two-stages are enought to either deep heat you to the point of baking or just enough to keep you from getting chilled. Probably extends the season of the cabriolets with this.

451 Makassar Str Whl Multifctn.

The multifunction buttons are very handy for the radio and navigational controls. I kept reaching for buttons on my other cars after the 997 was taken away from me for transit to the USA. The wood? Just a personal thing. I wanted a little wood in my car just like the 911s had when they first came out. I believe you can overdo it with the wood. This is about right.

446 Wheel Caps w/Colored Crest.

Overpriced, but necessary to get the Carrera Sport wheels. I have no idea why they have to be necessary.


450 Ceramic Composite Brakes-PCCB.

One pricy option and clearly the highest one on the car. At $8150 it seems terribly high but when compared to 2-3 years ago when it was priced over $20,000 suddenly it doesn't seem so bad. I was looking for the gains from the lesser unsprung weight. It certainly makes the car handle with greater agility. A bonus is little to no dust, a plague that has been with sports car drivers for decades. The feel is first rate, right out of the factory. Firm, but with no squeel sounds; no gritty feel. Have I ever run out of brakes in ANY Porsche? Not quite. When racing my SC-Turbo many years ago in the heat of the summer I needed to bleed my front brakes to continue. I will ultimately put competition brake fluid in so as to make them fully bulletproof. I also believe, in time, that the production costs on these rotors will come down to something expensive, but not rediculously expensive. I don't plan to regularly track my car (it is a cabrio, after all).

482 TPMS.

Fortunately, this well designed feature moves to the standard column on the USA models for MY07 and beyond. I can't think of a better single safety feature than this for someone driving a car with 30 series tires. As road surfaces or conditions change I can quickly scan to see if the feedback I'm getting is from the road or from a tire going flat. Absolutely well executed and the display location is first rate, directly below the digital speedo on the tachometer.

498 Delete Model Designation.

Needed to get the painted model designation. Don't ask me why,--it's a Porsche thing.

509 Fire Extinguisher.

Finding a spot to put a fire extinguisher in a tight cockpit is tough enough,--let Porsche do it for you. It's inexpensive, and you don't have to hunt for a place,--particularly important today with the more complex seats.

550 Hard Top.

Considered to extend the life of the canvas top, if I'm going out into what will be rainy weather for several days. With the custom color, and the impossibility of buying one of these on the secondary market, it's relatively cheap to buy upfront.

640 Sport Chrono Package Plus.

This is becoming the Porsche debate of the model,--wort or no wort. I personally find the chrono a bit of a gimic that would not be something I use or need, but the remapping of the throttle response is highly beneficial. Some have said that it is more perception than reality. After all, you have 355 HP either way. I don't know, if I'm passing a car and things are tight on the highway, the last thing I need is some artificial hold back.

672 Extended Nav Module.

Highly useful for me, particularly in Europe. Having spent many years there, even I found this feature useful and a terrific time-saver. Coupled with their Europe-wide Traffic Advisory Service, it should be considered mission essential. We will see, within the USA. I do like the way I can mostly focus up the driving and leave the navigation to the DVD.

680 Bose High End Sound Package.

Not a great expert on stereo systems I can't justify one over the other, but chose the Bose over the base system.

692 Remote CD Changer.

Perhaps becoming increasingly outdated like the cassette deck of ten years ago or the 8-track, it is a handy way to keep from having to juggle CDs while driving. I wish the system could also handle MP3 loaded CDs like the single unit in the dash.

801 Makassar Package.

Again, a little wood is okay; too much is overkill. I had originally picked the center console to be Makassar as well, thinking it would be durable in a area that gets a lot of wear, but the dark color of the Makassar would have overwhelmed the natural brown leather interior. I'm glad I left it out and just have a few touches of it here and there.

TD5 Tourist Delivery.

If you have the time to spend a couple weeks or longer breaking in your car on the autobahns and other back primary roads of Europe give it some consideration. Porsche AG shows you a good time. It is a bit cheap on their part to charge for this service, as BMW and MB do this for nothing for their customers. But then, it's a Porsche. You come to expect that (a little for a lot). I includes one night's stay in a 5 star hotel with 5-course meal, and 2 weeks of licensing and insurance for the car. Additional insurance for an extended stay is grossly priced out of line with any other insurance company.

Hope this helps a bit.

 

Dude, awesome write-up... you're definitely in the Ronmart category in terms of detail. <g>

How many more days until the car arrives? I do imagine you're going a bit stir crazy, but that's to be expected at this point...

-don

 

since he can't drive it - he's writing about it!

that is a nice review dan!

not familiar with "CUC Painted Model Desig Rear Lid"
i guess the "carrera s" is painted the same color as the car?
and to get it you have to have delete model desig. as well?
that's no cost though isnt it?

jeff

 

Your option list is truly impressive. Thanks for the great write-up!

 

Stir crazy. That's me. Actually, I'm afraid I am probably bothering my salesman too much with "what vessel" and "what's the shipping manifest number" etc...

icon,--one of the least expensive options out of Porsche is to have the rear "Carrera" painted to match the car ($130) but it is combined with the Delete Model Desig according to the Porsche folks. I feel we advertise enough for Porsche as it is!

 

Stunning car, stunning writeup. Nice to have info like this to help all of us with our decisions.