Considering a 981 Cayman - Questions.... - Page 4 - Boxster/Cayman - PistonHeads UK

I'm looking for a 981 Cayman. I've just sold my Lotus Evora and have been a Lotus addict for about 22 years (although I had a 986 Boxster about 18 years ago). I still have an Elise S1 and that's going nowhere! I need a PDK as my wife struggles to operate the clutch due to arthritis in her foot - and she will be driving it too sometimes. I've driven both a 2.7 and S, both PDK, and was very impressed. The only thing that I felt let it down slightly was the steering, which is no great surprise, given that it's electrically assisted (and coming from a Lotus, which has the finest steering known to man!). I have a few questions, I've spotted a nice S with great options that I'm hopefully going to view on Sunday. As well as Nav, heated seats and all that stuff, it has PASM, Sports Chrono and the Porsche Sports Exhaust. Which of those last 3 is the most important? I ask because I'm also considering other cars too that have less options fitted. Also which options are most important for resale? Is there much difference between the standard seats and the sports seats, do they really hold you better when driving spiritedly? Also, in the real world, is there a massive difference between the S and 2.7, performance wise? My Evora was 276bhp and plenty quick enough for the road - I enjoyed extracting the performance from it rather than continually braking, which sometimes happens when cars are just too quick for the road, if you see what I mean.... What things should I be checking on the car I'm planning to see on Sunday? What are the common failures and weak points? I've read about things like the door card warping near the window, but this one has the extended leather so not sure if that applies. Does anyone know of any Cayman 981 checklists that are out there? Lastly - what about reliability? I've read about things like the Active mounts failing, which I believe come with the Sports Chrono option, are there any other major items to watch out for. I realise that's a lot of questions. Any help would be much appreciated - thanks.

With a PDK I’d say definitely Chrono. PSE can be added. Seats nice too but standard ones fine. V reliable except for heating fan that needs to be eased if it’s been left for a few months. I like the steering (mine’s a 981 Spyder but I think the same).

I’d say PASM is important if the wheels are 20s, but ride is a subjective thing. I liked PASM on mine. I found the standard seats okay but the sports seats are better. The engine mounts can be an issue, which is one of the reasons why I extended the Porsche warranty.

I had a 981CS with all of those (and more). I would say PASM most important (more so with 20"wheels). PSE can be added (I did), but so can chrono, except that you don't get the dash mounted clock. Having a number of cars I felt the essential item was sports plus seats. Not only more comfortable, but much more supportive than standard sports, and boy do I miss them now I've gone to a 996! Edited by mr pg on Friday 7th January 08:13

Thanks for all the replies, really useful. I've seen a car (2.7 PDK) which has the following spec, at a decent price: Sport Chrono Switchable Sports exhaust system 19” Cayman S wheels Bi-Xenon lighting with Dynamic Light System (PDLS) ParkAssist front and rear SportDesign steering wheel with solid alloy gear change paddles Leather Sports seats PCM 3 including navigation & telephone modules plus universal audio interface (iPod connectivity and function) Sound Package Plus So no PASM but it's on 19" wheels. And it just has the standard seats, not heated. How essential are the sports seats (and heated)? Also, given that it has Sport Chrono, how essential is the Porsche warranty? I've heard that the dynamic mounts can go sometimes. What else would I be looking for / checking?

OP, unusual not to have heated seats but not really a deal-breaker. Porsche warranty not cheap but could be regarded as good value: peace of mind plus parts/labour costs are high plus these cars aren't ultra-reliable - although I've had little trouble with mine. When I did identify a vibration problem - an out-of-balnce driveshaft - it was all fixed under warranty but involved (unnecessarily) replacing the PDK gearbox first. I wouldn't have liked to self-fund that lot.

I think the warranty is generally good value, given Porsche repair costs. A new PDK must be close to 15 grand? to replace. Others prefer to self insure - will depend on mileage to an extent I guess. Original 981s came out ten years ago; believe you can extend the official Porsche warranty up to 15 years and 125k miles. Is always nice being able to drive it without worrying about failure costs. ETA: On early EPAS versions the steering is not that great however they fixed it on the later versions i.e. in the 718. On the earlier 987s it is hydraulic. Edited by Lexington59 on Friday 7th January 12:05

I test drove 2.7 and S back in 2015 and chose 2.7 PDK as the S is just too easy to drive too fast. PASM would be my number one option. I'm on 20s. It learns to switch automatically between normal and sport suspension dependant on how you drive. Clever stuff. And in normal mode more compliant than standard suspension. Chrono seems pointless to me unless you're tracking it. Sport button (std) enhances throttle response and is good but naturally reduces fuel economy. Manual mode in a PDK also better than a manual box unless you like pressing an overly heavy clutch. Make sure you get Sport Design steering wheel with paddles, NOT the one with the buttons in the wheel! PSE would be the last thing I'd choose. Plenty of exhaust and mechanical noise without it. PSE can drone and cause headaches even when switched off - I found this at motorway speeds in a courtesy car. Heated seats would be expected by any subsequent buyer and rarely missed off the options list. Personally I wouldn't have leather without heating it. You may struggle to sell on without it. Get dual climate. Mine hasn't got auto wipers and it's such a bonus to be able to control what they do! I didn't realise how bad auto wipe is until, after five cars with it, this one doesn't have it. It's akin to the electric handbrake "advancement" which is a retrograde step. Cayman has hill hold as standard so don't worry about its oddly placed electric handbrake.

Mine has all 3, and I wouldn’t have a 981 without them. The least important would be PSE (only because it can be added later). PASM has been excellent for our roads - mine is on 20’ wheels.. SC markedly changes the character of the car in Sport+ mode. Dig up my post from late 2020 (about buying a 981) and I put up a run-down of the options. I’m fortunate that mine also has just about everything else ticked, bar ceramic brakes and PDLS lights. It has extended leather, Burmester stereo, 18-way sport seats with memory, seat heating, dual climate, PTV (LSD), sport design wheel, nav/parking sensors etc.. While they’re all great and I’m very happy to have them, I would compromise on all of those, but not the SC, PASM and PSE options. I didn’t entirely realise this until after I purchased.. Edited by Royal Jelly on Friday 7th January 13:49

DJMC said: I test drove 2.7 and S back in 2015 and chose 2.7 PDK as the S is just too easy to drive too fast. PASM would be my number one option. I'm on 20s. It learns to switch automatically between normal and sport suspension dependant on how you drive. Clever stuff. And in normal mode more compliant than standard suspension. Chrono seems pointless to me unless you're tracking it. Sport button (std) enhances throttle response and is good but naturally reduces fuel economy. Manual mode in a PDK also better than a manual box unless you like pressing an overly heavy clutch. Make sure you get Sport Design steering wheel with paddles, NOT the one with the buttons in the wheel! PSE would be the last thing I'd choose. Plenty of exhaust and mechanical noise without it. PSE can drone and cause headaches even when switched off - I found this at motorway speeds in a courtesy car. Heated seats would be expected by any subsequent buyer and rarely missed off the options list. Personally I wouldn't have leather without heating it. You may struggle to sell on without it. Get dual climate. Mine hasn't got auto wipers and it's such a bonus to be able to control what they do! I didn't realise how bad auto wipe is until, after five cars with it, this one doesn't have it. It's akin to the electric handbrake "advancement" which is a retrograde step. Cayman has hill hold as standard so don't worry about its oddly placed electric handbrake. SC is nowhere close to being track-only setting. I only ever have it in a different mode on the motorway. The Throttle response is significantly sharper than sport, and the dynamic mounts make a notable difference to how rigid it all feels. Also, the auto-blip is very very nice, although that’s something I like to do myself (albeit not as good a job). Before I got a 981, I genuinely thought SC was one of the least important ‘sounding’ options. It turns out that along with PASM, it is vital IMO. Yes, the fuel economy is fairly ropey in Sport+ but the car is comparatively dull in the other modes. Can’t comment on a non PASM car on 19’ wheels, only on 20s. In normal mode PASM is softer than passive, and in sport it’s firmer. It is very good, OP. If someone finds the 981 clutch overly heavy, then I don’t know what to say The manual box and PDK are some of the nicest examples about.

The comments above recommending warranty are very valid. I bought a high spec, low owner 981S a few years ago. 13k miles at time of purchase. The electric steering rack failed and required replacement. Without warranty that’s close to a £3k hit. Porsche also know that the racks on 12-14 981 are subject to that failure being relatively common. Dynamic engine mounts are also prone to fail and are broadly £1k per side to fix. My horn failed as well. Again, research shows this is common but an easy fix. Great cars to drive, if a bit numb after an Elise. They are quick, comfortable and sound nice but frankly not close to the engagement level of an Elise if you enjoy B roads. I was aware of the enormous amount of mechanical grip afforded by 20” tyres all the time. You’d only think it was agile if you never driven an Elise. The chrono clock looks daft and in sport plus mode the car becomes to stiff for road use. I’ve not tried a 981 without PASM but I’d add the dampers are expensive if they fail. My car had PCCB. I’d never spend the money on them new but the stopping and feel is sublime. Reminiscent of MMC’s without the wet weather fear. They are usefully lighter than steel and you keep your wheels clean. I liked those. I also agree the 24 way- or was it 18 way?- electric seats are comfortable. You’d want them heated and that can’t be added easily aftermarket. I also didn’t have cruise, which is of value on motorways. BOSE gets a bad rap here but I like music and the sound pack can cope with podcasts and radio 4 but that’s about it. A pal has Burmester and says it’s good but not worth the premium. If you want one my advice is get the warranty. I wouldn’t buy another.

My 981 has 19" wheels and no PASM. It is definitely on the firm side and some people have commented that it's not particularly comfortable on poor roads, but I'm happy with it (though wouldn't want it any firmer). When I tried a 718 GTS 4.0 recently with 20" wheels and PASM, I found it noticeably more compliant and smooth on typical UK country roads. If you live outside a city and do much/any driving at night, as I do, you'll probably find PDLS to be a worthwhile option.

highway said: The chrono clock looks daft and in sport plus mode the car becomes to stiff for road use. I’ve not tried a 981 without PASM but I’d add the dampers are expensive if they fail. Of all the sports chrono clocks the 981 is by far the neatest solution, as it's integrated into the profile of the dash rather than protruding further forward as in all other Porsches. When on euro tours (of which we did several) sport plus is very worthwhile as the road surfaces are much better.

...you get throttle blip downshifts without Sport Plus when using the standard Sport setting: Link to Cayman brochure here: https://rennlist.com/forums/981-forum/1237481-981-... Edited by DJMC on Friday 7th January 17:25

Thanks again for all the advice. So what I’m picking up here is: PSE not essential and can be annoyingly boomy (I’ve driven an S that had it and know what you mean) PASM is very good - especially with 20s Heated seats not essential but could make resale difficult (depending on spec/colour etc). Sports Chrono best on track but still beneficial on road (especially coming from a Lotus I guess).

daveb99 said: Thanks again for all the advice. So what I’m picking up here is: PSE not essential and can be annoyingly boomy (I’ve driven an S that had it and know what you mean) PASM is very good - especially with 20s Heated seats not essential but could make resale difficult (depending on spec/colour etc). Sports Chrono best on track but still beneficial on road (especially coming from a Lotus I guess). PSE - if you like noise, go for it. I think it’s more ‘listen/look at me’. PASM - agree. SC on road - depends how you drive. I never used it, end of. It appears to be good for resale though. Heated seats - as I said, probably not a deal-breaker; at least not in a Cayman. 😉

PSE can be easily added for about £1800 I’d be looking for a lightly specified 3.4 S over a high spec 2.7. It’s not just the engine that’s bigger, it’s more standard equipment, bigger wheels and better brakes on an S.

PASM is essential regardless of size of wheel IMHO. Heated sports seats also. Wouldnt look at car if it didn't have above items

Maybe just my car - but the heated seats in my 718 are rubbish. My partner has a F57 Mini cooper S and on setting three the sears are borderline too warm. My 718 on setting 3 you can barely tell they are on…..just me?

esuuv said: Maybe just my car - but the heated seats in my 718 are rubbish. My partner has a F57 Mini cooper S and on setting three the sears are borderline too warm. My 718 on setting 3 you can barely tell they are on…..just me? Interesting. Haven’t noticed a difference in mine to previous cars - I still do the usual 3 bars to begin and then down to 1… I like to drive with the window cracked, so would have liked a heated wheel option. OP - for SC; coming from an Elise, you’re quite right; you won’t find it especially ‘track-ish’. As you know, the whole experience will be more sanitised than the Elise, but SC will definitely alter the behaviour in that direction.. I personally only wanted an S, but I do see the benefits of both. You can obviously give it more of a workout on the 2.7, and on the twisty country roads there really won’t be much in it.

I'd say PASM is essential in your case if you are coming from an Evora - which has a magic carpet ride! Most people who reside on the Porsche forums haven't driven the Evora to compare and contrast. I think you'll miss the ride quality whichever flavour of Porsche you go for. Having owned a GT4 and a CS, and driven a 2.7 and a GTS, this is not a popular opinion you'll find on forums but I'd say the 2.7 is the sweetest engine of all four derivatives. If you're happy revving a car out, which seems to be the case if you've enjoyed your Evora n/a, the 2.7 could be ideal for you. As far as options are concerned, it's all personal preference really. I wouldn't get hung up on resale, there's a bum for every seat as the saying goes! As ever, try to get a couple of test drives to compare and contrast.

Personally I don't think SC is worth the expense when it does fail. PASM is nice to have, and the only option I wish mine had. However I found running comfort pressures and ditching the Pirellis made my passive setup on 20s a way better ride, I'm happy to sit in the car all day and have done on numerous occasions now, both up and down motorways and on b roads. Then again I drove half way across the world in a Triumph Herald so maybe I'm not as sensitive as some 😂 PSE can be retro fitted if that's your bag, essentials for me are things that are hard to add later, mostly comfort things as it's my daily, so Nav, Heated Seats, Dual Zone CC, DAB etc.

Sounds like a lovely spec. Get some pics up when it arrives! FYI the locking diff is a feature of the Porsche Torque Vectoring option (which on top of being a LSD, applies inside brakes when cornering at lower speeds). It isn’t part of the Sport Chrono pack.. Non-PTV cars have an open diff.. Mine also has the GTS tail lights, which I do prefer, particularly on my (red) car..

Royal Jelly said: Sounds like a lovely spec. Get some pics up when it arrives! FYI the locking diff is a feature of the Porsche Torque Vectoring option (which on top of being a LSD, applies inside brakes when cornering at lower speeds). It isn’t part of the Sport Chrono pack.. Non-PTV cars have an open diff.. Mine also has the GTS tail lights, which I do prefer, particularly on my (red) car.. Excellent - I didn’t realise that it had the PTV. Must brush up on my Porsche specs / options! Coming from an Elise and Evora (keeping the Elise) I’m hoping it’s a good “driver’s spec”.

Yeah, with the SC/PTV/PASM that’s the major “driver’s car” food groups covered. A few folks add the thicker rear sway bar from the X73 (GTS passive) suspension setup for a little more front-end focus, but you’ve bagged a good spec there for sure…

daveb99 said: Thanks again for all the replies. I’ve driven two 981’s and this morning have agreed to buy one. It’s a very nicely specced S, in Pure White, with the following: 20” Carrera S wheels Extended leather package PASM PSE Sports Chrono with PADM Porsche Torque Vectoring (PTV) Heated seats BOSE PCM Sat Nav Dual Zone climate White dials (including the SC) Front and rear park assist Electric folding mirrors It also has the GTS / GT4 rear light clusters rather than the standard red. Buying from a well known specialist with their 2 year warranty. Can’t wait ! Edit - PTV added Edited by daveb99 on Saturday 8th January 12:03 Can you tell me what dealership please as 2 years warranty sounds good

gordon1955 said: daveb99 said: Thanks again for all the replies. I’ve driven two 981’s and this morning have agreed to buy one. It’s a very nicely specced S, in Pure White, with the following: 20” Carrera S wheels Extended leather package PASM PSE Sports Chrono with PADM Porsche Torque Vectoring (PTV) Heated seats BOSE PCM Sat Nav Dual Zone climate White dials (including the SC) Front and rear park assist Electric folding mirrors It also has the GTS / GT4 rear light clusters rather than the standard red. Buying from a well known specialist with their 2 year warranty. Can’t wait ! Edit - PTV added Edited by daveb99 on Saturday 8th January 12:03 Can you tell me what dealership please as 2 years warranty sounds good Sure - it’s Cridfords

Thanks again for all the replies. I’ve driven two 981’s and this morning have agreed to buy one. It’s a very nicely specced S, in Pure White, with the following: PDK 20” Carrera S wheels Extended leather package PASM PSE Sports Chrono with PADM Porsche Torque Vectoring (PTV) Multi function PDK wheel Heated seats BOSE PCM Satellite Navigation Dual Zone climate White dials (including the SC) Bi-Xenon headlights Front and rear park assist Electric folding mirrors Suspect it has a couple of other options too, I've asked for the full list. It also has the GTS / GT4 rear light clusters rather than the standard red. Buying from a well known specialist with their 2 year warranty. Can’t wait ! Edit - PTV added Edited by daveb99 on Saturday 8th January 12:03 Edited by daveb99 on Saturday 8th January 16:48

Further to my posts above I’m hopefully picking up this weekend. I haven’t seen the car - which is highly unusual for me - due to how far away Cridfords are from me. So naturally there are a few things crossing my mind so that it goes smoothly…. 1. Pre-purchase checks - to prevent a wasted trip, what should I be seeking reassurance about in advance? I’m not expecting the car to be sub-standard in any way - Cridfords have a great reputation it seems - and I’ve been fairly thorough on the phone so far, Michael has been checking all sorts of stuff for me already. I just wondered if there are Cayman 981 specific things I should be asking them to check - weak points, cosmetic stuff, whatever. 2. Grilles - I’m going to get a set of Zunsport grilles for the front bumper - they are replacing the air on condensers as part of the pre-sale prep. Are they easy to fit? 3. The car has done 50k miles with 4 owners, and full dealer and specialist history. I have the full spec sheet with the codes etc, plus a report from the ECU (though as it’s a PDK you can’t over-rev it anyway). Should I be asking for anything else that’s specific to the Cayman? It comes with both keys and all the books etc. 4. Warranty - Cridfords are including a 2 year warranty. I wonder how that stacks up against the Porsche warranty? I can get work done under the warranty at any reputable Porsche specialist should I need to. Any thoughts on this? It covers all the major mechanical and electrical stuff (obviously not wear and tear), I may ask for the policy info to see the small print etc. 5. Cruise control. It’s a very high spec but doesn’t have cruise which is a bit frustrating. Cridfords can retrofit it for £500 before I pick up. The car has the Multi function wheel with the PDK shift buttons, not paddles, so the trip computer etc is operated by the wheel, not the lower right stalk (it doesn’t have one). I presume it’s a 3-stalk part they will be fitting. Does anyone know about this? Any advice & guidance would be much appreciated.

I don't know about Cridfords specifically, but 3rd party warranties don't always have the best reputation on here. You can always get the car inspected to take out the official Porsche warranty from a dealer, presuming all parts are Porsche standard. Porsche warranty costs are fixed (I believe around £660 per year last I checked).

I would, without hesitation, get the car independently inspected. A better use of 500 GBP than a pre-purchase retrofit of cruise-control?

Sounds a great spec, OP. I had the Zunsport grilles but took them off because they increased the oil temperature, which made me a bit uncomfortable. Now I regularly check the radiators etc for crud and hope I avoid stone damage... Warranty sounds good but check out the small print and in particular any value limit on claims. The pukka Porsche one is very good and might turn out to be very good value good value.

I had cruise retrofitted to mine before collection (albeit by OPC). It's a standalone stalk that is fitted bottom left, and they also fit a new cowl with the correct cut out and program it. Because mine was done at OPC the spec on the Porsche system has also been updated to reflect this. Imo it's worth getting sorted before you collect, it's an essential item these days on british motorways with the ever changing variable speed limits and cameras.

Zunsport grills are easy to fit (some more than others depending on model). It's a modification so read the fine print of your third party warranty very carefully. I fitted them to a 2013 981 Cayman S but found that detritus still collected at the lower edges of the A/C condensers which meant I had to remove/replace them to clear the gunk out. I ended up leaving them off so I could clean the gunk out more easily/frequently. The cruise control retrofit will include the small additional steering column stalk to control it.

Thanks for the replies.. For the cruise control they are fitting the 4-stalk kit. Mainly because the car currently has the multi function wheel, which currently controls the trip computer, but I may swap it for the Sport Design wheel (with paddles) at some stage. So I thought it best to get the 4th stalk fitted now as well, as it will be required for the trip computer.... Regarding the independent inspection - I know where you're coming from, but Cridfords have done their own (pretty comprehensive) health check and today have sent me a copy. It has highlighted quite a few things that they are addressing this week before I collect the car, including all new rear discs and pads, A/C condensors, new Sports exhaust valve replacement kit (one is stuck open, they are replacing both), pedal bushes, rear caliper brake pipes, xenon headlight struts, tyre inflation compressor, and also the professional refurb of one of the wheels due to the tiniest amount of kerbing. There are also a couple of cosmetic things they are addressing (minor bits like headlight lacquer). I see all this as a good thing; they are not only doing the checks but addressing and replacing things as required (as you'd expect). Michael at Cridfords has been nothing but open and honest throughout and I'm not feeling the need for an independent inspection. I realise that the Cridfords checks aren't independent - but if you look through what they've checked, it's very thorough and they've sent me their internal document for review, which also shows the cost of all the parts and work they are doing, as well as photos of the things to be addressed. He's sending me the warranty booklet so I can look at the small print but it's the Gold policy with a £90/hr labour limit and the limit for a single claim is the market value of the vehicle. It's valid at any registered garage - obviously I'll be taking it to my local Porsche specialist should it be required. I understand people have different experiences, but so far I can't fault Cridfords. But obviously time will tell - let's see what the car is like condition-wise when I go to collect it on Saturday, and how it pans out over a year or two of ownership!

jenic said: I had cruise retrofitted to mine before collection (albeit by OPC). It's a standalone stalk that is fitted bottom left, and they also fit a new cowl with the correct cut out and program it. Because mine was done at OPC the spec on the Porsche system has also been updated to reflect this. Imo it's worth getting sorted before you collect, it's an essential item these days on british motorways with the ever changing variable speed limits and cameras. Is it? I have it and it has genuinely never occurred to me to use it and I do 35k a year, much of it on motorways.

Unless Cruise is the modern adaptive type them the standard option is a waste of money IMHO given the amount of traffic these days. I'd have no hesitation buying from Cridfords given their level of prep etc and what they've agreed to do.

daveb99 said: Thanks for the replies.. For the cruise control they are fitting the 4-stalk kit. Mainly because the car currently has the multi function wheel, which currently controls the trip computer, but I may swap it for the Sport Design wheel (with paddles) at some stage. So I thought it best to get the 4th stalk fitted now as well, as it will be required for the trip computer.... Regarding the independent inspection - I know where you're coming from, but Cridfords have done their own (pretty comprehensive) health check and today have sent me a copy. It has highlighted quite a few things that they are addressing this week before I collect the car, including all new rear discs and pads, A/C condensors, new Sports exhaust valve replacement kit (one is stuck open, they are replacing both), pedal bushes, rear caliper brake pipes, xenon headlight struts, tyre inflation compressor, and also the professional refurb of one of the wheels due to the tiniest amount of kerbing. There are also a couple of cosmetic things they are addressing (minor bits like headlight lacquer). I see all this as a good thing; they are not only doing the checks but addressing and replacing things as required (as you'd expect). Michael at Cridfords has been nothing but open and honest throughout and I'm not feeling the need for an independent inspection. I realise that the Cridfords checks aren't independent - but if you look through what they've checked, it's very thorough and they've sent me their internal document for review, which also shows the cost of all the parts and work they are doing, as well as photos of the things to be addressed. He's sending me the warranty booklet so I can look at the small print but it's the Gold policy with a £90/hr labour limit and the limit for a single claim is the market value of the vehicle. It's valid at any registered garage - obviously I'll be taking it to my local Porsche specialist should it be required. I understand people have different experiences, but so far I can't fault Cridfords. But obviously time will tell - let's see what the car is like condition-wise when I go to collect it on Saturday, and how it pans out over a year or two of ownership! Sounds like it’ll be well-prepped for you. For your own peace of mind you could take it to a specialist for an inspection. The two I did were £150 plus VAT. If you time that within the first couple of weeks, that would put the Consumer Rights Act in your favour too.. Not that this is necessary. You tend to only hear the negative stories, but 981s are robust little things, and it sounds like you’re getting a well prepared car from a well-known specialist so I’d sleep easy on that. Get the pictures up when she lands..

Thanks again for the replies and sound advice. PASM question - when you select Sport mode I understand that the dampers are set to a stiffer setting. Can you override it so that you can drive in Sport mode but have the dampers softer, eg comfort, should you wish to?

daveb99 said: Thanks again for the replies and sound advice. PASM question - when you select Sport mode I understand that the dampers are set to a stiffer setting. Can you override it so that you can drive in Sport mode but have the dampers softer, eg comfort, should you wish to? No you can't. Everything is bundled together.

paralla said: No you can't. Everything is bundled together. So to clarify - after pressing the Sport button, the car is obviously in Sport mode. PASM automatically stiffens the damper settings. What I want to know is, if you then press the PASM button, can you put the dampers back to the softer setting? If not, what is the PASM button actually for?

daveb99 said: paralla said: No you can't. Everything is bundled together. So to clarify - after pressing the Sport button, the car is obviously in Sport mode. PASM automatically stiffens the damper settings. What I want to know is, if you then press the PASM button, can you put the dampers back to the softer setting? If not, what is the PASM button actually for? On the 718 I drove only 'sports plus' mode automatically put PASM in sport mode. The PASM button just toggled it independently. Not sure if that is applicable to a 981.

Lexington59 said: On the 718 I drove only 'sports plus' mode automatically put PASM in sport mode. The PASM button just toggled it independently. Not sure if that is applicable to a 981. Thanks - what’s the Sport Response button - is that a 718 thing?

paralla said: daveb99 said: Thanks again for the replies and sound advice. PASM question - when you select Sport mode I understand that the dampers are set to a stiffer setting. Can you override it so that you can drive in Sport mode but have the dampers softer, eg comfort, should you wish to? No you can't. Everything is bundled together. I don't own a 981 now, but not sure that's correct. Selecting sport doesn't also activate PASM, that occurs in sports plus (assuming you have chrono). However, you can still then disable PASM individually, which I often did (at least on UK roads).

mr pg said: paralla said: daveb99 said: Thanks again for the replies and sound advice. PASM question - when you select Sport mode I understand that the dampers are set to a stiffer setting. Can you override it so that you can drive in Sport mode but have the dampers softer, eg comfort, should you wish to? No you can't. Everything is bundled together. I don't own a 981 now, but not sure that's correct. Selecting sport doesn't also activate PASM, that occurs in sports plus (assuming you have chrono). However, you can still then disable PASM individually, which I often did (at least on UK roads). My memory may have failed me here. I had a 981 without SC years ago and I might be getting things mixed up in my head with my previous GT4 or current GT3 which don't necessarily operate the same way.

daveb99 said: Lexington59 said: On the 718 I drove only 'sports plus' mode automatically put PASM in sport mode. The PASM button just toggled it independently. Not sure if that is applicable to a 981. Thanks - what’s the Sport Response button - is that a 718 thing? Yes

This seems to be a bit of a unicorn - spanish, buckets, pccbs, (x73 too?) Anybody here know this car? https://www.lakesideclassics.uk.com/cars/porsche/c...

Spanish?

PGNSagaris said: Spanish?

It’s a Manuel….not PDK…?

paralla said: No you can't. Everything is bundled together. So to clarify - after pressing the Sport button, the car is obviously in Sport mode. PASM automatically stiffens the damper settings. What I want to know is, if you then press the PASM button, can you put the dampers back to the softer setting? If not, what is the PASM button actually for?

paralla said: No you can't. Everything is bundled together. So to clarify - after pressing the Sport button, the car is obviously in Sport mode. PASM automatically stiffens the damper settings. What I want to know is, if you then press the PASM button, can you put the dampers back to the softer setting? If not, what is the PASM button actually for?

daveb99 said: So to clarify - after pressing the Sport button, the car is obviously in Sport mode. PASM automatically stiffens the damper settings. What I want to know is, if you then press the PASM button, can you put the dampers back to the softer setting? If not, what is the PASM button actually for? The Sport button doesn't put PASM into Sport Chassis mode. Only the PASM button does this. The PASM button for Sport or Normal Chassis operates independently of the Sport engine button. So you can drive in standard engine mode (Sport button not pressed) with PASM in Sport Chassis setting, or conversely in Sport engine mode (Sport button pressed) in Normal Chassis setting. In either PASM setting the PASM computer can change the ride to suit how you have been driving, See: https://www.pistonheads.com/gassing/topic.asp?h=0&... Edited by DJMC on Tuesday 11th January 21:26

The Good To Know App has detailed info on models from 2013 onwards. There should be a description of the operation of all the functions in there

I can't find PASM in the good to know guide but, per my previous post, there's a full explanation here: https://www.pistonheads.com/gassing/topic.asp?h=0&...

DJMC said: The Sport button doesn't put PASM into Sport Chassis mode. Only the PASM button does this. The PASM button for Sport or Normal Chassis operates independently of the Sport engine button. So you can drive in standard engine mode (Sport button not pressed) with PASM in Sport Chassis setting, or conversely in Sport engine mode (Sport button pressed) in Normal Chassis setting. In either PASM setting the PASM computer can change the ride to suit how you have been driving, See: https://www.pistonheads.com/gassing/topic.asp?h=0&... Edited by DJMC on Tuesday 11th January 21:26 As mentioned earlier, if you have chrono, pressing sport plus also activates PASM, but it can still be reverted to normal if selecting the PASM button subsequently.

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For clarity, as a simple question has got fairly confusing answers: If you select sport or sport+, you can select/de-select PASM or PSE. For the most part, I’m in S+ but PASM normal unless I’m going for it, and PSE off in towns..

Royal Jelly said: For clarity, as a simple question has got fairly confusing answers: If you select sport or sport+, you can select/de-select PASM or PSE. For the most part, I’m in S+ but PASM normal unless I’m going for it, and PSE off in towns.. Perfect. That’s the simple answer I was looking for ! I’ll be in Sport most of the time I suspect, with PSE off in towns and villages etc as you say. I will enjoy a good squirt in Sport Plus even more that way…… Good to hear that I can have PASM in normal regardless of Sport setting.

daveb99 said: Perfect. That’s the simple answer I was looking for ! I’ll be in Sport most of the time I suspect, with PSE off in towns and villages etc as you say. I will enjoy a good squirt in Sport Plus even more that way…… Good to hear that I can have PASM in normal regardless of Sport setting. In my opinion part throttle gear changes happen at too high rpm in sport for everyday/in town driving. I preferred normal for in town driving for the same reason you want PSE off in towns and villages. People think you are a t t with a 5000rpm gear change on the high street. For me, excitement doesn't happen in a 30mph limit zone no matter which driving mode you are in so you might as well chill and not draw attention to yourself.

Yes, I won’t be driving in Sport mode in towns!

Royal Jelly said: For clarity, as a simple question has got fairly confusing answers: If you select sport or sport+, you can select/de-select PASM or PSE. For the most part, I’m in S+ but PASM normal unless I’m going for it, and PSE off in towns.. For clarity you can't de-select PASM - PASM is always active. What you are doing is selecting PASM in Normal or Sport. shows the range of damping in both modes. As you can see there is a fair degree of overlap.

Yes I’m quite aware of that. I’m keeping it simple. Red light on/red light off.

Royal Jelly said: Yes I’m quite aware of that. I’m keeping it simple. Red light on/red light off. I regard that as misleading rather than simple.