Gotta New Motor Mate?

[Tiller]

Congrats on the GTS Clive, great colour combo. I was going night blue and natural leather on my TPP until the SE talked me out of it. "don’t expect us to buy that back" but what do they know!!! It looks fantastic.

I’m sure you’ll enjoy using the engine rpm more in the petrol than the SD. May miss the low down torque and mpg though.
Think you’ll enjoy the chassis tweaks over the Gen 1.
Lockdown will give you time throughly digest the manual and get used to the new PCM!
Happy motoring to you both,
Rob

 

[Lancerlot]

Hi Rob,

Thanks for your kind comments. TBH I've had some really positive feedback on the colour combo so far - admittedly from friends, relatives and people expecting to receive money from me [8|] - so maybe a bit of buttering it up comes into it too! []

However, the fact the Porsche Centre was prepared to call off the deal encourages me to believe there was confidence to sell it on elsewhere, if necessary.

Anyway, it was Judy's choice - and she's always right! []

Regards,

Clive

 

[tscaptain]

Anyway, it was Judy's choice - and she's always right! []

I think that something most of us can relate to...[]

 

[Lancerlot]

Well a week on from handover and we're now in lockdown again! []

I did manage my trip to Dorset, but this turned out to be 400 miles in all as I was required to revisit my Porsche Centre to activate the VTS that had been forgotten prior to collection. A first aid kit, not found in the car at the time, was also produced. There was a struggle to get the wireless Apple Carplay going, but this was probably due to my phone battery being so low it was not supplying sufficient oomph to push the signal through.

The Centre was out of stock of their Porsche £25 a-go lightening to USB-C charging cable, so I bought one down the road at the Iphone store for £19. When I got home, I discovered I could order one online for 5-10 quid. []

Had to contact Vodafone myself to get the Car Connect app up and running, but I now have remote access to my motor - always a bit of a marvel in technology to an old boy like me. [] So far I've received nothing on Porsche Assistance. Does this come in the post or something? At one time, we used to get a leaflet and a credit card sized piece of plastic with the contacts on. I'm told I should be getting an invitation to a presentation to learn all about the ins and outs of the PCM, so I'll be waiting with bated breath.
Managed to programme Homelink to my electronic entrance gates surprisingly easily, but all attempts to get the garage doors working have so far failed and not much help from either the door manufacture, installer or PC so far. For the moment, I've just blue-tacked one of the original remote controls to the inside of the storage bin in the centre console, but would be delighted to hear from anyone able to help me out with this ongoing problem.

As far as the driving is concerned, the car certainly has some grunt. First kickdown in normal mode was hilarious and rather took me by surprise. Initial turbo lag combines with PDK dropping a couple gears and then 380bhp suddenly launching the car away. I suspect sport mode might be a bit better for this operation. Actually, the lag had been quite noticeable in normal mode on several occasions during my journey. I'd become used to plenty of lowdown torque on the previous model, so I'm going to have to adopt a slightly different driving style - I've yet to try the boost button on the steering wheel.

Chassis is an improvement with a better front end, turn in and reduction in understeer - being lower and stiffer certainly helps. Cruising, it is quieter than in the diesel version, but I'm still getting used to the occasional roar and spit from the sports exhaust. It's not something I would have spec'd from choice, but maybe it will re-awaken the boy racer in me! []

Unfortunately, there won't now be much driving for pleasure for at least a month now during the lockdown, so I'd better break out the Ctek. On the other hand someone suggested putting a packet of cornflakes in the boot and then cracking on you're only going for essential supplies.

Regards,

Clive

 

[AndrewCS]

Porsche Assistance does come posted, in a week or two ... and as you say the card and leaflet

Thanks for the feedback

 

[Brian_Innes]

Clive,
Regarding the steering wheel dial Sport Response button. I my opinion this feature is nothing else but a gimmick and has no place on an intelligently driven Porsche.

Overtaking on single carriageway roads, is a manoeuvre best taken with attentive consideration of the traffic and road conditions at the time. The intelligent driver will have already anticipated the overtaking opportunity, pre-selected the appropriate gear for the occasion, and when safe to do so apply mirror, signal, manoeuvre, and overtake the obstruction firmly and decisively, with minimal time spent on the opposite side of the carriageway. If oncoming traffic has made the overtake tight, it should not have been attempted in the first place.

The Sport Response Button is a feature I have only used once in my life, despite it being a feature on both my 718 Caymans and currently also on my Macan. The one occasion was at PEC when on a 718 Cayman S course.

In my opinion, using the Sport Response Button for an overtaking manoeuvre as an example, could result in a relatively safe driving action becoming unnecessarily alarming. Sport Response effectively switches the engine and gearbox mapping into instant Sports Plus mode. The sudden, ferocious application of engine power and screaming revs to the red line, is unsettling to car, the driver, passengers, and also the vehicle being overtaken. This is alluded to in the Driver's Handbook where the use of the Sport Response button comes with a warning that the sudden application of maximum boost combined with the immediate selection of a lower gear, may cause the driver to lose control of the vehicle. I fail to see the point of it. I place it in the same bin as Launch Control, a feature perhaps best used only once.

In my driving experience with Porsches, I have yet to find an occasion either on the public road or the race track where the Sport Response feature offers any conceivable advantage to a given situation that cannot better be applied by the driver alone.

Having got that rant off my chest, I wish you many happy miles with your Macan GTS, arguably the best model in the Macan range, and hopefully the lockdown weeks will pass by quickly so you'll get out and about again to further your enjoyment with your new motor.

Brian