feedback please on the 991 S with PDK
Discussion
baron bashoneov said:
I am interested in the new S with PDK, I drove the manual and do not like the new 7 speed box
too many gears!
I currently have a GT3 but think it is time to go back to the S
any feedback would be welcome.
There's stacks of opinion out there, but my 4d:too many gears!
I currently have a GT3 but think it is time to go back to the S
any feedback would be welcome.
The 991 is an epic car. I have one with PDK and PDCC and it handles like nothing else. Exceptionally fast too.
But its not a direct replacement for the 997. The 991 moves the 911 upwards in the range into new territory. It's more refined, more the gentlemans express.
It depends what you are looking for. If you want the best blend of performance and comfort you won't find anything better in the Porsche range. If you want to feel like you're driving a raw sports car, look elsewhere.
Love it. Had a turbo. now in a 991 S; PDK is pretty good and agree the 991 has moved the 911 on and up, very playstation and still getting my head round all the buttons.
From a driving perspective it handles as well if not better than my prior well fettled turbo, goes like a raped ape when you want it to, moves along sedately when you don't. PSE adds to the drama; plenty of choice out there and deals to be done. I got mine as an interim till I can get the 991 GT3 and so far very impressed.
Love it. Had a turbo. now in a 991 S; PDK is pretty good and agree the 991 has moved the 911 on and up, very playstation and still getting my head round all the buttons.
From a driving perspective it handles as well if not better than my prior well fettled turbo, goes like a raped ape when you want it to, moves along sedately when you don't. PSE adds to the drama; plenty of choice out there and deals to be done. I got mine as an interim till I can get the 991 GT3 and so far very impressed.
Love it. Had a turbo. now in a 991 S; PDK is pretty good and agree the 991 has moved the 911 on and up, very playstation and still getting my head round all the buttons.
From a driving perspective it handles as well if not better than my prior well fettled turbo, goes like a raped ape when you want it to, moves along sedately when you don't. PSE adds to the drama; plenty of choice out there and deals to be done. I got mine as an interim till I can get the 991 GT3 and so far very impressed.
The 991S with PDK is an extraordinary car: best all-round package I've ever driven, and (in my mind) streets ahead of the 997. The PDK box takes nothing away from the driving involvement or experience - it just makes it different: you get to focus more on your lines and the revs, and less on the physical act of changing gears. The cabin of the 991 is a very refined affair, but I disagree with those who claim that this takes it into stately GT-territory. Compared to the 997, when you drive aggressively (around a track, say), the emotional experience in the 991 is much more pronounced thanks to amplified engine intake sounds in the cabin. It howls at 7000 RPM in a way that makes your hairs stand up at the back of your neck - and that's without a sports exhaust. The car can be a pussycat or a raging mad beast, depending on what tickles your fancy, and the PDK box adapts to either condition seamlessly.
I moved from a 997 GTS to a 991S with PDK and PDCC, it's a very different car so would advise an extended test if I were you. As I only use mine at the weekend I rather miss manual (my daily driver is an auto), but the PDK suits the car and is astonishing on kick down, it's progress but it doesn't mean it's more fun.
I posted this a little while ago about my 991 after 4,500 miles. Contrary to some on here it is a more complex and revealing car the more you drive it. In sport mode with PSE and lowered PASM it is very GT3 like across the A/B roads. Driven in comfort mode you are likely to be amazed at the comfort and quietness, but also agree with the views of it feeling bloated and dulled. Remember this mode is primarily to satisfy emission legislators!!
Here is what I said earlier.
Incredibly having picked up the 991S on November 22nd I have done 4,400 miles. I was feeling a little out of sorts with Porsche overall after the GT3 RS debacle, but wanting to stay in a 911 and in the interim I have done as many miles in three months as I did in the RS in 15 months.
Initial impressions were of a car of incredible quality and finish. Fantastic interior of dark and light grey, very airy and spacious. Beautiful finish with part leather and a lovely lustre to the alloy components. A lot of electrics, even the steering wheel adjustment!
Even in the first few metres it was obvious this was a stiff shelled car with superb damping giving a luxurious and comforting drive. I am not sure the car felt big per se, but it did feel hard to position. The classic visual 911 reference points were gone. This made it feel a little unwieldy.
Also the sport blunting economy systems, of which there are many, make the car feel heavy and ponderous initially. The other glaring question mark was the steering. Initial feel could best be described as glassy. Was the steering poor or just different? In terms of accuracy it was spot on and generally I did not have an issue with it, but it did feel different.
After a lot of miles in it now and a finally a couple of dry weeks here on my local Yorkshire roads, and a session at Porsche Experience Centre have allowed me to start to draw some conclusions on the car.
First of all it is a car that I love to drive every day. It is not quite the same as the RS where I would not drive it often but I would save myself for a special 100 miles every now and then.
At the Porsche Experience Centre I was able to compare it closely to the RS as I was there in November for an RS day, in very similar cold weather.
On the skid circles and skid pan the bottom line is that the 991 was less intuitive sliding around than the RS. The RS is more consistent in response and easier to control. Ironically on the skid surfaces it was the 991 that felt heavier in the rear, even though it is more mid-engined than the RS. Another factor with the 991 is that the combination of tyres and chassis actually give it more grip, so harder to break away and harder to hold away.
On the circuit I was comfortably faster in the 991 than the RS - a combination of higher grip, PDK so no messing about with gears and ease of use. The PEC circuit is quite technical and the RS is much more sensitive to throttle and camber induced weight movements. Also, to be fair, it was my third time at the PEC in three months so I was learning the circuit which helps a lot.
On the road I am very much beginning to love the 991. First if all it is incredibly rapid if you want it to be. I like it best with Sport PDK and Sport Suspension mode. Sport Plus is only suitable for flat out driving. In Sport/Sport mode the chassis feels nicely firm (-20mm PASM), the gear changes are responsive and the throttle response reasonable. The steering is also starting to make real sense. The feedback is different - but now I am attuned to it, it is beautifully subtle. I can feel small camber shifts, surface shifts and front end grip. Even at the PEC on the wet skid pan at 0deg C I had no issue with front end feel, same on the Ice Hill.
So even though it is harder to hold in easy smooth slides like the RS, it compensates with awesome grip and when it does break away it is easily controllable. In Sport/Sport, now I have my new reference points, it is nimble, ferociously rapid, massively grippy and a real joy to drive hard. Weight can be moved through the corner and all controlled on the throttle. Usual Porsche virtues of stability and great brakes are there in spades.
And this is combined with a day to day driving machine that in soft mode will happily return and quiet, luxurious cruise at 32-27mpg, albeit in this mode it is soft and unresponsive. Overall a joy to own.
Here is what I said earlier.
Incredibly having picked up the 991S on November 22nd I have done 4,400 miles. I was feeling a little out of sorts with Porsche overall after the GT3 RS debacle, but wanting to stay in a 911 and in the interim I have done as many miles in three months as I did in the RS in 15 months.
Initial impressions were of a car of incredible quality and finish. Fantastic interior of dark and light grey, very airy and spacious. Beautiful finish with part leather and a lovely lustre to the alloy components. A lot of electrics, even the steering wheel adjustment!
Even in the first few metres it was obvious this was a stiff shelled car with superb damping giving a luxurious and comforting drive. I am not sure the car felt big per se, but it did feel hard to position. The classic visual 911 reference points were gone. This made it feel a little unwieldy.
Also the sport blunting economy systems, of which there are many, make the car feel heavy and ponderous initially. The other glaring question mark was the steering. Initial feel could best be described as glassy. Was the steering poor or just different? In terms of accuracy it was spot on and generally I did not have an issue with it, but it did feel different.
After a lot of miles in it now and a finally a couple of dry weeks here on my local Yorkshire roads, and a session at Porsche Experience Centre have allowed me to start to draw some conclusions on the car.
First of all it is a car that I love to drive every day. It is not quite the same as the RS where I would not drive it often but I would save myself for a special 100 miles every now and then.
At the Porsche Experience Centre I was able to compare it closely to the RS as I was there in November for an RS day, in very similar cold weather.
On the skid circles and skid pan the bottom line is that the 991 was less intuitive sliding around than the RS. The RS is more consistent in response and easier to control. Ironically on the skid surfaces it was the 991 that felt heavier in the rear, even though it is more mid-engined than the RS. Another factor with the 991 is that the combination of tyres and chassis actually give it more grip, so harder to break away and harder to hold away.
On the circuit I was comfortably faster in the 991 than the RS - a combination of higher grip, PDK so no messing about with gears and ease of use. The PEC circuit is quite technical and the RS is much more sensitive to throttle and camber induced weight movements. Also, to be fair, it was my third time at the PEC in three months so I was learning the circuit which helps a lot.
On the road I am very much beginning to love the 991. First if all it is incredibly rapid if you want it to be. I like it best with Sport PDK and Sport Suspension mode. Sport Plus is only suitable for flat out driving. In Sport/Sport mode the chassis feels nicely firm (-20mm PASM), the gear changes are responsive and the throttle response reasonable. The steering is also starting to make real sense. The feedback is different - but now I am attuned to it, it is beautifully subtle. I can feel small camber shifts, surface shifts and front end grip. Even at the PEC on the wet skid pan at 0deg C I had no issue with front end feel, same on the Ice Hill.
So even though it is harder to hold in easy smooth slides like the RS, it compensates with awesome grip and when it does break away it is easily controllable. In Sport/Sport, now I have my new reference points, it is nimble, ferociously rapid, massively grippy and a real joy to drive hard. Weight can be moved through the corner and all controlled on the throttle. Usual Porsche virtues of stability and great brakes are there in spades.
And this is combined with a day to day driving machine that in soft mode will happily return and quiet, luxurious cruise at 32-27mpg, albeit in this mode it is soft and unresponsive. Overall a joy to own.
RankAmateur said:
The 991S with PDK is an extraordinary car: best all-round package I've ever driven, and (in my mind) streets ahead of the 997. The PDK box takes nothing away from the driving involvement or experience - it just makes it different: you get to focus more on your lines and the revs, and less on the physical act of changing gears. The cabin of the 991 is a very refined affair, but I disagree with those who claim that this takes it into stately GT-territory. Compared to the 997, when you drive aggressively (around a track, say), the emotional experience in the 991 is much more pronounced thanks to amplified engine intake sounds in the cabin. It howls at 7000 RPM in a way that makes your hairs stand up at the back of your neck - and that's without a sports exhaust. The car can be a pussycat or a raging mad beast, depending on what tickles your fancy, and the PDK box adapts to either condition seamlessly.
100% Agree, an awesome car!!!Interesting lack of negative feedback here. If you had posted this question 12 months ago, you'd have been battling through a swarm of anti-991 swipes. Now that the car is better understood, the praise is almost universal. No, the GT comfort and PDK efficiency aren't for everyone and the car sure is softer than a 964.... but, turn on the taps and it snarls, snaps and flows down the road like an angry leopard. As an all-day, everyday, ultra-modern driving weapon, it reigns absolutely supreme. Get one.
BnB said:
Interesting lack of negative feedback here. If you had posted this question 12 months ago, you'd have been battling through a swarm of anti-991 swipes. Now that the car is better understood, the praise is almost universal. No, the GT comfort and PDK efficiency aren't for everyone and the car sure is softer than a 964.... but, turn on the taps and it snarls, snaps and flows down the road like an angry leopard. As an all-day, everyday, ultra-modern driving weapon, it reigns absolutely supreme. Get one.
More like the other forum members here on the other side of the fence have already posted their thoughts in many earlier topics asking the same question, stretching back to 2011.There is only so much negativity peeps can post about a car, especially in threads where new owners have posted up their pride and joy, its not really right to piss on someone elses fire like that.
The 991 owners on here have stated their case and their experiences with the car but this is one car that will be respected but not widely loved, maybe this is another 996 moment and 991 owners will need to accept and live with that.
Carl_Docklands said:
More like the other forum members here on the other side of the fence have already posted their thoughts in many earlier topics asking the same question, stretching back to 2011.
There is only so much negativity peeps can post about a car, especially in threads where new owners have posted up their pride and joy, its not really right to piss on someone elses fire like that.
The 991 owners on here have stated their case and their experiences with the car but this is one car that will be respected but not widely loved, maybe this is another 996 moment and 991 owners will need to accept and live with that.
I disagree with your first two paragraphs. Look at the weekly PDK vs manual debates: the same arguments keep being made by the same people regardless of how often they repeat themselves. But in the case of the 991, the naysayers are diminishing in number and in vehemence.There is only so much negativity peeps can post about a car, especially in threads where new owners have posted up their pride and joy, its not really right to piss on someone elses fire like that.
The 991 owners on here have stated their case and their experiences with the car but this is one car that will be respected but not widely loved, maybe this is another 996 moment and 991 owners will need to accept and live with that.
Your third paragraph I can't agree or disagree with. Simply time will tell and I wouldn't try to guess. The global sports car demographic is very different today from that of 15 years ago and it will be its demands en masse to which Porsche responds in the future, not to those of bearded kettle-lovers (yes, I have a beard). The 991 seems pretty popular in many regions.
BnB said:
I disagree with your first two paragraphs. Look at the weekly PDK vs manual debates: the same arguments keep being made by the same people regardless of how often they repeat themselves. But in the case of the 991, the naysayers are diminishing in number and in vehemence.
Maybe because some of them have actually had experience of the car now, or even driven it.shocks said:
Love it. Had a turbo. now in a 991 S; PDK is pretty good and agree the 991 has moved the 911 on and up, very playstation and still getting my head round all the buttons.
From a driving perspective it handles as well if not better than my prior well fettled turbo, goes like a raped ape when you want it to, moves along sedately when you don't. PSE adds to the drama; plenty of choice out there and deals to be done. I got mine as an interim till I can get the 991 GT3 and so far very impressed.
Is the PSE loud on the 991, i found the one on my 997.1 a huge disappointment after the 996.From a driving perspective it handles as well if not better than my prior well fettled turbo, goes like a raped ape when you want it to, moves along sedately when you don't. PSE adds to the drama; plenty of choice out there and deals to be done. I got mine as an interim till I can get the 991 GT3 and so far very impressed.
BnB said:
Interesting lack of negative feedback here. If you had posted this question 12 months ago, you'd have been battling through a swarm of anti-991 swipes. Now that the car is better understood, the praise is almost universal. No, the GT comfort and PDK efficiency aren't for everyone and the car sure is softer than a 964.... but, turn on the taps and it snarls, snaps and flows down the road like an angry leopard. As an all-day, everyday, ultra-modern driving weapon, it reigns absolutely supreme. Get one.
This^^^^^^^^Sun is shining today and I have just been out in mine, 991 C2S cab with PDK and its simply astonishing. Last time I was out with the top down it was in a 997 Turbo S cab that I owned from new. Sure it was a lot quicker but the 991 is a better drivers car in every other way. 991 turbo should be something else......
DT398 said:
Yes. It sounds stunning.
I found the standard exhaust sounded pretty good tbh.Ref the original post,I am a devout manual guy,if there is a choice I always pick the manual version,I wouldn't with the 991,the PDk is a very impressive box and for the first time in my life I prefer the 'auto' (PDF,smg,dct ...whatever ) to the manual of the said car.
Maybe I'm getting too old
Callughan said:
Is the PSE loud on the 991, i found the one on my 997.1 a huge disappointment after the 996.
Oh yes. A very sweet melody. Just back from a wee hoon round the highlands with mate in his XKR, while clearly I was enjoying the PSE from the drivers seat he certainly testified to it being very nice crackle and pop, sounding just lovely suitable blips on downshift or to a howling banshee on the over takes..shocks said:
Callughan said:
Is the PSE loud on the 991, i found the one on my 997.1 a huge disappointment after the 996.
Oh yes. A very sweet melody. Just back from a wee hoon round the highlands with mate in his XKR, while clearly I was enjoying the PSE from the drivers seat he certainly testified to it being very nice crackle and pop, sounding just lovely suitable blips on downshift or to a howling banshee on the over takes..Gassing Station | Porsche General | Top of Page | What's New | My Stuff