If picking one option: PSE or Sport Chrono on a PDK 981

If picking one option: PSE or Sport Chrono on a PDK 981

Author
Discussion

celica88

Original Poster:

1,383 posts

199 months

Sunday 25th August
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Which would be your preferred one option out of PSE or Sports Chrono on a used 981 PDK?

Voodoo Blue

916 posts

152 months

Sunday 25th August
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We chose PSE, 9 years later and still happy with that decision. It sounds incredible.

Youforreal.

678 posts

11 months

Sunday 25th August
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Pse

Softsand

10 posts

4 months

Sunday 25th August
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PSE. You can enjoy it every time you drive it.

Sports Plus mode can be added but engaging it can be a bit extreme if you aren’t on a track. Sports Chrono also opens you up to the almost inevitable engine mount failures.

DJMC

3,520 posts

110 months

Sunday 25th August
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Neither.

SC pointless. Sports Plus is sufficient unless tracking it.

PSE if you like to cause yourself a headache at motorway speeds.

I have neither out of choice. Had a 2 day test drive before purchase in an SC car - pointless.

Had two courtesy cars with PSE. The Boxster particularly gave me a headache with its droning.

Go for extended test drives in cars with both options to decide for yourself.

cseven

257 posts

243 months

Sunday 25th August
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PSE every time, and I have never found the official Porsche sports exhaust drone on the motorway. I would stay away from aftermarket as drone is a problem but PSE is fab.

mr pg

1,985 posts

212 months

Sunday 25th August
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PSE sounds incredible on acceleration, never had droning in mine, but the overun pops/bangs can be tiresome/embarrassing.

celica88

Original Poster:

1,383 posts

199 months

Sunday 25th August
quotequote all
Does standard exhaust sound muted versus PSE closed valve?

I’ve been told the PSE pops and bangs a bit OTT if not wanted.

Good point on SC engine mounts if that’s the thing it controls too?

Similar to PASM , I assume similar to Audi adaptive dampers, so as wear and tear these are more expensive to fix when required

DJMC

3,520 posts

110 months

Sunday 25th August
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celica88 said:
Does standard exhaust sound muted versus PSE closed valve?
A little, but I love how my 2.7 981 screams when accelerated hard.
I don't need anything more, and in my racing days I sat next to open headers from my V8.

Royal Jelly

3,758 posts

205 months

Sunday 25th August
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There’s plenty about with both. Here’s my low-down on the options on my 981 Cayman S (manual). I wouldn’t be without either. One makes for a better drive (particularly on a manual/in manual PDK mode). The other is for better sound. I’d also not be without PASM (I’m a road user, not track - it’s superbly calibrated).

I also like having PTV. But it only really comes into its own when you’re really going for it. Can do without.

On the interior - Burmester is great - but it’s always going to be drowned somewhat by sharing the cabin with an engine (Cayman here) and having 4 wide tires.

18-way seats are superb. 3 memory settings which I have for ‘caning it’, motorway, and wife. 14-ways are great but I need the shoulder support. I’d rather take the sport seat plus (which is the basic seat with shoulder support) than the 14 ways as a result.

Extended leather. Not a dealbreaker, but does enhance the cabin. Personal choice.

Split-zone AC - for me, essential. My wife and I apparently have very different circulation systems.

GPS/phone prep - in the modern world, nice to have, but honestly just upgrade whatever you have to Apple CarPlay.

Parking sensors - not essential, but as I sit low, the bonnet being long means I can’t see past the hump of the headlight arches. Rear vis when reverse parking isn’t the best, but I’d be fine without it.

For modifications - I have the GT4 short shifter (not applicable to OP’s PDK conundrum). GTS tail-lights. They do look better to my eyes than the big red splotches. Zunsport grills to protect the ludicrously exposed AC condensers.

To summarise - I’d personally be insistent on SC/PSE/PASM. After that baseline I’d see what else I could get and weigh it up.

981Boxess

11,529 posts

265 months

Monday 26th August
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PSE - sounds brilliant and great for resale, most people want it.

No SC = no hassle with active engine mounts.

Win win

Royal Jelly

3,758 posts

205 months

Monday 26th August
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No SC : notably diminished throttle response and less-taught chassis. Not a win. Wouldn’t dream of going without it. I care how it drives more than how it sounds, not least with a ‘chassis’ car.

Mine haven’t acted up in 4 years of blasting around. If I need to replace them, I really don’t care. As I’ve said elsewhere, if replacing a transmission mount puts you in a pickle, Porsche ownership is not a sensible proposition.

981Boxess

11,529 posts

265 months

Monday 26th August
quotequote all
Royal Jelly said:
No SC : notably diminished throttle response and less-taught chassis. Not a win. Wouldn’t dream of going without it. I care how it drives more than how it sounds, not least with a ‘chassis’ car.

Mine haven’t acted up in 4 years of blasting around. If I need to replace them, I really don’t care. As I’ve said elsewhere, if replacing a transmission mount puts you in a pickle, Porsche ownership is not a sensible proposition.
The OP has asked for opinions and that is what he is getting, your opinion isn’t worth more than any other.

Royal Jelly

3,758 posts

205 months

Monday 26th August
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981Boxess said:
The OP has asked for opinions and that is what he is getting, your opinion isn’t worth more than any other.
And neither is yours.

The point I am making, is that a car with SC is, objectively, a better performing car.

A car with PSE isn’t.

So no, it isn’t a ‘win/win’, or anything of the sort.

Edited by Royal Jelly on Monday 26th August 13:16

981Boxess

11,529 posts

265 months

Monday 26th August
quotequote all
Royal Jelly said:
981Boxess said:
The OP has asked for opinions and that is what he is getting, your opinion isn’t worth more than any other.
And neither is yours.

The point I am making, is that a car with SC is, objectively, a better performing car.

A car with PSE isn’t.
Not in my opinion.

It is just potentially hassle you could have avoided.

Royal Jelly

3,758 posts

205 months

Monday 26th August
quotequote all
981Boxess said:
Not in my opinion.
It’s faster, with a better throttle response and a more taught chassis.

Your opinion doesn’t matter. That is fact.

981Boxess

11,529 posts

265 months

Monday 26th August
quotequote all
Royal Jelly said:
981Boxess said:
Not in my opinion.
It’s faster, with a better throttle response and a more taught chassis.

Your opinion doesn’t matter. That is fact.
I will leave that to the OP to decide, he asked the question.

Royal Jelly

3,758 posts

205 months

Monday 26th August
quotequote all
981Boxess said:
I will leave that to the OP to decide, he asked the question.
He will decided what is more important to him, obviously. He isn’t deciding whether SC makes the car objectively better. That is already fact.

So, to conclude, PSE with no SC is not a win/win - as you so clearly tried to assert.

981Boxess

11,529 posts

265 months

Monday 26th August
quotequote all
Royal Jelly said:
981Boxess said:
I will leave that to the OP to decide, he asked the question.
He will decided what is more important to him.............
Perfect, so he has the answer to his question thumbup

SV_WDC

814 posts

96 months

Monday 26th August
quotequote all
Royal Jelly said:
981Boxess said:
Not in my opinion.
It’s faster, with a better throttle response and a more taught chassis.

Your opinion doesn’t matter. That is fact.
OP, Welcome to Pistonheads biggrin