Hi City Dwellers,

How are you finding your 997 suspension has held up over the miles? I hate SF roads and sometimes I feel like my suspension is loosening up. I'm pretty sure it's just psychological but I just feel like my car spends so much time on bumpy roads and I worry about how the suspension will hold up long term. Though I'm careful and have not hit any potholes hard. I have only 14K miles on the car.

Just curious about the durability of our suspensions. At the end of the day, I have to think that the components are robust enough to withstand these roads, but who knows.

 

Your suspension will slump naturally over the first 12,000 miles or so, then it's time for a geo alignment and all will be well again. Suggest you repeat once a year and any worn components can be identified by the specialist as the same time.

 

I'm driving in and around NYC daily and driving 400 miles round to boston once a week. I've put about 35k miles on my c2 with the PASM suspsension option. No ill effects yet. I did have the dealer do a control arm link in the front and the steering shaft (clicking in the universal) under CPO when I first bought the car but I think that was due to a prev owner hitting a curb lightly (small dent in the wheel when i bought it- dealer traded out wheels). But since that, I've felt the suspension loosen up ever so slightly but everything is still tight. Of course I've had an alignment when I had new tires.

Much much better than my e34 BMW. I was changing front suspension components on that car every 20-30k miles. I finally cut over to urethan bushings on the control arms and thrust arms which did help.

 

403, urban and/or highway driving is not hard on your suspension compared to what I've been doing with my car. I track at Sebring...the roughest track around and after 22k miles well over 1/2 on the track my suspension is fine, nothing worn out yet.

You've got 50-60 maybe 70k miles of just city and highway driving you can do on a stock suspension.

 

I have 52K miles with plenty of awful roads and potholes and I haven't noticed anything that would make me think I need address my suspension. Still rides the same as when I bought it with 17K miles as far as I can detect.

 

Porsche tightened up the 997 suspension significantly over that of the 996 when they made the 19 inch wheel a standard size for the 997. (They found that the 996 suspensions were literally beating themselves to failure). Porsche AG attempted to reuse (economy of scale) the 996 suspension to the maximum extent possible but reluctantly had to reengineer it entirely because of the added stress and weight. It's been rock solid for me so far (nearly 60,000 miles on my MY06 car). After tire replacements I always have the alignment checked and find it still spot on--within spec.

 

Sometimes the car feels like there isn't any shocks in my cab 4 and I worry too about the suspension. I try to avoid any kind of imperfections in the road be it lower sewer covers, pot holes or just pavement that is broken badly. But I will tell you, on a well paved road my steering is spot on. I've even driven it fairly fast without my hands on the wheel it's so straight and firm...not for long but it's that straight. I have 51,000 miles on mine.

 

It's a real sports car, it's suppose to ride stiff...or a lot stiffer than a Lexus crusier.

Also some of the hardness some of you might be feeling is the tires...new, brand new tires always ride softer.

 

REALLY? THANKS. I DIDN'T KNOW THAT.

 

not sure you and I agree what it would feel like if there were no shocks. shock absorbers are actually not well-named

what are you describing?

no shocks would mean uncontrolled compression and rebound, as though the car was riding on slinkies. is that what you are feeling?

 

Keep in mind that the cabriolet suspensions are tuned significantly different than the coupes. If you think the cabs are stiff--try a coupe.

 

Well now ya do...!

 

I live in sf but think it idea great. I just don't turn on the pasm or ill have to stop and take a ****.

10k miles all seems good.

 

85,000 miles now on my daily driver and all suspension components are holding up well. bushings are not deteriorating and dampers continue to feel tight and rebound is stiff.

i did, however, add an upper strut brace which has buttoned up the front end nicely over continuous road irregularities and undulations.

many suggest the front brace is a waste of money on the 997 due to its built in triangulated tie bar but i can tell you this inexpensive add on will make a difference on higher mileage examples.

 

MY05 997 Carrera no PASM.
53k miles mixed urban + highway.
Drove from South Bay to Berkeley and back with my friend and as we went 880 South on the way back he said
"Boy does your car have *any* suspension at all?"
and this guy is quite used to sports cars.
Makes me wonder if I should consider sinking in $$$ on Bilstein PSS10 and any fellow members have any experience how much $$ get it installed?
thanks!