manhatton

Just signed up and searched the night away....I may be more confused now than before.

I'll give a TL;DR now: Cold weather cylinder scoring on these V8s has me freaked out.


There are a few of things I haven't fully sorted out that are purely opinion based (MT/AT, PDCC, PCM 2/3, NA/FI) but the big show stopper tonight was the cold weather scoring stories. ---> https://rennlist.com/forums/porsche-...placement.html

If I've read correctly, where there is no ticking or excessive oil consumption, the only way to detect any scoring is to come up from the bottom end with a 'scope to see what's below the rings. That is not happening in any PPI I plan on paying for.

A few years back we purchased a B7 S4, so while we clearly don't run from risk this seems like a tough one to calculate. I do wonder if this is similar to that platform though, where horror stories of a minority can cause panic.

manhatton

Otherwise, we'd like a 09 GTS 6MT, though we haven't been able to drive one. I'm heading out this weekend to drive a GTS, Turbo, and Turbo S. Some with PDCC some without, some 08 & 09 to get accustomed to PCM 2 & 3. There is only one manual nearby and it's a base model, but I would like to see what I feels like. I suppose there is a chance that we succumb to Turbo power that will make things a bit easier.

nodoors

It is a risk you have to take. There is not an easy way to tell how much oil it is consuming until you drive it for a number of miles. Most of them consume more than any car should, LOL. Just take the plunge and don't worry about it. You will probably fine... :-)

Wisconsin Joe

Cold weather cylinder scoring has mostly been a problem on the 955s. There have been a few 957s, but (based on what I've read on here), nowhere near as bad.

Also, keep in mind that any problem is magnified here on the forums. Outside of a few weirdos, most people come on here to address problems. Compare the "I have this problem" threads to the "I love my P!g" threads.

v10rick

Your choice between a M/T GTS and the others will be influenced buy your driving style. 1st gear is a creeper, some start in second gear but I have never done that.

6th gear is low as well, at 70 mph engine rpm is close to 3K. The advantage is there is plenty of power to climb hills without downshifting.

If you are mostly a city driver with a lot of stop and go traffic MT is not for you. I live in the country, very little shifting required. Most times I do not row through every gear, takes 3 shifts to 6th gear.

Sport exhaust is standard on the GTS. It is activated by the sport mode button which also changes engine mapping and suspension settings. There is a quick and cheap mod for always on sport exhaust, without the sport mode. If you decide on the GTS we will explain how its done.

If cylinder scoring is a major concern shop for a later year that is CPO.
You will pay a lot more, which is the price for piece of mind.

manhatton

Making the jump from the Audi forums, I'm used to that! I agree, there has been higher reporting of 955s, but as the thread I linked grows older in age the 957 reports grow with it. The are a few good shops around here (cold climate) that I'll check in with to see what their experience has been.

I've read about the low first, but not sixth yet. I made some funny faces reading all the"second starters", not sure how I feel about that.

We have a heavier bodied manual now, but I can only imagine this is a big difference. Any ideas how closely the base model manual would compare to the GTS? Clutch feel, throw? I guess I should compare the gear ratios...

Yes! The sport mode vacuum plug! A must do mod!

As I'm sure you know, finding these is tough already and with their age, I doubt there are any CPOs in existence. I've heard that extended warranties have been obtained on GTS models but that Turbos were a hard no.

RT930turbo

As someone who has dealt with cylinder scoring on a 957 Turbo, I would still agree it's still a relatively rare occurrence.

I would not let it scare me away from another one. You just have to decide if it's worth taking the risk...I would argue it is!

manhatton

This is the PDCC equipped GTS MT I'm looking at.

Any correlation with the elements causing failures with that system?

I'm also in as salt using area, so I'll be adding rust along the way...

nodoors

Don't buy that car!

manhatton

Haha, yeah this was a death nail. I just got these pics today, took them a while to send them (I can see why?). Throw in the PCM 2, badly applied touch up paint, 4 owners in under 50k, .......it's a nope.

Question remains with the PDCC components... Subject to failure in harsh climates?

prosled8

I do not see the PDCC as a liability. My '08 CTT started life in Chicago, spent a few years there and then moved to Denver and has been in Colorado since 2012. My PDCC works perfectly. It does appear the lines to the swaybar motor have been updated to thee stainless sleeved type. I think the earlier ones were rubber and were prone to failure. I think the one expensive salt belt induced repair may have been the rusted downpipes done by the dealer I bought it from for emissions compliance.

Thankfully mine is much cleaner than the one pictured with scant evidence of having live in a salty place.

ventoGT

Def drive the GTS manual vs a CTT. If you are looking for manuals, they are way way less plentiful and you will likely have to be flexible about location, color, mileage, etc. I think once you drive a CTT vs the manual you'll quickly know what you are looking for. I'm a big 3 pedal guy, but Turbo or bust on a Cayenne for me.

manhatton

​​​​​​I'm doubtful I'll get to drive the MT GTS anywhere local, unless I can be more patient. If the base manual feels weird, that'll be that I think.

I'm not 100% clear on acronyms... CTT is the Turbo, CTS is Turbo S, CS is S?

ventoGT

CTT=Twin Turbo CTTS=Twin Turbo S CS=Cayenne S GTS=GTS

As an aside, it helps to put your location in under your user profile ["User CP" in the menu bar at top] so that people local to you can provide extra help

rebrewer

FWIW, I drove a GTS first and was a bit disappointed in performance. I figured with 405hp (or whatever it had) it would be pretty quick. Foolish of me not to consider the weight of these in my mental expectation calcs. Anyway, drove a Turbo and that was it. Bought my '08. The only downside to the Turbo was the sound. Just too quiet for me compared to the GTS. A TechArt exhaust system took care of that.