Driving a 2010 PDK equipped 997S with the wife
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Give me a break. Skills?? respect?? As much as I love my cars, they are just cars (flame away). I see two problems from the OP's experience.
First, the salesperson should have pulled the car out of the lot to a "safe" drive out location rather than having the test driver tease it out of a tight spot.
Secondly, the dealer needs to fix the ramp.
First, the salesperson should have pulled the car out of the lot to a "safe" drive out location rather than having the test driver tease it out of a tight spot.
Secondly, the dealer needs to fix the ramp.
Give me a break.
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At some point, you have to expect basic knowledge - what if it were a 6spd? OK then to grind away at the clutch while "getting" the feel of it? 
These cars don't drive like a "normal" car - if the driver is not thinking to take that into consideration or listen to instruction, they should not be driving the car - on a whim or otherwise.
And yes, the SA sounds like a goofball too, setting up an obstacle course at the beginning of a test drive. Not cool.
It is a weird story, as I re-read it. Absolutely nothing about it I can relate too - every paragraph is a trip - surreal, like a strange dream or something.
These cars don't drive like a "normal" car - if the driver is not thinking to take that into consideration or listen to instruction, they should not be driving the car - on a whim or otherwise.
And yes, the SA sounds like a goofball too, setting up an obstacle course at the beginning of a test drive. Not cool.
It is a weird story, as I re-read it. Absolutely nothing about it I can relate too - every paragraph is a trip - surreal, like a strange dream or something.
Last edited by stevepow; Jun 13, 2010 at 12:51 PM.
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At some point, you have to expect basic knowledge - what if it were a 6spd? OK then to grind away at the clutch while "getting" the feel of it?
These cars don't drive like a "normal" car - if the driver is not thinking to take that into consideration or listen to instruction, they should not be driving the car - on a whim or otherwise.
And yes, the SA was sounds like a goofball too, setting up an obstacle course at the beginning of a test drive. Not cool.
These cars don't drive like a "normal" car - if the driver is not thinking to take that into consideration or listen to instruction, they should not be driving the car - on a whim or otherwise.
And yes, the SA was sounds like a goofball too, setting up an obstacle course at the beginning of a test drive. Not cool.
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So I have a CPO'd C2S, and thought I'd go test drive a new PDK model over the weekend after hearing a friend of ours give PDK his highest recommendation (I'm a die hard 6MT user). I was on my way out the door when the wife ask to tag along. While there, we see a sweet looking 997S Cab. I ask to test drive it, and the salesman goes to get the keys. My wife then comments, "I think I should drive. You always get to test drive."
Okay I thought, no harm, since she would be driving the car mostly since it would probably be a purchase for her if we did get it.
We get the keys, I squeeze myself into the back sideways, and the salesman gets into the passenger seat, with my wife taking the controls.
As we try to pull out, there is only about a 2 foot gap between a Cayman S, and the turn radius of the PDK 997S. I tell my wife to turn the wheel all the way and go slowly. She tries and is still too wide, almost scraping the back of a brand new Cayman!
The salesman by this time is getting a little sweaty and worried and ask if he can pull it out, and my wife says "No thanks, I got it." So after going forward and backward about 20 times, we get the car out of the lot. I distinctly hear the sales guy tell my wife to take the driveway at an angle so we don't scrape. We go directly over the driveway perpendicular, and hear a loud scratching noise as we pull out of the driveway to the main road. Yup, that under carriage is marked up bad. No problem the sales guy says seeming only slightly annoyed, just take her up the PCH and drive it down.
As we're starting to accelerate the car starts to shudder back and forth like a kid on Ritalin. I literally almost lost my hat.
The sales guy says, "You've got to give the car more gas." I nod in agreement.
Now to test PDK. The salesman explains how to shift using the paddles. It's a bit confusing to her since we don't own any cars with paddle shifters. The first shift kind of goes awry and we're way low in RPMs. The sales guy then just tells her to put it into manutronic mode and don't worry about manually shifting.
Despite the mishaps that happened, I felt the car pull pretty hard going back down PCH, it seemed to have an endless torque curve. I was impressed.
Finally we get back to the dealership, and the guy was pretty nice and said don't worry about scratching up the bottom of the car. I was a little embarassed.
All in all, it wasn't the best test drive experience, in fact it may have been one of the worst. But at least Porsche SA's aren't too **** about how their cars are treated. Though I do kind of cringe for the next person who may buy that car.
Okay I thought, no harm, since she would be driving the car mostly since it would probably be a purchase for her if we did get it.
We get the keys, I squeeze myself into the back sideways, and the salesman gets into the passenger seat, with my wife taking the controls.
As we try to pull out, there is only about a 2 foot gap between a Cayman S, and the turn radius of the PDK 997S. I tell my wife to turn the wheel all the way and go slowly. She tries and is still too wide, almost scraping the back of a brand new Cayman!
The salesman by this time is getting a little sweaty and worried and ask if he can pull it out, and my wife says "No thanks, I got it." So after going forward and backward about 20 times, we get the car out of the lot. I distinctly hear the sales guy tell my wife to take the driveway at an angle so we don't scrape. We go directly over the driveway perpendicular, and hear a loud scratching noise as we pull out of the driveway to the main road. Yup, that under carriage is marked up bad. No problem the sales guy says seeming only slightly annoyed, just take her up the PCH and drive it down.
As we're starting to accelerate the car starts to shudder back and forth like a kid on Ritalin. I literally almost lost my hat.
The sales guy says, "You've got to give the car more gas." I nod in agreement.
Now to test PDK. The salesman explains how to shift using the paddles. It's a bit confusing to her since we don't own any cars with paddle shifters. The first shift kind of goes awry and we're way low in RPMs. The sales guy then just tells her to put it into manutronic mode and don't worry about manually shifting.
Despite the mishaps that happened, I felt the car pull pretty hard going back down PCH, it seemed to have an endless torque curve. I was impressed.
Finally we get back to the dealership, and the guy was pretty nice and said don't worry about scratching up the bottom of the car. I was a little embarassed.
All in all, it wasn't the best test drive experience, in fact it may have been one of the worst. But at least Porsche SA's aren't too **** about how their cars are treated. Though I do kind of cringe for the next person who may buy that car.
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I'm wondering, how about the dealership fixing its exit driveway so the vehicles they sell can be driven out like a normal vehicle rather than a super slammed pickup creeping across a speedbump?
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A few years ago i test drove a 996 cab with my wife..no sales person. ended up buying a 997 cab
i would EVER get in the back seat and let a sales guy sit in the front...that is CRAZY!! I think the OP has learned a lesson and will never do that again...
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WOW,
That took a few minutes to read ALL of those posts. I've got my opinion, as we all do, but there are plenty of opinions already presented here.
There is one point I will pile on here . . . . I'm not sitting in a backseat so that a salesman can sit in the front -- Especially when it is my bank account that is going to pay for this car and indirectly pay the salesman. No WAY!
That took a few minutes to read ALL of those posts. I've got my opinion, as we all do, but there are plenty of opinions already presented here.
There is one point I will pile on here . . . . I'm not sitting in a backseat so that a salesman can sit in the front -- Especially when it is my bank account that is going to pay for this car and indirectly pay the salesman. No WAY!
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Completely different take on it...
You have no reason to feel embarrassed because your wife had a hard time driving the car. Its a Porsche, its a sports car and it doesn't feel or drive like any car that she is probably used to.
I am sure the first time any one of us got in a 911, we were a bit nervous, apprehensive and overwhelmed. Its not a Mini-Van, SUV or sedan. Its low to the ground, the engine is way behind you and ITS A SPORTS CAR. It doesnt feel like anything else. Period!
She is not used to that. That's fine. Encourage her. She will get the hang of it. We all have to learn somewhere, somehow, right?
I am sure she is not the first person to scrape the bottom of a car on a test drive and will not be the last. Bottoms of cars can get repainted and the person who eventually buys the car will never know nor care as it will be brought back to new.
Dont listen to what anyone else tells you (there are some very judgmental people on this forum), she is your wife and has a love of P-Cars, the rest will fall into place.
Good luck!
Steve
PS: For all those worried about people test driving their cars before they eventually bought it, DONT BE! Its a damn tough sports car. If it can handle a track, it can sure handle people driving it in city traffic. If you are that worried about your car being so fragile, why did you buy it in the first place? Its a Porsche, they are really tough cars.
You have no reason to feel embarrassed because your wife had a hard time driving the car. Its a Porsche, its a sports car and it doesn't feel or drive like any car that she is probably used to.
I am sure the first time any one of us got in a 911, we were a bit nervous, apprehensive and overwhelmed. Its not a Mini-Van, SUV or sedan. Its low to the ground, the engine is way behind you and ITS A SPORTS CAR. It doesnt feel like anything else. Period!
She is not used to that. That's fine. Encourage her. She will get the hang of it. We all have to learn somewhere, somehow, right?
I am sure she is not the first person to scrape the bottom of a car on a test drive and will not be the last. Bottoms of cars can get repainted and the person who eventually buys the car will never know nor care as it will be brought back to new.
Dont listen to what anyone else tells you (there are some very judgmental people on this forum), she is your wife and has a love of P-Cars, the rest will fall into place.
Good luck!
Steve
PS: For all those worried about people test driving their cars before they eventually bought it, DONT BE! Its a damn tough sports car. If it can handle a track, it can sure handle people driving it in city traffic. If you are that worried about your car being so fragile, why did you buy it in the first place? Its a Porsche, they are really tough cars.
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I know one thing, if this had happened to me, the last thing I would have done was post a thread about it.
As a new 997 PDK w/ paddles owner, I can't imagine a 'car guy' letting his wife 'drive' a 997 the way this guy's wife drove it.
Maybe it's just me, but I see this as one of those scenarios where the wife eventually runs the car alongside the new Cayman, scraping both cars, giggling about it, then handing the keys back to the salesman as she climbs out, saying how much she enjoyed the drive, ending with, "We'll get back with you..".. as she climbs back into her (name it), and drives off..
Like skydiving, owning a P-car isn't for everybody.
As a new 997 PDK w/ paddles owner, I can't imagine a 'car guy' letting his wife 'drive' a 997 the way this guy's wife drove it.
Maybe it's just me, but I see this as one of those scenarios where the wife eventually runs the car alongside the new Cayman, scraping both cars, giggling about it, then handing the keys back to the salesman as she climbs out, saying how much she enjoyed the drive, ending with, "We'll get back with you..".. as she climbs back into her (name it), and drives off..
Like skydiving, owning a P-car isn't for everybody.
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^ I disagree with this... My wife drives my car with FAR more confidence than any vehicle she's ever driven. I have a DCT (w/paddle shifters) as well. It is so insanely easy to drive, I don't get the issue... Any idiot can drive an automated system. Hell, my daughter took her driving test in my GT-R (and she is NOT that good of a driver). I can't imagine the 997S w/PDK being any easier, or more difficult to drive.
Owning a Porsche SHOULD be for everybody (because there are so many trims to choose from). My mother drives my car when she's in town (she never owned a car with more than 200hp in her life).
*edit: full disclosure - I've driven a 997S w/PDK. So it's not like this post isn't backed by some sort of experience of a comparison between the two. Both cars can be driven by grandma. The issue (to me) is the failure to obey simple instructions (by the driver).
Owning a Porsche SHOULD be for everybody (because there are so many trims to choose from). My mother drives my car when she's in town (she never owned a car with more than 200hp in her life).
*edit: full disclosure - I've driven a 997S w/PDK. So it's not like this post isn't backed by some sort of experience of a comparison between the two. Both cars can be driven by grandma. The issue (to me) is the failure to obey simple instructions (by the driver).
Last edited by jaspergtr; Jun 15, 2010 at 03:29 PM.
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I am totally with you on this one. Well written Adias.
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Only problem is not following instruction.
I taught my wife to be, how to drive my 240Z in 1973. After learning to drive a stick she went on to learn proper break and throttle use.
She has since piloted many cars including my past DB9, now my Porsche along with a week in Hummer H1, up to a 30 ft sail boat and my last 56ft power boat along with many air planes; too many to name.
While have gone though many vehicles, I will keep the wife.
I taught my wife to be, how to drive my 240Z in 1973. After learning to drive a stick she went on to learn proper break and throttle use.
She has since piloted many cars including my past DB9, now my Porsche along with a week in Hummer H1, up to a 30 ft sail boat and my last 56ft power boat along with many air planes; too many to name.
While have gone though many vehicles, I will keep the wife.
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I loved this thread. I agree with some of the posters, but not for the defense of women drivers. A few comments:
* I think it is very sweet you sat in the back seat during the test drive. (It does look really uncomfortable. ) That is true love. I love to see my husband sacrifice his comfort for me.
* If the car was intended for her, then she should certainly be test driving it. Why do people have issue with this?
* I haven't driven a PDK, however, I have driven my husband's car w/ a paddle shifter. It wasn't the easiest thing for him to master on his first few drives.
* She didn't hurt the car, right? I can guarantee all you men have created more angst and pain in our lives by continually ruining loads of laundry (Light clothes get warm water. Colors get cold water... and check the label on instructions e.g. "dry clean only".)
* She didn't hit the other car, right? Jeez.....how many times have you all cut a corner too close? A little scrape on the bottom? a mis-shift......puuullllleeeeaaaasssse. Its just a toy that is meant to be driven hard. It can take the mis-shifting better than all you prima donna latte-sipping metrosexual males in tight black-t shirts can take a critique. ("Alex, I'll take 'Get some perspective' for $1000")
* Also, if you think about it...it is all your faults that we don't listen to you when we drive. Absolutely, 100% your fault. Your better halves (wives, girlfriends) have spent many years listening to your back-seat driver diatribe which was created by your little extra Y chromosome. The constant onslaught has simply desensitized us b/c of how repetitive you all are as passengers. So..if per chance you have something valuable to say when it comes to driving....you've programmed us not to hear it.
Where are the other sisters? I can't be the only one with an opinion on this.
* I think it is very sweet you sat in the back seat during the test drive. (It does look really uncomfortable. ) That is true love. I love to see my husband sacrifice his comfort for me.
* If the car was intended for her, then she should certainly be test driving it. Why do people have issue with this?
* I haven't driven a PDK, however, I have driven my husband's car w/ a paddle shifter. It wasn't the easiest thing for him to master on his first few drives.
* She didn't hurt the car, right? I can guarantee all you men have created more angst and pain in our lives by continually ruining loads of laundry (Light clothes get warm water. Colors get cold water... and check the label on instructions e.g. "dry clean only".)
* She didn't hit the other car, right? Jeez.....how many times have you all cut a corner too close? A little scrape on the bottom? a mis-shift......puuullllleeeeaaaasssse. Its just a toy that is meant to be driven hard. It can take the mis-shifting better than all you prima donna latte-sipping metrosexual males in tight black-t shirts can take a critique. ("Alex, I'll take 'Get some perspective' for $1000")
* Also, if you think about it...it is all your faults that we don't listen to you when we drive. Absolutely, 100% your fault. Your better halves (wives, girlfriends) have spent many years listening to your back-seat driver diatribe which was created by your little extra Y chromosome. The constant onslaught has simply desensitized us b/c of how repetitive you all are as passengers. So..if per chance you have something valuable to say when it comes to driving....you've programmed us not to hear it.
Where are the other sisters? I can't be the only one with an opinion on this.