aggie57

For three reasons:

- The car is low relative to others on the road. Their lights always shine brightly even on low beam.
- The standard non-dimming mirror is crap quality. Every time you switch it you wonder what else they cut corners on.
- Without it the external mirrors cannot be "dipped". I hear what you're saying about that but personally I'm OK with it for reason #1.

I've owned an 08 997.1 without and now have an 09 997.2 with, plus our BMW X3 comes with it standard, and would always have it given the choice.

stevepow

PDK doesn't ruin the car - its just not for everyone. I reckon any option that one laments could ruin the car for that person - just a lamentable personal choice, not necessarily a bad option.

Like memory seats - some think no way, but if you share a car with another driver, then you think "gotta have 'em".

There are plenty of options that I think "huh?" Like full leather - is it a sports car, a luxury car, or a shoe? Maybe a leather dash holds up over time better than I imagine - looks great new, that's for sure - just seems like more to worry about.

The best option is to have options I guess.

triode

My 996 is super low (4 5/8" at front lip), so I'm aware of the "blinded by SUV at stoplight" effect...but then I just flip the manual switch at the rear view mirror's bottom, like in the old days. We are getting too soft in this country!

OCBen

I don't believe old cars like yours had the self-dimming mirrors option.

It's not just the rear mirror inside the cabin that dims, but the outside side mirrors too that also pick up a lot of glare, especially the driver's side mirror. Flipping the manual switch does nothing for them.

Sands

Essential? Hell no! Downright dangerous.

todd.

Wish I got:
- Full leather
- Sports seats
- NAV

Waste of money:
- PDK
- XM Radio
- Bose High End Sound Package
- Heated Steering Wheel
- Pwr Comfort Seats w/Driver Mem

jk335

Love the last part of this post. SO true.

Bob Rouleau

My options were all performance oriented except XM radio. Bose is standard on my car in Canada. The only one I regret is dynamic cornering lights. Don't do much for the money. I did not order self dimming mirrors, I much prefer the old manual flip switch. I love PDK and the wart was necessary to derive all the benefits of PDK. I can live with it.

_Nathan

Likewise, I got the full leather and rear center console in leather but failed to get the storage lid in leather. It looks okay but would look better with the matching stitching on the storage lid.

If I wanted to be surrounded by plastic I would have bought a Corvette.

stevepow

Corvette has better plastic - who knew? Have to check that out.

Bijan

The bitter option "Down Under" is that with all the taxes we pay an on road cost of about US $ 200k for a Carrera S.

It does however come as standard with:
Power seats with memory
PCM with Navigation and iPod connection
Bose high end sound
Self dimming mirror
Rear wiper
Sun roof, is this normally standard?
Rear park aid, is this standard?
Visors have lighted mirrors
Bi Xenon lights
PASM standard on Carrera S and extra 10 mm lower

The options I chose was PDK and Sports Chrono Plus
Is LSD worthwhile for those that have it?

vigilante architect

I'm really happy with the options I selected but I am starting to question the self-dim mirrors a little. I didn't even look at the standard rear view mirror, does it look bad, would anyone have a picture? You guys have me feeling a little lazy and duped that I'd spend over $400 to avoid flipping a switch and might now have less night visibility.

THPorsche

should have ordered:
PTS orange (Speed Yellow wasn't bad)
Heated seats

Adam2S

Dynamic lights - maybe its that they are so good you cant even tell they are fitted, but never the less you cant even tell they are fitted! Better the cash in your pocket.

Cruise isnt standard in the UK - maybe it is in the US? Anyway personal choice this one I just dont use it enough to justify the expense (the car was pre-built new on the lot)

PDK is the thing I most hate about the car. Ironically it was the whole reason I traded up from my 997.1 man as I thought from my limited test drive that it was going to be as good as the BMW SMG system I had owned for 4 years and loved. Wrong, it is not a sequential at all, its just an automatic. It maybe the best auto on the market but its still a slushmatic and driving it round town is just a horrible experience with no feedback or involvement. Anyway there are plenty of other PDK threads so Ill leave it there but suffice to say I wish I had my old 997.1 manual back - hence I have a GT3.2 on order now to restore the sanity! I passionately loved my 997.1 - it was perfect. I cant wait to get rid of the PDK 997.2!

As an aside the top 5 must have features on my list would be :

1. PSE
2. Aerokit
3. BOSE
4. Ipod integration
5. Auto Wipers / Self Dimming mirrors

(ironically my current car only has no3 and no4 - more reasons I dont like it!)

boolala

I took my car off the lot. It was as close to a impulse buy as I've ever had. And it's a pretty base(ic) car.

Things I like about the car 1) tiptronic other than PDK (which wasn't available) I wouldn't have it any other way 2) heated seats (mandatory in the midwest)

Things I would order in the future 1) self-dimming mirrors (didn't like them initially in my Benz but now that I don't have them in the 911 I really miss them 2) electric seats (after months of finding the perfect seating position someone else drives the car and I'm back to square one 3) full leather interior (the dash looks ridiculously cheap without it) 4) sport exhaust (not essential but a nice touch) 5) NAV (use it occasionally and as bad as the built in NAV is compared to a hand-held garmin it makes as little sense hanging one of those on the windshiled as it does a POS V1 on a 100 K car) 6) virtually any color other than silver or yellow.

Bose high end is OK (better than stock) but only worth it if you actually listen to the radio or CDs (which I don't--but when I do it's nice). Will probably delete it next time around.