Why so much negativity on here about the 981?
Discussion
Varelco said:
Having recently shown an interest in Porsches and spend more time reading and looking around forums I've notice you lot are a hostile bunch to each other. Find it odd from an outsiders perspective.
I thought the same thing when I started looking in the porsche section (7-8 years ago). 
webstercivet said:
Varelco said:
Having recently shown an interest in Porsches and spend more time reading and looking around forums I've notice you lot are a hostile bunch to each other. Find it odd from an outsiders perspective.
Have often heard this view. Perhaps Rowan Atkinson was thinking along similar lines when he said, "They’re wonderful cars – I don’t go around saying Porsches are a pile of dung – but I know I could never live with one. Somehow the typical Porsche people – and I wish them no ill – are not, I feel, my kind of people."As an all round package I'd put a 981 Boxster below the following cars I've owned the last 20 years...S3 Lotus Elise, Honda S2000, R172 Mercedes SLK55 (x2), Mercedes W205 C63 and finally my new Toyota GR Yaris CP. (Might even put it below my Mk2 Escort 1600 Sport).
Holgate86 said:
webstercivet said:
Varelco said:
Having recently shown an interest in Porsches and spend more time reading and looking around forums I've notice you lot are a hostile bunch to each other. Find it odd from an outsiders perspective.
Have often heard this view. Perhaps Rowan Atkinson was thinking along similar lines when he said, "They’re wonderful cars – I don’t go around saying Porsches are a pile of dung – but I know I could never live with one. Somehow the typical Porsche people – and I wish them no ill – are not, I feel, my kind of people."As an all round package I'd put a 981 Boxster below the following cars I've owned the last 20 years...S3 Lotus Elise, Honda S2000, R172 Mercedes SLK55 (x2), Mercedes W205 C63 and finally my new Toyota GR Yaris CP. (Might even put it below my Mk2 Escort 1600 Sport).
Porsche changed so much between 9x7 and 9x1 that it’s nearly difficult to see how you can like both. For me Porsches lost a lot of their appeal in that transition but I’m sure for others it’s the other way around and he/she who spends their money gets to decide so not sure why anyone would really care about what others think. The way things are at the moment I’d say you’d be making money while enjoying them too so how bad.
Holgate86 said:
I had a 981 Boxster Black Edition, didn't enjoy the ownership experience at all, car was only average IMHO to drive, engineering and quality vastly over hyped, dealers and other Porsche owners pretty terrible too....couldn't even fit Zunsport grills or have a tyre repaired without the Porsche warranty boys on the case....just waiting for the engine mounts to fail......
As an all round package I'd put a 981 Boxster below the following cars I've owned the last 20 years...S3 Lotus Elise, Honda S2000, R172 Mercedes SLK55 (x2), Mercedes W205 C63 and finally my new Toyota GR Yaris CP. (Might even put it below my Mk2 Escort 1600 Sport).
I'd trust my old Lotus more than the 981 that preceded it. And it was more fun (by a long way). Porsche ownership is strange and not something I'm in a hurry to return to. As an all round package I'd put a 981 Boxster below the following cars I've owned the last 20 years...S3 Lotus Elise, Honda S2000, R172 Mercedes SLK55 (x2), Mercedes W205 C63 and finally my new Toyota GR Yaris CP. (Might even put it below my Mk2 Escort 1600 Sport).
981Boxess said:
I have two wheels, one has the buttons, one has the full sized paddles, both turn with the wheel.
Interested! Was this another option? I have the sports wheel(?) which, pleasingly, is very plain and devoid of other controls. But the metal paddles are fixed to the column.I’m aware of the wheel with buttons (standard).
Please can you post an image of your wheel with paddles, please?
Used to own a Sapphire Blue 981 C GTS, PDK, PCCB, just best spec.
As much as I loved the car, the interior, the exterior, the throttle response, the engine so free running like there was no resistance at all, the insane brakes, the PDK even more insane. It was just awesome.
But all these supurb things couldn't live up the fact me how bad the steering was, the initials response too slow and vague, too much self centering force to it, no feeling what so ever.
The sh.tty steering was the reason and the only reason I sold that car.
|https://thumbsnap.com/qqnsJgvc[/url]
As much as I loved the car, the interior, the exterior, the throttle response, the engine so free running like there was no resistance at all, the insane brakes, the PDK even more insane. It was just awesome.
But all these supurb things couldn't live up the fact me how bad the steering was, the initials response too slow and vague, too much self centering force to it, no feeling what so ever.
The sh.tty steering was the reason and the only reason I sold that car.
|https://thumbsnap.com/qqnsJgvc[/url]Edited by Romo on Sunday 13th June 10:12
Having jumped back and forth between a 981 and 987.2 over a 1000 miles of road tripping, I could not settle for the 981 steering after experiencing the 987. Unfortunately the 981 steering was closer in feel to a BMW than a Porsche.
Never driven a 718 but would be interested to see how things have progressed after the regression of feel from 987 to 981.
Never driven a 718 but would be interested to see how things have progressed after the regression of feel from 987 to 981.
I think every car has a drawback of some variety...
My 458's steering rack slightly too quick, throttle response very sensitive in town, exhaust note a bit blary (all blah or not a lot)...etc etc etc..but they're still brilliant cars.
GT3 long geared, probably too capable for the UK roads to get any real enjoyment for its' purpose as intended...
How much importance you put on one thing will differ from person to person, but at the end of the day, for me, it's how everything adds up to an overall package that matters.
My 981 GTS has X73 suspension, how much that makes a difference to steering feel is questionable, however it turns in brilliantly, is great fun to drive through the lanes and makes me laugh with the drive and sound it offers.
Compared to previous 'R' yes it loses steering feel, but other ingredients of the 981 GTS add up to something I think is brilliant.
It's a proper Porsche.
My 458's steering rack slightly too quick, throttle response very sensitive in town, exhaust note a bit blary (all blah or not a lot)...etc etc etc..but they're still brilliant cars.
GT3 long geared, probably too capable for the UK roads to get any real enjoyment for its' purpose as intended...
How much importance you put on one thing will differ from person to person, but at the end of the day, for me, it's how everything adds up to an overall package that matters.
My 981 GTS has X73 suspension, how much that makes a difference to steering feel is questionable, however it turns in brilliantly, is great fun to drive through the lanes and makes me laugh with the drive and sound it offers.
Compared to previous 'R' yes it loses steering feel, but other ingredients of the 981 GTS add up to something I think is brilliant.
It's a proper Porsche.
Edited by MrVert on Sunday 13th June 21:36
nickv8 said:
981Boxess said:
I have two wheels, one has the buttons, one has the full sized paddles, both turn with the wheel.
Interested! Was this another option? I have the sports wheel(?) which, pleasingly, is very plain and devoid of other controls. But the metal paddles are fixed to the column.I’m aware of the wheel with buttons (standard).
Please can you post an image of your wheel with paddles, please?
https://content3.eu.porsche.com/prod/pag/tequipmen...
anonymous said:
[redacted]
I only act for my self
I only buy a car for myself.
Of course some people like the 981 steering, I'm perfectly allright with that, I respect every other opinion on the steering, but I do respect my own opinion i.c. feeling the most :-) and I didn't like the steering nor the feel of it. No offense.
Enjoy driving and sty save !
Edited by Romo on Sunday 13th June 16:53
In my view, the thing about the 981 is that the 718 is better. F4, F6, whatever. Far better, much improved, better steering, handling etc, and that comment seems to rub the sensitive 981 owners up the wrong way sometimes, feeling defensive about having their ‘p&j’ (in their minds) insulted.
Now all well and good and fair enough you say. Or not. But please bear with me, some of these same 981 owners (not cossers afaik) had no such problems bashing the 718 at every opportunity when it came out a couple of years back or so and no compunction at all insulting others’ ‘p&js’. Pot, kettle...?
Personally I think the same thing seems to happen each time Porsche change something, the move to water cooling for example. Bottom line is everybody wants to talk up their cars and are often unable to take criticism. As somebody pointed out earlier in this thread, they are thoroughly invested. I suppose these forums are ultimately just excellent ongoing examples of ‘Choice-supportive bias’, (if you study psychology.)
So all fairly pointless really. However I think where owners have owned different cars and can also explain their rationale for changing, including the negative feedback, then this can be useful info.
So is not really negativity at all, just progress. Looking forward to the ICE vs EV debates then. Ymmv of course, etc.
Now all well and good and fair enough you say. Or not. But please bear with me, some of these same 981 owners (not cossers afaik) had no such problems bashing the 718 at every opportunity when it came out a couple of years back or so and no compunction at all insulting others’ ‘p&js’. Pot, kettle...?
Personally I think the same thing seems to happen each time Porsche change something, the move to water cooling for example. Bottom line is everybody wants to talk up their cars and are often unable to take criticism. As somebody pointed out earlier in this thread, they are thoroughly invested. I suppose these forums are ultimately just excellent ongoing examples of ‘Choice-supportive bias’, (if you study psychology.)
So all fairly pointless really. However I think where owners have owned different cars and can also explain their rationale for changing, including the negative feedback, then this can be useful info.
So is not really negativity at all, just progress. Looking forward to the ICE vs EV debates then. Ymmv of course, etc.
I don’t think there is much negativity about the 981. There certainly wasn’t when it was the current model. There is no debate that it has been a very highly regarded & critically acclaimed car since launch - it proved it’s point.
The apparent negativity comes from the fact that we’re comparing it to a new model, which is obviously an improvement across the board (like any new Porsche model), but because it’s been given that rough F4 engine, folks are in the uncommon position of debating whether they’d prefer the newer model to its predecessor. That doesn’t happen very often - and that’s why it causes the consternation it does.
YMMV, but to many, the engine is the soul of a performance car. The 9A1 is a peach, opinions on the F4 vary. I think it’s great as a daily driver engine, but it falls far short of giving my what I want.
As an aside I drove a GTS 4.0 yesterday, and there’s absolutely no doubt that that car is a master stroke (except the vents!).
The apparent negativity comes from the fact that we’re comparing it to a new model, which is obviously an improvement across the board (like any new Porsche model), but because it’s been given that rough F4 engine, folks are in the uncommon position of debating whether they’d prefer the newer model to its predecessor. That doesn’t happen very often - and that’s why it causes the consternation it does.
YMMV, but to many, the engine is the soul of a performance car. The 9A1 is a peach, opinions on the F4 vary. I think it’s great as a daily driver engine, but it falls far short of giving my what I want.
As an aside I drove a GTS 4.0 yesterday, and there’s absolutely no doubt that that car is a master stroke (except the vents!).
Edited by Royal Jelly on Monday 14th June 08:14
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