MY05 Anyone Dislike The Drive Then

[daro911]

I know lots of you aren't in love with the "new" same old looks etc but has anyone had a test drive and found the new car a disappointment yet [&o]

Recap On My 1st Encounter in November
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Had a one hour+ test drive in the "S" and it was better than expected. Better for the following reasons in no particular order:-

1) It now sounds like a full blooded sports car from tickover upto the limited revs 4000, as car only had 100 miles on the clock, so my days of finding a suitable sports exhaust system are now done & dusted

2) Even though I am not having 19" Alloys the ride in normal mode on these rims was excellent. Once the sport button was pushed it was too choppy and firm for my liking & driving style, but I am sure the trackday boys or push on drivers will be suitably impressed

3) The power delivery and torque seem so much smoother & greater than the paper figures at first suggest. The new performance may not look that impressive in black & white but on the road they feel more than adequate (for now )

4) Gear change, clutch feel and steering all a big improvement over previous cars and after a 75 minute drive I am more convinced than ever that this is the best "Sports Car" Porsche has ever made and I have driven the 997"S"

5) New Sports Seat are extremely comfortable and extra space and adjustments makes the perfect driving position easy to achieve.

Detailing on interior, especially when having the full leather option, is the best I have ever seen from Porsche and the quality of materials used leave the competition standing.

Order has now been signed off, deposits been paid and now have to wait for the delivery date to roll around and the fun to begin again

 

[Dapster]

Got my S test drive booked for next Sat (my last one was cancelled as the rear spoiler was knackered). Will advise then. In the meantime I saw my first one on the road yesterday (having sat in a few at the OPC) - crossing Tower Bridge - black and quite dirty. I double took (taked?) as it did look very similar to the last one but somehow tighter and leaner.

Dilemma - do you go for the 19" Carreras? Evo and Car have said it ruins the ride and handling bit I think they look the danglies. That's what I'll be trying to establish on the drive.

 

[daro911]

ORIGINAL: Dapster

Dilemma - do you go for the 19" Carreras? Evo and Car have said it ruins the ride and handling bit I think they look the danglies. That's what I'll be trying to establish on the drive.

Have to agree with the journo's the 19" WITH PASM is a step backwards compared to a standard set up on 18". I was quite keen on the actual design of the 18" and equally put off by the price difference if upgrading to 19's[&o] Lets here your views after you have tested the water

 

[Yoda]

I have had quite a long drive in the new car and I thought it was fantastic. The car I drove was an S on 19's and had PASM and the ride quality was excellent, much better than my old S (2001 MY) on 17's. And I agree, the 19's look superb, makes the car.

Go for it!!

 

[Tool Pants]

I like the new cupholders.[]

 

[Dapster]

SHOCK HORROR!!! US car with manual box!

 

[thboxster]

I bet there are states in the US where that carries a penalty[]

All the S demonstrators seem to have 19" and PASM, so no surprise that was what I tested. I personally think the 19" look the biz but will settle for the 18" as I see/feel no real gain as mine won't be hurled round a track too often.

I think my only reservation was that I seemed to be constantly changing gear. 6 gears instead of 5 I guess means you will have to change more often as the're closer together. At least though when I change into 6th, as I seem to on a regular occasion, there will be a gear there.

I actually had my dealer on the phone yesterday, pleased as punch he was, as he could bring my build slot forward by 1 a month. Great, I said, but I don't want it then, I want it as per the dates we agreed before.

So there is an April build slot available for an S at Reading OPC.

 

[Guest]

ORIGINAL: Dapster

Dilemma - do you go for the 19" Carreras? Evo and Car have said it ruins the ride and handling bit I think they look the danglies. That's what I'll be trying to establish on the drive.

I suppose it depends on whether you buy the car primarily for its looks or how it goes and handles

 

[daro911]

ORIGINAL: Dapster

SHOCK HORROR!!! US car with manual box!

[]It will never catch on over there

 

[Dapster]

ORIGINAL: Cary Blackburn
I suppose it depends on whether you buy the car primarily for its looks or how it goes and handles

Exactly - up until now I was a staunch supporter of "unless it adds to the thrill of the drive, then don't order it". However, the big wheels look the biz and really fill the arches. If I could have justified the 2 grand at the time, I would have gone for 18" Sport Designs over my 17" Boxsters and I still look at other cars so equipped and think that they look cooler. I don't want to fork out 40 plus and end up feeling I could have had a better spec.

 

[Dapster]

Ok, so finally got my drive in the S on Saturday. Coming from a '01 (ie pre facelift) 2.7 I knew that it would be a totally different animal. In the last 3 months I've driven both a 3.6 996 and a 997 S (fab) so I was keen to see how the new car stacked up.

So, jumped into the manual 987 fully kitted with sports chrono plus, full leather and PCM, (all UK demonstrators have PASM and 19" Carreras as PCGB are really pushing the PASM apparently).

Through town I found the car very docile. Nice smooth ride, easy clutch and a nice "snickey" gearchange. The sound of the engine was pleasant; deeper than the 2.7. The ergonomics were fine, and the cabin felt a lot better finished "" no hard surfaces or shiny switches. The column stalks were lovely.

On the dual carriageway, it really came to life pulling relentlessly in each gear and making an absolutely ridiculous wail up to the change up point in each gear. Everything else on the road was going backwards and each time I glanced at the speed it was significantly faster than I imagined. The pedals were also much better, with a delightfully "technical" metallic clonk at the end of the travel of the clutch and throttle.

I then had a couple of miles on the A roads. The car was, as expected, beautifully planted, and the balance was still superb. My major gripe was over the steering which I found was too light and lacking in the meaty feel I had got used to in the 986. The sales guy said it was something a lot of those who had traded over from a 986 or 996 had noticed, but Porsche virgins had never mentioned it.

I found the ride on the 19" perfectly suited to the car "" firm but not crashy and the car went the way I pointed it and didn't seem to hunt around the cambers and grooves too much like the 18" shod 996 did. That they looked so great convinced me that they were the wheels to have.

The roads were a bit damp and I wasn't going to push it too far, so I can't really say more than that the fact that I was really impressed. Upon returning to the show room I requested a test drive plus where I can expect to lark about a bit in safety.

This test drive was never going to do anything except confirm my suspicion that the 987 is the best value car in the Porsche range, and the best sports car for the price on the market period. As such I had no hesitation in putting down a deposit and awaiting a delivery date in July/Aug. Provisional spec:

Arctic silver, black leather (partial)
Bose and wind def
Xenons
Sports seats
19" Carreras and coloured centres
Sports steering wheel
Climate control
£43,300 ish all in with maybe factory collection on top of that.

 

[daro911]

ORIGINAL: Dapster

Ok, so finally got my drive in the S on Saturday. Coming from a '01 (ie pre facelift) 2.7 I knew that it would be a totally different animal. In the last 3 months I've driven both a 3.6 996 and a 997 S (fab) so I was keen to see how the new car stacked up.

This test drive was never going to do anything except confirm my suspicion that the 987 is the best value car in the Porsche range, and the best sports car for the price on the market period. As such I had no hesitation in putting down a deposit and awaiting a delivery date in July/Aug

[8D]Interesting to see how the "S" stacks up against the SLK55 in next weeks Autocar test. I am sure that the best sports car money can buy tag will still be the 987's[]