Greenman

On 4/3/2024 at 11:28 AM, Dubdubz said:

But then I binge watched YouTube and the 3.4 comes across as a bit lazy mid range? surely thats not right.

It’s not lazy as such, but it allows you to be lazier in your driving style…I.e. you can drive at 80% and comfortably keep with a 2.7 at 95%, it is more conducive of a relaxing driving style. However if you find your current 2.7 to lack pizzaz don’t expect the 981 to be significantly better.   If you do a lot of spirited driving the 2.7 is great as it forces you to thrash it.  I find the 3.4 is still great when on it but also great when just wanting to push a bit without being at the red line all the time. YMMV.

I had my screen (in Porsche) changed a couple of years ago. I also had a separate van policy, when van policy renewed I rang to tell them I’d had screen changed on other policy. Paraphrasing they said “why on earth are you bothering to tell us that, that is irrelevant to this policy”……can’t win sometimes!!

Seems to be a pretty common ‘fault’.  If you drive with roof down in cold weather with the heater on it will likely get some condensation in, I guess due to being hot behind and being hit with cold air on the lens = condensation.  It soon clears if you put the roof up, or it gets warmer, no big deal.

Warranty replacements:

Active Gearbox Mount

Exhaust Actuators failed (both sides, full exhaust installed)

Active Gearbox mount (other side)

Interior fan regulator pack.

Exhaust Actuator - one side only.

Failed screen wash pipe (severed where it enters bonnet)

Exhaust Actuator -other side - now failed again though not reported yet but will be warranty replacement.

Rejected Claims:

Bent steering rack - due to impact on wheel apparently (probably fair enough)

Failed front radiator - due to stone impact despite it being behind the aircon condenser and protected by the wheel,liner on the other side.

Paint bubble on door.   unless you can prove it’s actually come from the inside it simply won’t be covered.

knocking suspension - can’t find issue despite them spending 6 hrs looking (partly paid by me and partly by the embarrassed dealership).

I paid £1265 at Sheffield this time last year.  Ensure you are checking like with like though.  Spark plugs, air filters, brake fluid, poly belt, and water drains checked/cleared were all done as “additional maintenance” for me on top of the standard service cost.

I’m not sure if this this is expected/normal (though I suspect it is), but you will have noticed that when driving the car the battery can often charge at 15.2v (as shown in the dash). So this seems like it would be an effective safe charging voltage.

Obviously if using a smart charger (CTEK et al) you don’t need to remove the battery to charge it once the frunk is open.  There is a charge point connection for earth just near the battery (pretty obvious if you are looking for it).

I think the deactivation switch is specifically for rear facing child seats. I believe there is a weight sensor that disables the airbag if there is under a certain weight.  So in general a child in a forward facing child seat should be fine (as you say just make sure the seat is pushed back.

7 hours ago, Nobbie said:

I’m aware that PSE is currently not available to retrofit at the moment. Is there any downside to fitting an aftermarket exhaust and mapping to get the pops and bangs. It would be great to find a car with PSE, but it would severely limit the options, particularly at the lower end of the market and on the 2.7.

Only downsides, off top of head, are resale and that there don’t really seem that many options for the 981, or at least options that have been installed and recommended by uk users en mass.  If your future usage is similar to previous than I guess that does remove a bit of the concern about drone (one area the PSE manages particularly well). 

44 minutes ago, Nobbie said:

Might take a look at this in the new year, sport design wheel, 20” wheels, PDLS, nice colour. Is parktronic some sort of camera system for parking? Not PSE, but can look at a retrofit. Plenty of life left at only 45k and two owners, so would be easy enough to resell if I wanted to go back to a 986. Not sure on the interior, probably have to see that in the flesh. Any thoughts?

 

https://www.autotrader.co.uk/car-details/202311224202615?sort=mileage&advertising-location=at_cars&aggregatedTrim=981&make=PORSCHE&maximum-mileage=60000&minimum-mileage=40000&model=Boxster&postcode=sk94bg&radius=1500&year-to=2020&fromsra

Thought you said you’d prefer higher mileage 15….so you picked a lowish mileage 12😜

if you are around over the Christmas period I can come over and we can go for a drive in mine and I’ll talk you through the extras mine has so you have an idea of what’s what (thought I suspect you know most of it).   
 

I’m around after Boxing Day till new year - though weather does look great, but let me know if you fancy.

27 minutes ago, CMA said:

Then coding it out you'd presumable have to loose the Sports+ mode on the gearbox changes as they may be too brutal for a normal mount to cope with and all the other bits that Sports+ gives you. No idea if any of that's possible but I looked when mine went and couldn't see any easy options to code out just PADM, things may have changed now though.

I remember when I suggested this to the Porsche Tech after having my second one replaced it went down like a lead balloon !!.  I had two done separately when the car was between 1 and 2 years old. It’s now nearly nine years and no further failures. The tech suggested that there had been a design tweak when my second was replaced, whether or not that’s true or bluster I don’t know.

2 hours ago, Simon said:

Remember to move it once you’ve washed it to avoid brake corrosion.

I’ve never had an issue with this.  I think brake corrosion is more a symptom of how often you are using the car.  Washing car and then putting it in the garage and not using the car for weeks (or longer) then yes make sure things are dried before it’s put away. If the car is going to be driven the next day (or next few days) then I wouldn’t worry too much.  I’ve never dried my brakes after cleaning and just changed the front disks after 8 years and 40k miles, no hint of rust on the rotors (nor the rears).

Yeh the brushes are probably not ideal as they can be left in the dirt, and probably aren’t the gentlest. The ph of the soaps isn’t too much of a concern if it’s rinsed off well. Similar to wheel cleaners etc,  some are pretty strong acid or alkaline, but this makes them more effective, just make sure they are  completely rinsed off.

In theory the salt shouldn’t affect the body work too much, but obviously any damage to the bodywork  (stone chips, deeps scratches) that allows access to the underlying metalwork can be an issue, in particular the steel wings (doors, bonnet, boot, bumpers, sill panels etc being either aluminium or plastic). This is where having a decent sealant finish (polish, ceramic etc) does help somewhat.

Pretty much impossible keeping the car looking clean this time of year so unless you don’t want to drive it much or you love spending all day washing I’d just resort to quick regular jet wash offs and more thorough washes more intermittently.

On 11/3/2023 at 11:43 AM, Nobbie said:

Just seen one of these parked down my street in silver and I can’t believe how ugly it is at the front😱. That huge wide opening beneath the number plate looks odd. Much prefer the muscular look of the 981 GTS. I’ve told the wife to take it off my Christmas list😀

This was (I assume) to fit in with the generation styling of the 911 which went with similar styling on the 992. It certainly was a backward step in my eyes as well, and on the 911 the Sport Design styling upgrade improved this a great deal (and addressed the ugly rear bumper). I don’t know if a similar Sport Design option is available for the GTS4.0?

I replaced my fronts a couple of months ago on 42k miles and although I haven’t done any track days or similar I have done a fair share of spirited driving.  My sensors hadn’t activated but they were very close, maybe 2-3 mm left on the pads. The disks looked as though they would have done another 20k miles, but not a whole set of pads, I can’t remember the exact measurements but they had about 1/3 wear left when reported on my service in Feb.  The pads were very evenly worn as were the disks.

For those looking to do their own replacement it’s easy enough but you do need to be careful with the brake lines, there is a 1 foot section of fixed brake pipe attached to the calliper, making it difficult to manoeuvre the callipers how you want them without bending them. You must detach the bracket holding the flexible element to the suspension to give you more manoeuvre room. Also important to have a suitable platform ready to put the calliper when you remove it.

It does have an impact as it will decrease its trade in value to an OPC and it also makes adding a warranty more difficult, so I would say if you are thinking of selling/trading in in the next year or so then stick to OPC.  However if you are likely to keep it until say it’s next service after this then what happens on this service probably makes little difference.

If you don’t have Porsche warranty, and you don’t have (or intend to maintain) full Porsche service history and it’s a garage you trust then I would use them, however as Brian mentioned I’d probably want a chat to them first to satisfy myself that it’s something they have done before.  Most German manufacturers have had DCT gearboxes in their cars for the past 10 years so I don’t think that angle will be an issue, but I do think they need PIWIS (or equivalent) to open the correct valves to allow the oil to fully drain.

On 7/3/2023 at 9:18 PM, CMA said:

You can for the manufacturers warranty (2 years from new on Porsche I think) but not for the extended warranty, which isn't a warranty but an insurance product so can have what ever terms they wish.

Section 2 point C of the extended warranty terms says:

A claim will be invalid if "Service, repair or maintenance has previously been performed on the vehicle by you or a third party who is not an authorised Porsche Centre/Porsche Service Centre"

So you may fit the correct genuine parts but unless it was done by Porsche themselves you risk any claim being refused. You could argue, how will they know another OPC didn't do the work if its something like disks and pads, but not as easy on a service. I imagine if you have a claim on a gearbox they wouldn't check your brakes were fitted by an OPC, but if you had a hub/suspension fault, they might look closer.  All depends on how by the book your OPC is and your appetite to risk.

https://www.porscheretailgroup.co.uk/binary/getasync/f39049c6-352c-4ac0-be80-049de628ee76/porsche approved warranty terms and conditions.pdf

Your comments here partly misrepresent what the actual clauses are for the warranty.

section 2 actual says a claim is invalid if the fault is caused by…..

So a claim would only be rejected if something you did or a part you installed caused such a failure,  given things like brakes etc aren’t covered anyway then doing your own (or getting an Indy to do it) would not invalidate anything none brake related. That’s not to say there might not be a couple of gray areas.  
I run the warranty to primarily cover PDK and engine issues, as a matter of fact I’ve claimed for multiple exhausts, multiple drivetrain mounts, washer pipes, fan motor/regulator…. None of these issues would be affected by me doing my own brakes (for example).

I don’t like it, boring.  Not quite as bad as the widespread battleship grey that every manufacturer has a version of but bad all the same.  I’ve had a couple of courtesy cars in it, wife hates it. One of the few colours I would actively avoid.…..but as you say very personal so who cares what I think….but you did ask.

I always thought (via research when I first got the car) that the initial disk manufacturer was SEBRO and pads Textar.  I am due to change mine soon I was going to go down this route.  Though the official pads from Porsche are only about £30 more than the Textar.   However full parts only for front pads/disks from Porsche is around £610

I’ve had 2.0 and v6 Macans several times as loners, but never lived with either.  Certainly the v6 suits the character of the car much more IMO and if I was to buy new the uplift would be worth it to me. I actually achieved better mpg with the v6 than the 2.0.  That said I wouldn’t really say the 2.0 is gutless or even particularly underpowered, it depends what your expectation is but can 260bhp really be underpowered. Of course if you are thinking of the Macan as an SUV many will be used to diesel engines with decent low down pull, the 2.0:doesn’t really have that so much and requires a a few more revs to wake up …hence the reason for poorer mpg in my case.   

A few of things worth mentioning in case you didn’t know.

The PDK doesn’t just have 2 maps (or 3 if you have Chrono),  it has multiple maps that it is shifting between depending on how you are driving.  This can mean if you have been driving aggressively and then come into a village and tootle it may not act quite how you expect.  If you suddenly boot it (kick down even) it may think you want to change down into the lowest gear available on anticipation of an overtake or similar. 

It’s not completely foolproof, you can catch it out if you drive ‘strangely’ (do what it doesn’t expect).  

Pull both paddles at once to go into neutral.

On cold mornings gear changes can be a bit jerky for a minute or so.

It does need learning to some degree, like knowing what accelerator change will result in a change down in each mode etc.

Overall I think it’s a great thing and I really enjoy using it, yet despite its sometimes seemingly mind reading ability I still use manual mode when on a spirited drive.

Yes looks very much like you have the extended leather on that picture.  
 

Can’t see the attraction myself,  not saying it isn’t nice but on a sports car having leather on somewhere you never interact with is so low down my priority list.  The sport design wheel on the other hand, yes please. 

I never put the hand brake on if I’m leaving the car more than a few hours.   My mrs’ car hand brake freezes on in the cold weather so she tends not to use hers either.