First Time Porsche Owner - 981 Boxster - Page 5 - Boxster/Cayman - PistonHeads UK

I am the proud new owner of this! 981 2.7 manual, Aqua Blue, two-tone leather interior (Agate & Pebble I think...?). Really nice condition & history - interior is exceptional. I particularly like the sports plus seats (heated & cooled ) with the crests, the rollover hoops in silver and it is on my favourite wheels too. Only disappointment is I thought it had DAB and it doesn't. Ideal-world plans for the car would be: - Apple CarPlay module - Wheel refurb - Calipers painted red maybe? - Maybe something with the exhaust (no PSE) - Front bumper respray perhaps All of the above are very much "nice-to-dos" and I just intend to enjoy it this spring & summer. Only immediate must-dos are a brake fluid change around April and the rear tyres look low. Has P Zero N tyres all-round at the moment so will probably replace with the same but happy for recommendations.

WhisperingWasp said: I am the proud new owner of this! 981 2.7 manual, Aqua Blue, two-tone leather interior (Agate & Pebble I think...?). Really nice condition & history - interior is exceptional. I particularly like the sports plus seats (heated & cooled ) with the crests, the rollover hoops in silver and it is on my favourite wheels too. Only disappointment is I thought it had DAB and it doesn't. Ideal-world plans for the car would be: - Apple CarPlay module - Wheel refurb - Calipers painted red maybe? - Maybe something with the exhaust (no PSE) - Front bumper respray perhaps All of the above are very much "nice-to-dos" and I just intend to enjoy it this spring & summer. Only immediate must-dos are a brake fluid change around April and the rear tyres look low. Has P Zero N tyres all-round at the moment so will probably replace with the same but happy for recommendations. Congrats, and welcome to the Aqua Blue Club, the best colour. Here's mine: I have considered getting Carplay done but have held off. There is already Bluetooth streaming and a (dated) satnav, and I have read some stories of battery drain and other possible issues with an aftermarket add-on. Mine is on P Zero tyres but when they are due for replacement I will be putting Michelin Pilot Sports on. Mine is an S, but I reckon the smaller engine you have sounds even sweeter. I was watching that particular car on eBay out of interest. Great to know a Pistonheader has it. ETA I see you have extended leather as well, lovely stuff.

Looks fantastic. Congratulations. P-Zeros definitely lose a lot of grip below 4mm IME. The default answer is Michelin PS4s , more outright grip, last longer but do slightly numb the front end feel/response. I'd consider the Continental SportContact 7 if available in your sizes. Smallest is currently 19". Have a play with the typre pressures too. There's usually a "Normal" and "Comfort" set of pressures. Don't let the names put you off, most cars drive and handle better with the lower "Comfort" pressures.

Enjoy... Beautiful cars... That sound

Enjoy, I love mine And go for a Carnewal GT exhaust, trust me……….sounds so much more serious, but still sounds like a Porsche

Just noticed you are in Northants, same here, happy to give you a listen of the exhaust :-)

Congratulations on a lovely looking boxster! I can recommend the Isudar car play unit (they sell it on Amazon) and if I can fit it, anyone can. Works well, also added a reversing camera (bit of a pain to take lots of interior out to route cable, but worth it). On the exhuast front, I can recommend the Carnewal back box (they rework the original to make it sound much better, it does). Have it on my 981S and it definitely improves the sound without being too loud or droney. You can get it delivered to the UK on an exchange basis or take your car to them in Belgium and have it fitted whilst you wait.

Very nice - lovely colour. I fitted a Mr12Volt CarPlay adaptor to my 987.2 and it’s been very good. I’d second the suggestion of Conti SC7s - although I suspect pretty much anything would’ve been an improvement on the Bridgestones that I had before.

Congrats That looks lovely. I think that would be the model I would go for if I was to look now. I would prefer the 2.7 to be able to make it sing more often with the revs climbing. I thought the exhaust sounded pretty good on this when in the higher rev range. Is there a need to upgrade it?

It’s not necessary, but well worth it

paulguitar said: Congrats, and welcome to the Aqua Blue Club, the best colour. Here's mine: I have considered getting Carplay done but have held off. There is already Bluetooth streaming and a (dated) satnav, and I have read some stories of battery drain and other possible issues with an aftermarket add-on. Mine is on P Zero tyres but when they are due for replacement I will be putting Michelin Pilot Sports on. Mine is an S, but I reckon the smaller engine you have sounds even sweeter. I was watching that particular car on eBay out of interest. Great to know a Pistonheader has it. ETA I see you have extended leather as well, lovely stuff. I really like the colour. Very different to what I've had in the past and obviously different to most Boxsters. Any side-on photos of yours please? I like the idea of Michelins but the fronts are 2years/~10k old. Saying that though, they're not exactly brand new are they, so maybe I do just go for Michelins or the Contis. Is the N-rating important? I've obviously got the base car with the base exhaust but it does sound good. Very pure if you know what I mean, ie not artificial at all/piped-in sound. I'll add the seller's pic of the interior as I haven't taken one yet: And this side view just 'cos I like it! I think it looks a bit R8 V10

MOBB said: Enjoy, I love mine And go for a Carnewal GT exhaust, trust me……….sounds so much more serious, but still sounds like a Porsche That is the one I've been leaning towards. Maybe with twin tips too? I'm in Bedfordshire nowadays so not far away - where are you?

CantDecide said: Congratulations on a lovely looking boxster! I can recommend the Isudar car play unit (they sell it on Amazon) and if I can fit it, anyone can. Works well, also added a reversing camera (bit of a pain to take lots of interior out to route cable, but worth it). On the exhuast front, I can recommend the Carnewal back box (they rework the original to make it sound much better, it does). Have it on my 981S and it definitely improves the sound without being too loud or droney. You can get it delivered to the UK on an exchange basis or take your car to them in Belgium and have it fitted whilst you wait. Thanks for the recommendations. Trip to Belgium and France sounds tempting. Reckon it'll be a great road trip car with the deceptively good boot space(s)!

Wow, that is a great looking Boxster, not to mention being the 2.7 manual, very good choice... Perfect for the coming Summer :-)

IroningMan said: Very nice - lovely colour. I fitted a Mr12Volt CarPlay adaptor to my 987.2 and it’s been very good. I’d second the suggestion of Conti SC7s - although I suspect pretty much anything would’ve been an improvement on the Bridgestones that I had before. I've seen these - little blue box yeah? Does it still need the insides messing with? I do like the Michelin side-walls though...!

leef44 said: Congrats That looks lovely. I think that would be the model I would go for if I was to look now. I would prefer the 2.7 to be able to make it sing more often with the revs climbing. I thought the exhaust sounded pretty good on this when in the higher rev range. Is there a need to upgrade it? It certainly needs to be revved that's for sure and it does howl nicely toward the top of the rev range. Not very torquey compared to the straight-6 BMWs I've had previously.

guyvert1 said: Wow, that is a great looking Boxster, not to mention being the 2.7 manual, very good choice... Perfect for the coming Summer :-) Thanks Guy. Can't wait for roof down with cooling air coming through the seats .

Looks like a great spec and a very nice car! What a nice interior, and great change from the usual grey or black. Cooled seats are a really nice extra on a hot day!

WhisperingWasp said: IroningMan said: Very nice - lovely colour. I fitted a Mr12Volt CarPlay adaptor to my 987.2 and it’s been very good. I’d second the suggestion of Conti SC7s - although I suspect pretty much anything would’ve been an improvement on the Bridgestones that I had before. I've seen these - little blue box yeah? Does it still need the insides messing with? I do like the Michelin side-walls though...! Mine’s blue, but it’s about 18 months old and I think they’re grey now; they do involve opening up the head unit to add a video card, but it’s all plugs, screws and clips, no soldering and their ‘how to’ guide is excellent.

WhisperingWasp said: paulguitar said: Congrats, and welcome to the Aqua Blue Club, the best colour. Here's mine: I have considered getting Carplay done but have held off. There is already Bluetooth streaming and a (dated) satnav, and I have read some stories of battery drain and other possible issues with an aftermarket add-on. Mine is on P Zero tyres but when they are due for replacement I will be putting Michelin Pilot Sports on. Mine is an S, but I reckon the smaller engine you have sounds even sweeter. I was watching that particular car on eBay out of interest. Great to know a Pistonheader has it. ETA I see you have extended leather as well, lovely stuff. I really like the colour. Very different to what I've had in the past and obviously different to most Boxsters. Any side-on photos of yours please? I like the idea of Michelins but the fronts are 2years/~10k old. Saying that though, they're not exactly brand new are they, so maybe I do just go for Michelins or the Contis. Is the N-rating important? I've obviously got the base car with the base exhaust but it does sound good. Very pure if you know what I mean, ie not artificial at all/piped-in sound. I'll add the seller's pic of the interior as I haven't taken one yet: And this side view just 'cos I like it! I think it looks a bit R8 V10 Here you go: I will probably keep the Pirrellis on until a change is needed, although from time to time Michelin are on offer when buying either 2 or 4. In fact, I just checked on Blackcircles and they are currently doing 15% off which would mean on my car (19-inch wheels) a whole new set of Pilot Sports would be £832. I've heard different views on the N rating. Perhaps someone can chime in who knows more than me. Before my 981 I had a 987 2.7 which sounded lovely, I'd imagine yours would probably sound similar. The S is not quite as tuneful in my opinion.

Congratulations OP, that looks stunning! You're going to love it I'm sure. I've just recently picked up a 981 2.7 manual too, albeit a Cayman. It also has a two tone interior with a lovely spec. Loving it so far and look forward to driving it all the time Here is a pic of mine:

IroningMan said: Mine’s blue, but it’s about 18 months old and I think they’re grey now; they do involve opening up the head unit to add a video card, but it’s all plugs, screws and clips, no soldering and their ‘how to’ guide is excellent. Brilliant, thanks. Something to have a think on.

paulguitar said: Here you go: Looks great with the blue hood

Schuey_911 said: Congratulations OP, that looks stunning! You're going to love it I'm sure. I've just recently picked up a 981 2.7 manual too, albeit a Cayman. It also has a two tone interior with a lovely spec. Loving it so far and look forward to driving it all the time Here is a pic of mine: That looks fantastic. Not usually a fan of white cars but I think it suits the Cayman particularly well. My preference was a Cayman, but this deal was too good to miss.

Congratulations. I’m a big fan of the base Boxster/Cayman/911 models - especially with the lovely manual box. There’s something about the purity and simplicity that makes these cars so endearing. And the perfect ‘real world’ accessible performance, size, balance and involvement for UK roads - at sensible money. Enjoy.

WhisperingWasp said: MOBB said: Enjoy, I love mine And go for a Carnewal GT exhaust, trust me……….sounds so much more serious, but still sounds like a Porsche That is the one I've been leaning towards. Maybe with twin tips too? I'm in Bedfordshire nowadays so not far away - where are you? Another Bedfordshire 2.7 owner,but mines Saphire Blue Metallic…

WhisperingWasp said: MOBB said: Enjoy, I love mine And go for a Carnewal GT exhaust, trust me……….sounds so much more serious, but still sounds like a Porsche That is the one I've been leaning towards. Maybe with twin tips too? I'm in Bedfordshire nowadays so not far away - where are you? Rushden :-)

Another Bedfordshire 981 Boxster owner here, seems like quite a few of us locally. Lovely looking car OP

Koln-RS said: Congratulations. I’m a big fan of the base Boxster/Cayman/911 models - especially with the lovely manual box. There’s something about the purity and simplicity that makes these cars so endearing. And the perfect ‘real world’ accessible performance, size, balance and involvement for UK roads - at sensible money. Enjoy. Agree with all of that . It does feel very "pure".

ClaphamBoxS said: Another Bedfordshire 2.7 owner,but mines Saphire Blue Metallic… Will have to do a C&M meet-up .

MOBB said: Rushden :-) Just around the corner then. I'll have to PM you when I'm next in the area. You got any videos?

Riskins said: Another Bedfordshire 981 Boxster owner here, seems like quite a few of us locally. Lovely looking car OP Where 'bouts are you Riskins?

In other news I can confirm the brakes and ABS work. Heading to football earlier, going through lights onto an empty roundabout, car in front slams brakes on. How I stopped in time and avoided wrecking my 3-day old (to me) car I do not know. In the moment I was just relieved to have stopped but a minute or so later it dawned on me that it might have been a crash-for-cash attempt. I was f king raging.

Looks great, particularly like the two-tone interior. I have a 2012 S, bought just before Christmas. I also have the (quite rare) cooled seats and almost every extra available but no DAB, some odd specs out theere. Mine came with carplay already retro-fitted (Mr12Volt) and it works perfectly but I think it is causing ocassional interference with unlocking the car, so something to consider.

Richard-eykh1 said: Looks great, particularly like the two-tone interior. I have a 2012 S, bought just before Christmas. I also have the (quite rare) cooled seats and almost every extra available but no DAB, some odd specs out theere. Mine came with carplay already retro-fitted (Mr12Volt) and it works perfectly but I think it is causing ocassional interference with unlocking the car, so something to consider. Looking forward to using the cooled seats; really nice feature for a car that'll come into its own in the summer. I've downloaded a radio app and can play DAB via the Aux BT streaming function which is working perfectly for me and is a decent compromise for now at least.

WhisperingWasp said: ClaphamBoxS said: Another Bedfordshire 2.7 owner,but mines Saphire Blue Metallic… Will have to do a C&M meet-up . Absolutely!!!….would be fairly cool to have several blue 981 in various hues lined up outside…

M11rph said: Have a play with the typre pressures too. There's usually a "Normal" and "Comfort" set of pressures. Don't let the names put you off, most cars drive and handle better with the lower "Comfort" pressures. Good advice... I bought a Porsche recently and it feels incredibly sensitive to tyre pressures. With the recommended 'normal' pressure and the car feels less secure on the road - to me at least. Congrats on the new car, very exciting!

ClaphamBoxS said: WhisperingWasp said: ClaphamBoxS said: Another Bedfordshire 2.7 owner,but mines Saphire Blue Metallic… Will have to do a C&M meet-up . Absolutely!!!….would be fairly cool to have several blue 981 in various hues lined up outside… My Metallic Midnight Blue 987 came from Bedfordshire just over a year ago, but unfortunately now lives in the deep south.

CanAm said: My Metallic Midnight Blue 987 came from Bedfordshire just over a year ago, but unfortunately now lives in the deep south. The right colour.

IroningMan said: CanAm said: My Metallic Midnight Blue 987 came from Bedfordshire just over a year ago, but unfortunately now lives in the deep south. The right colour.

WhisperingWasp said: Where 'bouts are you Riskins? Biggleswade but definitely up for a meet up. I am part of a 981 specific WhatsApp group and a few of us are meeting at the Bowl on Sat 29th March for breakfast and then driving over to the The Hill for lunch if anyone wants to join us.

OP I think your car is still floating around a few classifieds with a 'reserved' comment on the advert? I think you got an absolute bargain there chap!

CantDecide said: Congratulations on a lovely looking boxster! I can recommend the Isudar car play unit (they sell it on Amazon) and if I can fit it, anyone can. Works well, also added a reversing camera (bit of a pain to take lots of interior out to route cable, but worth it). Question about the isudar unit - some amazon reviews say that the screen doesn't change when the parking sensors kick in, is that correct?

Kevin-y9fs3 said: OP I think your car is still floating around a few classifieds with a 'reserved' comment on the advert? I think you got an absolute bargain there chap! I think some sellers leave the adverts live hoping to be able to steer potential buyers towards other stock. Very flowery prose by the seller of the OP's car: 'A pedigree sportscar at a very forgivable price. Make no mistake, this is bonafide Porsche ownership of a very reputable model from the line-up for a comparatively modest outlay'.

WhisperingWasp said: I am the proud new owner of this! 981 2.7 manual, Aqua Blue, two-tone leather interior (Agate & Pebble I think...?). Really nice condition & history - interior is exceptional. I particularly like the sports plus seats (heated & cooled ) with the crests, the rollover hoops in silver and it is on my favourite wheels too. Only disappointment is I thought it had DAB and it doesn't. Ideal-world plans for the car would be: - Apple CarPlay module - Wheel refurb - Calipers painted red maybe? - Maybe something with the exhaust (no PSE) - Front bumper respray perhaps All of the above are very much "nice-to-dos" and I just intend to enjoy it this spring & summer. Only immediate must-dos are a brake fluid change around April and the rear tyres look low. Has P Zero N tyres all-round at the moment so will probably replace with the same but happy for recommendations. Sorry I am a bit late to the Thread in offering my congratulations but that looks lovely . I only ever had the P Zeros on one Porsche the 991 GTS and they were superb . I later bought a new Vantage that came with them as standard fitment and I found these pretty crap . I swapped these almost new Tyres for Michelin and they were a game changer . I think if you are happy with what you've got then leave well alone . Good luck whatever you decide

Riskins said: Biggleswade but definitely up for a meet up. I am part of a 981 specific WhatsApp group and a few of us are meeting at the Bowl on Sat 29th March for breakfast and then driving over to the The Hill for lunch if anyone wants to join us. Breakfast part at the Bowl certainly sounds like something I could do .

Kevin-y9fs3 said: OP I think your car is still floating around a few classifieds with a 'reserved' comment on the advert? I think you got an absolute bargain there chap! Thanks Kevin, I thought so. I had eBay saved searches set up and looked daily at new listings and I called about this as soon as the ad went up pretty much. I'd probably have preferred a Cayman in truth but I couldn't turn this down. Similar cars of this mileage seem to generally be listed for 5k more.

paulguitar said: I think some sellers leave the adverts live hoping to be able to steer potential buyers towards other stock. Very flowery prose by the seller of the OP's car: 'A pedigree sportscar at a very forgivable price. Make no mistake, this is bonafide Porsche ownership of a very reputable model from the line-up for a comparatively modest outlay'. That's what swung it .

reddiesel said: Sorry I am a bit late to the Thread in offering my congratulations but that looks lovely . I only ever had the P Zeros on one Porsche the 991 GTS and they were superb . I later bought a new Vantage that came with them as standard fitment and I found these pretty crap . I swapped these almost new Tyres for Michelin and they were a game changer . I think if you are happy with what you've got then leave well alone . Good luck whatever you decide I definitely need new rears soon. Just a case of whether to match to the fronts, ie P Zero, or go fresh all-round. P Zeros don't seem to be held in as high a regard as they used to be I feel. growing up I thought a "P Zero" was iconic! The Michelins seem to be the tyre darling nowadays!

WhisperingWasp said: P Zeros don't seem to be held in as high a regard as they used to be I feel. growing up I thought a "P Zero" was iconic! The Michelins seem to be the tyre darling nowadays! A lot of that nonesense comes from ‘keyboard’ experts - maybe a few on here. Whilst everyone is entitled to their subjective opinions and, like all tyres, they will deteriorate with age and use, they tend to perform favourably in most independent tests. The likes of Porsche, Ferrari, Aston Martin, McLaren, Lamborghini….. would not fit Pirelli tyres as OE or submit press cars for testing, if they weren’t perfectly developed and tested for their cars. Not to mention their role in racing - especially F1.

Koln-RS said: A lot of that nonesense comes from ‘keyboard’ experts - maybe a few on here. Whilst everyone is entitled to their subjective opinions and, like all tyres, they will deteriorate with age and use, they tend to perform favourably in most independent tests. The likes of Porsche, Ferrari, Aston Martin, McLaren, Lamborghini….. would not fit Pirelli tyres as OE or submit press cars for testing, if they weren’t perfectly developed and tested for their cars. Not to mention their role in racing - especially F1. I think you are talking largely nonsense yourself and let me tell you why . Aston Martin in 2019 for the introduction of the new Vantage were fitting P Zeros which later in the Model run were switched to Michelins . Prior to this happening , I was chatting to the Sales Manager at Aston Works about my reasons for switching to Michelins . He came out with similar comments to yourself which even then I doubted . Around six months later I went back to the Works to pick up a Paint Touch Up Stick and in the Showroom were two new Vantages sat on Michelin rubber . I called Kevin over to point this out and to his credit he admitted he was totally unaware of this change . "Don't rub it in and Ill get the coffee" was his reply . Jaguar were no different . There are many reasons a manufacturer fit certain tyres to certain cars and not all of them involve extensive testing .

Well, one thing we do know is Pirelli makes awful F1 tyres. How much of that is down to them and how much is down to what they have been asked to do is up for debate.

Why's everything back-to-front on these?! I knew the PDK stick was the wrong way round on this gen. (which I don't have of course) but my god I don't think I've got the handbrake right first time once yet! Even the bloody PCM knob seems to go up when it should go down! Also, question, I've noticed in various threads around the web that a lot of people list the dual zone climate control right at the top of the list of must-haves. I have this but I must admit it wasn't something that would have put me off if it didn't have it (like not having heated seats would have). What am I missing here? Why would you need dual zone in such a small cabin? Is there more to it than I realise?

WhisperingWasp said: Why's everything back-to-front on these?! Also, question, I've noticed in various threads around the web that a lot of people list the dual zone climate control right at the top of the list of must-haves. I have this but I must admit it wasn't something that would have put me off if it didn't have it (like not having heated seats would have). What am I missing here? Why would you need dual zone in such a small cabin? Is there more to it than I realise? Yeah, you need that. It's not about it being dual zone, it's simply a matter of setting a temperature and forgetting about it. I don't have it in my car and the buttons I have are awkward and a faff. It's frustrating that the original owner specced extended leather at over £2k (granted, it's lovely) but ignored the climate control box when ticking options.

WhisperingWasp said: I definitely need new rears soon. Just a case of whether to match to the fronts, ie P Zero, or go fresh all-round. P Zeros don't seem to be held in as high a regard as they used to be I feel. growing up I thought a "P Zero" was iconic! The Michelins seem to be the tyre darling nowadays! The Power of Advertising my friend . A lot of People jump on the bandwagon damning this and that car or tyre without having owned either , simply repeating what they heard or read as being first hand experience . I found the P Zero fine on the 991 GTS , crap on the Astons and again ok on the F Types . Someone who covers minimal mileage and always observes speed limits will seldom experience the limitations of any tyre so as I said earlier if what you have works well for you then leave it alone . Thats my humble contribution . Im off to pick up my new GTS this morning so I best crack on .

WhisperingWasp said: Also, question, I've noticed in various threads around the web that a lot of people list the dual zone climate control right at the top of the list of must-haves. I have this but I must admit it wasn't something that would have put me off if it didn't have it (like not having heated seats would have). What am I missing here? Nothing - I don't have it, I played around with the settings when I first bought the car and have never touched it since, probably matters less to me being a convertible mainly weekend/eurohoon car. I do have it on my daily and would rather have it than not though.

WhisperingWasp said: Also, question, I've noticed in various threads around the web that a lot of people list the dual zone climate control right at the top of the list of must-haves. I have this but I must admit it wasn't something that would have put me off if it didn't have it (like not having heated seats would have). What am I missing here? Why would you need dual zone in such a small cabin? Is there more to it than I realise? We've got a 981 without it and a 718 with it. The 718 is hands down easier to live with. The basic system is fine but very fiddly to get right especially on the move and it doesn't display the exact temperature. The duel system is effectively climate control. As said before you set the temperature you want and the system takes care of it.

reddiesel said: WhisperingWasp said: I definitely need new rears soon. Just a case of whether to match to the fronts, ie P Zero, or go fresh all-round. P Zeros don't seem to be held in as high a regard as they used to be I feel. growing up I thought a "P Zero" was iconic! The Michelins seem to be the tyre darling nowadays! The Power of Advertising my friend . A lot of People jump on the bandwagon damning this and that car or tyre without having owned either , simply repeating what they heard or read as being first hand experience . I found the P Zero fine on the 991 GTS , crap on the Astons and again ok on the F Types . Someone who covers minimal mileage and always observes speed limits will seldom experience the limitations of any tyre so as I said earlier if what you have works well for you then leave it alone . Thats my humble contribution . Im off to pick up my new GTS this morning so I best crack on . I just go with the general forum view - P Zeros always seem to be slated in general except one or two Pirelli 'die hards' brand ambassador PR accounts unlike either the Goodyears or Michelins do, where the feedback is much more positive usually. No smoke without fire, I'd take the majority enthusiast opinion as they're actually driving these cars. Edited by Count897 on Saturday 8th February 14:32

paulguitar said: Yeah, you need that. It's not about it being dual zone, it's simply a matter of setting a temperature and forgetting about it. I don't have it in my car and the buttons I have are awkward and a faff. It's frustrating that the original owner specced extended leather at over £2k (granted, it's lovely) but ignored the climate control box when ticking options. The buttons are awkwardly placed aren't they - all behind the gearstick! Still, at least it has proper buttons. I see, I guess the standard one just goes hotter or colder, no specific temp.?

reddiesel said: The Power of Advertising my friend . A lot of People jump on the bandwagon damning this and that car or tyre without having owned either , simply repeating what they heard or read as being first hand experience . I found the P Zero fine on the 991 GTS , crap on the Astons and again ok on the F Types . Someone who covers minimal mileage and always observes speed limits will seldom experience the limitations of any tyre so as I said earlier if what you have works well for you then leave it alone . Thats my humble contribution . Im off to pick up my new GTS this morning so I best crack on . How did the collection go? Any pics?

Despite professing my love for my 981 earlier, I’ve actually sold it………………. As a result I have quite a bit of interesting stuff coming off it tomorrow, if anyone is interested in upgrading parts, drop me a pm for details of what I have

Chaps, will these fit the Boxster? My wheels are 991 911 ones (I think, unless different fitment for Boxsters?) but I don’t recall ever seeing these on a 981…? Thinking of having them for winter. Rears are 285 btw which sounds a bit too chunky?

...that'll be a no then.

Carnewal going on tomorrow, courtesy of MOBB

[Image-only or quote-only post; no author-written text.] https://www.pistonheads.com/inc/images/bounce.gif

WhisperingWasp said: Also, question, I've noticed in various threads around the web that a lot of people list the dual zone climate control right at the top of the list of must-haves. I have this but I must admit it wasn't something that would have put me off if it didn't have it (like not having heated seats would have). What am I missing here? Why would you need dual zone in such a small cabin? Is there more to it than I realise? Usually the people with such opinions are buying car used, never new. First owners never get that paid back come resale.

I believe it's not so much the dual-zone that people want as the climate control. You see the basic air-con system is not a climate control, i.e.: you can't set a temperature and have the system attempt to maintain it irrespective of changing outside conditions. The basic air-con system just has manual controls for temperature, fan speed, directional air flow, a/c on/off etc.

Techno9000 said: I believe it's not so much the dual-zone that people want as the climate control. You see the basic air-con system is not a climate control, i.e.: you can't set a temperature and have the system attempt to maintain it irrespective of changing outside conditions. The basic air-con system just has manual controls for temperature, fan speed, directional air flow, a/c on/off etc. Yes, exactly this. The manual controls are fiddy and annoying. What's more, choosing climate control as an option when the car was new was relatively inexpensive, about £500 I think. The other option that I regard as essential and often not ticked was cruise control, and that was only £220. I've had all sorts of fun and games getting it retrofitted to my car. Finally have it now, thankfully.

paulguitar said: Techno9000 said: I believe it's not so much the dual-zone that people want as the climate control. You see the basic air-con system is not a climate control, i.e.: you can't set a temperature and have the system attempt to maintain it irrespective of changing outside conditions. The basic air-con system just has manual controls for temperature, fan speed, directional air flow, a/c on/off etc. Yes, exactly this. The manual controls are fiddy and annoying. What's more, choosing climate control as an option when the car was new was relatively inexpensive, about £500 I think. The other option that I regard as essential and often not ticked was cruise control, and that was only £220. I've had all sorts of fun and games getting it retrofitted to my car. Finally have it now, thankfully. I'm very lucky that my 'previously enjoyed' base model 987.2 was well specced by the first owner with single-zone climate (which suits me as i'm widowed and basically selfish), extended leather, BOSE hi-fi, PASM, PCM3.0 and (now a little outdated) SatNav.

CanAm said: paulguitar said: Techno9000 said: I believe it's not so much the dual-zone that people want as the climate control. You see the basic air-con system is not a climate control, i.e.: you can't set a temperature and have the system attempt to maintain it irrespective of changing outside conditions. The basic air-con system just has manual controls for temperature, fan speed, directional air flow, a/c on/off etc. Yes, exactly this. The manual controls are fiddy and annoying. What's more, choosing climate control as an option when the car was new was relatively inexpensive, about £500 I think. The other option that I regard as essential and often not ticked was cruise control, and that was only £220. I've had all sorts of fun and games getting it retrofitted to my car. Finally have it now, thankfully. I'm very lucky that my 'previously enjoyed' base model 987.2 was well specced by the first owner with single-zone climate (which suits me as i'm widowed and basically selfish), extended leather, BOSE hi-fi, PASM, PCM3.0 and (now a little outdated) SatNav. Sounds great. I also benefited from a generous first owner. I didn't get climate control and cruise control, but I did get PSE, extended leather, heated seats and steering wheel, Bose, PCM 3.1 and a few other nice options which added almost £11k to the original cost of the car.

paulguitar said: CanAm said: paulguitar said: Techno9000 said: I believe it's not so much the dual-zone that people want as the climate control. You see the basic air-con system is not a climate control, i.e.: you can't set a temperature and have the system attempt to maintain it irrespective of changing outside conditions. The basic air-con system just has manual controls for temperature, fan speed, directional air flow, a/c on/off etc. Yes, exactly this. The manual controls are fiddy and annoying. What's more, choosing climate control as an option when the car was new was relatively inexpensive, about £500 I think. The other option that I regard as essential and often not ticked was cruise control, and that was only £220. I've had all sorts of fun and games getting it retrofitted to my car. Finally have it now, thankfully. I'm very lucky that my 'previously enjoyed' base model 987.2 was well specced by the first owner with single-zone climate (which suits me as i'm widowed and basically selfish), extended leather, BOSE hi-fi, PASM, PCM3.0 and (now a little outdated) SatNav. Sounds great. I also benefited from a generous first owner. I didn't get climate control and cruise control, but I did get PSE, extended leather, heated seats and steering wheel, Bose, PCM 3.1 and a few other nice options which added almost £11k to the original cost of the car. I've got heated seats but not the rest. PSE would be brilliant. That's a great spec you've got there. The only problem is trading up without feeling short-changed. Not easy

WhisperingWasp said: Carnewal going on tomorrow, courtesy of MOBB Most amazing thing you can do to these cars.

SkinnyPete said: Most amazing thing you can do to these cars. Well I would love to say how great my first drive was today, roof down in the spring sunshine, engine howling to the redline, popping and crackling on the overrun, but... I got on the wrong bloody train back from London! What a bell end. Didn't even realise for the first 20 mins, until I heard the destination station! In my defence, I was on the train I should get if I was heading home, but I was meant to be heading back to collect the car . Hopefully the sun is still shining tomorrow morning!

WhisperingWasp said: SkinnyPete said: Most amazing thing you can do to these cars. Well I would love to say how great my first drive was today, roof down in the spring sunshine, engine howling to the redline, popping and crackling on the overrun, but... I got on the wrong bloody train back from London! What a bell end. Didn't even realise for the first 20 mins, until I heard the destination station! In my defence, I was on the train I should get if I was heading home, but I was meant to be heading back to collect the car . Hopefully the sun is still shining tomorrow morning! The forecast is for more sun tomorrow. I had a good drive in Wales today and ended up at Lake Bala.

paulguitar said: Yes, exactly this. The manual controls are fiddy and annoying. What's more, choosing climate control as an option when the car was new was relatively inexpensive, about £500 I think. The other option that I regard as essential and often not ticked was cruise control, and that was only £220. I've had all sorts of fun and games getting it retrofitted to my car. Finally have it now, thankfully. I don't have cruise, and it would have been nice (although when I have had it - and the wife's car does - I rarely use it tbh). I would say mine is well-specced, if a little odd. Has the extended leather and seat cooling for example (two things that are reasonably rare) but doesn't have cruise and Bose.

Lovely location.

WhisperingWasp said: I don't have cruise, and it would have been nice (although when I have had it - and the wife's car does - I rarely use it tbh). I would say mine is well-specced, if a little odd. Has the extended leather and seat cooling for example (two things that are reasonably rare) but doesn't have cruise and Bose. Cruise is an easy add on, no different to if the factory had fitted it.

981Boxess said: WhisperingWasp said: I don't have cruise, and it would have been nice (although when I have had it - and the wife's car does - I rarely use it tbh). I would say mine is well-specced, if a little odd. Has the extended leather and seat cooling for example (two things that are reasonably rare) but doesn't have cruise and Bose. Cruise is an easy add on, no different to if the factory had fitted it. It's now more complicated than one might expect due to Porsche no longer supplying the required code to anyone other than their dealers.

paulguitar said: 981Boxess said: WhisperingWasp said: I don't have cruise, and it would have been nice (although when I have had it - and the wife's car does - I rarely use it tbh). I would say mine is well-specced, if a little odd. Has the extended leather and seat cooling for example (two things that are reasonably rare) but doesn't have cruise and Bose. Cruise is an easy add on, no different to if the factory had fitted it. It's now more complicated than one might expect due to Porsche no longer supplying the required code to anyone other than their dealers. The point is it is an easy retro fit, so still an 'option'

981Boxess said: paulguitar said: 981Boxess said: WhisperingWasp said: I don't have cruise, and it would have been nice (although when I have had it - and the wife's car does - I rarely use it tbh). I would say mine is well-specced, if a little odd. Has the extended leather and seat cooling for example (two things that are reasonably rare) but doesn't have cruise and Bose. Cruise is an easy add on, no different to if the factory had fitted it. It's now more complicated than one might expect due to Porsche no longer supplying the required code to anyone other than their dealers. The point is it is an easy retro fit, so still an 'option' I had it done recently; the code situation was a big headache. Going to an OPC and having them do it is certainly simple, but that's £780.

paulguitar said: I had it done recently; the code situation was a big headache. Going to an OPC and having them do it is certainly simple, but that's £780. I didn't pay anywhere near that at an OPC when I did it, but I guess as the value of the cars goes down and the cost of add ons goes up it highlights the advantage of buying a car with the right spec (for you) in the first place.

981Boxess said: paulguitar said: I had it done recently; the code situation was a big headache. Going to an OPC and having them do it is certainly simple, but that's £780. I didn't pay anywhere near that at an OPC when I did it, but I guess as the value of the cars goes down and the cost of add ons goes up it highlights the advantage of buying a car with the right spec (for you) in the first place. Is yours a 981? It seems that Porsche stopped supplying codes from the 981 onwards to prevent indies from being able to retrofit various parts. I got a quote for my old 987 for the same job, and I think it was about half of what the OPC quoted for my 981. It's really hard to find a car with the perfect spec used. I got a lot of what I wanted, in particular the tan extended leather, which lifts the cabin to a totally different level. The only thing I wish I have and don't is the climate control option.

paulguitar said: Is yours a 981? It seems that Porsche stopped supplying codes from the 981 onwards to prevent indies from being able to retrofit various parts. I got a quote for my old 987 for the same job, and I think it was about half of what the OPC quoted for my 981. It's really hard to find a car with the perfect spec used. I got a lot of what I wanted, in particular the tan extended leather, which lifts the cabin to a totally different level. The only thing I wish I have and don't is the climate control option. Yes mine is a 981 and it isn’t only Porsche that are playing these games, they are all at it. Give it time and we will be paying a subscription to lower and raise a convertible roof.

981Boxess said: Yes mine is a 981 and it isn’t only Porsche that are playing these games, they are all at it. Give it time and we will be paying a subscription to lower and raise a convertible roof. I'd like to change the delay time on my "coming home" lights (a simple job on many mass-produced cars). The handbook says that this can be done but "is far too complicated for your meagre brain-power, must must be carried out by an OPC". BTW, did BMW go ahead with their plan to charge owners for "enabling" features like heated seats which were already physically built into the car?

CanAm said: I'd like to change the delay time on my "coming home" lights (a simple job on many mass-produced cars). The handbook says that this can be done but "is far too complicated for your meagre brain-power, must must be carried out by an OPC". I am pretty sure that can be done fairly easily from the car's onboard settings.

CanAm said: I'd like to change the delay time on my "coming home" lights (a simple job on many mass-produced cars). The handbook says that this can be done but "is far too complicated for your meagre brain-power, must must be carried out by an OPC". BTW, did BMW go ahead with their plan to charge owners for "enabling" features like heated seats which were already physically built into the car? My 981 “coming home” lights adjust from 10s to 120s from the dash. I don’t know if BMW did go through with it in the end, but a mate of mine is paying a subscription for his Audi A3 adaptive cruise control to work - I would have told them to shove it.

CanAm said: CanAm said: paulguitar said: CanAm said: I'd like to change the delay time on my "coming home" lights (a simple job on many mass-produced cars). The handbook says that this can be done but "is far too complicated for your meagre brain-power, must must be carried out by an OPC". I am pretty sure that can be done fairly easily from the car's onboard settings. According to the handbook on my 987 only if you have the Sport Chrono package. But I bet it's simple if you know the secret numbers. The next time "my bank" phones me I must ask if they have any hackers who'd like to earn a few bob legally. Ah, I forgot yours is a 987.

Well it's on! Really pleased. Sounds quite normal when just plodding but definitely a better "howl" and, most of all, lovely pops and crackles. Probably in my head but car felt a touch more responsive too.

Glad you are happy :-) I described it as more serious sounding, it’s a great upgrade

paulguitar said: Ah, I forgot yours is a 987. Yes, I'm here on false pretences really - it's a Cayman too!

My god this car sounds f king amazing . Thought I'd feel like a knob with the roof down but I drop it every chance I get!

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MOBB said: Glad you are happy :-) I described it as more serious sounding, it’s a great upgrade “More serious” is a great way of articulating it. I feel sorry for those who haven’t experienced a Carnewal exhaust on a 981.

Bit of bling!

And hello sports tailpipes

SkinnyPete said: MOBB said: Glad you are happy :-) I described it as more serious sounding, it’s a great upgrade “More serious” is a great way of articulating it. I feel sorry for those who haven’t experienced a Carnewal exhaust on a 981. How much do they cost, and how is it different to the PSE?

Cleaned and conditioned the leather today and then got the car washed.

paulguitar said: SkinnyPete said: MOBB said: Glad you are happy :-) I described it as more serious sounding, it’s a great upgrade “More serious” is a great way of articulating it. I feel sorry for those who haven’t experienced a Carnewal exhaust on a 981. How much do they cost, and how is it different to the PSE? Hi Paul. Sure MOBB won't mind me saying, cost me ~475 for the exhaust and sport tips (not exact as bought some other bits). Not sure what it would cost new though. But you either have to go to Belgium or send your exhaust off in exchange I believe, so extra faff for sure. Far from an expert but the one thing I can say is it is not switchable like the PSE, although the Sport button definitely makes it crack & pop more. Sound-wise I can't comment on the difference.

WhisperingWasp said: paulguitar said: SkinnyPete said: MOBB said: Glad you are happy :-) I described it as more serious sounding, it’s a great upgrade “More serious” is a great way of articulating it. I feel sorry for those who haven’t experienced a Carnewal exhaust on a 981. How much do they cost, and how is it different to the PSE? Hi Paul. Sure MOBB won't mind me saying, cost me ~475 for the exhaust and sport tips (not exact as bought some other bits). Not sure what it would cost new though. But you either have to go to Belgium or send your exhaust off in exchange I believe, so extra faff for sure. Far from an expert but the one thing I can say is it is not switchable like the PSE, although the Sport button definitely makes it crack & pop more. Sound-wise I can't comment on the difference. Thanks for that. I have PSE on mine, it would be interesting to hear a comparison.

paulguitar said: CanAm said: I'd like to change the delay time on my "coming home" lights (a simple job on many mass-produced cars). The handbook says that this can be done but "is far too complicated for your meagre brain-power, must must be carried out by an OPC". I am pretty sure that can be done fairly easily from the car's onboard settings. According to the handbook on my 987 only if you have the Sport Chrono package. But I bet it's simple if you know the secret numbers. The next time "my bank" phones me I must ask if they have any hackers who'd like to earn a few bob legally. Edited by CanAm on Saturday 8th March 19:04

WhisperingWasp said: Bit of bling! I bought one of these for my 911. It brings a moment of joy when filling it up.

NDA said: I bought one of these for my 911. It brings a moment of joy when filling it up. That's handy given how much more often I will see it now I live in Sport mode and spend more time in 1st and 2nd .

paulguitar said: It's now more complicated than one might expect due to Porsche no longer supplying the required code to anyone other than their dealers. Wouldn't the code be the same, so if the Indi has previously installed a cruise control, wouldn't the coding be the same?

JurassicGTS said: paulguitar said: It's now more complicated than one might expect due to Porsche no longer supplying the required code to anyone other than their dealers. Wouldn't the code be the same, so if the Indi has previously installed a cruise control, wouldn't the coding be the same? Nope. They generate different codes for each car.

Might be worth investigating whether an Indie on the Porsche Partner Network (PPN) can code it for you as they have PIWIS & factory support. There are a couple in the South East but 4 or 5 in the UK

Can someone point me in the direction of the right battery for my car? I’m getting the odd glitch when turning the car on (“start immediately due to low battery” or somesuch) and want to get ahead of this. When looking at batteries the prices seem cheaper than I expected for a stop/start car so just wondering if I’m looking at the right thing.

WhisperingWasp said: Can someone point me in the direction of the right battery for my car? I m getting the odd glitch when turning the car on ( start immediately due to low battery or somesuch) and want to get ahead of this. When looking at batteries the prices seem cheaper than I expected for a stop/start car so just wondering if I m looking at the right thing. I would suggest go to the Tanya Batteries web site, put your reg in and se what they come up with.

Thank you. They are cheaper than I thought. Not sure where I got the idea from that they were mega money?! Anyone got a view on Bosch vs Yuasa?