TPM

[chrisH]

I see TPM is an option for facelift Boxsters and Caymans and it shows actual pressures upon start up and again if you check any one wheel's TP or change a wheel. At £416 it is expensive though. I wonder if any of the 997 Gen2 owners could comment on its usefulness?
BTW I decided not to go for PASM as the new cars have a better ride and its really a track tool.

 

[T200]

Don't have them on my Porsche but had them on a previous car and they are more trouble than there worth. Trouble comes when you need to chnge tyres as some tyre outlets wont guarantee the tyre sensor when changing the rubber. I had the system telling me I had a nearside puncture when i was on the motorway doing over 70mph. So my advice would be spend your £416 on something else. Someone else may say different I guess its all down to yur own choice

Chris

 

[channella]

There are those that argue a display in the car advising of tyre pressure is a good idea - a life saver even, especially at speed. However its like a leaky roof on a sunny day, by which I mean, if the loss of pressure is sudden, the last thing you want to be looking at is the display, and if it is slow, then you will either (a) detect it through the steering, (b) see it when you do your POWER check before setting off, or (c) find it with you dial/digital gauge because you check your tyres once a week, don't you?

I've driven a 997 Gen2 with it, and frankly all it did was build a certain degree of anxiety about small differences (0.1bar) that may naturally occur over the course of a day's driving.

By petrol instead. Or if you want to spend it on your car try the sport shift.

 

[chrisH]

T2000,
Yes, I had this on my R32 and all the wheels were stolen and the muppets put new ones on without TPM valves on giving a warning as soon as I drive it. But the VW system didn't show the individual pressures.
Thanks for the inputs guys-I'll save the money.
Chris

 

[Mark Elder]

TPM is now compulsory on all new cars in the US (came in some time last year) - be interesting to know what type of system is the minimum and how they have made it sufficiently muppet-friendly. Like others have said, I've only heard tales of missinformation and tyre change damage.

But I'm tempted by it because of 2 past high speed bad tyre experiences in 30 odd years of driving - OK, yes, I did detect both cases and stop just before disaster - but would my partner have realised what was happening and stopped if she'd been on her own?? (Although would she have seen the warning light, or ignored it?)

 

[chrisH]

ORIGINAL: Mark Elder

TPM is now compulsory on all new cars in the US (came in some time last year) - be interesting to know what type of system is the minimum and how they have made it sufficiently muppet-friendly. Like others have said, I've only heard tales of missinformation and tyre change damage.

But I'm tempted by it because of 2 past high speed bad tyre experiences in 30 odd years of driving - OK, yes, I did detect both cases and stop just before disaster - but would my partner have realised what was happening and stopped if she'd been on her own?? (Although would she have seen the warning light, or ignored it?)

Mark,
I am tempted only because this system shows actual pressures not just a warning light, a la VW. Apart from saving the weekly job of checking the pressures that you are supposed to do, it does reassure when you get that feeling on the motorway, I wonder if I've got a flat but cant stop to check it.
As its mandatory in the US,Porsche won't charge a cent extra for it in that market, it is standard fit ther.
So why are we expected to pay over £400 for it, unless its an EU reg. like the DRLs, now standard fit on the facelift?
Chris
Chris

 

[spyderman]

TPM is going to become compulsory in the EU in the next few years too. Apparently (according to Mr.Michelin) some systems do it by measuring slight differences in wheel rotation speeds using the ABS system - not exactly accurate, but it does work, and is cheaper than the active system Porsche (and others) use.

Wikipedia article on TPM

 

[chrisH]

I wonder when the EU legislation is coming out?
I found this system:
http://www.auto-unique.co.uk/auto_unique/1270/moreinfosu/pid/31734791
Not exactly TPM as there is no display in the car, but it allows you to see if the pressure is within 10% of desired value or not, all for £45. I'm sure there will be other systems on the market soon that will display on the dashboard for under Porsche's option price of over £400.

 

[spyderman]

ORIGINAL: chrisH

I wonder when the EU legislation is coming out?

Have just been doing a bit of a Google but I can't find a date - not even a year. I think Mr.Michelin said "in the next few years". It was kicked off in America in the light of Firestone's massive recall, but the European angle is improving fuel economy rather than safety.

 

[Mark Elder]

ORIGINAL: chrisH

I wonder when the EU legislation is coming out?
I found this system:
http://www.auto-unique.co.uk/auto_unique/1270/moreinfosu/pid/31734791
Not exactly TPM as there is no display in the car, but it allows you to see if the pressure is within 10% of desired value or not, all for £45. I'm sure there will be other systems on the market soon that will display on the dashboard for under Porsche's option price of over £400.

There are some quite good (looking and featured) aftermarket real TPMs around like this one (does pressure and temperature on individual wheels):
http://www.demon-tweeks.co.uk/products/ProductDetail.asp?cls=ROAD&pcode=PAWTS-CAR-4PCS
(about half price of Porsche option).

If I knew anyone who had tried it and had a good report I might give it a go next time I need to have the tyres off.

Anyone tried it?