Dropping the car?

Was reading about "dropping the car an inch" in another thread. Though I understand what "dropping the car" means, I am clueless as to what all it actually entails,how expensive it is, and what ill-effects it has on the warranty. I have 18" Sport Designs on my '01 C2 coupe and though I love the look, I feel as if the car sits a little too high for them to really look terrific. So, how do I go about "dropping the car" within budget? <img src="graemlins/beerchug.gif" border="0" alt="[cheers]" />

I hear it referred to as "lowering" the car. I have not done it but it should be less than US$1200 based on the quote I got. I have the 18" sport desiogn wheels also and it was suggested to me to lower the car to reduce the space between the wheel well and the tire. You need to buy some new springs. Eibach springs were recommended to me and you can get them done at the Porsche dealer. In Vancouver, the cost quoted was CAD$1800 inlcuding parts and labor.

IMHO... The best way to go about dropping the car without spending a fortune is the factory ROW M030 suspension. This is the Euro sport suspension and will drop the car in a subtle way that is not to low, but will bring it to the level that it is meant to be. It is a complete kit with matching shocks, springs, and swaybars, It allows a bit more adjustment in suspension settings and improves the handling without being to harsh (YMMV). It can be obtained for about $1200 or less (install $700-1000 w/ alighnment). I have heard of people having some odd handling/ride characteristics when they just swap out the springs without matching the swaybars and shocks. It is also a factory upgrade if you want to keep all factory parts.

I agree with Sloth. I just installed springs years ago on my 993 and it really screwed up the handling of the car. You can obtain a lowered, better handling, sport suspension setup at <a href="http://www.carnwal.com." target="_blank">www.carnwal.com.</a> My Euro M030 suspension just arrived yesterday! You can go lower with the H&R setup that they sell as well but that's a bit too low for my daily driver... Good luck Roy

Ok, so if I go with the ROW suspension then its about $2500 w/installation w/no effects on the warranty since it's a Porsche option? Can any dealer do this or do I have to take it to a specialist? How much does it actually lower the car in the back/front? thanks a lot guys! <img src="graemlins/wave.gif" border="0" alt="[byebye]" />

[quote]Originally posted by Chicago996: <strong>Ok, so if I go with the ROW suspension then its about $2500 w/installation w/no effects on the warranty since it's a Porsche option? Can any dealer do this or do I have to take it to a specialist? How much does it actually lower the car in the back/front? thanks a lot guys! <img src="graemlins/wave.gif" border="0" alt="[byebye]" /> </strong><hr></blockquote> Not sure about the warranty issue. They would be far less likely to take issue with it b/c it is a Porsche part, especialy if it is installed at the dealer. I had my install done at a local shop for $750 w/ alignment, the dealership said they would do it (grudgingly) for $1200 w/ alignment. I am not sure the exact amout of the lowering, but it will decrease the gap between the tire and the fender without giving the car the "slammed" look.

The Euro M030 suspension, otherwise known as Sport Suspension, is $1,064.00. Last time I had ROW installed on my TT it cost $700.00. Sport Suspension lowers the car 20mm in the front and 10mm in the rear. Roy

Ordered the ROW M030 kit complete from Gert at <a href="http://www.carnewal.com." target="_blank">www.carnewal.com.</a> Great service. It was shipped directly my local dealer who installed it for me. They reported that everything fit and the alignment settings were easy to do. Gert made sure that all of the bits were in the kit, shocks, springs, bump stops, and other pieces. Makes the car look a lot better, dropped a bit more than an inch in the front and bit less in the rear, and the climbing esses at VIR were a bit easier to deal with. Panorama printed a two part article about 6 months ago that detailed this modification.

If anyone is in the the West Los Angeles area and has a 996 with a euro MO30 suspension, and 18 inch wheels, I sure would appreciate a ride around the block to see how it feels over my stock suspension.

[quote]Originally posted by RWO: <strong>Sport Suspension lowers the car 20mm in the front and 10mm in the rear. Roy</strong><hr></blockquote> Plus or minus 10 mm, according to Porsche, for manufacturer tolerance. I've seen some (not all) 996's with ROW M030 suspension and the "drop" was not significant (i.e., virtually no change in back and less than 1/2" in front) as compared to their original stock USA height. While handling was improved due to the stiffer M030 springs/shocks, corner balancing is not really possible and aesthetics may not be improved for some, depending upon their expectations. Forewarned is forearmed. While more costly, you can't go wrong with the Bilstein PSS-9 setup, IMHO. You get maximum flexibility on ride height and ride quality/comfort.

Jack, I droped my first 996 Cab and my 996TT and both were noticable. The 00 Cab was dropped to the euro normal suspension, my 02 will be the Euro Sport Suspension (installed next week). The TT was lowered to ROW. Here is a link to a guy in Houston showing before and after ROW on a 02 cab... <a href="http://hobbystage.net/porsche/speedy/" target="_blank">Lowered Cab</a> Roy

Chicago996, Late this summer I installed the H&R/Bilstein coilover kit from Gert at Carnewal. MotorWerks in Barrington actually did the work. I have a 2001 911 Coupe. We lowered the car 1.25", aligned it and 4-corner balanced it. I can drop it another 1" for the track, but have not yet. I'm in Lakeview if you want to check it out sometime. The difference in the car is fantastic, using the recent Panorama articles and sport suspension as a baseline, I'd estimate that the car is 40% stiffer than OEM. The difference on the track (18 days this year total) is clear and confidence building. The car is much flatter in the corners and equally stable in a straight line. As most of our streets in Chicago are like goat trails there is the occasional scraping, but it's only scraping those black hard plastic things at the front of the car - no damage. My next tweak on the car would be the GT3 adjustable sway bars from Gert, which compliment the H&R/Bilstein coilover kit. It's only money Dude. GonzoP1

The standard answer to this question always seems to be the ROW M030 but I have to agree with Gonzo. I've had H&R coilovers with adjustable sway bars for a couple or years and I think it's a great way to go. Especially if you track your car. It will cost you more but the handling is far superior to M030 and the suspension can be adjusted to fit your needs. It's at least worth considering.

Thanks everyone for your great input and suggestions. However, Mrs' raised eyebrow yesterday night at my 'request to upgrade' so soon after buying the car leads me to suspect that now might not be the best time in the world to upgrade. <img src="graemlins/crying.gif" border="0" alt="[crying]" /> That's all right...FOR NOW....winter is coming soon anyway. Till next Spring then! <img src="graemlins/icon107.gif" border="0" alt="[icon107]" /> Gonzo, I most definitely want to check your ride out! Anytime on a weekend you wanna meet up works for me. <img src="graemlins/wave.gif" border="0" alt="[byebye]" />