Review: Porsche PSE Refurb with Cat exchange

Review of the 996 C4S with standard PSE refurbish and OEM Carnewal Cat exchange replacement Work Done We all know that replacing an exhaust has a lot of options and can be costly especially if going down the OEM or big brand route. I was very happy with the standard PSE exhaust only in so far as with lower weight that would have been ideal. To achieve that was going to need a significant investment so I opted for a refurb and changing cats instead. A strip of the exhaust off the car, bottom clam shell boxes starting to split so the whole thing was repaired with new seams all round and on the pipes for good measure. One side exhaust flap was actually found to be stuck shut in quiet mode so that was released. New genuine clamps, gaskets, nuts and bolts all round. After much deliberation of what to do to achieve 200 cel cats, the standard cats were sent away to Carnewal for upgrade to 200 cel versions which involves opening them up and repacking with high quality 200 cel versions. Garage Used Porschacare, couldn't recommend them enough really, phone calls multiple times with progress updates (a first from any garage I have dealt with!) https://www.porschacare.com/ Driving Impressions Sound A sticky flap :roll: means it is difficult to seperate the cat impact from the exhaust but overall the sound is definitely has a deeper and touch louder and richer note to it. One of the interesting things is with the flaps shut the cats appear to make the sound much more interesting when quiet as opposed to just sounding silenced as they did before. If I wanted to be discreet it's a good option now as opposed to feeling short changed. With the PSE on/open (which it is by default on my 2004 model year) it's definitely got it's mojo back with a deep bass rumble and clear guttural sound at low revs falling to a nice rich sound at higher revs. No drone present at any speed. Very pleased with the sound having listened to a few aftermarket systems which didn't have the quality of sound the PSE does. Response / Speed / Power The cats are supposed to give c.10hp but I would say this is difficult to detect in normal driving but something is there for sure. The main gain seems to be response at almost any speed and better urgency in the 5-7k range which is probably where you might expect it to be. Aesthetics / Fit & Finish The new stainless seams on the boxes look quite fresh at the moment but will colour to the rest of the exhaust over a few thousand miles and therefore the refurb would be difficult to detect to the untrained eye. The cat you can hardly see the weld where it was cut to replace the innards. Obviously it all goes back together very nicely as you might expect being all OEM parts with new fixings. No tip alignment or anything needed. Unless you were under the car you wouldn't know anything had been done but from a distance you can see some nice new stainless OEM clamps at the rear. ROI (4 of 5 Stars) About £700 for the cats and a few hundred for the refurb and new fixtures and a few hundred for labour I reckon it's £1100 the lot or so. To maintain OEM quality components and the great PSE sound but now improved to my ears with more response and top end urgency I give it 4 of 5 stars for overall ROI. I think if you could live without the cats the refurb is a 5 star ROI over a new system for sure. As I keep this garaged year round and only do a few thousand miles in the car a year this upgrade will last me the life of the car I should think.

Thanks for taking the time to share your thoughts and experience getting your PSE refurbed. It's something that I'm also about to undertake as I have a pair of PSE silencers with seized flaps and corroded seams. Like yourself I'd prefer to keep the OEM sports exhaust going as long as possible. I'm interested to see how Porschacare went about repairing your silencers. Did they weld a stainless u-section over the top of the existing seam? Do you have any photos showing your muffler seams before and after the refurb?

Yeah interested to hear/see more about how they repaired the seams

Yes, in short. It was cleaned down etc as you might expect then a very skilled welder did the u-section. Speaking to others who were tempted to 'have a go' they shyed away because it takes some skill and experience not to blow through the whole box. So I would only use someone who has done this many times. Adding pics to my original post.

Looks like Porschacare have done a cracking job on welding in replacement seams. Really neat and tidy; once the stainless has got hot and coloured over a few miles you would never know it wasn't original. :thumbs: Porschacare aren't local to me but if I can't find anyone with the same experience in the northwest I might see if Porschacare can do mine next time I'm in their neck of the woods. My silencers are not fitted to the car so I'd just need the fabrication work doing. Any idea what the cost was for just the welding work?

Yes, it's a really nice job as you say. Few heat cycles and it will be difficult to tell. Was about c.£150 plus the vat, lots on the invoice so I think this is the number. If your silencers are off the car you could always post them? More convenient if you can find someone in your area though I agree. It's the sort of thing that would find some traction on an exchange basis I reckon.

Great work on getting the PSE repaired and looks very neat almost original 8) I'm in the same dilemma, the clamshell edges on the PSE on my 2004 C4S have been somewhat split since i got the car in 2014. Always garaged so don't seem to have worsened but one flap is stuck like you had.... How 'far gone' were your boxes once off the car, purely cosmetic or was anything else done? I def want to keep the PSE as not seen much which comes close and 4k for new is bonkers.....(Topgear valved boxes sound nice on the clips i've seen) Unless anyone knows of a similar skilled repairer around Oxfordshire then i may have to give these guys a call once this lockdown ends! Car will shortly be off to Wrightune for a service and few bits and then onto the exhausts :thumb:

Nice to see a good repair! I removed my PSE boxes when I had a new engine fitted, unfortunately mine where beyond repair! I replaced with the Topgear valvetronic version, its still set up to work on the button (on dash) Nice repair job tho 👍

Interestingly there are a pair of OEM 996 PSE boxes which have been repaired at the seams on fleabay for around £800.......from what appears a reputable breaker/seller. Tempting to invest and then have mine removed and potentially repaired in the future if in a fit state and to sell on to offset the costs......is it worth a £800 gamble for second hand boxes.... or just try and get mine repaired (can Porshacare do this 'while you wait' over a few hours i wonder?) :?:

Good price 👍....

Yes agree not too bad, just debating whether to make an offer or simply wait until later this year and take the car to the dealer in this thread and see if they can weld/repair my own..... funny how i've barely use the car the last 12months with everything going on and within 2 weeks of lockdown i've refurbed the headlights (amazing difference using the 3M kit), arranged a service and to get known couple of issues sorted and now am thinking of gambling on exhaust boxes.....maybe lockdown is driving me stir crazy

Offer £750!, I must admit I'm getting down to putting shinny nuts and bolts on! Got to keep yourself Shane mind 👍

Seems the seller was in the same cycle i now am, bought another set of PSE boxes whilst he then got his repaired. Also seems the repaired boxes were put back on the car for a couple of months and are claimed fully working and rattle free and working actuators...replaced with new PSE at his end hence the sale. Encouraging that they have been tested back on the car once repaired. decisions decisions :?

Buyers market, make an offer your happy with....always move them on!

So i took the plunge and bought the boxes for £725, my man maths assures me that worst case i'll have a few more years of PSE and best case my current boxes will be repairable and i can make some of this back in the future :wink: More pictures of the exhausts confirm a decent condition and repair was via a specialist exhaust company adding confidence. Seems these don't come to the market that often so did not want to pass up and others seem to be flogging them at more like this price for a single box, will report back in a few weeks once fitted :thumb: