Long distance driving comfort??

I am currently looking into purchasing a 996. I travel occasionally for business and if the trip is less than 700 miles I prefer to drive rather than fly. Is this a car that would be comfortable and enjoyable for that distance? I am one that only stops for fuel and just like to get where I am going. How do you like the seats after you have been in them for 8 hours? I don't expect it to be as comfortable as my Audi A8 but I don't want to have to visit a chiropractor after each trip either.

I drove from San Diego to Sacramento, only stopping for fuel By the time I got there, it felt like my kidneys were going to fall out I can even imagine how 700 miles would feel It would definitely be more than 8 hours, probably more like 12, unless you are in Wyoming and you can bomb along at 120 mph

I disagree! I've driven mine on several 600-800 mile trips and done just fine. It will be noisier than the Audi, for sure. I find wearing earplugs helps enormously in keeping you refreshed. You can hear the radio fine, and even converse with your passenger, but the little bit less noise really helps you actually feel better when you arrive. I have some nerve problems in my leg that bother me on long drives (even in wife's RX350), but one of those neck pillows you see people flying with is just the trick for taking pressure off. You probably won't need it, but for anyone with lower back or leg issues, these pillows are nice to have along.

I drove from Dallas TX to the west coast near LAX airport in 24hrs with 2 1hour breaks to eat. I am average height & weight & love how the standard seat fits me.

So i have driven my 996 from Phoenix to Salt Lake about 7 times (600+ mile trip). And it make a 10 hour drive seem like 4 by the time you are finished. There is a point when you are driving that you just feel part of the car and I just stop for fuel and snacks as well. You can get on it to make the dull parts go by faster and slow down for the parts you just want to cruise. Speaking of cruising, the cruise control is effortless and will keep your speed regardless of hill grade. There is more noise but doesn't bother me, the only thing that bothers me is speed limits.

done some big drives in my 996, London UK to Krakow PL around 1050 miles in a day. I got out fine the other end. I have the sports seats and 6'3. Having the roof down makes you tired. Mileage to fuel is surprising good on highways. it feels like it revs high(manual 6 speed) in cruise compared to other cars BMW 6 series etc. Feels like it needs a 7th gear. cruise control works well. Bluetooth is a must. Bose stereo is good, the pcm1 isn't very good for NAV these days, so use phone. reasonable luggage behind the seats. The lights work well at night. Honestly it is a sports car, and not a GT car. so it is expected not to be as comfortable, quiet as a BMW 6 or other GT like cars. But still fine for 10-17 hrs stints.

Have done many 900 mile trips and can say that my MK1 996 is a good GT car - i am an average size guy and my car has stock suspension and wheels - recently drove my 2003 turbo 1200 miles and it is also pretty good but the stiffer suspension and smaller gas tank are negatives

Bought my 99 in Seattle and drove home to Dallas. Only 2 issues - the door armrest is as hard as a rock and Michelin PS2's that were on it then were really, really loud. Otherwise, it was a champ.

My wife and (adult) kids say the seats are uncomfortable on long trips. Trick for me is not to slouch. Move the backrest forward a bit and stay in contact with it and you can drive forever. My car is lowered and a little stiff but still great for long trips IMO.

Wife and I drove from Denver to Dallas with our little girl in a terrible snow and ice storm when we bought it this year. It's not the best long haul driver, but I was honestly surprised by the comfort, room (compared to my expectations) and stability of the car in bad weather.

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+1. Compared to other comfortable cruisers it may be a little more tiring, but I like to use noise canceling headphones on long drives or flights to stay fresh. Some longer weekends approaching 1k miles have left me a big fan of road tripping the 996. It really shines at mid to high speeds on open roads - enjoy!

I drove from New Hampshire to Cincinnati. I believe it was 1300 miles. As someone else mentioned the arm rest on the door is hard and definitely gets uncomfortable - but it was overall pretty comfy. For a car that you 'occasionally' drive long distances I think you're fine. If it's something you need to do regularly I'm sure there are better options. I'd look for features like adaptive cruise control and lane assist. Auto pilot would be ideal but the 800 mile requirement disqualifies teslas.

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If you purchase a 996 with full power seats, which includes lumbar support, you should be able to find a very comfortable position for long trips. Make sure the seats are not worn out (high mileage vehicle with a heavy driver). I had to replace my seats with new seats. Either way replacement seats or reupholstered seats will cost well over $1,000, probably closer to $2,000. Be ready for that expense plus the additional $5,000 in maintenance most 15 year old Porsches need. YMMV.

I have a 2003 C2 with leather seats. I have driven it 12 hours in a day, PHL > ATL. I would say that it is "OK" comfort-wise. Not torture, but not BMW or Mercedes sedan style comfort, either. I do not view 500 mile drives as its strong suit, if for no other reason than the reality that 500 mile of Interstate is simply not where it excels. I drove from Philly to Atlanta in a day, and it was work. I took three days coming back, and didn't see an Interstate from just north of the SC line to somewhere in Virginia (briefly). That was FUN.

We drove my '03 C4S 700 mi day for 4 days from WA state to Hershey, PA, and back. It was a joy, and my wife never complained.5800mi total.

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The seats are quite comfortable, very adjustable for good seating position, and are a non-issue. I think a lot will have to do with the particular suspension, wheel/tire combo, and road conditions you drive with. A standard suspension with 18" wheels and all-season tires on good roads will be very comfortable. A car with lowered or stiffer suspension on 19" wheels and tires with a stiffer sidewall hitting potholes will be a completely different experience. Especially if you add into that a clapped out suspension with rattles/clunks/squeaks etc. So keep that in mind when looking at cars. If you're looking for one that's more of a GT car, don't buy something where somebody has done a bunch of "go-fast" mods that turn it into a stiff, ruined, rattle trap. It might look cooler, but you'll hate the feel over hundreds of miles. And don't underestimate the difference that wheel size, or even different tire models, can have on ride comfort.

I have driven mine from Chicago to the east coast and back twice. And to Toronto and back twice. Not bad at all. As one previous poster said if the top is down the wind does get you and after a full day on the road toward evening we usually put the top up. I had a couple of 928's that were more comfortable on long halls, drove them to the west coast and back a couple of times. But I couldn't put the top down!

Brought my car in Fairfield Ca and drove it back to Tucson AZ. 1,000 miles over a couple of days and was amazing how comfortable it was.

When the 2002 C4S was still new in 2003, with the sport suspension and power seats, I drove from Cleveland Ohio to Virginia International Raceway for a weekend DE. That's an almost 9 hour drive non stop other than gas, bathroom and food, over 500 miles over mountains and small towns, over a variety of good and bad roads. After the DE, I drove from VIR to Hilton Head SC. That's another 6 hour drive, almost 400 miles, this time over mostly open highways. After a week of sun and fun, I drove back to Cleveland. That's another 12 hours driving 800 miles. Guess what? I also did that non stop except for gas, bathroom and food. A also drove to Watkins Glen another time. Almost 300 miles, under 5 hours. I also did the Cleveland to Hilton Head and back in my wife's Boxster S. Highway driving, keep the top up and the AC on. When in the island, then yeah, top down, baby! Needless to say, VIR and Watkins Glen are a ton of fun to drive for DE. As to the long drives, I also had a lot of fun, dropped the calculated driving times significantly, radar detector protected . Torrential downpour for an hour before Hilton Head was a dampener, but no issues with the 911. As for comfort, well it's not as comfortable as the other vehicles in my garage, but I didn't hesitate getting in the 911 for the drives, and had absolutely no regrets in doing so. Then I track prepped the car, with R compound tires and racing buckets. Man, those R compounds wear out quick, so now I trailer the car. Bottom line, if your concern is comfort, get a sofa on 4 wheels like a Volvo. If you are willing to sacrifice SOME comfort and get paid back in fun-to-drive, then the 911 is for you. The ride is firm, not harsh, the seats supportive, not hard nor plushy. If you have the stock 911 suspension and you find the long drives harsh, then either there is something amiss with the suspension, or something amiss with you! LOL

I drove 300 miles to the track, did a track day, and drove it home a day later. Very comfortable, no problems. My car also has M030 suspension.

Palting dude that's awesome! Agreed on both tracks being great btw I've done many long trips in 996s also, some of the most fun were planning several weeks of going to more than one track, biking, etc. It's doable but in my old age (now 35), I'm finding some other cars more comfortable now and again. That said, the stability and responsiveness of a sports car has advantages over GT/comfort cars also, especially when cruising. Tighter steering means fewer corrections for example, and the car is easier to place.

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I found with the top down in traffic the noise is fatiguing. Just driving a hour and a half across Houston stinks with the top down hearing all the tire noise. However, out of the city in "TX hill country" it is a blast with the top down on back roads.

Pretty terrible. I'm young, and I find these cars to be pretty terrible for long distance comfort. Any 911 for that fact, not unique to the 996.

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I agree with 993 and older cars. Pre-996 911s are horrific ergonomically. It seems like they designed the car, and then only at the last minute realized they needed to be able to install human occupants into it. Controls are all terribly placed and the seating position is weird. It's a very unique experience to drive one. The 996 is pretty much a regular car inside though; it doesn't feel remarkably different in terms of seating position or controls.

I'm 40 and fat with a bad back. I find my 996 (01 C4 Cabrio) to be a great long distance car. I did a 500 mile drive last week with it (250 mi each way to pick up a hard top, no stops aside from the one at the 150mi mark) and was comfortable the whole time. My back didn't hurt, which is unusual, and even in stop and go traffic for a while I didn't have any issues. I'd gladly leave tomorrow and drive it to the west coast from NH where I am.

Has OP responded? Or is he trying to set a record for longest conversation started without interaction I feel...used

It's just ok compared to our other cars and truck, (E350, E550, Boxster and Sierra Denali). We have driven all these cars between Seattle and Palm Springs and although fun to drive the 996 is the least comfortable. The E550 V8 Bi Turbo cab is the fastest but my wife and I agree that the truck is by far the most comfortable and relaxing cross country cruiser, sad isn't it.

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LOL. I'm starting to feel the same....used. I think this thread should now be closed by the mods.

My 996 was much more comfortable than our tsx. We are both very skinny and my *** usually hurts after 90 minutes. This was the most comfortable i have been on a long drive.

Longest drive I've done is 4hrs. Very comfortable for that length of time although I did wear ear plugs.

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I recently commented on a post where the OP was missing in action for 15 years and then came back with a post like they never left. Some things take time....

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I am definitely still here and following along and really appreciate all of your feedback. All hell broke loose at work and I have been doing 16-18 hour days and unfortunately they have blocked fun sites like this so I can't access it while at work. A few nights ago I test drove a 04' coupe and it had a very firm ride on a very rough road but it was a fun ride. I'm a bigger guy and the seat was snug but comfortable.

I've been driving my XC70 more often and I have to say, the ride may be better but I find non-sports cars somewhat more stressful to drive on the highway. They're not precise and don't feel as secure. So I... might take the 996 for my next long road trip!

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I miss my XC70. I had that when I was working in PA but living in MI. Lots of 8 hour commutes in that car. Unstoppable with snow tires in the winter. I am leaning heavily towards the 996 though. Hope to make a purchase this fall.

Longest trip we've done is from Charlotte, NC to Tampa, FL and the 996 was perfect for the two of us. We kept the top up the whole time but it was still fairly quiet. The road noise is the worst part as certain road surfaces make a lot more noise than others. Even with sport exhaust the tires are still the loudest thing by far. I would also go to Richmond, VA and Atlanta, GA from Charlotte sometimes for work and preferred to take the 996 instead of fly The seats aren't an issue and I don't find anything bothersome about the interior. It is much quieter with the hardtop on but that's not always a possibility. For family trips though the Cayenne Turbo is much better suited but I still wouldn't hesitate to take a long drive in my 996. Oh my longest Porsche drive though was in my former 944 cabrio where my dog and I went from Hoboken, NJ to Colorado Springs, CO!

I did 1000 miles in 14 hours a few weeks ago. At 6'2" and 230, I was incredibly comfortable the entire time, and simply having the power to pass that semi (or string of 5 semis) within a few seconds makes a huge difference. The last time I did that drive, I was in a tiny rental Chevy piece of junk. It was more comfortable for the first half hour or so, but I was quickly sitting on what felt like a rail, and it took ~30s to pick up the speed and actually pass a single semi truck on an uphill - as a result, it took almost 16 hours.

I drove from San Diego to Las Vegas a few weeks ago; traffic and other issues made the drive about 8 hours instead of the 5 I was hoping for. No problem. The 996 is about as comfortable as you can be in a sports car. It's not a land yacht with 255-way, air-conditioned seats upholstered with albino walrus *******, but the 996 is not a bad GT car. ANY miniscule amount of comfort sacrificed by driving the 996 on a long trip is eclipsed entirely by the absolute treat of having the 996 with you the whole way. I'm 6'2", somewhere in the eighth-of-a-ton range (that's about 250 lbs / 18 stone), so I feel eminently qualified to opine on this subject. There are plenty of absolutely MISERABLE cars when you're a person shaped roughly like a garden shed...the 996 isn't just not-uncomfortable. It's one of the few cars where I don't have to unpack myself from whatever unnatural position I assumed to get behind the wheel... Also worth considering is the 996's climate control, which is AWESOME. The HVAC controls are weird and semi-Germanic, but the 996 (with a properly charged and maintained cooling system) is hard to beat when it comes to raw cooling capacity. On the return leg of the Vegas trip, I was sitting in 0MPH traffic at 100+ degrees - with no air beyond what the fans can move to cool the radiators and condensers - cool as a cucumber, watching the coolant temp needle do absolutely nothing out of the ordinary. Good seats, good climate control, and the fuel economy isn't bad (I've heard) as long as you can keep your foot out of it...sounds like a good commuter to me!

Drove my 2000 C2 from NJ to central Fla by way of Dragons Tail when I moved to Fla. Aside from road noise ( x74 suspension ) I would not hesitate to do it again.