Both cars can be faster with with the right driver. Point being, most GT-Rs Ive come across all think they are the fastest drivers because they feel they have the fast car. Thus, see no reason to let you by.

This thread is actually about PCM's so lets not Hijack...

 

Besides the touchscreen, can anyone with an appreciation for music comment as to whether the Bose headunit actually has improved electronics? Is the audio any better or what is just an interface improvement?

 

For OT: This is a tough call, but let me point out that you are not paying 10000 for PCM, you are paying 10000 for PCM *and* a newer car. I have a 2008 Turbo, have after-market bluetooth/ipod, it's ok but it is never the same as an OEM, little glitches here and there. Madly in love with the car but not the after-market bluetooth and ipod.

The call is tough because it also depends on each specific car: I would take a low mileage 2008 with PCCB over a 2009 without PCCB for example. The bottom line is all else being equal, and you are going to keep this car for a long time, then my vote is for 2009 - the last Mezger Turbo ever made. Part of the reason is that looking at your screen name, I don't think 10k is a problem divided over 4-5 years or however long that you have the car.

ryem3: To best of my knowledge, no change in the Bose. (Smirking audiophile talking LOL ) It's a Bose anyway, whatever change they make will just screw up the sound more. Kidding aside, really it's a Bose and doubt very much there is a change. The Burmester option in 991 on the other hand is truly SOTA and I would pay for without hesitation: tremendous bass and bass definition, tremendous imaging, tremendous resolution. Not as bright as Panamera Burmester, which was really bright. Anyway, I was star-crossed auditioning it.

 

To the OP, indeed, one model year newer drives the $10k price difference, regardless if any improvements were made. In most cases, the main benefit over an '08 is that there will be some factory warranty left, which is huge if you get a used car, find some nits and are able to take them to a dealer for resolution. Of course the lower priced '08 may well more than compensate for any issues with a significant reserve for repairs.

Ah, the audiophile in me comes out. Actually, it's Burmester. (Oddly, the name does not have the typical "meister" spelling - much like the Mezger engine!) Burmester makes VERY high end home gear. Generally not worth the money! However, unlike Bose, the stuff actually sounds good. Disappointing that there isn't some improvement in the new head unit. No different EQ or anything? I have the Enhanced Premium Sound in the M3 (it is Logic 7 or HK or something). It is a huge improvement and actually is a very good system. I had the Bose in my 07 997S and it was "okay", running an iPod using uncompressed files through a Dension. But the radio was a POS. The newer PCM does have XM, so it must be somewhat better.

Going to be a long winter as I search for a car...

 

Not actually sure what you're asking here, but I think there is some amount of sound improvement with replacing the headunit. I used a MOST-HUR from Eurospeed Motorsports, which works great. sales@euromotorspeed.com This converts the analog signals from the deck to fiber optic signals compatible with the MOST bus on our cars, leaving the stock amplification (and speakers) in place. I'm sure that replacing amplifiers and speakers would give you a much greater sound quality improvement; being that BOSE tends to use weird impedance speakers, you can't just rip out the amplifier and hope for the best.

I think the system sounds better, but it's not a night and day improvement. The navigation functionality is. Bluetooth calling works great, too!

 

I wanted to know if the PCM 2.1 to 3.0 also included an improvement to the Bose unit that is part of the head unit. I realize one could swap out the head unit for an improvement, but then you lose the wheel button functionality and other things. Besides the aftermarket value reduction. You could tell if there was a change simply if the eq menu had changed in the unit.

 

Ah, no. AFAIK, the sound system is the same, just the display/navi functionality is different

 

1. Good point about 1 more year of warranty. This could mean a lot of money if work is needed in the 4th year.

2. Thanks for the correction; I did totally mangle the name. Thought no one here was going to catch me so a llittle slow with the spell checker . Yes the Burmester home gear is only so so - for the exorbitant amount of money (even for a die-hard audiophile like me) involved. The car's system is something else though; they use ribbon based Heil Air Transformer for high frequency transducer (previously in ESS 1970's speakers and now making a come-back) so the high is sublimely fast and pristine.

 

No worries, buddy! I always found those ESS speakers WAY too bright!

The disappointment of going from my BMW system back to Bose will probably be the biggest compromise in the trade! Do you know if the "Universal Audio Interface" is actually wired into the head unit or is the stupid RF based system they were offering as an add on before?

 

It's wired in.

 

Do you have any idea what sound system you can have for 10k? nothing stock would come close to touching it. Hell for 6-7 you could have a pretty nice system that 991 stock systems wouldn't touch. You would have 3-4k left over for a very fun trip home as you could ship the car anywhere then enjoy the drive home in it.

Look stock stereo systems suck. No way would i pay an extra 10k for a somewhat prettier PCM 3.0 because thats about all it does.

 

Granted on the sound system. Remember the fundamentals though. 10k more essentially is the difference in model years, i.e. about one year's depreciation. Chances are good you still might have factory warranty in an '09 if delivered in '09. Even $5k would buy a damn good system!

 

I have an 07 with a CPO and paid 15k less than you want too. Those little "addons" you will not feel and if you do, then you would be getting Porsche to give you the new 991 because you are probably a better driver than most of their factory team drivers.

 

This is entertaining. First of all, there are NO performance add ons from an 07 to an 09, so EVEN the factory team driver wouldn't notice anything.

If you are happy to pay only $15k less for 2 years of depreciation, that's great.

 

you should read a bit more about 911's but being an M3 guy you are probably a badge buyer anyways.

I mean you are seriously asking if you should buy A: a CAR forsale value B: ifyou should spend 10k for a sound system.