After years of Acuras, the option list on the Porsche is mind boggling.

Can anyone comment on the "value add" of the following:

1. Bi-xenon versus standard halogen headlamps? Worth the extra $1090?

2. How good is the standard Sound Package Plus? Is the Bose digital system that much better for someone who would not consider himself a true audiophile?

3. I was a little surprised that standard leather mean only the center portion of the front seats. Is there any real difference in the look or feel of going to the leather seat option that prices for $1520?

Any other "must haves" or "stay aways"?

Thanks for your input.

Kevin

 

1. Bi-xenon versus standard halogen headlamps? Worth the extra $1090?
DEPENDS, DO YOU DRIVE FAST AT NIGHT? yOU COULD PUT A SET OF HELLA DRIVING LIGHTS ON THE FRONT INSTEAD AND SAVE A LOT. i DIDN'T GO FOR THIS.

2. How good is the standard Sound Package Plus? Is the Bose digital system that much better for someone who would not consider himself a true audiophile?
THE STANDARD SOUND PACKAGE IS EXCELLENT AS FAR AS I'M CONCERNED, BUT THEN I'M NOT AN AUDIO JUNKIE EITHER.

3. I was a little surprised that standard leather mean only the center portion of the front seats. Is there any real difference in the look or feel of going to the leather seat option that prices for $1520?
YES, BUT THIS IS WORTH IT IN MY OPINION.

Any other "must haves" or "stay aways"?

FIRST, I GOT A NEARLY-LAST-ONE 996 BECAUSE I WANTED THE LIGHTER WEIGHT AND IT WAS A BARGAIN, TOO, WITH THE FIRST 997 SITTING NEXT TO IT: SO THE OPTIONS MIGHT HAVE CHANGED:

MUST HAVES:

WIDER TIRES: ALWAYS UPGRADE TO WIDER WHEELS AND TIRES IF ITS AVAILABLE: NOT NECESSARILY BIGGER DIAMETER (I AM NOT A FAN OF VERY SLIM SIDEWALLS) BUT WIDER IS BETTER.

SPORT EXHAUST: THIS IS A PRETTY HEFTY COST OPTION ($2400??), BUT NIFTY: A SWITCH ON THE DASHBOARD TURNS "OFF" SOME OF THE MUFFLER. WHEN YOU START THE CAR IT SOUNDS LIKE A PORSCHE, THEN IF YOU PRESS THE BUTTON AND IT CUTS SOMETHING INTO THE EXHAUST AND THE CAR IS AS QUITE AS AN ACURA. iT MAKES ONLY A SLIGHTLY NOTICEABLE SOUND WITH THE WINDOWS UP (BUT MIGHT MAKE A DIFFERENCE CRUSING ON A LONG TRIP) BUT IS VERY VERY NOTICEABLE OUTSIDE THE CAR OR FROM WITHIN WITH THE WINDOWS DOWN. I LIKE IT CAUSE I OFTEN LEAVE HOME AT 6 IN THE MORNING AND I DON'T WANT TO WAKE UP THE NEIGHBORS, SO I JUST TURN THE IGNITIONAND HIT THAT SWITCH BEFORE I START IT, AND IT IS VERY QUIET, THEN LATER I TURN IT BACK AND LISTEN TO THE EXHAUST. AND ITS JUST FUN TO PLAY WITH - BE QUIET NOW, MAKE NOISE NOW. (((BY THE WAY, I'M HAVING THE CAR DYNOED ON TUESDAY TO SEE JUST WHAT POWER IT ACTUALLY PUTS TO THE ROAD AND I'M GOING TO HAVE IT DONE WITH AND WITHOUT THIS ON TO SEE IF IT MAKES ANY DIFFERENCE IN PERFORMANCE))))

THERE IS SOME OPTION THAT PROVIDES A FIVE-STAGE SELECTABLE SUSPENSION SETTING. IT WAS NOT IN THE CAR I WANTED SO I HAD TO FOREGO IT, BUT I WISH I HAD IT, SEEMED NIFTY.

NOTE ALSO THE STANDARD SEATS HAVE ONLY POWER SEATBACK RACK ADJUSTMENT; HAVE TO PAY EXTRA FOR ALL POWER-- MINE DIDN'T HAVE THEM. NO BIGGIE, BUT . . . .

OPTIONS NOT TO GET:

A BIG STANDARD FIXED WING. UGH

CERAMIC BRAKE DISCS -- AT THAT PRICE?? NOT WORTH IT ON THE STREET.

NAVIGATION SYSTEM: I HAD A LOT OF TROUBLE FINDING A CAR IN THE COLOR AND OPTIONS I WANTED THAT WAS WITHOUT A NAV SYSTEM -- THEY ALL SEEMED TO HAVE ONE -- AND ITS SOMETHING I WON'T HAVE IN MY CAR. I HAVE A PTRETTY GOOD SENSE OF DIRECTION, BUT MORE IMPORTANT, I DON'T WANT A CAR THAT TALKS TO ME AND TELLS ME WHERE TO GO -- MY WIFE DOES ENOUGH OF THAT WHEN WE'RE TRAVELING.