996 Turbo Convertible - Wobbly?
Discussion
Hi All,
I've not had a chance to drive a convertible variant.......so how does the body flex, compared to a coupe?
I have had a couple of convertibles in the past but I am now fed up of the compromised body rigidity.
Could anyone shed any light on this?
IceBoy
PS previous convertibles:
Volvo C70 T5 - too much wobble
BMW E46 M3 Not too bad but could be better
I've not had a chance to drive a convertible variant.......so how does the body flex, compared to a coupe?
I have had a couple of convertibles in the past but I am now fed up of the compromised body rigidity.
Could anyone shed any light on this?
IceBoy
PS previous convertibles:
Volvo C70 T5 - too much wobble
BMW E46 M3 Not too bad but could be better
Guess not. 'about all I can suggest is you drive one and try to drive it on roads you'll be using day in and day out.
Mind how the car feels going into and out of parking driveways approaching the driveway at an angle and with some dip or depression so the car gets some twisting forces applied to it. While my Boxster is quite rigid when I got my Turbo coupe and drove it in and out of the same driveway - at an angle like my Boxster to avoid scraping its nose -- I thought the thing was going to pick a tire off the pavement the car was so much more rigid than the Boxster. And yet I do not feel the Boxster is wobbly at all.
'course a Cab isn't a Boxster.
Drive an example.
Oh, before I bought the Boxster I drove a number -- well, 3 or 5 -- convertibles, rental cars, and to a one they were wobbly. Crossing railroad tracks or entering leaving driveways the dash felt alive it was moving around so much.
But when I got in the Boxster for the first time I had no inkling it was a convertible, roadster from the way it felt. And roads around the dealer were terrible. While the dealer is a nice facility its entrance/exit road is rougher more jumbled than any section of the Dakar rally course.
Mind how the car feels going into and out of parking driveways approaching the driveway at an angle and with some dip or depression so the car gets some twisting forces applied to it. While my Boxster is quite rigid when I got my Turbo coupe and drove it in and out of the same driveway - at an angle like my Boxster to avoid scraping its nose -- I thought the thing was going to pick a tire off the pavement the car was so much more rigid than the Boxster. And yet I do not feel the Boxster is wobbly at all.
'course a Cab isn't a Boxster.
Drive an example.
Oh, before I bought the Boxster I drove a number -- well, 3 or 5 -- convertibles, rental cars, and to a one they were wobbly. Crossing railroad tracks or entering leaving driveways the dash felt alive it was moving around so much.
But when I got in the Boxster for the first time I had no inkling it was a convertible, roadster from the way it felt. And roads around the dealer were terrible. While the dealer is a nice facility its entrance/exit road is rougher more jumbled than any section of the Dakar rally course.
I have had various Ferrari Spiders (360 and 430), a California, and now a 12C Spider. I also recently bought a GTS cab, having had both a 996 and 997 coupe before.
12C is rock solid - absolutely no difference to a coupe, Cali, 360 and 430 I didn't notice much flex, certainly didn't disturb the pleasure in road driving. When going back to a 997, I was surprised at the scuttle shake. It doesn't ruin the experience, but unless you want the open roof motoring go coupe. If you do like the open roof way of life you will have to put up with some lack of rigidity - enough to be regularly aware of it but not enough to ruin the car. 996 and 997 are the same body shell as far as I'm aware.
12C is rock solid - absolutely no difference to a coupe, Cali, 360 and 430 I didn't notice much flex, certainly didn't disturb the pleasure in road driving. When going back to a 997, I was surprised at the scuttle shake. It doesn't ruin the experience, but unless you want the open roof motoring go coupe. If you do like the open roof way of life you will have to put up with some lack of rigidity - enough to be regularly aware of it but not enough to ruin the car. 996 and 997 are the same body shell as far as I'm aware.
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