Your Advice Sought on 2009 997 Options

[grease1]

Presently have our '04 986S 550 Anniversary Edition for sale in preparation of purchasing an '09 997S Cab. :jump:

Appreciate any opinions on the following:

Wheels - A. How does one clean the Sport Design wheel?? Presently have the Carrera Classic wheel and it is so easy to reach through the spokes and clean the rim.

B. What are the advantages of the Carrera Sport Wheels over the other wheel types offered? Seems that the additional tire width in the rear (305 vs 295 on other rims) would just cause the car to understeer more. Unless the purpose is to allow one to have more stability when kicking out the rear.

C. All rims except the Carrera Sport are a little narrower which allows using the 5mm wheel spacers. Do the spacers help handling at all or are they just for looks (wheel more flush with fenders)?

Limited slip option - Worth getting for mostly road driving?

Short Shifter - Worth getting for mostly road driving?

Thanks in advance for sharing your thoughts and experience.

Best regards,

Gordie

Austin, TX

[PAULSPEED]

Get the limited slip if you are going to track the car. Way

to much money and time for just street use. If

you lower the car, this could be bad for the PASM shocks.

Suggest you drive it like you want. If you do buy a H&R rear

sway bar you will hear alot of noise from the rear suspension. The

car handles real well on the track but the noise could upset

any passenger. Even if you buy new drop links

for the new sway bar it still makes alot of noise. You

could invest alot of money for new shocks but it will not help

alot. I have found that if you put your car in a high G turn

for some time the shocks do not help. Springs would

help but who wants to drive a truck after buying a Porsche.

Paul

[grease1]

Get the limited slip if you are going to track the car. Way

to much money and time for just street use. If

you lower the car, this could be bad for the PASM shocks.

Suggest you drive it like you want. If you do buy a H&R rear

sway bar you will hear alot of noise from the rear suspension. The

car handles real well on the track but the noise could upset

any passenger. Even if you buy new drop links

for the new sway bar it still makes alot of noise. You

could invest alot of money for new shocks but it will not help

alot. I have found that if you put your car in a high G turn

for some time the shocks do not help. Springs would

help but who wants to drive a truck after buying a Porsche.

Paul

Hi Paul,

THANKS for your prompt response.

The limited slip option is less than $1K and even less than Sport Chrono! Still a bad deal for the street with 385 HP?

I don't understand the rest of your response. I wasn't discussing lowering or changing sway bars.

Any suggestions on the other questions?

Best regards,

Gordie

Austin, TX

Edited September 2, 2008 by grease1

[keninirvine]

Presently have our '04 986S 550 Anniversary Edition for sale in preparation of purchasing an '09 997S Cab. :jump:

Appreciate any opinions on the following:

Wheels - A. How does one clean the Sport Design wheel?? Presently have the Carrera Classic wheel and it is so easy to reach through the spokes and clean the rim.

B. What are the advantages of the Carrera Sport Wheels over the other wheel types offered? Seems that the additional tire width in the rear (305 vs 295 on other rims) would just cause the car to understeer more. Unless the purpose is to allow one to have more stability when kicking out the rear.

C. All rims except the Carrera Sport are a little narrower which allows using the 5mm wheel spacers. Do the spacers help handling at all or are they just for looks (wheel more flush with fenders)?

Limited slip option - Worth getting for mostly road driving?

Short Shifter - Worth getting for mostly road driving?

Thanks in advance for sharing your thoughts and experience.

Best regards,

Gordie

Austin, TX

The Carrera Sport wheels are wider thereby requiring 305/30/19 tires to fit better. The spacers some people use on the narrower wheels are purely for cosmetic purposes (to push the wheels closer to the edge of the wheel wells). In most cases, the use of spacers is likely to make handling worse, since it throws off the steering geometry when used on the front wheels. People generally select wheels based either on the looks or the weight, or both. The Carrera Sports look great in my opinion, but are the heaviest of the factory wheels.

When I had Sport Designs, I just spent the time cleaning them, which only amounted to a few extra minutes per wheel. But I didn't attempt to do the portion of the rim on the inside of the spokes. I'm not that obsessive about it.

Another option is to purchase the cheapest wheels with the car, and then change them out to after-market wheels which come in more varieties and lower weight.

[PAULSPEED]

The suspension is a big thing for track use. Sounds like you

want some flash but not the track stuff. I suggest you buy

the car and install the aftermarket short shifter. The

limited shift will make your car to jumpie around sharp

turns and stiffer or lower suspension will make the ride harsh.

Good luck. I am a tip driver and the new tip looks fun.

The tip has a mercedes design and is well engineered. If

you like burning out the clutch after 50,000 then get a manual.

All your friends will think you made the right choice but the

$3 to $4 thousand for the new clutch is expensive.

I had the tip fluid replaced at 50,000 for about $500.

You do the math.

Paul

[grease1]

The Carrera Sport wheels are wider thereby requiring 305/30/19 tires to fit better. The spacers some people use on the narrower wheels are purely for cosmetic purposes (to push the wheels closer to the edge of the wheel wells). In most cases, the use of spacers is likely to make handling worse, since it throws off the steering geometry when used on the front wheels. People generally select wheels based either on the looks or the weight, or both. The Carrera Sports look great in my opinion, but are the heaviest of the factory wheels.

When I had Sport Designs, I just spent the time cleaning them, which only amounted to a few extra minutes per wheel. But I didn't attempt to do the portion of the rim on the inside of the spokes. I'm not that obsessive about it.

Another option is to purchase the cheapest wheels with the car, and then change them out to after-market wheels which come in more varieties and lower weight.

Hi Ken,

THANKs for your response and insight. Seems like I should go with the lightest wheel without spacers. Would you know where the various 997 wheel weights are listed?

If they were all equal in weight, I would go for the Carrera Classic wheel since I know from my Boxster how easy it is to clean.

Edited September 3, 2008 by grease1

[grease1]

The suspension is a big thing for track use. Sounds like you

want some flash but not the track stuff. I suggest you buy

the car and install the aftermarket short shifter. The

limited shift will make your car to jumpie around sharp

turns and stiffer or lower suspension will make the ride harsh.

Good luck. I am a tip driver and the new tip looks fun.

The tip has a mercedes design and is well engineered. If

you like burning out the clutch after 50,000 then get a manual.

All your friends will think you made the right choice but the

$3 to $4 thousand for the new clutch is expensive.

I had the tip fluid replaced at 50,000 for about $500.

You do the math.

Paul

Hi Paul,

THANKS for responding again!

Appreciate your advice. I have driven manual transmission sports & race cars for over 40 years and have never had to replace a clutch. Guess I am just lucky.

I guess if I lost my left leg I might try the PDK.

[PAULSPEED]

I remember steping on the clutch of my Fastback

Volkswagon and the throw out bearing dis-sinegrated.

I am not against a clutch but it sucks in city trafic.

Good luck and post some pictures of your new car!!!

Paul