noob c4s owner - hi

noob c4s owner - hi

Author
Discussion

SockToy

Original Poster:

24 posts

119 months

Monday 1st September 2014
quotequote all
So I posted on PH nigh on a year ago for advice on a new car. I was considering a new Audi S3. I got told in no uncertain terms that if I spent that kind of money on a 4cylinder turbo I would be killed. I took that to heart, along with considerable messing around by the Audi dealer, and this was the result.

So I was originally looking for a cab or targa... then this came along.

Take delivery Saturday.


http://thumbsnap.com/sc/MhJfZVHS.jpg

It has a sunroof. So its like a targa coupe cabriolet, right? Right....?

It spec wise is basically ideal, apart from the decrepid 1.41 PCM software. Bit different to the planned blue, grey or silver Targa or Cab though. But it has a sunroof!

Car is a bit stonechipped and the interior is scuffed, so agreed a full detail & stone chip repair & OPC 111 pt check pass conditional for purchase.

Excited and terrified all at the same time ;-p

Plan to pay to get the PCM upgrade & the gearbox if necessary, other than a cable for my phone, anything anyone else would recommend? Any recommended Gap insurers or thoughts? Parkers suggests its worth considerably less than I paid for it, which I hope is just due to the fat optional extras spec more than anything else.

PDK C4s.

Optional extras:
Porsche Vehicle Tracking System, Heated seats, ParkAssist (parking aid rear), Universal Audio Interface, Extended navigation module, Telephone Module, 7-speed double clutch transmission (PDK), Porsche Crest embossed on head restraints, Cruise Control, Sports Chrono Package Plus, Sports Exhaust System, Electric tilt/slide sunroof, Automatic dimming interior mirror with integrated rain sensor, Rear Wiper, Adaptive Sports Seats, Tyre Pressure Monitoring System, 19-inch Carrera Sport Wheels, Sport Design Steering wheel with paddle shift, Seat belts in silver-grey, BOSE Surround Sound system, Side strips with model designation, Front air intakes opaque Aluminum look, wing mirror opaque aluminium look, illuminated door-sill guards, customisation package PDK gear lever, outer door-sill guards in stainless steel, contrast stitching, Voice Control.





http://thumbsnap.com/sc/X6BGcRhQ.jpg
http://thumbsnap.com/sc/aNK7rzMg.jpg
http://thumbsnap.com/sc/ItiWedtp.jpg

Edited by SockToy on Monday 1st September 16:01

mollytherocker

14,365 posts

208 months

Monday 1st September 2014
quotequote all
Nice looker. Who are GVE London?

http://www.gvelondon.com/pre-owned/porsche/carrera...

Edited by mollytherocker on Monday 1st September 21:42

hondansx

4,562 posts

224 months

Tuesday 2nd September 2014
quotequote all
Hi and welcome to the C4S club! That is a really well specced car; wish i had the tyre monitoring on mine.

You have a Gen 2 car so surely have the better PCM, or am i missing a trick here?

uktrailmonster

4,827 posts

199 months

Tuesday 2nd September 2014
quotequote all
Nice spec and v. low mileage, but asking price is seriously high for a 2009 car! Might as well have bought from an OPC with full Porsche warranty etc. Scuffed interior and stone chips too? It should be perfect at that price.

SockToy

Original Poster:

24 posts

119 months

Tuesday 2nd September 2014
quotequote all
Yeah, the PCM should be the new one but its on an old software rev. Just confirmed with OPC that it'll get updated with the Nav update.

And yes. It's spendy - but the dealer is going to fully detail prior to hand over, and is paying for the OPC 111pt check; I'll then extend warranty 1 year from when the current one expires (it's currently under warranty, but doesnt have much left to run).

Simple fact is, I hadnt seen a car as nice as this mile & spec wise - lots of lovely cars with 30-50k on them, and a really beautiful targa with only 9k - but the targa was 53k and had no sports exhaust, or sports wheel, standard seats, etc; all the money had gone on making it a GT with full leather interior everything ;-p

The only one available on the OPC sit eright now is 58k - and while it has the powerkit, it's also a horrible red inside.

We'll see if I regret it once I'm driving it... I hope not!



Edited by SockToy on Tuesday 2nd September 17:29

hondansx

4,562 posts

224 months

Tuesday 2nd September 2014
quotequote all
Didn't notice the price. I paid £52k for mine on similar mileage from an OPC but it didn't quite have the options you have.

The dealer route is expensive but, for example, pads and discs were replaced together with the tyres as part of their check/warranty. That's thousands alone. My concern for you is that, in order to give you a warranty, Porsche will insist on you spending money on the car that is not immediately necessary, but is a requirement for the warranty. I'd get an answer on that quickly.

Regarding the car itself, it is fantastic. Had a 997.1 C2S a couple of years back and the 997.2 C4S is a much nice drive! I also had a Golf R (basically an S3) beforehand and can confirm the 911 drives nicer and makes me feel a lot better whenever i'm in it smile

SockToy

Original Poster:

24 posts

119 months

Tuesday 2nd September 2014
quotequote all
My purchase is conditional on warranty extension and 111pt check pass.

hondansx

4,562 posts

224 months

Tuesday 2nd September 2014
quotequote all
Oh and as for any recommendations, i've been preaching about the H&R springs. Improves the looks and maintains standard ride quality bow


SockToy

Original Poster:

24 posts

119 months

Tuesday 2nd September 2014
quotequote all
Cheers, will have a look ;-p H&R springs dont present a problem with the Porsche warranty?

uktrailmonster

4,827 posts

199 months

Tuesday 2nd September 2014
quotequote all
SockToy said:
My purchase is conditional on warranty extension and 111pt check pass.
Yeah, warranty is important on these cars. I've had my money's worth already in the first 7 months ownership. It's been back to the OPC on a trailer twice with electrical problems that would have cost an arm and a leg to fix without warranty. Car is fantastic though! No regrets at all and appears dealer prices are more expensive now than back in December when I bought it.

One thing you do get when you buy from OPC along with the 2 year warranty is Porsche Assist, which gives you full breakdown cover and courtesy car. I've found this very handy with the 2 breakdowns and they are extremely fussy about who trailers the car back to the OPC. Last time a bespoke low loader turned up and the driver covered all the seats and even the steering wheel while wearing white gloves! I was quite impressed at the level of care taken not to damage or mark anything.

SockToy

Original Poster:

24 posts

119 months

Tuesday 2nd September 2014
quotequote all
Hm. So now a few threads frightened me, because the 111 point check is being done at OPC west london... which seems to have... some poor writeups here. Huge mistake? IS being done thursday so if I need to change I'd better get a move on.

uktrailmonster

4,827 posts

199 months

Wednesday 3rd September 2014
quotequote all
hondansx said:
Oh and as for any recommendations, i've been preaching about the H&R springs. Improves the looks and maintains standard ride quality bow
A non-starter with extended Porsche warranty.

hondansx

4,562 posts

224 months

Wednesday 3rd September 2014
quotequote all
I have Porsche Extended Warranty and have made two warranty claims since the car has been modified. The answer is to get to know your OPC!

Of course, if my suspension collapsed, i wouldn't expect Porsche to cover it...

hondansx

4,562 posts

224 months

Wednesday 3rd September 2014
quotequote all
SockToy said:
Hm. So now a few threads frightened me, because the 111 point check is being done at OPC west london... which seems to have... some poor writeups here. Huge mistake? IS being done thursday so if I need to change I'd better get a move on.
As long as you get your warranty, does it matter?

uktrailmonster

4,827 posts

199 months

Wednesday 3rd September 2014
quotequote all
hondansx said:
I have Porsche Extended Warranty and have made two warranty claims since the car has been modified. The answer is to get to know your OPC!

Of course, if my suspension collapsed, i wouldn't expect Porsche to cover it...
Still very dodgy ground should you have to claim for anything remotely related to your suspension. Not a risk I'd take personally, but glad to hear your OPC is at least flexible.

mollytherocker

14,365 posts

208 months

Wednesday 3rd September 2014
quotequote all
hondansx said:
SockToy said:
Hm. So now a few threads frightened me, because the 111 point check is being done at OPC west london... which seems to have... some poor writeups here. Huge mistake? IS being done thursday so if I need to change I'd better get a move on.
As long as you get your warranty, does it matter?
Thats the point though isnt it. What if they say he needs to spend 4k on it?

SockToy

Original Poster:

24 posts

119 months

Thursday 4th September 2014
quotequote all
So I find out today if it passes. Fingers crossed ;-p

Any advice for the first few days of ownership in and around London? How bad are speed bumps going to be? Take em at 10mph? ;-p

Anything else?

hondansx

4,562 posts

224 months

Thursday 4th September 2014
quotequote all
Should be fine on standard suspension. Just bear in mind the width restrictors considering the big arse on it smile

uktrailmonster

4,827 posts

199 months

Thursday 4th September 2014
quotequote all
SockToy said:
Any advice for the first few days of ownership in and around London? How bad are speed bumps going to be? Take em at 10mph? ;-p

Anything else?
You really need to get out onto the open road to enjoy it. In town it will be an easy drive but dull. 10 mph over speed bumps should be okay but I wouldn't try them any faster. I don't come across many where I live, but when I do I crawl over them very slowly, probably more like 5mph.

Sport PDK setting is best all round auto mode, but standard mode is better in stop/start traffic. Sport mode tends to kick down to first when you don't really want it to, but it's good once you're on the move. But Manual mode is best when pushing on or charging through roundabouts where the auto modes can get a bit confused if you have to suddenly back off on approach and then try to get back on it again quickly. Sport setting gives a noticeably better throttle response, but also comes with an annoying kick on full throttle upshifts (Harris noted this in his reviews too, so not just me). So if you want to drive smoothly leave it in standard mode when driving as a manual. Sport plus is of no real use on the road unless you want to pointlessly rev the nuts off it. It basically puts the car in the lowest gear possible all of the time. As for suspension setting I use standard PASM mode ALL of the time, regardless of what mode I'm in. When you switch to Sport mode it automatically selects sport PASM at the same time, so you have to switch it back off. I'd much rather they were completely separate settings. Sport PASM is simply too hard for UK roads of any type and I haven't seen any advantage of it outside a track. Luckily standard PASM mode is excellent!

Have a play, you'll see there are lots of options!

SockToy

Original Poster:

24 posts

119 months

Monday 8th September 2014
quotequote all
Mine now. Put another 110 miles on the clock on Sunday. Fun, though getting out of London is a nightmare not made easier by the fact that PCM appears to have no idea whatsoever about traffic. Other than the instrument integration and music pause during driving instructions, the inbuilt nav appears to be terrible by comparison to the tomtom app on my phone; poor lane guidance, last minute turn directions, terrible routing through traffic, awful rerouting if you make a new turn.

Is there a standard approach people take that doesn't involve sticking a phone mount on the dash? Some way of improving the native PCM functionality, or using the PCM screen & in car speakers to run nav from another device using the iPod integration or something?

Other than that... omg the car is fun , and so so easy to drive. Popping it in sport, turning on the sport exhaust, then dropping PASM to normal on the motorway has lead to some rumbly moments of glee. Does anyone have any favoured routes for an enjoyable drive out of London?

Cheers

Matt