Carrera S without Sport Chrono
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Great stuff - well said. Rep point to you! That's why those things are here - to reward someone for taking the time to type out a helpful post.
EricP, let me help clear this up for you since there's some serious misinformation being flung around this thread/forum.
Up until recently (a couple of months ago) it wasn't possible to retrofit the "Sport" feature on any 911 unless you spec'd "Sports Chrono" or "Sports Chrono +". The only way to obtain the "Sport" button was with the dashboard timer or "wart".
In a *standard* 911 Carrera, without PASM (Adjustable suspension) you would only have access to the PSM button which is the Porsche Stability Management. Clicking this would turn the system on or off, that's it.
Now if you have a Carrera S or a base Carrera *with* PASM you would also have the suspension button. This allows you to select two different settings, stock and firm (sport); the latter of which on the 997.1 at least is rather harsh on anything but a billiard table style road.
Finally, *IF* you specified the Sports Chrono or Sports Chrono + options on your 911, you would have the "Sport" button too. Assuming a Carrera S or a Carrera with PASM, the depression of the "Sport" button would activate the PASM (suspension) sport mode, back off the PSM slightly and increase throttle response. You can then choose to set the suspension back to normal mode by pressing the PASM button, while still maintaining your "Sport" throttle response.
It's worth noting as well that the Sport button will also activate your PSE (Sports Exhaust) which again can be toggled back off by pressing its own button.
As I mentioned at the beginning, Porsche recently released a retrofit "Sport" button that doesn't have the dashboard chrono. This adds all the features I mentioned above. This is the *SAME* option as the Sports Chrono, minus the clock, that's it!
Finally for PDK cars, the Sport button allows a different shift map as has already been discussed here.
TLDR? The "Sport" button is only available if you specify "Sports Chrono" from the factory OR you do the retrofit from your local Porsche dealer.
Up until recently (a couple of months ago) it wasn't possible to retrofit the "Sport" feature on any 911 unless you spec'd "Sports Chrono" or "Sports Chrono +". The only way to obtain the "Sport" button was with the dashboard timer or "wart".
In a *standard* 911 Carrera, without PASM (Adjustable suspension) you would only have access to the PSM button which is the Porsche Stability Management. Clicking this would turn the system on or off, that's it.
Now if you have a Carrera S or a base Carrera *with* PASM you would also have the suspension button. This allows you to select two different settings, stock and firm (sport); the latter of which on the 997.1 at least is rather harsh on anything but a billiard table style road.
Finally, *IF* you specified the Sports Chrono or Sports Chrono + options on your 911, you would have the "Sport" button too. Assuming a Carrera S or a Carrera with PASM, the depression of the "Sport" button would activate the PASM (suspension) sport mode, back off the PSM slightly and increase throttle response. You can then choose to set the suspension back to normal mode by pressing the PASM button, while still maintaining your "Sport" throttle response.
It's worth noting as well that the Sport button will also activate your PSE (Sports Exhaust) which again can be toggled back off by pressing its own button.
As I mentioned at the beginning, Porsche recently released a retrofit "Sport" button that doesn't have the dashboard chrono. This adds all the features I mentioned above. This is the *SAME* option as the Sports Chrono, minus the clock, that's it!
Finally for PDK cars, the Sport button allows a different shift map as has already been discussed here.
TLDR? The "Sport" button is only available if you specify "Sports Chrono" from the factory OR you do the retrofit from your local Porsche dealer.
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I very much disagree with most of the comments here that it is a must - I think it is a great 'nice to have'
Keep Sports Chrono in Normal (which is the default) and you have a typical 997S (and I have yet to meet someone who things that that car is either slow or boring).
I would bet that 95% of all people don't go to Sports mode in Sports Chrono every time they drive the car and in most everyday driving, it makes no difference (just like the Sport Suspension setting - how often do you actual remember to switch it over?).
Thus Verdict: great car either way, if you buy new, order Sports Chrono; if you buy used and it has no Sports Chrono make a big fuss with the buyer and drop another $1000 but buy the car anyway and have lots of fun
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This all seems kind of dumb to me. Dave put it best, explaining it technically. However, for used, options like SC mean almost nothing in terms of resale, just as full leather, navigation, etc. add not much once the car is more than a few years old.
My '05 997S came with PASM (the dual suspension mode), but once I chipped it, the car had increased throttle response "ON" all the time, just like keeping a sport chrono car in "ON", but I can have it on the softer suspension setting.
Regardless, the timer on the dash doesn't mean much to most folks. Here's what I did: custom wart, but with valuable OBDII and other data. I used it tonight to clear a fault code after replacing a front impact sensor:
https://www.6speedonline.com/forums/...lti-gauge.html
CATTMAN
My '05 997S came with PASM (the dual suspension mode), but once I chipped it, the car had increased throttle response "ON" all the time, just like keeping a sport chrono car in "ON", but I can have it on the softer suspension setting.
Regardless, the timer on the dash doesn't mean much to most folks. Here's what I did: custom wart, but with valuable OBDII and other data. I used it tonight to clear a fault code after replacing a front impact sensor:
https://www.6speedonline.com/forums/...lti-gauge.html
CATTMAN
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I have had many 997's with SC. I now also have a 2010 C2S without it. I think it is nice to have in a PDK car, but in a 6-speed, it offers nothing other than a sharper throttle response which is nice sometimes, but to be honest, in my previous "normal" 911's (not GT models), I rarely ever put in in Sport mode. It is too jerky in daily driving and especially in traffic.
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I cant drive my car without pushing the sport button regardless if i have to just drive it around the block.. Without the sport button i personaly think its draggy dragging along to me its a nite and day diffrence
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If you have PDK, it's a must. The shifts are night and day, the response and gear mapping too. I never drive in normal - it sux. If u have a 6 speed, it's nice to have. I still would get it. It would def affect resale value if u don't have it. Less people interested in it.
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Maybe I am a simpleton or just haven't learned to appreciate those options yet, but I drive my mine as a second vehicle and couldn't care less about Sport Chrono. A lot of us just cruise along enjoying the vehicle without it being loaded up. While more options are usually desired many of us draw the line at a certain price point. Trading frequently, I have learned that the dealer will tell you without this and that, it's a hard sell, but they will get all the money as it sits. All I'm saying is that many people but not everyone has a need for sports chrono, PASM, etc. and they sell many 997s without all the options. With very few exceptions, the more you go above base or reasonably equipped, the more you lose when you sell it.