noob c4s owner - hi

[SockToy]

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

[SockToy]

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

[SockToy]

My purchase is conditional on warranty extension and 111pt check pass.

[SockToy]

Cheers, will have a look ;-p H&R springs dont present a problem with the Porsche warranty?

[SockToy]

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.

[SockToy]

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?

[SockToy]

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

[SockToy]

Skinny: Huh. What version PCM / nav do you have? I think mine is 3.0 (touchscreen 997.2) and 2.24 (latest firmware update).

I miss, from tomtom:
- crowd sourced traffic
- proper lane instructions rather than just 'left' or 'right'
- speed camera beeps
- super-quick re-routing

Did you do anything special to get yours competitive? Do you have a very old Tomtom?

[SockToy]

Porsche West London did mine for 150 - though it was in for a full 111pt check and warranty extension so maybe they felt that meant no labour charge.

Guess thats enough to make me think about trying the satnav again ;-p

[SockToy]

Thanks skinny... TOTALLY worth doing the nav again. Discovered playing around in the PCM options that basically everything I would want was turned off - multi route calc, dynamic recalc, traffic avoidance, etc. Why on earth their default option is 'Give you the worst route possible' I don't know, but we'll see if it's any better next time there's traffic

Tonight was just empty roads to half midnight and giggling to myself I am in love with this car.

[SockToy]

Went from v1.14 to 2.24 (huh. Coincidence)

I can't really say what the differences are, given I had it upgraded before I picked it up - the reason I paid is for the 7 digit postcode (which mine is), but I can tell you that:
- Bluetooth works seamlessly with phone; had a 2 hour conversation while driving, no drops, etc
- Voice control lets me control nav, audio, phone, etc. 'Navigate to address. St Albans. High street. No. Start.'
- iPhone 5 working fine through Porsche UAI cable, music dumped on USB stick working fine

I've seen various things around about problems in all those on earlier PCMs.


So now my question ;-p

is there any way to set 'PASM' to normal mode when you hit sport? or to tie the exhaust to come onto sport mode automatically? Ideally the sport switch would toggle gearbox/throttle/exhaust between sport/normal, while leaving PASM as I had it set - I dont really like taking my eyes off the road to fiddle with those things.

Secondly, am I right that in sport mode the exhaust only goes loud above 40mph? So if I tootle through residential areas at 20-30, even in sport mode, its as quiet as it'll get?

[SockToy]

Haha, no, I actually meant I'd like to leave the exhaust in Sport, assuming that it only actually goes into Sport when I'm going over 40 - which will mean away from bedrooms and built up areas. I live in the middle of a big residential area, so if I can just leave sport engaged without waking all my neighbours, and know it isnt getting loud until I hit 40+, thats awesome