997.2 PDK - Tell me I'm mad
Discussion
I'm having another one of my phases obsessing about a certain car, in this case it's a 911 and specifically a 997.2 base Carrera PDK as I love the classic 997 shape and they're within reach financially.
This phase of obsessing has been going on for a while, it shows no sign of abating and I'm driving my wife crazy
It's all come about due to the fear of missing the boat with 997 prices being quite low and the impending electric revolution.
My current 'daily' is a diesel BMW 2 series coupe. I fly for an airline out of Heathrow so the cars usage is 4-5 trips per month down the M4 and back from Wiltshire so about 11-12k miles per year of pure motorway bliss! The BMW is a great tool for this job but I can't shake the 911 urge.
So, am I mad to even consider a 997.2 Carrera PDK for my usage? Is it a total waste of getting a 911 and would I get fed up of it driving home jet lagged and tired in the depths of winter? I have a very well sorted Caterham for thrills and track days as well so the 911 wouldn't even get used much at the weekend. Please tell me I'm going mad
This phase of obsessing has been going on for a while, it shows no sign of abating and I'm driving my wife crazy
It's all come about due to the fear of missing the boat with 997 prices being quite low and the impending electric revolution.My current 'daily' is a diesel BMW 2 series coupe. I fly for an airline out of Heathrow so the cars usage is 4-5 trips per month down the M4 and back from Wiltshire so about 11-12k miles per year of pure motorway bliss! The BMW is a great tool for this job but I can't shake the 911 urge.
So, am I mad to even consider a 997.2 Carrera PDK for my usage? Is it a total waste of getting a 911 and would I get fed up of it driving home jet lagged and tired in the depths of winter? I have a very well sorted Caterham for thrills and track days as well so the 911 wouldn't even get used much at the weekend. Please tell me I'm going mad
Go for it. A PDK 997.2 Carrera is not a tiring drive. You'll absolutely love it probably best dd 911 Porsche ever made. They're not expensive to run either if you can find a trustworthy indy close to you. Porsche Torque are on your commute and they are very good. Try Classic Line or A Manning UK for insurance and I doubt it will be any more expensive to run in terms of over all cost of ownership than a M2 diesel as low depreciation on 997 should offset slightly higher consumable prices for the 911.
Caution!
I bought a 997.2S when I lost my medical, I drove it to the south of France a couple of times, just to get it out of my system! I then couldn’t be without one, so I bought a 991.1 Targa 4S, which I have owned for three years. Tomorrow I am off to drive a GT3 which I have put a deposit on.
Porsche get under your skin, so be warned.
I bought a 997.2S when I lost my medical, I drove it to the south of France a couple of times, just to get it out of my system! I then couldn’t be without one, so I bought a 991.1 Targa 4S, which I have owned for three years. Tomorrow I am off to drive a GT3 which I have put a deposit on.
Porsche get under your skin, so be warned.
Claret m said:
Caution!
I bought a 997.2S when I lost my medical, I drove it to the south of France a couple of times, just to get it out of my system! I then couldn’t be without one, so I bought a 991.1 Targa 4S, which I have owned for three years. Tomorrow I am off to drive a GT3 which I have put a deposit on.
Porsche get under your skin, so be warned.
Go for it but don't be surprised if the above also happens.I bought a 997.2S when I lost my medical, I drove it to the south of France a couple of times, just to get it out of my system! I then couldn’t be without one, so I bought a 991.1 Targa 4S, which I have owned for three years. Tomorrow I am off to drive a GT3 which I have put a deposit on.
Porsche get under your skin, so be warned.
As much as my 997.2 ownership got off to a very difficult and expensive start (properly shafted by a very official OPC) I still have it 4 years and 3 points later.
Claret m said:
Caution!
I bought a 997.2S when I lost my medical, I drove it to the south of France a couple of times, just to get it out of my system! I then couldn’t be without one, so I bought a 991.1 Targa 4S, which I have owned for three years. Tomorrow I am off to drive a GT3 which I have put a deposit on.
Porsche get under your skin, so be warned.
I didn't realise that Porsche had any models of 911 other than the GT3.I bought a 997.2S when I lost my medical, I drove it to the south of France a couple of times, just to get it out of my system! I then couldn’t be without one, so I bought a 991.1 Targa 4S, which I have owned for three years. Tomorrow I am off to drive a GT3 which I have put a deposit on.
Porsche get under your skin, so be warned.
Bert
Having had a 997 C4S manual for years and loved every mile in it I always said having tried several I’d never had a pdk. Boring, to clinical etc, etc.
My joints are dodgy now so needed to get rid of the clutch pedal and swapped to a 997.2 pdk (albeit a turbo) and bloody love it.
Miss the NA noise but in sport mode the gear changes are fantastic, always in the gear you need at the time, super sharp, and it will still make the journey through the centre of London a breeze.
997 still has a super interior and the .2 PCM sat-nav etc works fine.
997 is still a nice size too, newer 911 are getting a bit to big for their own good now.
Get one and enjoy.
My joints are dodgy now so needed to get rid of the clutch pedal and swapped to a 997.2 pdk (albeit a turbo) and bloody love it.
Miss the NA noise but in sport mode the gear changes are fantastic, always in the gear you need at the time, super sharp, and it will still make the journey through the centre of London a breeze.
997 still has a super interior and the .2 PCM sat-nav etc works fine.
997 is still a nice size too, newer 911 are getting a bit to big for their own good now.
Get one and enjoy.
My wife has a 997.2 GTS PDK - it’s really a very nice car, very easy to live with & it looks like a proper 911. Plus vs the moderns, it’s a lovely size for our roads. One piece of advice, I recently had the geo done - it’s absolutely transformed the car from an “it’s ok but dated” to a, “bloody hell it’s really lovely, agile and properly quick”
I can’t stop driving it now
I can’t stop driving it now
RSVP911 said:
My wife has a 997.2 GTS PDK - it’s really a very nice car, very easy to live with & it looks like a proper 911. Plus vs the moderns, it’s a lovely size for our roads. One piece of advice, I recently had the geo done - it’s absolutely transformed the car from an “it’s ok but dated” to a, “bloody hell it’s really lovely, agile and properly quick”
I can’t stop driving it now
Who did your geo? Did they vary it from factory settings? I can’t stop driving it now
johnny senna said:
RSVP911 said:
My wife has a 997.2 GTS PDK - it’s really a very nice car, very easy to live with & it looks like a proper 911. Plus vs the moderns, it’s a lovely size for our roads. One piece of advice, I recently had the geo done - it’s absolutely transformed the car from an “it’s ok but dated” to a, “bloody hell it’s really lovely, agile and properly quick”
I can’t stop driving it now
Who did your geo? Did they vary it from factory settings? I can’t stop driving it now
Also thinking about it, it wasn’t only the geo; they also changed the front dampers as one was faulty. As such, I’m not entirely sure how much of the transformation was geo vs. damper, but either way, I’d highly recommend them - chassis genius’s
Edited by RSVP911 on Friday 8th November 13:22
RSVP911 said:
Chris Franklin at Centre Gravity in the West Midlands - I assume they are different to factory set up as I believe that the factory always set up for safely rather than driving prowess. in fact I remember now they set to the absolute dynamic limit of what would get it trough its warranty.
Also thinking about it, it wasn’t only the geo; they also changed the front dampers as one was faulty. As such, I’m not entirely sure how much of the transformation was geo vs. damper, but either way, I’d highly recommend them - chassis genius’s
Did you need to specify what sort of setup you wanted or do they just change the suspension based on the model of the car?Also thinking about it, it wasn’t only the geo; they also changed the front dampers as one was faulty. As such, I’m not entirely sure how much of the transformation was geo vs. damper, but either way, I’d highly recommend them - chassis genius’s
Edited by RSVP911 on Friday 8th November 13:22
SV_WDC said:
Did you need to specify what sort of setup you wanted or do they just change the suspension based on the model of the car?
Chris takes you out on a test and you discuss what you're looking for from a driving perspective and then he creates something to suit - in truth he's done so many for me now, that i just chuck him the keys and he gets on with it If I'm mad it's only because I've been certified by a quack, not by a petrolhead. I've just picked up a '10 997.2s PDK Cab (black with savannah). All I can say is that as soon as I turn the key I acknowledge that I am in tip top rude mental health. A recent run through the Hindhead Tunnel confirmed that my purchase decision (even just for the sound) was justified. Weather's been too crap to stretch its legs but from what I've experienced, it's sluggish around town with all gizmos off but after switching a few of the right buttons, it turns from a she-wolf to a hyena instantly. Bloody marvellous!
Our R & D 3.6 Gen 2 PDK started with just over 100 K on the clock and on stripping was perfect inside - no wear or bore problems - so they must have massive improvements over the Gen 1 engines.
Currently under test as a 4.0 litre conversion it has proven reliable and powerful but we were hoping to get closer to 400BHP and unlike the Gen 1 Cayman S, 3.6 and 3.8 heads (which are virtually identical) the Gen 2 3.8 heads have bigger valves etc - so we are currently fitting them to the engine to see what difference they make.
However they look like a superb engine and although there have been a few bore score issues - they are few and far between and anyway it is possible that the factory discovered a way to minimise the aged stress relieving that caused the seizing in the ones we saw in early models and that later ones will be even better.
Baz
Currently under test as a 4.0 litre conversion it has proven reliable and powerful but we were hoping to get closer to 400BHP and unlike the Gen 1 Cayman S, 3.6 and 3.8 heads (which are virtually identical) the Gen 2 3.8 heads have bigger valves etc - so we are currently fitting them to the engine to see what difference they make.
However they look like a superb engine and although there have been a few bore score issues - they are few and far between and anyway it is possible that the factory discovered a way to minimise the aged stress relieving that caused the seizing in the ones we saw in early models and that later ones will be even better.
Baz
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