(Another) TPC DSC Review - 997 Turbo

[JKay]

Hello All

I got myself a 997 Turbo Cab a few months ago after always wanting a 911.

It never felt quite as I imagined it to feel and I was having trouble bonding with the car (completely stock standard) . Acceleration was fine but it was the suspension I didn't like. My 2011 Honda Civic Hatch felt better to me.

It felt way too bouncy especially at the rear, seemed to dive heavily under braking, and felt very floaty to me. Like many others, I also felt that PASM in sport mode was too stiff and I didn't use it much at all.

Heard about the DSC Module from TPC and ordered one. It arrived in Australia 3 days later (this morning) and I got stuck in immediately. The new units now have the updated software which eliminates the blinking PASM light. There were previously 3 modes, soft medium and hard (no light, steady light and flashing light), but the new software makes it display as if it were stock, i.e. 2 modes with no light and a steady light.

Took me around 5 mins to install, and I had a quick drive around the city. I couldn't really open her up on the streets of inner Sydney, but I felt a difference right away.

Firstly it didn't feel floaty and bouncy anymore, and whenever i got on the brakes there was no more dive as previously experienced. It also surprisingly feels more comfortable than my car did with the stock PASM unit.

Then came the speed humps and potholes. I would previously feel the rear pogo-ing about overtime I went over any bumps, but now it just feels settled, absorbs the bump then carries on without hopping up and down, all at no expense to comfort.

What amazes me is the way it seems to make my 911 feel tighter, yet at the same time feels better over bumps.

Tom@TPC was also great to deal with the whole time, making things easy. Very happy with this, which cost me just slightly more than what 2 rear tyres would cost.

I will be going on some proper drives soon hopefully, and am looking forward to seeing how things feel when pressing on a bit.

Thanks
Jkay

[finestjammy]

Nice write up, thanks for your views. I'm considering one of these modules for my 987.2 S. Can I ask, does it make a differencd at all speeds? I'm no one for 'massive G' and trying to get my face to stick to the side window, I do however appreciate a level and controlled chassis when driving briskly. I'd also appreciate a more compliant and damped ride on the awful roads in my area

[JKay]

finestjammy said:

Nice write up, thanks for your views. I'm considering one of these modules for my 987.2 S. Can I ask, does it make a differencd at all speeds? I'm no one for 'massive G' and trying to get my face to stick to the side window, I do however appreciate a level and controlled chassis when driving briskly. I'd also appreciate a more compliant and damped ride on the awful roads in my area

I haven't tried at high speed yet but it definitely feels (to me) like a much level
And controlled chassis, both slow and medium fast (yet to go fast fast)

As for comfort it feels much better than the stock PASM on my 997. Even in DSC stiff, it feels better than stock PASM on Soft. It just seems to soak everything up much better, better more level ride with better comfort. Pretty impressed

[Dr Gitlin]

finestjammy said:

Nice write up, thanks for your views. I'm considering one of these modules for my 987.2 S. Can I ask, does it make a differencd at all speeds? I'm no one for 'massive G' and trying to get my face to stick to the side window, I do however appreciate a level and controlled chassis when driving briskly. I'd also appreciate a more compliant and damped ride on the awful roads in my area

I drove a Cayman GT4 with their controller on it at Summit Point (a very bumpy track near DC) and it felt like the tarmac had been freshly laid.

[Fl0pp3r]

Thanks for sharing your experience with the DSC module JKay - am interested in trying it too, following similarly positive write-ups on rennlist. Completely agree that PASM (997.2 GT3 for comparison) in standard mode is a bit to 'loose' for want of a better word...while sport can be a little too jarring on some of the roads i drive on - although the tightness you're looking for is definitely there. Sounds like DSC gets the damptronics working as they should! Have they really switched to just two setting now?

Do keep the updates coming cobber!

[isaldiri]

Interesting that. I'm really quite interested to try this on the 7.2 RS one day although I remain really surprised that the existing OEM springs are able to work properly in the even greater range of damper control settings the dsc module uses when it's been suggested that the oem settings are already on too large a range for them.

[JKay]

Dr Gitlin said:

I drove a Cayman GT4 with their controller on it at Summit Point (a very bumpy track near DC) and it felt like the tarmac had been freshly laid.

This is one of the huge plus points for me. Feels much better on the roads around where I live

Fl0pp3r said:

Thanks for sharing your experience with the DSC module JKay - am interested in trying it too, Have they really switched to just two setting now?

Do keep the updates coming cobber!

I felt the same with my 997TT, standard was way too loose and bouncy, and PASM sport was so stiff I never used it. Now theres hardly any dive on braking (haven't gotten up to decent speeds yet but will report back when I do). Overall its just a more comfortable ride which feels a lot tighter as the same time.

Its only two settings now, soft and race, so the PASM button behaves just like it were stock, i.e. no light for soft and a steady light for stiff (gone are the days of flashing lights)

[Fl0pp3r]

10-4 mate!

[IMI A]

This really is one of the best mods out there. Transforms a 997 turbo.