911t One Season Review

Joined
Dec 5, 2003
Messages
4,305
Location
New England, USA
With the T hibernating, time for a review.

We put about 1.5k miles on the car, with the low amount being due to construction which had the car garaged elsewhere for a bit and its being at the Dealer for ~3 weeks for an oil leak. Unfortunately, we weren't able to fit a car control clinic in the schedule this year.

If I were to sum it up in two words, they would be, effortless and capable, with both of them being both a positive and negative. This car, and pretty much all recent sports cars are just so good as to be somewhat unexciting on the roads and having any real fun beyond quick jaunts on back roads means you are doing something that should put your license in jeopardy. Speaking for just me, the old adage of 'more fun to drive a slow car fast..' is true. That said, I do love the car and I really need to get some seat time in a Turbo or GTx model.

Pros:
-as practical and daily useable as a GT car can be.
-very easy to drive, no awkward clutch like earlier 911's (speaking to you 993), progressive throttle and brakes, clutch very good if a bit numb. Rain mode helps in the cool and wet.
-Decent visibility for a sports/GT car despite the greenhouse being shallower than previous 911's. Tough to judge the front end and vulnerable lip in parking lots, goes with the territory.
-Excellent brakes, powerful.
-Wonderful sounds w/ the sport exhaust on, good but still a bit loud w/ it off.
-Analog tachometer, the last one on a 911 apparently..other displays are configurable.
-non Sport mode ride is good, should you choose.
-best headlights I have used so far, I really enjoy driving this at night when the interior squawks aren't as apparent.
-fit and finish, material quality.

Cons:
-too complex, would prefer non adjustable sport suspension and non switchable sport exhaust package if offered. To me this would be the true intent of a 'T', but I am aware that I am an outlier here. Rather not have the complexity, weight and cost.
-entertainment system and entire interface is annoying. One shouldn't have to select " continue as guest" or login on a sports car...again that is me. Entertainment system is just too complex.
-interior is dark with not may options and a bit claustrophobic. By contrast the 993 is much smaller but feels bigger and is brighter.
-color evokes reactions, positive from Porsche folks who know Ruby isn't pink, but sometimes negative from others including yelling (incorrect) assumptions about me at stoplights...use your imagination. Cannot fix stupid though, just have to ignore it.
-red flag to others who assume I want to tear away from stoplights. Sorry Hellcat, public roads and I am past that...:)

Overall, we really like the car and look forward to actually using it next year. Giving what the new T is (fully digital dash, standard 4 wheel steering and front axle lift) I am very glad Wife chose to pull the trigger when she did, buying the last of a breed.

The oil leak turned out to be a rear main seal which was addressed.

P911tH112024.webp

911tH112024b.webp

911tASB112024c.webp
 
Last edited:
With the T hibernating, time for a review.

We put about 1.5k miles on the car, with the low amount being due to construction which had the car garaged elsewhere for a bit and its being at the Dealer for ~3 weeks for an oil leak. Unfortunately, we weren't able to fit a car control clinic in the schedule this year.

If I were to sum it up in two words, they would be, effortless and capable, with both of them being both a positive and negative. This car, and pretty much all recent sports cars are just so good as to be somewhat unexciting on the roads and having any real fun beyond quick jaunts on back roads means you are doing something that should put your license in jeopardy. Speaking for just me, the old adage of 'more fun to drive a slow car fast..' is true. That said, I do love the car and I really need to get some seat time in a Turbo or GTx model.

Pros:
-as practical and daily useable as a GT car can be.
-very easy to drive, no awkward clutch like earlier 911's (speaking to you 993), progressive throttle and brakes, clutch very good if a bit numb. Rain mode helps in the cool and wet.
-Decent visibility for a sports/GT car despite the greenhouse being shallower than previous 911's. Tough to judge the front end and vulnerable lip in parking lots, goes with the territory.
-Excellent brakes, powerful.
-Wonderful sounds w/ the sport exhaust on, good but still a bit loud w/ it off.
-Analog tachometer, the last one on a 911 apparently..other displays are configurable.
-non Sport mode ride is good, should you choose.
-best headlights I have used so far, I really enjoy driving this at night when the interior squawks aren't as apparent.
-fit and finish, material quality.

Cons:
-too complex, would prefer non adjustable sport suspension and non switchable sport exhaust package if offered. To me this would be the true intent of a 'T', but I am aware that I am an outlier here. Rather not have the complexity, weight and cost.
-entertainment system and entire interface is annoying. One shouldn't have to select " continue as guest" or login on a sports car...again that is me. Entertainment system is just too complex.
-interior is dark with not may options and a bit claustrophobic. By contrast the 993 is much smaller but feels bigger and is brighter.
-color evokes reactions, positive from Porsche folks who know Ruby isn't pink, but sometimes negative from others including yelling (incorrect) assumptions about me at stoplights...use your imagination. Cannot fix stupid though, just have to ignore it.
-red flag to others who assume I want to tear away from stoplights. Sorry Hellcat, public roads and I am past that...:)

Overall, we really like the car and look forward to actually using it next year. Giving what the new T is (fully digital dash, standard 4 wheel steering and front axle lift) I am very glad Wife chose to pull the trigger when she did, buying the last of a breed.

The oil leak turned out to be a rear main seal which was addressed.

View attachment 253157
View attachment 253158
View attachment 253159

Beautiful car! Best of luck with it. PDK or manual? It looks like a manual as I cant see paddle shifters on steering wheel. Quick question, you say it is a bit loud, how is the road noise. Have you driven a 982 Cayman, is it noisier than that.
with the sport exhaust off. Is it road
 
Beautiful car! Best of luck with it. PDK or manual? It looks like a manual as I cant see paddle shifters on steering wheel. Quick question, you say it is a bit loud, how is the road noise. Have you driven a 982 Cayman, is it noisier than that.
with the sport exhaust off. Is it road
It is a 7-speed manual, and 7th is a very minor gripe. Selecting 7 is an odd angle up and over from 6 as opposed to the conventional up then over gate....hope that makes sense. I rarely use 7 except droning along on the highway. The new T loses the 7th speed, a good move.

I have not been in a recent Cayman, but our 911t is noticeably louder than a current base Carrera. Not objectionably, but noticeable.
 
Beautiful! A 911 is about the only car left that I would still like to own before I shuffle off this mortal coil. Well, that and a Giulia Quadrifoglio.
 
Nice. :cool:

Our two sportiest cars are manual transmissions. An automated gearbox might be quicker shifting with paddle shifters, but will never equal the involvement or pleasure of shifting up and down through the gears by yourself.
 
Beautiful car, and I like the color.
Not one I would choose for myself, but it's better than the standard white, black, grey, silver, or Guards Red that you see on the typical Porsche dealer's lot at any given moment. I still love the Dark Metallic Blue paint on my 2015 Cayman base, and when June gets here, it will be 10 full years with Sapphire.

Cons:
-too complex, would prefer non adjustable sport suspension and non switchable sport exhaust package if offered. To me this would be the true intent of a 'T', but I am aware that I am an outlier here. Rather not have the complexity, weight and cost.
-interior is dark with not may options and a bit claustrophobic. By contrast the 993 is much smaller but feels bigger and is brighter.

I think you could have resolved these couple issues by buying a non-t 911, and ordering it the way you would have rather it be, with different interior color options, and with the suspension you would have rather had instead of the PASM.
Possibly would have cost you more, though, depending on if you bought an S, or a GTS.

Keep enjoying your car, and keep driving when you get the chance.
 
I thought Barbie drove a Corvette ;). In all seriosness, I would have one if it wouldn’t scrape its nose up my drive.

1734144156103.webp
 
Did you guys pick the color off lot or catalogue?

Nice car , I love these cars but more in black or reds.
We decided to pull the trigger late, as in the end of the current t's availability and there were very few allocations left. This was one of two in the region, and it had the content we did (and didn't) want and early enough in the build to make some minor changes. The color was set and while neither of our first choices, we liked it. Neither of us wanted silver, black or red and Porsche had suspended paint to sample due to capacity constraints, so our first choice, Irish Green, was unavailable. We also thought, why not. Also, not that we bought this as an investment, but in the somewhat irrational (crazy?) world of Porsche values, 'last of' models in unique colors tend to hold their values a smidge more. Plus, I have always lusted after the 964RS which was offered in Ruby Stone and I do have a penchant for loud colors on the fun fleet. Why not?

The loud, garish and maybe lurid colors of my choosing:
3ccrs3172024.webp


The 964RS, obviously not ours, but my Mona Lisa :D (pic from the web)
964RSRS.webp
 
We decided to pull the trigger late, as in the end of the current t's availability and there were very few allocations left. This was one of two in the region, and it had the content we did (and didn't) want and early enough in the build to make some minor changes. The color was set and while neither of our first choices, we liked it. Neither of us wanted silver, black or red and Porsche had suspended paint to sample due to capacity constraints, so our first choice, Irish Green, was unavailable. We also thought, why not. Also, not that we bought this as an investment, but in the somewhat irrational (crazy?) world of Porsche values, 'last of' models in unique colors tend to hold their values a smidge more. Plus, I have always lusted after the 964RS which was offered in Ruby Stone and I do have a penchant for loud colors on the fun fleet. Why not?

The loud, garish and maybe lurid colors of my choosing:
View attachment 254098

The 964RS, obviously not ours, but my Mona Lisa :D (pic from the web)
View attachment 254099
Just out of curiosity, does you wife log any time at the track?
 
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