I'm seriously considering the purchase of a loaded 2005 997S Cab (black on black), and wondered what Cab-owner's experiences have been with theirs, such as convertible top mechanics, material maintenance, etc. Does anyone regret having purchased a Cab rather than a coupe, and why?

 

I just bought a 997 C4S CAB, after owning a 997 Turbo and C4. Nothing compares to the Turbo, but I sold that because it was Tiptronic. The CAB is fun, inspires you to live and enjoy life at all speeds with the sun on your face and wind in your hair. My wife and I are going places we would not in the coupes just to enjoy the day with top down. Mine is new so I can't speak of problems or maintenance, but it is under warranty. My dealer told me that there was no maintenance on the top, but then again I bought 4 Porsches from him in the past 10 months and he knows he'll sell me another 997 long before mine has any blemish on it. If anyone does know of maintenance on the top I would like to know too. I have no regrets about the cab. Now I know why people buy them, it's like a vacation every time you get into it. You live in the OC, what a great place to get the most out of a CAB.

 

I went from a 2005 c2 coupe to a 2006 cab s after a year because I missed the fun of driving with the top down (previously had a 99 Boxster). I have not had any issues and the top is easy to use and maintain (i.e. no plastic window or manual latches). There is nothing like driving on a curvy two lane in warm weather feeling the sun and wind and hearing the sport exhaust burbling in the backround - a true sports car experience. I think that driving with the top down makes the car feel more alive; I always felt a bit isolated in the coupe and the sunroof was a poor substitute. My only regret is that I don't live in a friendlier climate where I could go top down 365 days a year. I love my cab and wouldn't change it for anything else.

 

you will love it!

 

I bought mine new last year and have put 17,000+ miles on it (although not acquired as such, it turned into my daily driver). Although it often had to spend several hours a day in the parking lot in the 100+ degree Louisiana sun (and quite often in pouring rain, too), the top still looks as good as on the day I bought it. The only care my top gets is the removal of the occasional bird dropping.

I think I have opened or closed the top multiple times on almost every single day since I bought it and had only one small problem once (which was resolved in 30 seconds after posting it in this forum - the rear window did not fully come up).

So, really, no issues concerning the mechanisms or maintenance of the top, and I completely and fully love my convertible.

The only reason why I might switch to a coupe is that on most days, it simply is too hot in Lousiana to drive top down. So I'm considering getting a TT and a smaller convertible for those times (evenings) that I would like to drive top down. But that won't happen until 2008 and until then I will continue to thoroughly enjoy the convertible.

 

You will not regret it. Get the cab.

 

my cab is perfect in every way - would not own a porsche that wasnt a cab

 

You will love it!!
That said, I have experienced 2 minor annoyances with mine that have never been "dealer resolved" to any consistent degree.

1/ With the top is down, I sometimes get a beep followed by an error message saying "the top is not fully down and locked"...... when it is!!

2/ There's a very annoying creaking noise just over drivers left shoulder at the top of the door jam with the top down... Especially on warm days.... (when the top is most likely to be down )

 

I have never owned a Porsche coupe, so I couldn't give a comparison. However, I can say I really enjoy the cab. You hear the roar of the engine, and to me, driving feels much more engaging. Even on colder days, with the windscreen and the side windows up, the car is very comfortable. I also think the top is well made and has very good insulation. I've driven the car with the top up on cold days and the top insulates exterior and wind noise well, and feels well insulated. Installing the SmartTop is also a very good idea.

 

I own a Cabriolet 2006 S and it is a very fun car. I can take it to Sebring for a track day and run it like I'm racing and drive home and take my wife with the top down to the beach for dinner.

 

It took me almost 25 years to get over my previous ownership experience of a cab (a very rusty Triumph Spitfire held together by wire and duct tape taken in exchange for a debt that couldn't be repaid). I swore (frequently and loudly while I owned the Spitfire) that I would NEVER own another cab. And then I drove a friend's 993 Cab, someone else's 325i Cab and an M3 Cab. After that getting rid of my coupe was the easy part and a decision which I've never regretted. On a sunny day in Chicago with the temp around 40F you can still enjoy driving with the top down. I've even driven it in the snow with the top down.

I've only had one tiny problem so far with a rear side window not going all the way up when putting the top up. It took the tech 5 minutes to fix.

My next car will be a cab for certain, whatever and whenever that will be.

 

I finally bought a cabriolet for the first time. This is my fourth Porsche. The 997 Cabriolets are first rate with little to no flexing even in the most severe of roads. Definitely order a SmartTop for it (allows a lot more options with respect to opening and lowering the top remotely, etc.). Visibility is pretty good with the rear window but the side quarter windows are not too useful fo backing. Sometimes it is just easier to lower the top for better visibility when backing.

It's a completely fun car! You can have the top open and yet not get blown around,--the wind screen comes with the car. I also have the hardtop for mine in case I get homesick for a coupe.

Exercising it a lot so that if anyone experiences a breakage in the top mechanism it should be me. Order the car with the heated seats!

 

The rear windows on my 07 C4S Cab are not coming all the way up when I put the top up. A couple of people have mentioned this problem above. What is the fix and can I do it myself?

 

Drove Laguna Seca Raceway with the top down and sport exhaust on. Nothing like it. It's not exactly quiet when the top is up, but the coupe isn't all that quiet either. While I prefer the look of the coupe, when I take the car out on a warm summer day or night, I'm always glad i got the cab.

 

Mine did the same thing initially for a bit (right side mostly). The rick is for the system to 'learn' how high the windows need to go. Make sure that you run them all the way down periodically so that the car learns where the Full Bottom position is. I never had to take the car in for adjustment. It will self correct soon.