PASM - Yes or No?

[adrian996]

I'm thinking of changing my 996(C2) for a 997(C2). Done months of research and may have found a used one that I like. The only thing is, it has PASM which is not something that I really wanted as I've heard and read (on this forum) conflicting opinions about it. Some saying it's too hard when on and too soft when off.
The trouble is, my current 996 has 10mm lowered sports suspension (which is pretty firm) and I've never driven a 911 with 'normal' suspension, so may find it hard to compare. I haven't driven this 997 that I'm interested in yet. Any thoughts would be gratefully received.

 

[Chris5150]

I bought a 997 C4S with the 20mm lowered sports suspension, and therefore no PASM, and I find it is fine for everyday driving, I do have the adaptive sports seats too, so maybe they provide a little more cushioning than the standard ones.
Having read the threads on here about the PASM being too soft or too hard, I think you should have a test drive in one like mine before you buy one, only you can judge the ride comfort you would like..best of luck

 

[Bull996]

I own a C2 with the sports chassis.I recentley used a 997 C2S from OPC for 24 hours and it had PASM. I have to agree with others..off it was too soft and on too hard. I thought mine was hard with it sports chassis and 18 inch wheel but this was different-not to my liking at all. It just seemed to bounce along somehow. Consequently I actually had it in soft mode nearly all the time. The whole car was a tad dissapointing all round.I thought it would go like stink but it seemed exactly the same as mine,which is odd as it is a 3.8. As said above, you will have to drive it yourself. This is just my opinion after all!

 

[garyw]

Obviously I must be getting old [:'(] I actually found the off setting quite nice to travel with, made it quite a GT cruiser (which is partially what I was after.) It also made the suspension non crashy over rough roads. Yes it is softer than the 996 on sports suspension but I found with the 'on' setting it to be a similar setup to the sports suspension.
again just my opinion.

garyw

 

[Alex L]

Yes, PASM in Sport mode is typically too hard for public roads.

PASM in Normal mode though I would not say is too soft. I would say it's just about right for GT trips.

However, ideally I would want the best of both worlds with -20mm Sports Suspension (which is apparently about 3/4 stiffness of PASM Sport mode) setup when I hit my Sports mode button.

Hang on, this is getting a bit "daddy bear, mummy bear, and baby bear" here me thinks... []

As others have wisely suggested though, hunt round for an OPC with a demo -20mm car and make the decision yourself.

 

[Guest]

There is another choice. On my C2S I too found PASM Normal too soft but Sport too hard for ordinary (British) roads. I had aftermarket sports springs fitted which firmed up the normal ride just enough for everyday driving and which also took the car down another 10mm which surprisingly did make a difference to the appearance as well.

I suspect that the Porsche sports suspension package would suit me but a) I haven't driven one and b) I feel loathe to throw away the technology of PASM. However, I also found driving a C4S more to my liking (more "planted") and so that's what is now on order.

I also suspect that this is one of the most subjective of areas when it comes to discussions of driving preferences, after all it's something you feel through your backside, not your brain!

 

[Alex Postan]

Given the choice, always go for the sPASM.
The whole point about it is that is adapts its settings as you drive so that if you are loafing along it is relatively compliant but when you start to hooliganize it stiffens up. Switching on the sport button only defaults to a fixed and stiffest setting, i.e. for trackdays.
That's why the GT3 has it!
Given the choice for two cars at the same price, one a sPASM and the other with the antiquated setup with no sPASM should be a no-brainer.

 

[robert997]

A short write-up on the differences here:

http://www.porscheclubgbforum.com/tm.asp?m=172300&mpage=1&key=PASM&#172300

 

[YvesD]

rob,

Whose springs did you go for ?

Intruiged

Yves

 

[Black80XSA]

When i first tried a Boxster 987 demo without PASM and 19s i thought the ride was OK, a bit firm but similar to a 996 with normal suspension and 18s. I ended up buying a car with PASM, initially i thought the ride was too soft in normal and way too hard in sport, but as time has gone on i now appreciate the slightly soft ride of the normal set up and the fact that if you do lean on the chassis a bit it responds in a predictable and linear manner.Bear in mind the upper settings within nomral mode overlap with the softer end of sport (not exactly noticeable in road driving to be honest). Sport is still too stiff for me for on road driving beyond about 10 minutes but if you like a stiff lowered chassis then it might suit you fine on out of town A roads. Interestingly when driven enthusiastically , a following 986 owner could immediately tell what mode i was in, and said the chassis control was so much better in norm, the car looking skittish when in sport (this on fast B roads in Scotland).

The 997 chassis is obviously stiffer than that of the 987, so sport might be worse still.

The advantage of PASM is its ability to turn a sports car into a contintental GT through use of the normal mode - 700 miles in a day is easy driving, even in the UK

 

[Alex Postan]

A well described reason to choose sPASM

 

[okellyt]

adrian996

As other wise people have suggested go for a long-ish drive in both. Even in the humble boxster there is quite a diffreence - I had a 986 without and a 987 with PASM. As a fully paid up member of the dark side I would now have PASM every time. Great for long distance drives, then a beast for back road blats.

As its says on the tin its active suspension management - the two button options really set a range of behaviour. The sport is reallly for track work and jolly good it is too. If you are a numbers junkie Walter Role set his fastest times around the Nurburgring in PASM 997's in soft mode.

It does feel subjective - intally soft out of sports mode it will stiffen up significantly into corners if you are pressing on but then soften off if you are tring to acclerate and find grip on a typically broken up straight of a UK b road. Your diving style decids how it behaves. If your 997 of interest has Sports Chroo function the fun bit is to have the "spor" buton on and the PASM setting to soft. The throtel is set to a more agressive mode and the engine seems to rev more freely. It may not be faster but it sounds and feels it.

So try out the different options and then buy the PASM, er sorry the one you like best.

Good luck

Tom

 

[adrian996]

Tom. Thanks for that. I think you've just got me to part with sixty grand. I 'ope you're 'appy!!!!????
Adrian.

 

[okellyt]

adrian996

I hope your happy with the new car. If you like how it drives nothing else really matters.

good luck

Tom

 

[Monty2]

Hi Adrian,
I had the same dilema the week before xmas Cambs OPC had found me a 6 month old C2S which had everything I was looking for (and more, PCCB) except that PASM was deleted and the sport lowered suspension pack was fitted and as was pointed out on the forum at the time this gains a mechanical diff lock.
At the time it was suggested that I have a test drive in both types of suspension sets to make my own mind up, however after test driving the 997 I was being offered and covering some pretty rough back roads to see if the harder lowered suspension would be unsettled (which it wasn't) I took the plunge.
Now being honest even though we had the xmas break I'll admit I haven't driven the C2S many times (a desire to gradually learn the car before losing it on some damp mud covered Lincolnshire road prevails) but I came from a standard set up 987 Boxster S and the C2S rides the roads far smoother than that and there is no feeling of the car going light when you crest one of those slight hills in the road which has the adverse camber bend on the other side (remembering this is Lincs, for hills read bump in the road for other counties) which I felt in the Boxster (didn't detract from the drive just made it more fun).
I'm very pleased with the car I bought, someone else spent a long time thinking out the options which has resulted in me having a superb C2S, I'm sure if the car being offered to me in Dec had come with PASM I'd be just as happy.


Cheers

Paul

 

[Guest]

Yves

Techart branded but I believe manufactured by Eibach. As I indicated, I was v. pleased with the result

 

[YvesD]

rob,

The Eibachs are a nice product, I had them on my M3 but then had to swap the dampers for some koni sport items as the standard dampers are so poor they couldn't control the stiffer spring adequately.

No such issues on a PASM car I suspect ?

Yves

 

[Guest]

Yves

No problems whatsoever (which is always a relieve when it comes to making changes from manufacturers standard spec). I had the springs fitted by Paragon who always seem to know what they're doing. However, I have now traded the car in and await a C4S + X51 to replace it. The springs had to come off for the OPC to re-sell the car so they took them off and I now have them back. I offered them for sale a few weeks back and got no takers.

 

[YvesD]

rob,

You will love the X51 car, its really a GT3 in a sober C2/4S suit !

Regarding the springs, I would imagine most owners would be very suspicious of fiddling with the suspension as the active dampers will be v.expensive to replace if they fail. [&:]

From my experience with Eibach it really isnt a problem, these products are designed to work with OE equipment and somebody like Eibach cannot afford to have routine failures on premium cars like Porsche, or any other manufacturer for that matter.

The springs will not overwork the dampers, they will just be working in a different zone of operation most of the time.

I would have a punt at a swap myself but not just yet, maybe next year though.

Regards

Yves