Preparing for my first Porsche
Discussion
This is my first post. I joined the forum in 2009, so as you might be able to tell, I don't rush into things. 
I have been lurking though, and reading lots of threads.
Anyway, I want to scratch the Porsche itch. Whatever I get will be my main daily driver. I'm probably going to buy a 718 Cayman.
In my 'research', I have come up with a few questions:
1. I see there are two dealers called RPM - RPM Technik and R P M Sportscars. I assume they are unrelated but both decent?
2. Porsche 111 point check - can you get this done for any Porsche, private or trade? How would you go about doing it?
3. Once a car has left the OPC servicing regime, is it forever banished to the wilderness, or can it return to the fold with the application of enough money? Would a 111 point check plus recommended remedial work allow a Porsche warranty?
4. Bearing in mind the state of the roads, is a 718 with 20" wheels but no PASM feasible? I guess you could just change to 19" wheels (~£3k)?
5. Can ParkAssist and/or reversing camera be retrofitted?
6. I there any real advantage to a 718S over the base model, for a road car?
I have been lurking though, and reading lots of threads.Anyway, I want to scratch the Porsche itch. Whatever I get will be my main daily driver. I'm probably going to buy a 718 Cayman.
In my 'research', I have come up with a few questions:
1. I see there are two dealers called RPM - RPM Technik and R P M Sportscars. I assume they are unrelated but both decent?
2. Porsche 111 point check - can you get this done for any Porsche, private or trade? How would you go about doing it?
3. Once a car has left the OPC servicing regime, is it forever banished to the wilderness, or can it return to the fold with the application of enough money? Would a 111 point check plus recommended remedial work allow a Porsche warranty?
4. Bearing in mind the state of the roads, is a 718 with 20" wheels but no PASM feasible? I guess you could just change to 19" wheels (~£3k)?
5. Can ParkAssist and/or reversing camera be retrofitted?
6. I there any real advantage to a 718S over the base model, for a road car?
1. RPM Technik are based near Tring, RPM Sportscars are in Slough. I bought my first Porsche from Slough, they looked after me (their PPI/prep is also great). But both places have good reputations
2. Book the car into an OPC & they can do it. Or you can take the car to most indy's, they will do it, probably cheaper
3. Yes, you would need a 111 point check, service & any remidial work done. Most people go for a major service as this typically includes the 111 point check. You'll need to have owned car for 90 days to get the warranty put on (unless you buy one with a OPC warranty already) - that will be private or SOR if through an indy
4. Should be able to swap wheels, but £3k seems cheap unless buying second hand. And you'll have to add ~£1k for tyres
5. Not sure, check Porsche Tequipment site. My guess is probably not
6. S has bigger engine, Sports brakes. If this is your first Porsche / performance car you might find base model fine
Loved my base Cayman, owned it for 6 years. Personally found it fine & a lot more revvy than the S/GTS cars. I think a lot depends on your car history too. If you haven't owned performance cars previously it'll be good.
If you're now at the stage where you're thinking of doing it then encourage to get out, see cars & visit indy/OPC.
Enjoy
2. Book the car into an OPC & they can do it. Or you can take the car to most indy's, they will do it, probably cheaper
3. Yes, you would need a 111 point check, service & any remidial work done. Most people go for a major service as this typically includes the 111 point check. You'll need to have owned car for 90 days to get the warranty put on (unless you buy one with a OPC warranty already) - that will be private or SOR if through an indy
4. Should be able to swap wheels, but £3k seems cheap unless buying second hand. And you'll have to add ~£1k for tyres
5. Not sure, check Porsche Tequipment site. My guess is probably not
6. S has bigger engine, Sports brakes. If this is your first Porsche / performance car you might find base model fine
Loved my base Cayman, owned it for 6 years. Personally found it fine & a lot more revvy than the S/GTS cars. I think a lot depends on your car history too. If you haven't owned performance cars previously it'll be good.
If you're now at the stage where you're thinking of doing it then encourage to get out, see cars & visit indy/OPC.
Enjoy
Mine was well specced apart from reverse cam so I got the car and fitted an OEM reverse cam myself (with help from a local car audio installer I'm friendly with). A local VAG retrofitter coded it but they wouldn't fit it as it involved cutting the bumper. Porsche don't offer it as a retrofit, I did ask them about.
A bit daunting doing this to your car in day 3, but it works
There are aftermarket solutions you can get installed for about 500 quid but I really wanted oem.
The ride on 20s is absolutely fine imo. Way better than my Audi A5 or TTS with 20s fitted.
A bit daunting doing this to your car in day 3, but it works
There are aftermarket solutions you can get installed for about 500 quid but I really wanted oem.
The ride on 20s is absolutely fine imo. Way better than my Audi A5 or TTS with 20s fitted.
I ran a base 718 for a few months on 20” wheels and the ride and handling is quite sublime. The engine is also more than punchy enough for most situations. Mine was a PDK and thought it suited the car well.
Your other questions have been answered above. If the car is out of warranty, it will need the 111 point check and up to date OPC service in order to get a new warranty. I would recommend looking at OPC cars as they will come with all this done and a 2 year warranty already on the vehicle for peace of mind. They may cost more, but normally you do get more than an Indy can offer. Plus it’s always nice to buy your first Porsche from an OPC
Your other questions have been answered above. If the car is out of warranty, it will need the 111 point check and up to date OPC service in order to get a new warranty. I would recommend looking at OPC cars as they will come with all this done and a 2 year warranty already on the vehicle for peace of mind. They may cost more, but normally you do get more than an Indy can offer. Plus it’s always nice to buy your first Porsche from an OPC
2.0 base is the sweet spot but you'll be limited by options unless you get an early car that seemed to be well-spec'd for the launch period.
You'll be in the hands of the first owner and trying to find the perfect options for you may mean some compromises. 20" wheels are fine. I had PASM on a previous car, when I used it (once) it made the ride worse on anything but a perfectly smooth road surface so I never pressed it again.
Parks/Assist cannot be retro fitted. Reverse camera yes and lots of suppliers of kits for under £300 that do not require coding.
www.718forum.com is a useful site to review and anything that is an issue has been flagged up and dealt with on there. Mainly US owners but plenty of UK owners.
You'll be in the hands of the first owner and trying to find the perfect options for you may mean some compromises. 20" wheels are fine. I had PASM on a previous car, when I used it (once) it made the ride worse on anything but a perfectly smooth road surface so I never pressed it again.
Parks/Assist cannot be retro fitted. Reverse camera yes and lots of suppliers of kits for under £300 that do not require coding.
www.718forum.com is a useful site to review and anything that is an issue has been flagged up and dealt with on there. Mainly US owners but plenty of UK owners.
Armitage.Shanks said:
I had PASM on a previous car, when I used it (once) it made the ride worse on anything but a perfectly smooth road surface so I never pressed it again.
Pressing the button puts it in sport, much firmer and unlikely to be of use unless on track. In the non sport mode it’s still active, I found this mode more comfortable riding on rough roads than mine , which only has the standard passive.Hi, I recommend buying a 2.5 GTS if budget allows, if not buy a S I found the base had to much turbo lag for my liking. Sports chrono is a must for me along with extended leather. PASM made the ride too hard for me and I always left it off.
Drive a few before buying or try the porsche silverstone experience centre.
Drive a few before buying or try the porsche silverstone experience centre.
J77wck said:
PASM made the ride too hard for me and I always left it off.
Porsche said:
Basis of the balanced chassis: Active PASM shock-absorber system
One of the first active chassis systems that Porsche implemented and is still continuously developing is the Porsche Active Suspension Management, or PASM for short. This combines two chassis in one: a sporty yet comfortable chassis for long journeys and an exceptionally sporty chassis for the race track. The normal setting provides a more comfortable basic configuration of the dampers, and switches to a more sporty mode if the vehicle is driven more dynamically. This increases comfort levels, particularly long motorway journeys, as the PASM absorbs minor to moderate bumps in the road surface significantly better than a standard passive chassis. In contrast, the sport setting activates harder damper characteristics that support a highly agile driving style. The reduced car body movements make it easier to achieve fast lap times on the race track.
The PASM responds in a flash to dynamic changes during driving. For example, the system increases damper force to both axles in the event of sudden steering movements, e.g. during unexpected manoeuvres to avoid an obstacle. This reduces lateral inclination or instability of the body and makes it significantly easier to control the vehicle, particularly in extreme situations. In normal mode, the damper force is increased if the vertical movement of the body exceeds a certain value, for example when driving over bumps in the road surface. This reliably prevents instability of the vehicle body. In contrast, sport mode slightly reduces the damper force as car body movements increase to improve contact between the wheels and the road. This prevents any jumping or displacement of the car, while at the same time noticeably improving comfort. In normal mode, depending on the vehicle speed and lateral acceleration, the damper force is set differently for the inner side and outer side of the vehicle when cornering. This prevents vehicle instability and significantly increases driving precision. The damper characteristics are adjusted individually for the front and rear axle during heavy acceleration, during gear changes and when the accelerator pedal is released.
One of the first active chassis systems that Porsche implemented and is still continuously developing is the Porsche Active Suspension Management, or PASM for short. This combines two chassis in one: a sporty yet comfortable chassis for long journeys and an exceptionally sporty chassis for the race track. The normal setting provides a more comfortable basic configuration of the dampers, and switches to a more sporty mode if the vehicle is driven more dynamically. This increases comfort levels, particularly long motorway journeys, as the PASM absorbs minor to moderate bumps in the road surface significantly better than a standard passive chassis. In contrast, the sport setting activates harder damper characteristics that support a highly agile driving style. The reduced car body movements make it easier to achieve fast lap times on the race track.
The PASM responds in a flash to dynamic changes during driving. For example, the system increases damper force to both axles in the event of sudden steering movements, e.g. during unexpected manoeuvres to avoid an obstacle. This reduces lateral inclination or instability of the body and makes it significantly easier to control the vehicle, particularly in extreme situations. In normal mode, the damper force is increased if the vertical movement of the body exceeds a certain value, for example when driving over bumps in the road surface. This reliably prevents instability of the vehicle body. In contrast, sport mode slightly reduces the damper force as car body movements increase to improve contact between the wheels and the road. This prevents any jumping or displacement of the car, while at the same time noticeably improving comfort. In normal mode, depending on the vehicle speed and lateral acceleration, the damper force is set differently for the inner side and outer side of the vehicle when cornering. This prevents vehicle instability and significantly increases driving precision. The damper characteristics are adjusted individually for the front and rear axle during heavy acceleration, during gear changes and when the accelerator pedal is released.
https://presskit.porsche.de/specials/en/porsche-fa...
So basically it is not on or off, it is always on. If you press the button it is track firm otherwise it is softer than the non PASM version.
stanlow45 said:
https://presskit.porsche.de/specials/en/porsche-fa...
So basically it is not on or off, it is always on. If you press the button it is track firm otherwise it is softer than the non PASM version.
It would be near the top of my options list, along with a heated steering wheel!
OP, this was my first Porsche, too. Still have it 6 odd years later, although departing soon.
I have PASM on 20”, certainly a good option I’d want if buying as it also lowers the ride height a bit.
Spent some time in an S too, prior to collecting mine. I’d say the performance difference is pretty negligible. Brakes and pickup are more noticeable, although driving the base in sport feels far less laggy than normal. I reserve the latter for cruising, sport 95% time.
Biggest difference to me between base and s is the sound. For all the blathering about the 4 cylinder sound when it came out, people failed to notice that the base had a smoother exhaust note over the deeper rougher s. I had the two revved side by side and the difference is obvious. These were pre filter cars, the later ones with them are much quieter.
Other points, I’d want a Porsche warranty, always kept mine. Earlier cars are pretty basic in terms of standard options, more things come as standard as time progresses, so be mindful that you may or may not be getting something dependent on age. Eg MY18ish got nav, dab and all the connectivity stuff as standard with the price hike (I stand to be corrected on that one). I’d certainly want sports exhaust, Chrono and PDLS as necessary options. Base lights don’t have the 4 dot running lights
I have PASM on 20”, certainly a good option I’d want if buying as it also lowers the ride height a bit.
Spent some time in an S too, prior to collecting mine. I’d say the performance difference is pretty negligible. Brakes and pickup are more noticeable, although driving the base in sport feels far less laggy than normal. I reserve the latter for cruising, sport 95% time.
Biggest difference to me between base and s is the sound. For all the blathering about the 4 cylinder sound when it came out, people failed to notice that the base had a smoother exhaust note over the deeper rougher s. I had the two revved side by side and the difference is obvious. These were pre filter cars, the later ones with them are much quieter.
Other points, I’d want a Porsche warranty, always kept mine. Earlier cars are pretty basic in terms of standard options, more things come as standard as time progresses, so be mindful that you may or may not be getting something dependent on age. Eg MY18ish got nav, dab and all the connectivity stuff as standard with the price hike (I stand to be corrected on that one). I’d certainly want sports exhaust, Chrono and PDLS as necessary options. Base lights don’t have the 4 dot running lights
Thanks for all the replies, things are a bit clearer now.
I think the sweet spot is a 2018+ Cayman S, PASM, BOSE, ParkAssist, Cruise control (is it adaptive cruise control?). The nice but not essential list: LED headlights, dual zone aircon, reversing camera.
I am tending towards a purchase from an OPC. Do they offer discounts, or other sweeteners?
I've noticed that I'm getting close to 10-12 year old 991 territory, which potentially complicates things. Just to further confuse matters, I'm having a look at a base model Boxster at the weekend. Oh, and sensible me says get a Macan.
I sat in a Cayman T with bucket seats, and now know that I don't want bucket seats. The alcantara steering wheel was lovely though.
I think the sweet spot is a 2018+ Cayman S, PASM, BOSE, ParkAssist, Cruise control (is it adaptive cruise control?). The nice but not essential list: LED headlights, dual zone aircon, reversing camera.
I am tending towards a purchase from an OPC. Do they offer discounts, or other sweeteners?
I've noticed that I'm getting close to 10-12 year old 991 territory, which potentially complicates things. Just to further confuse matters, I'm having a look at a base model Boxster at the weekend. Oh, and sensible me says get a Macan.
I sat in a Cayman T with bucket seats, and now know that I don't want bucket seats. The alcantara steering wheel was lovely though.
Edited by hogthrob on Wednesday 3rd April 17:16
hogthrob said:
I am tending towards a purchase from an OPC. Do they offer discounts, or other sweeteners?
I didn't get a discount on mine. But they had it in stock for a while and had reduced it a couple of times to what I thought was a fair price. Buying from an OPC gets you the 111 point check which means that the car should be spot on (mechanically and bodily) and serviced up to date with at least two years warranty. Mine came with about 2 years and nine months on it. The only downside of the long warranty is that you're locked into OPC servicing.
Other sweeteners included a couple of Porsche highball tumblers, some branded coasters, and a bottle of expensive wine. I'd have settled for another £250 off....
A couple of things come to mind to be aware of - GPFs were added from Sep-18 onwards. They are not a warranty item and cost £2,500 to replace:
https://www.porscheclubgb.com/forum/threads/cayman...
They also mute the sound, pre-GPF cars are louder.
Sports chrono seems to have a design flaw in the engine mounts with lots of reported failures on here - not sure if they've been fixed with a new part yet but thankfully appear covered under warranty.
Otherwise the cars seem fairly reliable.
https://www.porscheclubgb.com/forum/threads/cayman...
They also mute the sound, pre-GPF cars are louder.
Sports chrono seems to have a design flaw in the engine mounts with lots of reported failures on here - not sure if they've been fixed with a new part yet but thankfully appear covered under warranty.
Otherwise the cars seem fairly reliable.
hogthrob said:
Thanks for all the replies, things are a bit clearer now.
I think the sweet spot is a 2018+ Cayman S, PASM, BOSE, ParkAssist, Cruise control (is it adaptive cruise control?). The nice but not essential list: LED headlights, dual zone aircon, reversing camera.
I am tending towards a purchase from an OPC. Do they offer discounts, or other sweeteners?
I've noticed that I'm getting close to 10-12 year old 991 territory, which potentially complicates things. Just to further confuse matters, I'm having a look at a base model Boxster at the weekend. Oh, and sensible me says get a Macan.
I sat in a Cayman T with bucket seats, and now know that I don't want bucket seats. The alcantara steering wheel was lovely though.
ACC is not available with manual transmission and is rarely optioned with PDK on a 718. Regular cruise is standard.I think the sweet spot is a 2018+ Cayman S, PASM, BOSE, ParkAssist, Cruise control (is it adaptive cruise control?). The nice but not essential list: LED headlights, dual zone aircon, reversing camera.
I am tending towards a purchase from an OPC. Do they offer discounts, or other sweeteners?
I've noticed that I'm getting close to 10-12 year old 991 territory, which potentially complicates things. Just to further confuse matters, I'm having a look at a base model Boxster at the weekend. Oh, and sensible me says get a Macan.
I sat in a Cayman T with bucket seats, and now know that I don't want bucket seats. The alcantara steering wheel was lovely though.
I would always look for a CPO car as it's been through the inspection and Porsche are very strict about what will and won't pass.
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