This is a beauty, indeed and I love the post. Keep working at it and congrats.

 

Intent here is to reduce road noise. Colin gave me a heads-up that some of his customers have complained about road noise in the RS and thus my road noise post referenced at the head of this post. I could have chosen to go ahead w/ another non-RS car (which has sound deadening) or go w/ the RS and add some in. I chose the latter. If I was to only ever drive the car by myself, then I would not have gone for it. But because I enjoy taking drives with my wife, I think the 9lbs is worth it if it means being able to converse versus not. It's a small price to pay and a good strategy for keeping WAF high.

Having some sound deadening material on the floor pan and wheel arches is not going to significantly affect exhaust note. If anything, it will help keep the sound of the tires from competing with the sound of the exhaust. Have you ever heard anybody say “I just love the sound of the road noise coming from your tires.”? One of my previously unstated goals (or hope at least) is to improve the sound of the car from within by allowing the ear to focus in on the sound of the exhaust – the thing we love to hear. Most cars have sound deadening. If the deadening material were to make having a good sounding exhaust pointless, there’d be no market for aftermarket exhausts.

For me, the goal of an aftermarket exhaust is not to make the car sound louder, but to make the car sound better. Louder is part of that (to a point), but so are tonal characteristics. I prefer a raspier more exotic sound. Some people a lower more burbley sound. The amount of sound deadening material added isn’t going to prevent me from being able to hear and enjoy the benefits of a louder and more exotic sounding exhaust (I will probably go with the Akra).

Finally, there are other reasons for my going with an aftermarket exhaust than just sound. My philosophy on aftermarket exhausts is that if you’re going to make your car louder, there needs to be some tangible benefit other than just the sound. If the exhaust can help you legitimately gain power and make the motor rev more freely then that’s a benefit. If it means taking weight out of the car, then that’s a benefit too; especially if the weight is hung out far (as in a 911 exhaust system) where the weight produces far a greater moment than the same amount of weight near the middle of the car. If I go with the Akra, I will save roughly 40 lbs in the *** end of the car, gain some usable Hp & Torque, and deliver a great sound too. So I can better hear the exhaust over the road noise (in addition to being able to have a conversation in the car while not in sport mode), I’ll have added in 9lbs, meaning I’ll have netted -31 lbs out of the car (-40 out of rear, +9 in the middle near cg / near axis). I think this all makes pretty good sense.

Anyway, pretty long response to a short comment. At face value, I can see how one might think it’s silly to add an aftermarket exhaust to make the car louder and then turn around and add sound deadening material, but that’s a pretty gross over simplification IMO.

 

Nice car! Looks you are applying the right mods to it

 

Will they sell another set of these, if so pm me

Thanks

 

Congrats!

 

Roland,

What a great review. I could not have said it better.
As I get use to my new RS (delivered on Monday), I am getting familiar with the manual transmission. It has been more than 5 yrs since my last manual car, and I have to say that it's a blast. I'm a little rusty, but I'll get the hang of it.

I was expecting the cabin noise to be a lot louder, but it does not bother me one bit. It's part of the experience of owning a Gt.
In terms of comfort, I was expecting to be rough, but to my surprise it's very civilized.
This is my take so far.

 

Nice job, love that .2 RS.

 

Welcome to the club. I have the same color combo. Get center bypass and unleash it hidden sound. I have the sharkwerks. This will be win win for you. A blast to drive and value will hold strong. From Jan 2011 thru august only 105 gt3 rs have been delivered in the u.s. And a total of 531 from march of 2010. Factor in the rate of attrition from track junkies and the car becomes even more rare. Since the ended production now these cars could go up in value. Low miles 07 go for 100-115k! I pretty much use mine on the track only and the odd weekend. Enjoy you made a wise decision

 

Big decision you made, great to see you own no regrets!

 

Great review Roland. Very well expressed.

 

Thanks man and glad you like it. Another 1100 miles so far on the new 2011 on mine in two days thus far I like it on the 3.8s!

 

After two weeks of sitting on jack stands, I finally got my car back last Friday. The main hang-up was the wheels which where stubborn about releasing the red paint so they needed to go out for a mild bead blast to clean them up – I didn’t want the red simply painted over (more on wheels an why not powder coated, etc., below).

The wheels look great! (see attachement below) They came out exactly as I had mocked-up in the 3D model, which is a dark gunmetal color w/ some metallic. The wing end plates and red lipstick were also painted to match the grey vinyl (a flat / dull gray similar to the RS grey / black). Ran into a hiccup w/ the mirrors because my local dealer (Barrier) ordered the mirror shells for a 997.1 GT3 instead of a .2GT3RS. Apparently, my name was attached to the service record for my prev 997.1 GT3 so they assumed that’s what I really meant when I ordered parts for a .2GT3RS. Thus, the original red mirrors were put back on so the car looks funny at the moment. Barrier is being very cool by replacing the wrong mirror shells at their cost (they were painted), including the cost of repainting the proper replacements!

Lowered Seat
The lowered seat makes all the difference. As mentioned above, Colin was able lower it by 3/4" while retaining the factory slider. I now have good freedom of motion between the wheel and my legs as I steer the car. He could have gone another 3/4" if I wanted to forgo the slider. I was going to have him go that route but only if he could lower the passenger seat too so there wasn’t a noticeable mismatch in seat heights. But working around the airbag weight sensor would have sent him down a slippery slope of costs and compromises that I didn’t want to pursue. So, I asked him to leave the passenger seat untouched and kept the drop to 3/4", which -- as already stated -- was sufficient.

Sound Deadening
As a test, I took the car out for a drive yesterday and took the same route as two weeks ago. With the deadening material there’s still plenty of road noise transmitted into the cabin area – more than my 997.1 GT3 – but it takes the edge off. Subjectively, the 9lbs of deadening material cuts road noise by about 33%. It was definitely easier to carry a conversation in the car and I didn’t need to lean over the center console a single time to hear what my wife was saying on our mini road trip.

I realize the sound deadening thing is controversial and I’m not going to repeat myself here regarding reasons why, etc. (see post #17 above for explanation).

Updated Thoughts on RS
I’m falling in love with this car. I’m not going to test its limits on the street, but I can sense that the car has a ton of grip. I must take it to the track in the Spring to find its limits -- they're clearly way too high for discovering on the street. But even as a daily, I like the way it drives more than my previous 997.1 GT3. I gave it some throttle through a nice medium-speed chicane yesterday and if felt very planted, begging for more. My wife commented on how the car feels heavier in the turns than my previous car, which of course it is not. She is sensing the improved stability of the car, although she’s also technically correct given the .2RS has a good bit more areo than the .1GT3 (but aero was a small factor at best for speeds I was driving – maybe 40-60 lbs in the rear). Turn-in response is much better as well.

While not in sport mode and simply driving it around town the car is very tame and well mannered. For those who will question if it’s a good daily driver or not, I’d say the sport buckets it probably the biggest factor that might make some question if it’s a daily or not. Getting in and out of the buckets is more of a challenge and I can see how some might take issue with the buckets. I’m like them, but my advice to somebody factoring the buckets into their decision to buy or not buy an RS would be find an RS with the adaptives or simply buy a set on eBay if the buckets are the only issue. Except for the buckets, I’d say that the .2RS is an even better daily than my .1GT3 because of the bump in refinement throughout the car.

I'm still missing the exhaust note from my previous car, but that will be rectified shortly (parts are already on the way and I’ve already updated sig). OE exhaust is too tame in sport mode. Unlike my previous car, I want a more Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde effect. My old system (Cargraphic #6) retained the sport mode but was loud and louder. This meant, I couldn’t drive anywhere in a spirited fashion without notifying everybody in a 3 mi radius that I was coming. It was esp. annoying when kids thought I was trying to race them when driving normal+ (e.g., partial throttle, short shifting at 4-5k). I’m going to go for the Akra Evolution so I can retain a quiet mode and then get that aggressive sport mode when I want it.

What’s Next
I don’t do a whole lot of mods to my cars so I’m almost done. Akrapovic and Evoms are on the way and I will probably self-install to save some $$$ (it’s be good to get out from behind a computer and break out my tools for a change!).

The mirrors will get painted and then I’ll post some pictures. Aside from looking funny at the moment, I left the ISO setting in my camera set too high so they’re all too grainy so I’m not going to even bother to post what I have (I had taken some pictures of the pumpkin last week w/o flash so needed the high ISO setting).

Get some window tinting so I don’t feel like I’m driving around in a fishbowl, and for some added privacy since the RS draws attention. Probably around 15-20%. Get some clear bra. I’ll probably go full front because of the water-based paint (more chip prone as I understand it).

Finally, I need to install radar det & laser diff to help even the playing field for the WA state IRS (a.k.a., police department / state patrol). Things have gotten completely out of control in my area.

Why did I choose to paint vs powder coat my wheels?
When evaluating refinishing options for my wheels, the two options where powder coat and paint. Powder coast is more durable so it seems like an obvious choice and it often recommended as a result. There are at least a couple of pitfalls to consider when choosing to powder coat.

1. From what I’ve read, getting an exact color match is difficult. There can also be issues with consistency in color across the wheel and/or wheels.
2. I’m hardly a powder coat expert, but I know that it takes heat to make the powder flow. If you have a wheel that has been heat-treated / annealed, then you must consider how the heat cycle required for power coating will affect the annealing process used to strengthen it by the manufacturer.

#2 is what stopped me from going down the powder coat path. I’m actually a Mechanical Engineer by training, but I’m not about to spend time brushing up on my strength of materials, contact Porsche to get a full engineering analysis of the wheel (material, how annealed, etc.) so I can make an informed decision. This btw, would also require a discussion with the powder coater to understand type of powder, glass trans temp, how long at temp, how many cycles if > 1, etc. I’d be willing to be that there are a lot of people out there driving around on powder coated wheels ignorant to the fact that they weakened their wheels in the process.

Supposedly, there are some low temp powders out there that can be safely used on alloy wheels. I recall seeing a post from an HRE Wheels person regarding the topic where he mentioned as such. I followed-up with a couple of powder coaters in my area hoping that they might be able to enlighten me and instill some confidence that they take measures to ensure the integrity of the wheels. Here is the response I received from one reputable powder coater that specializes in wheels:So basically, he's saying he doesn't know. He also added:My issue here is that like any structural component, engineers design in safety factor (often a factor of 2x). Thus, I can completely accept that the above person has powder coated tens of thousands of wheels and never an issue with integrity, except that I will add “as observed or reported”. If you are ignorant to the effects of heat cycling a wheel that has been annealed for strength, what is the likelihood that you’ll make the connection between powder coating and a cracked wheel down the road? Or, perhaps your wheel never fails, but you’ve eaten away at the safety factor engineers took into account when designing the wheel that allows for – amongst other things – variations in manufacturing processes and tolerances, variations in alloy composition, etc. Maybe you’ll get lucky, but do you really want to take that chance? Probably fine for a average street car that never sees any real wheel loads, but a serious track car or actual racecar where the wheels are going to see a lot of strain under high loads??

That none of the local power coaters I contacted were able instill confidence that they had an adequate handle on the engineering consequences of powder coating a heat treated wheel, or at least acknowledge its implications and offer a manufactuer approved process was enough for me to run in the direction of painted wheel. The power coat option simply left too much to chance.

Regarding durability of paint, the shop that did my wheels claims excellent durability of finish and resistance to chips. Of course, the RS wheels are painted by Porsche as are the Champion RS20/MM20 wheels, etc. Thus, while a lot of conventional wisdom recommends power coat over paint for durability, keep in mind painting wheels is used in the manufacture of OE and aftermarket wheels as well. Of course, because I went with paint I was able to get EXACTLY the color I wanted.

Finally, I had my wheels stripped down as opposed to painted over. It cost a little extra, but in the event of a chip, I didn’t want red showing through. As a note to anybody who might go down this path, getting the red paint off was stubborn. They needed to be sent out for a mild bead blast to get all of the paint off. The shop that did the work stated issues with a set of wheels pitting badly when bead blasted in the past so they attempted chemical only. When that was not sufficient, they sought out a blaster when a more wheel-friendly media so that they didn’t pit – and they didn’t.

 

Roland,
Very detailed post about your experience with your new car. I honestly feel the same way. I am growing to love this car. It is an incredible car to drive, like nothing I have ever put my hands on. We are truly blessed to own such an incredible piece of machinery.
For anyone that is on the fence to purchase this car, just do it. You just have to be aware that you give up some things that a luxury cruiser provides, but you get so much more back in return.......First, the sound of the engine is quite interesting. It's not very loud at all, but it is always telling you you are driving a thorough bred. I actually feel like it could have a deeper more exotic sound, but I am presently very pleased.
Second, the grip on this car is unbelievable. I tried to go on a turn of road close to my home around 75 mph and it took it like nothing. My previous tts took the turn, but had substantial body roll and the grip reached it limits at< 75 mph.
Third, the steering is precise and accurate. I give it a 10 out of a 10.
Fourth, I am getting so much attention on this car than my tts ever had. I took the car to the gym on Saturday, and when leaving the gym with the wife there was about 5 people starring at the car. Two were taking pictures and the other three were just appreciating the car. This could be a negative for some people, but not for me. It doesn't draw people like a Ferrari would, but it does make some people appreciate a unique car. It's just a reminder of how special this car really is compared to other, and I am ok with that.

Anyways, I love the finish of your wheels and can't wait to see more pictures of your baby.

 

I purchased my new exhaust through Colin at Cantrell Motorsports and he installed it for me as well. After much deliberation, research, communication with other Akrapovic owners, and some soul searching, I finally decided on the Akrapovic Evolution (non-Race version). For anybody who cares to know, I had several requirements that needed to be satisfied.

1. Great sound. Loud and proud! The factory system is lacking IMO. I’m sure Porsche would agree but external factors such sound regulation no doubt influence design choices they must make. I wanted an exhaust to match the character of the car and as Porsche probably would have wanted it if no such external factors.
2. Suitable for use as a daily driver. On my previous 997.1 GT3 I had a Cargraphic 6 which sounded great but sound level was loud and louder. I loved that car, but sometimes I simply wasn’t in the mood to listen to it or wished I could drive some corners w/o waking up my zip code. For my new system, I wanted something that retained the factory sound level in normal mode and then that comes alive in sport mode – something that puts me in control without compromise on either end.
3. Real performance gains. The car is my daily. I’ll track it from time-to-time, but it’s not a competition car and has more than enough power for the street. However -- out of principle -- if you’re going to make your car louder it’s got to deliver the goods IMO. For me, a louder exhaust that makes no power is no different than adding a fake NACA duct for effect. Just not my style – everything needs to have a purpose.
4. Weight loss (real performance gains, part2). Also out of principle, by adding weight to the car in the form of the 9lbs sound deadening I needed to repent by taking weight out elsewhere. By going with Akra, I take about 35-40lbs out of the car, so that more than makes up for it. It’s also weight out of the aftmost part of the car where it has the greatest effect.
5. Driveability – I like a really fast revving motor – ideally, engine RPM on throttle blip would look something close to a step function. I’m not an engine designer, but suffice it to say that a lot of factors go into how quickly an engine revs and exhaust flow is one such factor. As mentioned at the top of this thread, the RS was a disappointment for me coming out of my 997.1 GT3 with the full Cargraphic 6 & GIAC. That car barked at you on downshifts. I knew that I wanted high-flo cats on my RS. I want the magic back.
6. Top quality. I learned a long time ago that buying quality is always cheaper in the long run. Also, I couldn’t bear to put anything less than the best on my dream car.
7. Flexibility. This wasn’t a requirement per se like 1-6, but I like that I have the option to convert to a full-race setup should I decide to do so by simply removing the side mufflers (will need to purchase bypass pipes though). At one point I thought about getting the race variant because less $$$, less weight, more hp/tq gains, but the cost to purchase the side mufflers separately after the fact is quite a bit more expensive than simply purchasing the full system.

For all of the reasons above, I realized the Akrapovic Evolution was the right system -- It was the only system I could find that satisfied all of these requirements. But still struggling with the cost I gave further consideration to the race version instead. I sent an e-mail to Kitch who runs the local school at Pacific Raceways regarding sound restrictions. His response ruled out the race version for me because I don't want to show up at tracks only to get meatballed:I only have about 8 miles on my new system thus far – I drove it straight home from Colin’s place. The system sounds great, every bit as great as my Cargraphic system and then some; great enough to erase the pain of the check written. Colin and his crew see a lot of Porsches so suffice it to say that they’re pretty jaded. Even with that, there was a lot of excitement over how great the car sounds and the build quality of the system. What impresses me most however, is how close to OE the system is when not in sport-mode in the lower RPM range. There is not even the slightest hint of drone, and you’d never know the car had an aftermarket exhaust just driving around normally. But press the sport button and put your foot into it … well, now we’re talking E ticket ride.

I baselined the car this morning down at Blood in Auburn and will pay them a visit again tomorrow (car put 405 to the wheels btw). I cannot perceive any difference in power with the system but then again I wasn’t expecting to (12hp/10lb-ft is hardly capable of being perceived on a 450hp motor!). However, the dyno will tell the story tomorrow. What I did notice immediately is the improvement in how quickly the engine revs. This pleases me greatly!

 

More pictures ...