7 captured repliesDiscussion pagination complete · Source accounts, not a confirmed diagnosis
THIS DISCUSSION / SOURCE-DERIVED OVERVIEW
Discussion summary
YOUR RESEARCH996 4 Spoke to 3 Spoke Steering Wheel Swap
Leading reported evidence
Recommend new, careful shopping
Suggestion or failed attempt
No successful repair reported for this finding.
0
Reported fixes
0
Unsuccessful attempts
1
Discussions
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Discussions that contain suggestions
1
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Suggestion
So, while I'd recommend new, careful shopping on eBay is a viable option.
Leading evidence: 'Recommend new, careful shopping' (no explicit attributable resolution; this is a reported action or suggestion). Across 1 matching discussions, The most frequently discussed action is 'Recommend new, careful shopping' (1 discussions). For that action, 0 discussions report a resolution and 0 report an unsuccessful attempt. No action has an explicit, attributable resolution report under the current rules. These are forum reports and suggestions, not a confirmed diagnosis.
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7 eligible posts · 0 unverified posts · 1 discussions match the subject in their title or opening post.
Rennlist: 1 discussions
0 evidence records excluded for query context · 0 excluded by outcome qualification · 0 adjusted by outcome qualification.
0 acknowledgements have no verified action link; they do not establish a repair result.
Generation: 20261026T191851Z · outcome-qualification-6. Deterministic extraction; no AI model inference. How we use sources
Hey everyone, I currently own a 2001 996.1 Carrera 4 Tiptronic which comes with the rather unattractive base 4 spoke steering wheel, which I�ve always wanted to change out for the nicer 3 spoke wheel ever since I bought the car. Just recently I�ve managed to find a 3 spoke steering wheel with the Tip buttons on FB Marketplace and I bought it. However I bought it WITHOUT the central airbag. I tried looking for one in various scrapyards but couldn�t find one. What could possibly be the best, most effective and affordable way I can acquire the airbag. And what�s the best place or site I can find the central airbag other than eBay and how easy is it to swap out? Any suggestions or ideas?
I did manage to locate one on eBay, from a legit seller who supplied the donor vehicle's VIN, etc. I have and would normally buy new from Suncoast, but this was for my 993 and while that car is a time-warp low miles example, I wanted an older airbag to match as I feared a brand new shiny one would stick out like a gold tooth
So, while I'd recommend new, careful shopping on eBay is a viable option.
I also did this over 20 years ago. When I was ordering my car (a 2001 Triptronic coupe), the three spoke wheel was only a $325 option, which I didn't order. My salesman failed to tell me that the 3-spoke one had a leather hub and colored crest (vs. the vinyl hub and de-bossed Porsche crest). I spent over $1100 for a new 3-spoke wheel and leather hub that went with it. I sold my original 4-spoke wheel and hub to some lucky 993 owner for $25 each on Ebay. He was lucky that he had the same grey interior and Triptronic. My car had less than 3k miles at the time, so the wheel and the hub were like new.
@Long Islander
You bought an 01 new and still own it ??? <<<< very rare owner !!
I would say 95% of 996's have had 5-7 owners by now. The turn-over rate in this forum of new owners has been like a whole new bunch of new owners every 5-7 years..... and the learning curve starts all over again ....lol
Yes, I'm the original owner. The car is 24.5 years old now and with 11,xxx miles (not a typo -- eleven thousand + miles). I'll be entering it in the PCA Metro NY concours at the end of this month.
