Hi folks, I have a dilemma thats been bothering me mainly because last week I took over a late March build, early May delivery, allocation on a 997 TT and was able to spec the car to my liking. The problem is (I live in SF Bay Area) my dealer has no 997 TT to test drive and I want to be certain (while I still have time) to make sure I am doing the right thing? I currently own 2005 997S that I will try to sell on my own or trade in at the last moment. I have nothing to compare my car to and the only turbo charged car I have owned in the past is a Mitsubishi 3000 GT VR-4 TT. Nice car at the time but hardly in the same league. I was wondering if there is anyone out there with a 6sp 997 TT that would be kind enough to let me briefly test drive? I would be more than happy to drive 100 miles from my house (San Francisco) and offer my car to test drive in exchange. This doesn't have to be more than a brief 10 minute run. I sure would hate to sell my car and not be 100% thrilled with my choice in the end. You can PM me if interested (I am fully insured by AAA, am 48 yrs old and very responsible + I love to chat about P cars). I am not looking to compare power here, I know the Turbo wins hands down, I am looking to compare the FEEL of driving a TT AWD car VS a NA RWD one and what effects it has on the overall experience of a sports car? I ruled out the GT3 because (1) I don't track my cars (2) no rear seat and (3) rides too low for city driving (my current 997S will scrape if I am not careful just going up my driveway as is). I would be gratefull...thank you.

P.S. If any previous 997S owners have made the change it would be greatly appreciated if you could post an honest comparison below.

 

the turbo will scrape earlier than your 997s-the front air dam is lower. the 997s has a more sports car type ride-the turbo has a heavier ride but is much faster. being awd, it is much easier to drive fast than the 997s. i have a turbo and love it, but you should drive one first. if i lived by you, i would help you.

 

Thanks doc! Appreciate the feedback. Thats precisely why I did not opt for the painted lowers. How much lower is the Turbo vs 997S? If I go at an angle really slow I do not scrape (or if I use the neighbors next door)!

 

Sorry I'm 2500 miles away. Maybe this will help, I have a 97 993C2 that's lowered with HR and running sticky Toyos. My turbo has a much more refined handling feel than the 993 and on slightly bumpy roads the turbo is amazing. The 993 gets bouncy and the handling unnerving kind of jittery while the turbo feels "velcroed" to the pavement. The turbo's steering is precise, feel is very good, the brakes are simply the best and the sport seats are great. With the uneven roads in San Fran the turbo will feel right at home.

Mike

 

Thanks mawyatt, thats make me feel more confidant about my choice. cheers.

 

Hearing you talk about the VR-4 makes me think that you're also concerned about the inherent "turbo lag." It's still there even in the 997TT but my guess that it's probably not as bad as the VR-4. I've never driven one but I've had a Supra Turbo which I'd guess has roughly the same characteristics as the VR-4.

I would offer to help out but I'm a wee bit too far.

There are quite a few Turbo owners in the Bay Area. Just have to wait until someone decides to offer their car. You can't go wrong with the Turbo. I love how capable it is.

The reason why the front end scrapes sooner is because the front end is a bit lower as doc pointed out.

 

Graydex,

If I return to the Bay on Tuesday you can spin mine. 880 and Automall at 10:00 if my meeting holds. I will confirm on Monday.

Thing to consider if you you are still intrested:

I have the TA springs on it which will give you a bit of a different ride/handeling in a straight line. Cornering is a bit different also. It's not the exact factory feeling but I like them in the end. Perfect ride height in MO.


N2it

 

Thanks for the generous offer my friend, but I have to work that day. Appreciate it! I still have plenty of time..

 

Atomic your correct about the Mitsubishi (sister car to the TT Dodge Stealth). The turbo lag wasnt all that bad but it was there. What also was there was the all wheel drive feel coupled with all wheel steering. At the time (early 1990's) the car was impressive for a 3800 pound vehicle. Handled like it was on rails but suffered from brake fade. I remember though that the car got a bit boring after awhile. The steering didn't feel sharp so the car felt numb at times. After awhile you learn how to take advantage of the turbos thrust and minimize the lag by keeping the rpm's up and shift at the right times. The alternative was FWD which I am not a fan of. The Porsche is in a different league altogether.

 

No problem. My schedule can always +/- as well. If I am in Freemont in the later PM I will try to contact you.

 

i have driven a vr4-obviously, as you realize, there is no comparison between the 997tt and the vr4. you will love the turbo. i have winter tires on mine-the other night it snowed and i drove it home (25 miles in 2-3 inches of snow) and it was bulletproof-even if i floored it, i couldn't make it lose traction. unless you are looking for a hard edged sports car, you will love the power, comfort, handling of the turbo. i think that the 997s handles a bit sharper than the turbo, but the acceleration of the turbo is impressive. i had a 997s, and i also had a 996tt, so i had no anxiety about getting the 997tt without a test drive. n2it is nice enough to give you a demo-you will love it

 

Thanks guys, tomorrow is Super bowl Sunday and most of us will be glued to the tube. If anyone else who made the switch from 997S to 997 TT wants to make a comparison please post it!

 

I'm trading my '06 S on a TT that is due to finish production April 14. Over the last 6 months or so, I've had the oppty. to drive a TT 3 times. That's always a tough thing for me as I'm usually on sensory overload and find it hard to really be objective with a short test drive. I would be shocked if you can't find someone here who will let you drive their car. Each of my 3 drives were with 3 different people. All total strangers at first and now I have three different people I can shoot e-mails to or pick up the phone and chat with.

As far as the cars. My first drive last summer was right after doing a lot of reading here and other places by some of the nay-sayers on the new TT. When I got in the car I was expecting it to drive like an old coupe de 'Ville!! I was pleasently surprised. yes, you could feel the extra weight - I'd prefer to call it more solid LOL. but the car still handled like it was on rails.

One interesting thing I noticed (and confirmed on other drives) was to me at least, PASM set to sport in the S is much stiffer than sport in the TT. It is impossible for me to drive my S in sport, but in the turbo it did not seem to be as stiff. Maybe it was the roads I happened to be on that day. I don't know. That's how it felt to me, and I may change m y mind once I get the car.

The S is obvioulsy lighter and being rear drive gives it a much more "pointy", dare I say sporty characteristic. I know some of the purists prefer this, but I think there are plenty who want the more solid, planted feel the TT gives you.

Others will also say the TT is easier to drive fast - some don't mean this as a compliment. I don't get that. Since when is being able to go faster, more safely, a bad thing? Hell, F1 cars have traction control. I'm sure the car Schumacher drove last year is easier to go faster safely, than the car he drove several years ago. I know it comes down to that whole "feel" thing. Yeah, you probably could have more "fun" in an S and obviously GT3 than a TT. That "fun" may also get you in a lot of trouble. I'd prefer not to go there.

I guess it depends on what you're looking for the car to deliver. Is it a DD? If so, the TT may be better. If you just want something to wail away on over the weekend maybe keep yours or get a GT3. If money's not a huge concern the worse thing that could happen is you get it and don't like it. You could always trade it back in and you shouldn't get hurt too badly.

The TT is truly an everyday supercar. There are not many other cars that are as fast, handle as well, as comfortable, and as safe as the TT. It's a car you can take to a DE and drive cross country if you wanted to - in almost any type of weather. Some would call that a compromise - and maybe it is. I can't afford a fleet of cars so this works best for me.

 

Chris, your post sums up my concerns and answers many questions still on back of my mind. My 997S is not my DD (I drive a Silverado full size during the week for a painting contracting company that I own) but my concerns about a GT3 are listed in my first post. The back seats are important to me and I am afraid I'll be sweeping the city streets with the front end. I have only one experience driving a turbo car (the Mitsu) and frankly the car is a sporty "coupe de ville". I'm confident from your post that I will be in for a surprise with the 997 turbo. For me PASM in "firm" with my 997S is far too "punishing" and rarely used with 95 % of my driving. My only complaint with the 997S is it can get "nervous" when driven aggressively. Haveing the car in the firm setting makes this even worse when roads are uneven. The front end can get light but its a huge improvement from previous models. I also think the car is about 40-50 HP short of what it should be (but I think we all get used to what we have in our cars and will always want more). Still Porshe, right from the start, should of had the regular C at 355hp and the CS at 385+. I see marketing factors at play here and am not surprised, just disapointed. The same will be true for the turbo but at least the turbo is much easier to extract power out of if your not afraid of warrenty issues down the line. The exhaust note is a disgrace and will have to be rectified. At least Porsche should offer a sports exhaust option for those demanding it (I have that option in my 997S but with no increase in performance).

Chris thanks for the very informative post. I thank you for taking the time to get your points and experiences across to me. I will take the plundge and get the turbo even if I can't test drive one. I had my reservations posting this request and I totally understand why anyone would want a stranger driving their $130000+ car. To tell you the truth I am not that comfortable actually going through with my request. I thank those that have offered but have changed my mind and will "bit the bullet" and let the cards fall where they will. Like you said, if I am dissapointed (which I doubt) I can always flip it at this point. If anyone has made the change please post your experiences, I would be gratefull.