Menu toggle

new spyder!

rob.kellock

rob.kellock

PCGB Honorary Member
Member
Just thought I'd say hello. I have just changed my 996 Carrera 4 for the new Spyder. I picked up the car in the sunshine on Sunday morning. The difference between old and new is chalk and cheese!

In white with sports bucket seats with silver Spyder alloys as standard, optional equipment comprises of sports exhaust, sports chrono, rear parking sensors, CD/radio, bluetooth mobile phone, coloured wheel centres and mats.

I have not done 100 miles in it yet but so far I am absolutely delighted. I am struggling to post pictures at the moment but wil put some up if I can.

I have driven a few Boxsters and Boxster S models over the years and have always enjoyed them but the Spyder is certainly very special to drive.

Hopefully you chaps will be as kind to me as those on the 996 forum have been, a never ending source of useful advice and information!

Best wishes.

9CFF0058C4734B15BB7F00EEDF98465B.jpg
 
Looks stunning, drives and handles fantastically and will no doubt bring a smile to your face with each mile driven ...enjoy its a fabulous piece of kit just like all the Boxsters are IMO [8D]

4705479599F04417948D3AEC3156A3EC.jpg
 
Hi Rob

Beautiful car, lucky devil, next time your in Bolton give us a ride!

I suppose i shouldn't complain my 'normal' Boxster is not exactly roughing it!!

Enjoy.
 
Many thanks.

I managed to take the car out for a lovely drive through the Trough of Bowland yesterday. I still haven't had to drive the car at all with the roof up [:D].

The Spyder really is a fantastic car to drive and the sports exhaust sounds brilliant. There is no noticeable performance loss from my 911 and if anything, the Spyder inspires more confidence handling wise.

I have taken the roof up and down half a dozen times and it is now a quick and seamless process. It takes about a minute and is easy to put back up on your own. I had to leave the car outside for a couple of nights last week whilst my new garage floor was drying out and can confirm that the hood was completely watertight. The roof procedure somehow adds to the charm of the car, it is quite nice to spend a minute putting the roof back on listening to the ticking of a hot car and smelling mechanical smells before washing off the dead flies and tucking her away! Whether I'll feel the same getting soaked at the roadside in a sudden downpour is another matter though...
 
Havn't seen much recently written on the forum about the Spyder.
Any feedback from new owners with a few miles under their belt on road and perhaps track with comparisons with say previously owned 911's or Boxter s's

John
 
Well I'm 600 miles into the new car but I haven't tracked it or been on the Silverstone experience yet.

The Spyder is certainly not so far removed from a 987 Boxster S as your 996 GT3RS is from my previous 996 Carrera 4!

The starting point is that compared to a Boxster, the Spyder is a compromised car by virtue of the roof. Putting it up and down is no great chore - I reckon that with Mrs K on board we can raise it quicker than an electric roof but once it is up and you start pressing on you can understand why Porsche say not to go above 124mph. On a (let's say private) road last weekend I discovered that with the roof up, wind noise becomes a serious factor at speeds where my 996 was just starting to come into its stride. Cruising at 85 -90 was just about ok but much above that and there is a fair old roar. It is however completely waterproof and has now been well tested. The upshot of this is when you can see 5 miles of empty undulating camera free dual carriageway opening ahead of you, you can't quite bury the throttle pedal the way you would not be able to resist in any recent 911 (or indeed a Boxster with a proper roof). Given that the only points I have ever had on my driving licence were for empty motorway transgressions in the 911, this is probably a good thing for me!

Roof down, sun shining, back on the A and B roads, sports exhaust on, there can be few finer driving experiences. I have driven a number of 987 Boxsters (both generation) and (first gen) Boxster Ss and the Spyder is basically the same (ie brilliant) but a bit better. It is a bit lighter, a bit more powerful, sits on sports suspension and you sit in bucket seats. It steers well, goes well, stops well and sounds great.

Having come from a Carrera 4, the Spyder is not quite as grippy, especially in the wet. In 600 miles, I have now twice had electronic intervention to keep the back end in line which is more than I had in 32000 miles in the 911. That I wasn't expecting it shows that either the electronics are a bit too keen (sports chrono was not in sports mode on either occasion) or, more likely, that the 4 wheel drive I had before was doing a bit more background work than I gave it credit for. I suppose that this is a good thing or a bad thing depending on your point of view. With the same 320bhp and modestly less weight than my old car, the Spyder is certainly no slouch.

One thing I hadn't factored in when I bought the car was that it is somewhat more "noticeable" than my last car. The Spyder is a real head turner and generally attracts attention even when parked. I have only received kind comments about it so far but if you are particularly shy you may need to bear this in mind!

Overall, I am very pleased with it. I think that Porsche have done enough to make a pretty special (and, indeed pretty) car - this is not just a marketing job with a tent for a roof - it is, in my unbiased opinion, greater than the sum of its parts.
 
You must log in or register to reply here.

Posts made and opinions expressed are those of the individual forum members

Use of the Forum is subject to the Terms and Conditions

Disclaimer

The opinions expressed on this site are not necessarily those of the Club, who shall have no liability in respect of them or the accuracy of the content. The Club assumes no responsibility for any effects arising from errors or omissions.

Porsche Club Great Britain gives no warranties, guarantees or assurances and makes no representations or recommendations regarding any goods or services advertised on this site. It is the responsibility of visitors to satisfy themselves that goods and/or services supplied by any advertiser are bona fide and in no instance can the Porsche Club Great Britain be held responsible.

When responding to advertisements please ensure that you satisfy yourself of any applicable call charges on numbers not prefixed by usual "landline" STD Codes. Information can be obtained from the operator or the white pages. Before giving out ANY information regarding cars, or any other items for sale, please satisfy yourself that any potential purchaser is bona fide.

Directors of the Board of Porsche Club GB, Club Office Staff, Register Secretaries and Regional Organisers are often requested by Club members to provide information on matters connected with their cars and other matters referred to in the Club Rules. Such information, advice and assistance provided by such persons is given in good faith and is based on the personal experience and knowledge of the individual concerned.

Neither Porsche Club GB, nor any of the aforementioned, shall be under any liability in respect of any such information, advice or assistance given to members. Members are advised to consult qualified specialists for information, advice and assistance on matters connected with their cars at all times.

Porsche
Lockton
Pirelli
Officially approved
Oracle Finance
WEX Esso
Collecting Cars
Archant Dialogue
Back
Top