Spec for 997 turbo

andrew34 · Apr 18, 2006

I am fortunate to have put my name down for the 997 turbo when I bought my 996 turbo three years ago. Its in for July build and I have to spec it by Monday 24th April.
Here are two questions for you experts.
1. PCCB: cost benefit analysis
2. I know this is subjective; black or midnight blue? Which is more popular second hand and what interior works best with black other than black? (Current car is midnight, which I love, all my cars have been blue 2 jags XKRs, Nissan 300ZX etc.)

Rotorhead · Apr 18, 2006

PCCBs have been quite a contentious issue, based on cost and durability.

However, they have a number of really useful benefits and applications. So, rather than rely just on the various forum comments, I have just written to Porsche with ten questions to try and clarify the exact position with the latest generation of PCCBs.

I would imagine that it is a more crucial consideration on the lighter GT3 than the 997TT with its more complex drive systems.

Grant · Apr 18, 2006

ORIGINAL: andrew34
1. PCCB: cost benefit analysis
2. I know this is subjective; black or midnight blue? Which is more popular second hand and what interior works best with black other than black? (Current car is midnight, which I love, all my cars have been blue 2 jags XKRs, Nissan 300ZX etc.)

1. I'd avoid the PCCB like the plague, even if Porsche have sorted durability issues, come re-sale buyers won't want the HUGE cost of replacing them if required! The 996 Turbo brakes are great & as the 997 has been further improved I would save your money. I know they will improve unsprung weight & hence handling finese, but I honestly don't think you would notice much difference!

2. Colour is a personal thing, my only comment would be that dark colours are never clean & show every slight scratch, mark & stone chip, not my bag, but each to their own.

Congrats on the new toy, it should be fantastic.

Guest · Apr 19, 2006

1. PCCB - IMHO too much cost, not enough benefit and still a little unproven. Save your money for other options.
2. Midnight blue, black is too black. I like the Metropole blue interior on the 996, but it is not available on the 997. The 997 blue doesn't look the same, but I would go to the OPC and look at the leather samples (2ft x 2ft piece). I took the sample and went and put it inside a real car to see what it would look like.
I think the black interior is too black and the grey is too light.

andrew34 · Apr 20, 2006

Thanks for your replies. Theres a consensus against PCCB which is interesing, I look forward to the response Oliver gets from Porsche.
By the way, if any of you are near Bedford the B660 is a superb road.

andrew34 · Apr 21, 2006

Further update after talking to a well known Porsche expert who agrees with you all; only noticable benefit of PCCB is for track days and then as Oliver said mainly for the GT3. He told me that it's common that they get easily damaged when changing tyres and it cost £2.5k 'per corner' to repair.

Guest · Apr 21, 2006

solid black - no contest...

andrew34 · Apr 21, 2006

Not Basalt Black? What about the interior, I really don't want depressing black.

graham m · Apr 22, 2006

I saw the Basalt Black Turbo at Geneva with Sand Beige interior. Didn't do it for me! Solid black looks great - but saw 997S in the airport on the Best of the Best competition stand and that was already showing scuff marks and small scratches. IMHO v high maintenance! According to the local OPC top colours will be Black, Grey or Silver - no change there then! Motoring press was suggesting that White was the new Silver! Anyone fancy a White Turbo? Would like to see the new grey in the flesh - Meteor. The other colour that looks interesting is Dark Olive - has anyone sem this on a car? Is it black or Green? On the sample bent bit of steel in the OPC it's hard to tell?
G

garyw · Apr 23, 2006

ORIGINAL: graham m
I saw the Basalt Black Turbo at Geneva with Sand Beige interior. Didn't do it for me!

Which bit, Interior or exterior ?
Spec'ed mine today, still undecided fully on colours, at the moment booked Lapis as I think every man and his dog will go for the Cobalt.. still can't make my mind up on the interior..plumped for the sand beige at the moment with split...

At least I still have some time to see others and change my spec...[

]

Another option is to go outragous and pick the pure orange, which I saw on a Gt spec'ed car and looked great with the depth to the front, however I have seen a standard 997 in the colour and didn't like it..[

] the front was too "thin to make the colour bold enough

garyw

graham m · Apr 24, 2006

It may just of been the lighting on the stand - but the metallic black just didn't impress. Cobalt does look good - but been there already! Waiting to see special order 'Exclusive' Fountain Blue - a 4S is due in at local OPC shortly.
G

garyw · Apr 24, 2006

There's a fountain blue in the Solihull OPC, a Bluey Silver as a brief description.. Very pastel [

]

Saw the new Coca brown which looked awesome in a silver cab...[&:]

garyw

andrew34 · Apr 24, 2006

Went to confirm spec today, plumped for Basalt and Sand interior. Had a look at olive green, looks close to black but didn't want to risk it.
However although my car was due for July build, August delivery, when the salesman tried to confirm the order the system wouldn't take it. He phoned Porsche UK and they told him that the factory had run out of Tiptronic gear boxes for June & July due to the overwhelming demand for tips. Apparently, the UK has so far 20 tip orders they can't meet. So mine will be September build hopefully.

graham m · Apr 25, 2006

Sand interior - just like this

Dapster · Apr 25, 2006

The other colour that looks interesting is Dark Olive

OPC East London had a 996TT S in olive with black leather, yellow belts and yellow stictching under the bright showroom lights last year and it looked absolutely fantastic. So much so, that I went back with my wife a couple of weeks later to show her what colour I was thinking of ordering my 987 in, but by this time they had moved it outside and it just looked black even in the sun. Not much fun if you've spent 2 grand on a special order colour!! Went for Seal in the end....

stuj76 · Apr 25, 2006

What about Riviera Blue for the external colour with Black leather with Riviera Blue stitching? I have seen a 996 Turbo like this and it looked very smart but not OTT...

Not quite the bright orange or pink, or the 'normal' black or silver - just a thought.

Rotorhead · Apr 25, 2006

ORIGINAL: graham m

I saw the Basalt Black Turbo at Geneva with Sand Beige interior. Didn't do it for me!

I also saw that car upstairs at Geneva and thought it looked rather bland, although the flash in your photo has improved the metallic effect.

I was speaking to someone from Aston Martin who said that the new AMV8 was attracting a lot of customers from Porsche and they all comment on the huge range of colour options offered by Aston and the disappointingly limited, and boring, range offered by Porsche.

You would think that the Turbo would have some bespoke colours to set it apart from the rest of the models.

In the end, most Porsche owners take a safe option. But Dark Olive and Cocoa would be very tasty. Not keen on Black (too high maintenance), but it does look good with Terracotta. All personal I suppose.

melsomp · Apr 25, 2006

ORIGINAL: garyw

There's a fountain blue in the Solihull OPC, a Bluey Silver as a brief description.. Very pastel []

Saw the new Coca brown which looked awesome in a silver cab...[&:]

garyw

Fountain Blue.... sounds a bit like my Polar Silver, silver with a blue tinge, I love it, I think it looks great, but I may be a bit biased!

andrew34 · Apr 25, 2006

Was toying with olive and cocoa interior but was worried about the resale effect. My brother has a DB9 in slate grey with burgundy interior - looks fab. He made the same comment about the lack of choice in Porsche colours.

Can someone explain why Porsche fit a rear wiper but no washer? Surely they could find somewhere to put the reservoir.