Cabriolet buying advice?
Discussion
I’m considering getting either a 996/997 cabriolet for fun drives in the summer. I have a 997 so know most of the things to look out for, but was wondering what the specific things to look out for in a cab are and any advice on what tends to go wrong and how much those things cost.
Secondly, I’d consider tracking it every once in a while. Will I need a roll bar and will that fit under the soft top?
Thanks!
Secondly, I’d consider tracking it every once in a while. Will I need a roll bar and will that fit under the soft top?
Thanks!
997 cab will be more wobbly obviously and scuttle shake is noticeable. The rear seat backs are more upright than the coupe making it even more of a challenge for rear seat passengers.
Bit pointless for tracking in my view and I’d forget the idea of a cage. Most track days will make you wear a full face helmet in a cab, even with roof up. Fine if you have a full face helmet already but you’ll need to get one if not.
Bit pointless for tracking in my view and I’d forget the idea of a cage. Most track days will make you wear a full face helmet in a cab, even with roof up. Fine if you have a full face helmet already but you’ll need to get one if not.
I've tracked mine, long shirt sleeves and trousers, full face helmet.
With the roof up or down you have the roll-over hoops that fire in the even of a roll-over so a cage isn't needed.
It's never going to be as stiff as the equivalent coupe, but it's stiffer than a 964 coupe such is the march of progress so it's still fun.
The 996 was always going to have a convertible in the line up so saying it wasn't designed for that is a little wide of the mark - the Boxster was designed exclusively as an open car, the 996 was designed to be a coupe, a cab, a targa etc.
What seat (and steering wheel) you have fitted is going to make more difference than whether you have a metal roof over you head I suspect, unless you are Walter Rohrl.
Mine's on Ohlins R/T at X74 ride height and is lots of fun round Brands Hatch. I'm just out to enjoy myself rather than set the lap record though, so it depends on your goals.
With the roof up or down you have the roll-over hoops that fire in the even of a roll-over so a cage isn't needed.
It's never going to be as stiff as the equivalent coupe, but it's stiffer than a 964 coupe such is the march of progress so it's still fun.
The 996 was always going to have a convertible in the line up so saying it wasn't designed for that is a little wide of the mark - the Boxster was designed exclusively as an open car, the 996 was designed to be a coupe, a cab, a targa etc.
What seat (and steering wheel) you have fitted is going to make more difference than whether you have a metal roof over you head I suspect, unless you are Walter Rohrl.
Mine's on Ohlins R/T at X74 ride height and is lots of fun round Brands Hatch. I'm just out to enjoy myself rather than set the lap record though, so it depends on your goals.
Comparatively speaking, the coupé will be better dynamically and therefore "better" at the track.
That being said, it's a bit of a stretch to say a Cab isn't good on track, definitely not "wobbly" so I wonder if you've ever driven/tracked one? Or maybe you've driven a mk1 MX5 and think all Cabriolets twist themselves at the slightest steering input.
I will admit that the safety aspect shouldn't be ignored, I track mine occasionally and, despite the built-in rollover protection mechanism, I don't want to find out if it works.
That being said, it's a bit of a stretch to say a Cab isn't good on track, definitely not "wobbly" so I wonder if you've ever driven/tracked one? Or maybe you've driven a mk1 MX5 and think all Cabriolets twist themselves at the slightest steering input.
I will admit that the safety aspect shouldn't be ignored, I track mine occasionally and, despite the built-in rollover protection mechanism, I don't want to find out if it works.
icekay said:
Comparatively speaking, the coupé will be better dynamically and therefore "better" at the track.
That being said, it's a bit of a stretch to say a Cab isn't good on track, definitely not "wobbly" so I wonder if you've ever driven/tracked one? Or maybe you've driven a mk1 MX5 and think all Cabriolets twist themselves at the slightest steering input.
I will admit that the safety aspect shouldn't be ignored, I track mine occasionally and, despite the built-in rollover protection mechanism, I don't want to find out if it works.
Not sure if you are aiming that at me but I don’t think it’s a stretch at all which is why you hardly see any at track days, I’d imagine. I’ve owned both the 997 and 991 cabs and they are noticeably less stiff than the coupe as you’d expect them to be. Same with the 458 spider compared with the Italia. It’s only really McLaren where there’s literally no difference. That being said, it's a bit of a stretch to say a Cab isn't good on track, definitely not "wobbly" so I wonder if you've ever driven/tracked one? Or maybe you've driven a mk1 MX5 and think all Cabriolets twist themselves at the slightest steering input.
I will admit that the safety aspect shouldn't be ignored, I track mine occasionally and, despite the built-in rollover protection mechanism, I don't want to find out if it works.
If it’s your only car and you want to track it, then fair enough. I’ve never considered it.
The Cab is a great everyday car that truly comes into its own when you get the roof down.
Get the heated seats on (must have option) & the heater cranked up & theres nothing else like it for out & out driving enjoyment.
Dont think it'll make the best choice of track car, a Cab is heavier and the chassis will be a little less rigid.
But like all Cab owners we're just praying for the end of Lockdown & some better weather when we can get out & make driving fun again.
Chris Harris was unimpressed when given a 997.2 PDK Cab to review a dozen years ago. By the end of the day the car had changed his mind.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=npzreAPHa7Y
Get the heated seats on (must have option) & the heater cranked up & theres nothing else like it for out & out driving enjoyment.
Dont think it'll make the best choice of track car, a Cab is heavier and the chassis will be a little less rigid.
But like all Cab owners we're just praying for the end of Lockdown & some better weather when we can get out & make driving fun again.
Chris Harris was unimpressed when given a 997.2 PDK Cab to review a dozen years ago. By the end of the day the car had changed his mind.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=npzreAPHa7Y
I would sell the 997 I currently have. Love the car, but expecting to do more UK trips this summer and thought that a cab would be much nicer. I may regret this and move back later, but I’ve never owned a convertible and this feels like the year.
Track is probably a bit of a bonus, I’d say maybe 3-5 days a year. It’s helpful to know that the protection is there when needed, but maybe not something I can push to the limits as much.
Anyone have any advice on the roof mechanism itself and what to look out for?
Track is probably a bit of a bonus, I’d say maybe 3-5 days a year. It’s helpful to know that the protection is there when needed, but maybe not something I can push to the limits as much.
Anyone have any advice on the roof mechanism itself and what to look out for?
Dammit said:
If you want to go on trips then you can get a surprising amount in the back of a 911, I don't know how the luggage capacity compares to that of a Boxster?
You can fit larger things in a 911 overall due to the configuration of the storage, and if you really want to load it up with stuff, the rear seats/footwells can take loads of stuff, and in the Cab (with the roof up) you can load up a surprising amount at the very back, under the rear window - basically the space the roof goes into when down.I'm not sure if you can fit a child seat in the back of the Cabriolet, with room for their little legs - if you can then the angle of the seat won't matter much. But if they have to set their back against the seat itself, it is good for 1hr max - don't think you'd get away with longer road trips.
We've done a few trips around 1hr long with our 16 year old in the back, front passenger squished against the dash, and in a hot summer sunny day cruising around it's great! We've done the same in a friend's 1968 124 Spider and were begging to bail out after 15 minutes.
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