I am looking into my first Porsche and after reading through a lot of the posts in this part of the forum, still having difficulty making the following decisions:

1.) S vs 4S - Going to be driving the car in dry weather only so not sure I need the AWD. The wider rear end is nice but given the S is already wider than the 997 was, not sure if it's important to me. Anything else I should be aware of?

2.) Full Leather vs Leather Seats Only - The stitching does look nice. But at around 3K extra, is it worth it in a sports car? I've got an M5 already for performance comfort so not sure I need this. I've read a lot of posts on this but still torn. Will the lack of this feature greatly affect resale value and desirability as it does on sedans?

3.) PDCC+SPASM vs SPASM - Reading an endless stream of posts on this and the back and forth.. nothing is helping me. Help please Not going to track the car but I will drive it hard every chance I get. I'm leaning yes but ... argh.

4.) PSE or Aftermarket Exhaust - Nothing is not an option. It's either PSE or an aftermarket exhaust but haven't read anything yet where someone has their own dynos proving power gains from the various after market options. Would be very curious to see gains vs stock and gains vs PSE. And no, not interested in seeing the manufacturer's dynos because unfortunately have had bad experiences in the past where they have been faked. Prefer member dynos if anyone has any. I don't need or want the F1 sound as I have an E60 M5 with a high revving V10.. just prefer something deeper/throaty/louder but with proven gains. Last thing I want is something that sounds good but saps power (which most aftermarket exhausts do unfortunately with BS'd dynosheets). I'm currently considering the Akrapovic exhaust for the 991. Can anyone help here?

5.) BOSE or Standard - How much of an improvement is BOSE over the standard stereo? I don't need anything special as I'm usually just enjoying the exhaust sound or listening to news radio but wondering if BOSE is worth it (heard it's not in the older generations). Plus may need to get BOSE just for the resale value later. Thoughts?

Thanks!

 

1 & 3. I've had a few 997 and .2 C4S's and S's and can give you my comparison of the 991S to them. I am amazed at the road holding and surefootedness of the 991S that I have. I was a die hard 4 person but now feel that its not necessary unless you are going to drive a lot in wintry or snow conditions or just like the aesthetics of the wider rear. I think its appropriate to address the PDCC and SPASM question at this point. My car has both and I got them because I intend use the car on local windy roads in a spirited manner. The combination offers levels of stability that I never experienced in any of my previous P cars including my 997.2 GT3. IMO pdcc is not just useful for high speed and track use. Referring to it a Porsche driving school instructor recently said to me that anything that can assist in keeping 4 wheels planted on the ground and increase stability is a good thing for speed and safety. If the choice was either an S with pdcc or a 4S without pdcc, I would go for the S with.

4. If budget allows... PSE is a must! It's the best audio device for a 991. I love it and it hugely enhances the driving experience. Get it.

2. I'm entirely impartial on the leather seats or full leather option. I've had both in my cars and can't say that I've been unhappy with either. It's totally a budgetary and personal choice. If its budget then I would go towards performance options or PSE.

5. Although I usually just listen to the sound of the car when I'm driving I choose Bose for a couple of reasons. The Bose sound quality is better than standard and is also better than in the 997. It's not as good as Burmester which a lot of people like. I'm not a car audiophile and Bose offers adequate performance. The other not super influential reason is that it makes the car a bit more desirable at resale.

 

Agree on all points.
Aftermarket exhausts -especially if they include muffler bypasses- are going to be (much) louder than PSE, so be sure what you wish for. I have not seen a single member dyno for exhausts (manufacturer dyno's only).

 

+1 , I have the The Bose and PDCC and love them. i may opt for burmeister next time but will always opt for PDCC.

 

My build.

1. I went with the c2s, the extra money that could have gone to the c4s went to the kit instead. If I still in the Northeast or anywhere near snow/icy conditions I would have opted for the awd.

2. I think the older cars needed the extra leather in the interior to remind you that you just bought a very expensive automobile. With the 991 I did not see the need for it as the interior is already a very nice place to be

3. I struggled with this as well. But this is going to be a daily driver for me with maybe some weekend events in the future. I have no where near the skill level to top out a miata so I felt the PDCC would be a waste. The SPASM and sport chrono are a must if this is going to be more that a golf club cruiser.

4. PSE and if you need more noise the 991 exhaust is so modular you swap out sections of it.

5. If you are any kind of audiophile the Burmester at this price is a bargain, their home systems cost as much as this car lol.

 

Coming from a 997.2 C4S

For a 997 I would have recommended a "4" version,....more stable all the way around, easily worth the extra $5k at the time, now it's a lot more. For the 991 it's not needed as the new car offers the same type of stable feeling my 4 gave me,....and yes the old 4 and the new S are the same width in back. For dry driving, save the $$$ and go with the non-4,....if you have money to throw around you won't get any arguments here for a 4 version.

Hands down full leather if possible,...spend the money here, makes it so much look that part of a $100k car.

PDCC / SPASM,...personal choice. Without any "performance" options the 991 is still one awesome sports car and will tackle and reward you on any road. Drive different examples if you can. I didn't pick either. SPASM is nice to stiffen things up just a bit, PDCC is OK but expensive & weighs a bit. Go for a test drive in a 991 without both and if you think you need something "more",...then by all means look into them. Neither will give you much more "performance" over one without. We're talking a few seconds on a 8 minute course.

I ordered PSE and glad I did,....sounds awesome and is factory. Never have to worry about it. With aftermarket options I'm never totally at ease.

Standard or Bose,....depends on how much you really like music. Most pretty much say the standard is fine. I ordered Burmester so you can tell where my priorities are!

Good luck with your order,....yes it is maddening sometimes!

 

+1. Well said. I went with 2S, PDCC & SPASM, Full Leather, PSE, Burmester. Wouldn't change a thing, but if budget didn't allow, I would have been just as happy without Full Leather and Burmester.

 

1.) S vs 4S - 4S

2.) Full Leather vs Leather Seats Only - Definitely full leather.. it's a $100K car, at least have it look like it is as well!

3.) PDCC+SPASM vs SPASM - I love the more aggressive stance of the SPASM, and if you're going to be driving it hard why not...

4.) PSE or Aftermarket Exhaust - I like things stock so I'd vote for PSE (at least you can take it to the dealer if there is ever any problem).

5.) BOSE or Standard - I'd vote for Burmester since I'm such a big audio guy, hehe. For you I'd still probably get BOSE if you're concerned about resale.

 

Appreciate the responses from everyone.

For the aftermarket exhaust, the reason I'm considering it is that PSE is a 3K option that adds no additional power. It's purely for sound. If I can't find a good ae exhaust, I'll take that option for the sound, but I'm assuming aftermarket options will be around the 3-4K range and if they truly add power, then that's a positive. A rough glance at manufacturer claims for a few of the exhaust systems that have come out suggest around a 10-15hp (+ torq) gain. Again, I don't trust those mfg claims alone but if backed up by member dynos, then a 10-15hp gain (hopefully in the lower mid part of the curve) for 3-4K is a good spend, definitely worth it compared to the ~15K power kit option (lower price taking into account the chrono). My main concern is spending 3K here when I may eventually pull it out for an aftermarket option.

So far my build looks like this:

911S
Carrera White Exterior
Black Full Leather Interior (trying to pick between two tone Black/Gray vs Black)
18-way Adaptive Sport Seats Plus
20" Sport Design Wheels (going to sell these and get HRE or Vorsteiner)
Premium Package Plus with Adaptive Sports Seats Plus
Park Assist (Front and Rear)
BOSE Audio Package
Sunroof in Glass
PDK
PDCC with SPASM
Sport Chrono Package
Sport Exhaust System (torn here)
Instrument Dials in Guard Red
SportDesign Steering Wheel
Porsche Crest on Headrests

For the park assist, I read a few threads claiming it only gave audio notification. I was looking at the 2013 991 brochure from the dealer and it says that it's audio notification only for the rears. But if you opt for the Front and Rear package, then it gives you a visual display on the computer display as well. Can anyone confirm? If true, it makes it worth it for me.

Also deciding on folding mirrors. I have them on my M5 but to be honest, don't really end up using it much because either I forget or I don't park the car in a location where it's really needed. Doesn't shrink the width of the car by much really.

Thanks again.

 

BTW, slightly off topic but I forgot to mention that IMO absolutely the best $3K option to go for is signing up for a PDS driving course. Its probably the cheapest way to go quicker and be safer. I'd have that over full leather. Preferably do this before your order is locked in. You'll be so much better informed about things like PDCC and spasm.

 

Zero911, a couple of points for you:

If upgrading to HRE wheels why pay for Sport Design Wheels? I know its not much but why bother? I could understand Sport Technos to get the wider rubber if thats what you will end up with.

Park assist front and rear does have a graphical representation of the impact area - at least it did when I drove a car last. Mine has yet to arrive so I cannot verify for you.

One last item is Carrara White is no longer available unfortunately. It is now White. It does look different so if it s a deal breaker for you make sure you are aware of the difference.

Other than that our configurations are virtually the same. I am going for a 991S Cab, not full leather ($10K option in Australia) and no PDCC ($8K option in Australia). I too will be looking at changing my wheels over to HRE P40SC or something similar..

Good luck with your final build......

Oh one last option I am looking at is the Sport Design front fascia...... again a stupidly priced option in Australia $5700 but it does look good.

Thanks
Arthur

 

I guess I liked the look of those the best and figured it would be a little bit easier to sell than the standard ones? That was the main driver. I will be selling the tires with the wheels as yes I'm definitely going wider with the HREs.

Thanks!

Oh you're right! I'll need to revisit that.

You have removed two of the options I'm really going back and forth on LOL. Thanks for all the info!

 

I know you will enjoy your 991S. My configuration is similar, but I opted for the standard PASM, did not go for the PDCC, got the sport Chrono, sport exhaust, glass sunroof, electric folding mirrors, park assist front and back, Bose Stereo and 14 way seats. I love the park assist, which provides a graphic representation in the computer display front and back.

The only problem with my build, was the glass sunroof which delayed my June Build Car to late September. My car is finally at the port and I am awaiting delivery.

 

What caused the delay with the glass sunroof and is it still an issue?

 

Their supplier could not produce them fast enough and apparently Porsche underestimated the demand for them. There was a 12 week bottleneck on this option and they should be clearing that soon. My car is currently in production after the delays with the sunroof.