Hi,


Just drove back 800Km/500 miles from picking up a MY09 997TT cab as an upgrade to my ageing but still running well 996TT.


It is arctic silver with black interior (seems to be a very popular combination in Australia as half the Porsches have this combo...) and in reasonable condition but not perfect (some leather scuffs and a couple of light paint scratches) although it is low mileage (17K miles), manual, cab and a later model 997 which is what I was looking for, along with sports Chrono. Got a good price to compensate for it not being in showroom condition (wasn't even detailed inside) and I can spend some time/$$ bringing it up to expectations. Car still has Porsche warranty and the DME overrev report checks out (last owner was a lady driver with kids - hence the leather scuffs).


Nothing like a long drive to get to know the car, and it definitely drives better than my 996TT. The major differences are the handling and comfort, the car more comfortable and feels more planted than the 996TT and more enjoyable in manual form over the tip auto. Power seems about the same (in Sports mode) as my flashed 996TT (from Kevin at UMW) but the torque comes on suddenly about 3K rpm where the UMW 996TT flash has more linear power delivery. The exhaust note is also better in the 997TT, not sure if it is the cab acoustics as I didn't notice it test driving other 997TT but the car has nice bark without being too loud when you plant the accelerator.


There is also a lot less rattles - I suppose as the car is much newer and was one of my concerns with cab versus coupe. The car will be a DD and not tracked, so I figure the slight performance degradation due to more chassis flexibility won't matter. The soft-top was also very noise free especially as most of the noise is from the tires, and from the inside apart from some reduced visibility from the side and rear there doesn't appear to be any compromise with the car being a cab. The coupe does have cleaner lines but I'll be looking at the car from the inside, and this is my first cab so I'm looking forward to using it with the top down (I live in a sunny climate).


I do have a couple of questions for the community:

1) I think this car has the short shifter option. The last owner knows little about cars and didn't know what I was talking about when I asked him. How do I tell if the shifter is the 'short' option?

2) What treatment product is recommended for keeping the softtop in best condition?

3) Any recommendations about best way to treat/repair the back of the seats which have suffered from the previous owner's kids? There are a couple of leather dents/impressions in the back seats which I hope will spring back over time.

4) Also the center console has a number of scratches around the seatbelt, I assume from the rings the previous lady owner wore. Perhaps getting it covered in leather after-market or getting it painted?

5) As my 996TT with the UMW flash improved significantly I'll be flashing this one as well. Not sure what flash to get - I don't see UMW Kevin offering a flash for the 997TT, and there are a number of threads on the board about flashes but interestingly no comparisons (except for subjective commentary). I'm more interested in maximising the torque as low as possible (for DD - it's not that often in city driving that you get to push the car to the rev limit through the gears), minimise turbo lag and overall make the car more responsive.

6) Will probably add an exhaust if it improves the car's responsiveness and minimises lag. But not looking for anything loud, perhaps a bit more bark when pushed, and definitely no drone at highway speeds. Some weight off the back would help as well.

7) I have heard good things about the TPC PASM mod, although the handling is better than the 996TT, the sports mode is pretty harsh, and I definitely don't want to lower this car as they are a pain with driveways already.

8) I don't think aftermarket air filters / pipes / intercoolers are warranted if all I'm doing is a flash + exhaust.


Appreciate any feedback on the above points! Thanks.
(also - my Guards Red MY02 996TT is now for sale and in excellent condition, anyone in Australia looking for something similar do let me know!).

 

One more thing - driving back from the rain today I went through a large puddle at low speed and when I turned into my driveway I got a high pitched noise and the power steering lost assistance. I'm pretty sure that is just the belt getting soaked and slipping however a bit disconcerting as I only just bought the car. I spent a couple of hours yesterday driving through just as much rain but at high speed and no problems.
I never had that problem with my 996TT - so I assume this is a quirk with the 997 or the cab. There is a post on rennlist about similar after going through a carwash.
Anything to be worried about?

 

Congrats on your purchase. I am just posting to get subscribed to your thread as I am interested in your updates. I am on the hunt for a 997t to replace (or maybe keep) my 996t. Good luck and enjoy!

 

Hi, I didn't get any responses to my initial post before it dropped off the first few pages so I'll ask a more specific question this time


Picking a tune is confusing. I have done a lot of reading on this board and rennlist and there is no objective comparison between tunes. Specifically I'm looking for the following:
- Best tune for DD. No plans to track or drag, and not as interested in top end power compared to improved lower rpm torque and less turbo lag for improved street driveability, in particular to make the car more responsive.
- I want the flexibility to add an exhaust and optimise the tune for the new exhaust but don't want to pay for another flash.
- Prefer not to dyno the car, I know using a dyno will dial in the tune a little better, but I have read some tuners can capture and log key sensor data and use that to optimize the tune. Which tunes can do that?
- Must be able to tune the car without using a piggyback module (ie. flash) and without sending the ECU to a tuner.
- More interested in a well optimised but still conservative / safe tune, features like launch control are less important.
- Ability to revert back to the stock maps and be undetectable by the dealer (car still under warranty).


Let me know what products I should be looking at based on the above and I'll contact the relevant tuner. I only know Kevin at UMW (who doesn't post here) and Tony at EPL from investigating tunes for my 996TT (selected UMW and it worked out well but I would also trust EPL).


Thanks for the input.

 

welcome, I've concluded there is no "best" for most of the mods you are considering. You can see I have lots of mods on my daily driver-all Champion stuff and no problems. Find a tuner in your area and arrange a visit. For my convertible top I use 303 products-wash and fabric treatment-I do it yearly (I'm in SE Florida-plenty of sun and rain. ) where are the pics?

 

I've had my new (to me) 997TT cab for a couple of weeks now so I'm settling into it and firming up what I like and don't like. I'm happy with the car and think it is a good improvement over the 996TT in terms of power delivery, comfort and especially handling - the car is generally more enjoyable to drive, and also enjoying the cab option which seems to be setup well on this car (no major compromises).


After a lot of research I'm going to settle on the following upgrades:


1) UMW tune. The UMW tune in my old 996TT has been flawless and his customer service when asking questions about the 997TT tune has been excellent. His software platform is as good if not better than the other 997TT tuners, he knows the Mezger platform extremely well and the price is right. Kevin will dial in the tune based on data logging from road runs not from a somewhat artificial (albeit more accurate) dyno testing and will adjust it to my needs (DD, low down torque, responsiveness).


2) TPC DSC PASM upgrade. I hate the idea of lowering this car (I think it looks silly on a car already low, cringe every time the front lip scrapes) or replacing the springs. The 997TT is a significant upgrade on the 996TT in the handling department (which really surprised me). The soft PASM setting is comfortable but a little too 'floaty' while the hard setting bounces around too much. The DSC (I hope!) will fix both of these problems as well as improve the overall handling without lowering or swapping springs.


3) Denison Bluetooth module for MOST/PCM with the facility for hands free Bluetooth and music streaming from phone. Older firmware for this device was problematic but seems to have been fixed recently. This is a fully integrated solution and uses the existing PCM menus. Apart from missing Bluetooth / smartphone integration, the standard PCM stereo and sat nav in the car are adequate for my needs (I didn't buy the car for it's electronics).


4) A detail. I got my car at a good price (for Australia) for its low mileage and is also one of the last of the MY08 cars on the production line before they switched to the MY09 with the new PCM, so its (relatively) new and should have had all the initial 997TT bugs fixed. The last owner didn't even bother to clean the inside of the car and his kids put a number of scrapes and dents in the leather. A heat gun on the leather has fixed the dents and I'm hoping the detailer can minimise the look of the scrapes. Exterior is in good condition, just a couple of small clearcoat scratches that should be fixable.


Been tossing up about a new exhaust, at this stage I won't get one because I find the exhaust sound with the standard exhaust a big improvement over the 996TT (probably due to the cab being less soundproof). Also I'll drop a little bit of low down torque with a free flowing exhaust and with a tune shouldn't need any more HP for street driving especially at the top end which unfortunately due to strict policing in Australia will be rarely attained.


I still have a couple of questions about the car that I'm hoping someone can answer:

1) The 996TT has the ability to adjust both the middle and lower digital readout in the instrument cluster (eg. boost pressure, miles till empty). However the 997TT only the top readout in the instrument cluster is adjustable, the bottom (smaller) readout is fixed on MPG and I can't find the option to change it. I'm surprised that the 996 with its aged electronics has a more flexible digital readout. Have I missed something here to adjust the lower/smaller digital readout?


2) When parked I get an occasional water leak from the middle of the car dripping from the join between the undercar plastic baffles. It has been a little wet and humid here so possible either water from a puddle slowly making its way out or aircon water, I smelt the water and it doesn't smell or look like coolant. Any ideas on what it could be and what to check for?


3) My car seems to have more power compared to other 997TT that I test drove (and one had an exhaust/tune). I don't think this car has had a tune but I am the third owner and the first owner may have done something (the guy I purchased the car from has little knowledge about these cars so I doubt he would have). The car will run up to 1.2 bar under WOT on the instrument cluster (with sport button on) - is this expected in a car without a tune? I can't think of any other way to tell it has been tuned.


4) Similar question about the exhaust being modified - on this car it sounds like an aftermarket exhaust, definitely louder and more pleasing (low down rumble, bark + whistle when pushed) than the exhaust note I heard on other 997TTs and very similar to one I test drove which had an exhaust upgrade. I checked under the car and the exhaust looks standard when comparing to a pic I found of a standard exhaust (with concertina rings between the two halves) but there may be aftermarket exhausts that look similar to stock. Quite likely it is just the extra sound coming thru the ragtop roof but I thought I'd ask anyway - is there anything visually that I can check to confirm the exhaust is standard?


5) I'm struggling with the homelink option to open my garage door. Been reading up on a lot of threads and homelink does seem to be hit and miss, although my remote is 433Mhz so should be supported but isn't registering when trying to program it. Likely I'll need a receiver - will speak to homelink support about it.


6) Clearcoat protection. Given the last owner didn't bother cleaning inside, I doubt he spent time waxing the outside yet the exterior is staying very clean after going through a couple of rainy drives. Is there any way to tell if some of the newer clearcoat protection systems like the ceramic clearcoat protection? If the car doesn't have it, do folks recommend paint protection for these cars?


Thanks for any input on the above questions.

 

If you decide to change your mind on the tune and go with Cobb we could set you up with a custom tune and a KLINE exhaust and you have the Accessport as a diagnostic device along its many other features including map switching. Our tuning support is lifetime as well if you ever need the tune adjusted or logs reviewed free of subsequent charges and our response time in most cases by far is within 24hrs.

Dzenno@PTF

 

Dzenno,


Feel free to PM me with pricing & features (advantages over others) of your tune & exhaust as I have not purchased anything yet.

 

Hello, congratulations on the your purchase! I too recently purchased a 997 tt! After tons of research and vids I chose to go with a 70 Kline x and Cobb tune! Sounds amazing! I will post a video soon. I purchased these items through SamboTT@bydesign. Awesome guy and very knowledgeable. You should reach out to him! He threw in a drop in filter and shipping! I have a thread going if you want more info on these items. Happy hunting!

 

Thanks!

Been driving it for a couple of months now. A definite improvement over the 996TT in terms of handling and driveability, although having swapped from a tiptronic to a manual helps with the enjoyment factor. A cab is fun when the top is down but I do think the coupe is better looking.

I have settled on the following mods:

- DSC active suspension upgrade. Recommended, and nice to have an electronic solution without having to muck about with lowering the car, new springs etc. Basically adjusts the shock damping real-time based on road conditions so you get the benefits of a hard suspension but only when needed so ride comfort isn't compromised.

- Viseeo Bluetooth phone adaptor + streaming audio from my smartphone

- UMW tune. I used UMW in my 996TT so thought the safest upgrade was from a company who knows the 996/997 platform very well.

- Will upgrade the clutch. I haven't been able to use full power as my clutch is now slipping at full torque, so I know I'm getting more power but the OEM clutch can't cope. So now looking for a new clutch kit and will purchase from Kevin at UMW who has a summer special at the moment for a stronger SACHS clutch. Have been thinking about converting to low mass flywheel at the same time however I don't want to do too many mods and as I do a bit of peak hour driving there is a small downside of needing to rev while engaging clutch with a low mass flywheel.

- Considering an exhaust but can't really justify it as the cab already has a reasonable exhaust sound (I know some think the standard exhaust isn't 'loud' enough however loud exhausts aren't what I want in a car). And the tune will have more power impact than a free flowing exhaust.

- Kevin from UMW was also recommending updated intake pipes to help low end torque however the price of the silicon pipes seems excessive for what they are (Porsche tax I guess...). Anyone have any experience with what driving difference better intake pipes make for a car with a stage 1 tune?

Also I notice you got an updated filter - I thought for stage 1 tunes the stock filter was fine and an aftermarket filter wouldn't make any difference? Apart from being a freebie, what was the reason for the new filter?

 

I too had a 996 Turbo for some time, and then switched to a 997 Turbo.

A couple of things:

- Get that tune for sure, you are leaving a lot on the table as far as power and performance / delivery without one. I personally would go with Cobb, but that is your choice.

- Vert or not, do not hesitate on getting a good exhaust, BBi or K-Line. If you are looking for a better price, K-Line is an amazing exhaust and you will not regret it. Seriously get an exhaust! Do yourself a favor! (Sambo is a huge K-Line dealer and again will not steer you wrong)

- Find someone that will give you good customer service, not just sell you something to sell you something. I personally have gone with SamboTT@bydesign because he sells you what you are looking for, not what he can make a buck off of. If Kevin is that guy for you then that is great!

- If you are wanting a clutch and you want to keep the car stock-ish. I would suggest what they call the Sachs 2.5. If you are curious about the lightened flywheel, make sure and drive one first. It seems you are particular with the small things and the drive-ability + the sound the lightened flywheel makes may turn you off. I kept the stock flywheel for these reasons. (Again Sambo has awesome pricing on these, seeing a pattern here?)

- Intake hoses are worth the money, some will say that they are not needed, but when you are getting the clutch done it is a good mod. Check the prices and you can find them for around $450.00US. (I got my set from Prodigy in the for sale section you may want to check with him)

- DSC is a good choice, a huge difference in settings over the stock.

- I have yet to find any evidence that a filter does much of anything. I personally would save your money on that one.

- One of those huge while you are in there things. If you are having the motor pulled for items, please take care of those coolant pipes. I had my car for 6 months (a 2007 car with 17k miles) and had them fail on me. Luckily for me it happened at a good time, but I could only imagine being stranded on the wrong day. I thought with a low mileage car I wouldn't have to worry for at least a year or so, but I was wrong.

You will get a lot of opinions on this site, but only you can decide what is best. If you have some cars local to you that you can drive / listen / check out I would do so.