Crazy Eddie

Honestly I don't think a lot of the people ordering this are doing it for the track app ... They are doing it for the looks...
I know its crazy but I think its true
I know that's why I ordered it ...
Most track guys say it sucks and Harry's is much better ... but for me I just didn't want to see the stupid hazard switch sitting there in the middle of the dash
WTF when did that become so important that its in the middle of the dash !!!

arena-RTR

Hazards are very important: How else do you let everyone know that you won the drag race!?!?


I have been very pleased with Harry's Lap timer. I was worried it would be complicated and buggy, but didn't have any problems at all my first time using it... ....With the timer at least- my driving was another issue altogether...

jphughan

I actually don't mind the more naked dash look, but having done more research on this thing, my issue now with the stopwatch/clock is that it only gives you a choice between two less than ideal options:

1. Keep it frozen when not lapping, in which case it's useless 99% of the time, and the absurdity of having something you never use outweighs the dash aesthetics IMHO. I can just see the askance looks from passengers when I explain it to them, even if I don't tell them what it cost.

2. Set it to act as a clock when not lapping, causing that huge chronograph hand to act as a second hand. Having watched a video of this, I think having a hand that large constantly moving each second would be more annoying than having a more naked dash, particularly when there are clocks in the instrument cluster and CDR/PCM display. Porsches that come standard with that clock use the large hand as a minute hand, which I think would look quite nice, but optioning Sport Chrono turns it into a permanent second hand.

I also find it inexcusable that the lapping function requires the driver to manually mark each new lap rather than marking Start/Finish once and using GPS from then on (with PCM-equipped cars, of course). Instead, Porsche offers an added-cost lap trigger solution that you would somehow have to install at the track. That human factor makes for inconsistent timing, and good drivers need more accuracy than that when testing different lines. A few tenths of human inaccuracy is a big difference in that context, so this thing IMHO fails even in its design purpose.

switchface

I know with my S4, I was able to use VAG-COM to make various changes (ex: windows/sunroof close when I hold the lock button on the key fob). Do you think this can be updated via dealer 'fix/tune' or aftermarkety tweak?

jphughan

I actually code BMWs right now, and since that's unlocked all kinds of cool stuff on my M3, I've naturally been looking into what's available on the 981 platform -- and the answer is pretty bleak. First, VAG-COM doesn't work on Porsches even though they're under the VW umbrella. To code Porsches, your options are either the dealer PIWIS setup (over $10K before adding the annual maintenance/support fees) or the Durametric cable, which is cheaper, but you need the most expensive option to do coding rather than just use the more basic features, which costs ~$700.

But it gets worse: The Durametric cable does not currently support any coding on the 981. As for PIWIS, it seems the only options that can be coded on US cars are opening and closing the windows with the fob, and disabling the horn when the car is locked. The latter apparently sounds like Road Runner since Porsche didn't bother to fit 981s with an electronic chirp function. I like an audible confirmation that the car is totally locked in case a door/hatch is open, but a horn sound might annoy me, not to mention people around me, especially if it sounds cheap. Apparently it's possible to code other options and they're visible in PIWIS, but they're grayed out because those features are blocked in certain regions for regulatory/liability reasons, and PIWIS respects those restrictions. Being able to open and close the top of a Boxster in the US is an example of one such blocked feature.

But it gets worse: I'm reading threads that indicate that somewhere in the 2014 model year, ALL coding changes were blocked, at least using PIWIS. So I'm not optimistic about customization prospects.

bigkraig

Look for a local aftermarket tuner shop, they should have a PIWIS and can check these things out. My local dealer wouldn't disable the thorax airbags on my GT3 but House Motorsports just knocked it out, no problem.

There was a long list of things in the PIWIS that could potentially be modified, i'm sure the 981 is the same.

switchface

That's frustrating jp, so much for that idea. I was hoping for some type of tweaking ability - I can't tell you how many times I locked my Cayman S only to realize the hatch had accidentally popped open.

Nur93

The app start and finish every lap automatically so why bother to use the manually clock For that. Track app is 100% correct in laptimes, when on vbox-sport gps 20hz devic. Whit out it its just as crap as Harrys without gps reciver 10-20hz device.

Nur93

Harrys without a 10-20hz gps reciver Will accually neve be accurate. Gps positions is more like in the range of 30-50+m off, hence speeds are lagging all lap around and one can hardly make valid readout from a Harry film With out gps reciver. As Well it start and stop lap avcordligly to the bad gps positining 30-50m of, hence Will never give accurate laptimes. Same on Porsche app, but they work fine if 10-20hz gps update reciver.

mooty

now we need consensus on buying a clock!

it does nothing
the movement is cheap
it's fugly
but that's me

you have to decide if you like it.
if you do, then go for it.
if you dont like it, then skip it.

i dont ask my friends if they like redheads, blondes or brunettes.

Crazy Eddie

LOL
Your late to the party bud !!
The decision has been made long ago. The last new Porsche I bought was 27 yrs ago. I really didn't want to buy a car, where I felt like I skimped on...
Besides I had to buy at least one option that had very little useful purpose other than looking good ! My build, I think was pretty conservative... Sadly the LWBS were not a option, so that was a bit of a bummer, I figured I would treat myself ...
I will admit, I went for the Sport Chrono simply because of how it looked ..
Honestly, I really don't think its fugly, but beauty is in the eye of the beholder...
Best regards
Ed

Dyim

This is my take on Porsche options:

If in doubt, get it!!

You are spending 100k on a car. What's another 2k? It is not like that 2k will delay your retirement.

YOLO.

number 9

So what credence should we give to the owners manual statement about dynamic engine mounts only w/ sc? There's another thread on this started yesterday by Matttheboatman and while I see Ed, Mooty, Nur93, arena, etc. with recent posts here I am confident that you guys should know what the real deal is. Configurator, US brochure, and now the owners manual are all contradictory in a lot of areas. Crazy that engine mounts wouldn't be standard on this car IMO.

jphughan

I give it zero credence. It looks like it was copy/pasted from the regular Cayman manual, where dynamic mounts ARE part of the Sport Chrono package. But consider that every other performance feature available on the GT4 (LSD, PTV, PASM, PSE sort of) is standard, except PCCB because they're another story -- so why would Porsche choose to make this one feature optional? Ironically it would actually justify the asking price of this option though.

Crazy Eddie

What John said. I texted my dealer yesterday and he confirmed that the car comes standard with dynamic engine mount that's not something that comes the sports Chrono. Sports chrono is only his lap timer SW and o'clock.
Regards
Ed