Dubdubz Posted April 3 Report Share Posted April 3 Continuing my research and thought I'd start a new thread ... I was convinced that I needed a 3.4, as I find the acceleration of my 987.1 2.7 to be underwhelming - certainly once its up to speed its fine and I have no complaints - it could just do with a bit more pizazz on the 0-60 front for me [YMMV!] So given the numbers I'd plump for a 987.2S or my new preferred is a 981S?... But then I binge watched YouTube and the 3.4 comes across as a bit lazy mid range? surely thats not right....? I know Porsche like long gearing but I then wondered if the 2.7, as you have to wind it up a bit more is maybe a more engaging drive when you want to press on in a safe spirited manner 😉 I know that folks will say you need to try them but these are not cars that are just sat in the 100's on the forecourts - so whilst I find some that I could travel and see I thought I'd ask... For those that have tested and bought and know such things... >Does the 3.4 981 feel a lot quicker off the mark than a 2.7 981? {the 987.2 S I tried recently certainly felt way more sparky than my 2.7 .1} >And from my 7-8 week 981 searches it seems the 3.4's are bettered optioned? as a massive generalisation >something that has been bugging me - why do Caymans get more HP than BoXa's ? presumably its just software? >And finally 3.4 991's have more again - so can the parts be txfered and mapped to a 981 for some more whizz? I know this forum doesnt have many modding advocates but this would be intriguing to me. thanks in advance 🙂 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Menoporsche Posted April 3 Report Share Posted April 3 Not owning a PDK but reading a lot about them, I have often wondered how much they reduce the feeling of difference between the two cars. Acceleration will be a lot down to being in the right gear at the right time / getting bogged down or as oldies used to say, being on cam or not. So if you have a computer to do the job for you, usually they will pick a better gear than you (and change faster than you can), thus minimising differences. The differences will still be there but less pronounced. I might be wrong. It's been known... I think the S came with a few more goodies as standard - the lights were already different - but otherwise it's likely that enthusiasts who insist on the larger engine will also choose several more options. / Someone who "can't afford" an S will also be sparing with the options. NB this last statement may be considered classist and offensive by some. I should say that some of my best friends are non-S owners. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mneil Posted April 3 Report Share Posted April 3 Mine showed 312 bhp at the rear wheels, 981S fitted 200 cell sports cats with equal length headers and a decent remap on a Dyno. Loads more low and mid range torque. Speak to Mark Shead. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Patt Posted April 3 Report Share Posted April 3 The PDK is just very quick gear changes and slightly shorter ratios. In auto mode it is programmed to be as fuel efficient as possible, eg 6th gear at 40 mph ! Is Sports mode it hold the gears a tad longer and Sports plus it wont change gear until rev limiter. The 3.4 has noticeably more torque when driving, other than that slightly bigger brakes and ALL the kudos. Having recently ragged a 2.7 Coxster around Thruxton as part of a driving experience, I still noticed the lack of torque, however it's just a matter of changing your mind program. Think of it as a 90's Jap import - use all the revs to extract the potential. The 2.7 really impressed me and can easily be just as quick on the road as a 3.4, if you use the full rev range. You should also note that generally the base model has the same power as the outgoing "S" model, IIRC 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dubdubz Posted April 3 Author Report Share Posted April 3 are 19" wheels seen as ok in 981 circles or do I need to hold out for a car with 20's I checked Ebay and 20's seems to be massively expensive 2nd hand... as do sports seats... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Menoporsche Posted April 3 Report Share Posted April 3 3 hours ago, Patt said: I still noticed the lack of torque, however it's just a matter of changing your mind program. Think of it as a 90's Jap import - use all the revs to extract the potential. The 2.7 really impressed me and can easily be just as quick on the road as a 3.4, if you use the full rev range. To me it's this. We have had S, 2.7 and 2.5 around the same roads, and outside the straights the fastest car is the one with the driver who cares least and knows what the red line is for, nothing to do with the engine choices. Over 5k revs they all howl. And for those concerned about drag race times, go find a turbo car that you can chip like a VAG hatch, the Boxster has never been near the top of the drag table. 2 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
nelmo Posted April 3 Report Share Posted April 3 1 minute ago, Menoporsche said: the fastest car is the one with the driver who cares least and knows what the red line is for, nothing to do with the engine choices Exactly right - I've been overtaken at 80mph by nutters in old Polo's who are just fearless and brake for no-one...conversely, it is very rare to see a Lambo/Ferrari being driven at anything like their potential... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Patt Posted April 3 Report Share Posted April 3 32 minutes ago, Dubdubz said: are 19" wheels seen as ok in 981 circles or do I need to hold out for a car with 20's I checked Ebay and 20's seems to be massively expensive 2nd hand... as do sports seats... Very much person preference. I do find my winter 19'2 are more bouncy on the X73 suspension when compared to the summer 20s. I'd need to drive summer 19s to be sure it was just the softer rubber compound in the tyre. IIRC there were about 5 options on seats from new. For me the sports plus are only one up from the bog standard, however are slightly more bolstered and have the should wings. No motors or self hugging extra complications/weight and were noticeably more support than the standard seats that were in two of my test drive cars. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dubdubz Posted April 3 Author Report Share Posted April 3 9 minutes ago, Patt said: IIRC there were about 5 options on seats from new. How on earth do you decipher this and work out what a car has ? I thought there was normal or shoulder bolsters and then fully electric versions of those - which I guess is 4 already.... I do like to have a winter tyre set - so maybe if I find a car with 19's I live with and then save for some 20's Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Menoporsche Posted April 3 Report Share Posted April 3 53 minutes ago, Dubdubz said: are 19" wheels seen as ok in 981 circles or do I need to hold out for a car with 20's Wait, first you ask if a 2.7 is OK, then you're asking if 19" wheels are OK on a 981. All Real Men know bigger is better. Leave your Man Card at the door, ya goddam vegan. Hang on, got a client wants a number 2 with lines over the ears and highlights, back in a tick... 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mattman42 Posted April 3 Report Share Posted April 3 (edited) come on @Dubdubz, you've started down the slippery slope, you are 60% of the way there to using man maths to justify a Spyder as that has even more HP!! Dig deep - it'll be worth it in the end https://www.autotrader.co.uk/car-details/202305247741243?sort=price-desc&advertising-location=at_cars&keywords=spyder&make=Porsche&model=Boxster&postcode=rg22 5ls&fromsra Edited April 3 by Mattman42 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dubdubz Posted April 3 Author Report Share Posted April 3 Just now, Mattman42 said: come on @Dubdubz, you've started down the slippery slope, you are 60% of the way there to using man maths to justify a Spyder as that has even more HP!! Dig deep - it'll be worth it in the end I'm using very thinly spread man maths as it is already... Actually I decided at the weekend these cars are a pain to try and buy as said already its options bingo....nice colour, nice wheels, someone onm acid then cbose the interior...then try and find one with PASM and PDK and ... and - it gets boring Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mattman42 Posted April 3 Report Share Posted April 3 6 minutes ago, Dubdubz said: I'm using very thinly spread man maths as it is already... Actually I decided at the weekend these cars are a pain to try and buy as said already its options bingo....nice colour, nice wheels, someone onm acid then cbose the interior...then try and find one with PASM and PDK and ... and - it gets boring there is only one thing for it - you need to order a box fresh one Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Patt Posted April 3 Report Share Posted April 3 move more into the "nice to have list" Then buy the first one you test drive...as many have done 🤣 I nearly bought a GTS 4.0 the other week, until I noticed it didn't have the LED lights. Some say I'm crazy, but they are not a very easy retro fit, and were on the must have list....It's sold now, and I sometimes regret it..... 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
cozzykim Posted April 3 Report Share Posted April 3 2 hours ago, Dubdubz said: I'm using very thinly spread man maths as it is already... Actually I decided at the weekend these cars are a pain to try and buy as said already its options bingo....nice colour, nice wheels, someone onm acid then cbose the interior...then try and find one with PASM and PDK and ... and - it gets boring It took me a while to find mine, after 2 years of driving a 987.2 2.9 manual. You're right, finding the 'must have' options and colour can be frustrating but, eventually I almost* got what I wanted: 981S in Sapphire Blue, sports plus seats, 20" wheels, extended leather, PSE, DAB, sports steering wheel, PDK, no Chrono (didn't want PADM problems), PASM, F/R parking sensors, upgraded interior lighting package, dual zone climate... There are probably a couple more I haven't thought of. It's low mileage of course. All the comments you hear about torque vs revs and the steering feel are sort of true, but the package is so much improved over the 987.2, better and much less teeth rattling suspension, better handling, better cabin, much better looks at the rear end, better roof mechanism, etc etc. I used to red line the 2.9 manual quite a bit, but I don't generally with the 3.4 PDK. * I would have liked: Multi way seats, as my missus leaves the driver's seat so that I can't get in it. PTV, PDLS. But I can live without them. 😁 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Lonewolfgjp Posted April 3 Report Share Posted April 3 I agree with Patt try to narrow it down to the basics which are deal breakers and have a list of nice to have. You will struggle to find everything you want so maybe try and find one with some of the more expensive bits on and other stuff you can add at a later date. Compared to my previous car which had most options mine was quite bare but had all the important stuff I wanted apart from the pse which I had to have fitted. Options that you see mentioned on here are all personal preference so it up to you. My previous car had the extended leather which was nice enough but not a deal breaker to me as I don’t think the Porsche extended leather is particularly amazing but others do. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Cocky Posted April 3 Report Share Posted April 3 Interested in this thread I went from a 986 2.7 manual to a 987 3.4 PDK and I do wonder if the sweet spot for me would be a 2.7 PDK just for the fact it will need working harder. For road, I found the 2.7 in the tight twisty stuff was way better than my current 3.4 I think just where you are in the rev range helps & I'm still driving my 3.4 2nd/3rd everywhere. I suppose it's what you do with your car personally, outright speed vs throwing it around corners and enjoying the twisty routes I'm the latter. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
daz05 Posted April 3 Report Share Posted April 3 (edited) The engines are similar in character the 3.4 is just a bit quicker to reach the redline, the in gear top speeds will be very similar. If the 2.7 was shorter geared I'd see the appeal bit I dont recall that it is. I think you'll always wish you had the quicker car and it has better standard spec, painted calipers and remember things like xenon's were not standard on the 2.7 so you would need to find one with pdls or you end up with halogen headlights. Get the 2.7 if you want to spend less and generally don't mind being down on grunt. Don't fret over the bhp figures they are minimum quoted figures and are different to keep the stats, e.g. power to weight, aligned for each model, the Cayman was heavier, 991 heavier again. My friend has the Cayman s and another the Cayman GTS and you can't separate us. I drove a tuned S over the weekend, I felt more surge at the top end in higher gears, doubt it's pulling any real gap between 5.5-7k to be honest but I did like how it changed the character of the engine, the surge to the top is very nice. A well specified S is a real bargain remember people were paying 50k for the GTS, mechanically the same car, aesthetically different. Edited April 3 by daz05 1 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Menoporsche Posted April 3 Report Share Posted April 3 15 minutes ago, daz05 said: and remember things like xenon's were not standard on the 2.7 True but we had a long discussion about that before finding out the base xenons with no washers were low-powered xenons. Just because they say xenon doesn't mean they are as bright as usual. IIRC washers required for all above 2000 lumens and most xenon lights are 3000+ lm. Presumably you can just swap out for higher powered bulbs to remedy that, I didn't follow the conversation that far. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Patt Posted April 4 Report Share Posted April 4 swap out the amps and the bulbs 😉 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
daz05 Posted April 4 Report Share Posted April 4 13 hours ago, Menoporsche said: True but we had a long discussion about that before finding out the base xenons with no washers were low-powered xenons. Just because they say xenon doesn't mean they are as bright as usual. IIRC washers required for all above 2000 lumens and most xenon lights are 3000+ lm. Presumably you can just swap out for higher powered bulbs to remedy that, I didn't follow the conversation that far. Piece of cake there is a video covering the process on YouTube you know. 😜 3 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dubdubz Posted April 5 Author Report Share Posted April 5 P Zeros are bad right? Hopefully looking at couple of cars this weekend the one which has PASM and is a bit more ££ is on P Zeros - replacing with PS4S's is £1000 right? so that the next q - current market not many with PASM so how important should it be to me? I have a spreadsheet now as the options and having to recheck pictures was just getting old... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
CMA Posted April 5 Report Share Posted April 5 Just now, Dubdubz said: P Zeros are bad right? Hopefully looking at couple of cars this weekend the one which has PASM and is a bit more ££ is on P Zeros - replacing with PS4S's is £1000 right? Some like the P Zeros, but no matter what used tyres you get on a car they will need replacing at some point anyway, either by wear or age. Price is easily checked on any tyre website. If you're not having OPC warranty there are other options to replace them with too. 2 minutes ago, Dubdubz said: so that the next q - current market not many with PASM so how important should it be to me? Drive one with and without and see what you think, only you can tell how important it is. I've had 2 981s without PASM and have no problems at all even on todays roads, so for me it's not important but a nice to have. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Menoporsche Posted April 5 Report Share Posted April 5 12 minutes ago, Dubdubz said: P Zeros are bad right? Been slated here for years but in fairness someone said the N1 are notably better than the N0. Only you can decide. Just get to know them before pushing. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bally4563 Posted April 5 Report Share Posted April 5 Ackerman Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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