New to Porsche - no regrets yet, but off to a rough start...

I purchased a 2003 C2 manual with just 46k miles on it. Had to buy it from several states away, and paid for a nearly worthless remote PPI (a "tech" visits the car, so no shop/lift inspection). I bought the car from a legit Mercedes dealer but this was clearly a quick flip trade-in for them. It would have been a good deal if the car needed nothing, but that is quite not the case. This is proof that low mileage does not equal pristine condition. This is my first foray into Porsche. My prior few fun cars were a GR86, C5 Z06, and NC Miata. If not for the lackluster engine, I'd still have the GR86. Anyhow, the 996 looks and runs great but came with a few issues, some of which I've sorted myself, or will, and one major nagging issue making the car nearly unusable... the rear end sways/wiggles/tramlines aggressively and unpredictably over the most mild road irregularities (bumps, dips, grooves, etc). It often feels like the rear end has its own steering, and its being controlled by a 5 year old. I have already installed fresh coilovers, as the stock dampers were blown out. The various suspension linkage bushings seem a bit soft but seemingly still usable. Alignment is scheduled for 2 days from now. Date codes on the tires are 2018, and theyre probably at least 50% worn, so these may be the next culprit to check. Engine mounts still look and feel sufficient. Transmission mount looks good but feels soft, so thats on the to-do list, but I'm trying to find that AGA tool to rent ($500 to buy). So anyhow, thats where im at. I've scoured this forum searching for similar symptoms and likely solutions, and have found a couple promising leads. If anyone has any words of wisdom, advice, encouragement, or a similar experience, im all ears! Shortly after it was delivered After installing H&R coilovers and fresh pads and rotors I THINK I will really love this car when its sorted, and I didnt share all of the issues, as the rest are much more straightforward, but it has not been the start i had hoped for.

Sorry for the rough start but you sound positive and will sort it out and make it YOURS! Enjoy the smiles on miles

Same brand and model of tires F/R and L/R? Yes get an alignment— 996 has adjustable camber and toe in the rear. I love the color. Welcome to the 996 forum.

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Thank you🙏 Yes, all tires are matching and oem specs. I'm very much hoping the alignment makes things a lot better. I've installed coilovers on several prior vehicles and never experienced anything like this pre-alignment, but here we are! I hope/think I'll get to the bottom of this in due time. The shop doing the alignment is a independent specialty shop, and I've shared this info with them too - TBD 🤞

I second the alignment suggestion. When I bought my 4S the previous owner had installed coilovers and slammed it. Had same/similar symptoms as you. Raised the car to gt3 ride heights, installed aftermarket rear toe arms and aligned the car, problem solved. Because the car was lowered, the suspension geometry was way outside the adjustment range of the stock toe arms causing way too much toe out in the rear. It was so bad that I couldn't go over 15 mph when it was raining without the back end wanting to come around(and not in the fun way). PS / EDIT: Welcome to 996 land!

I concur,,,banger color! Fwiw I bought a service record heavy low mileage 2 owner 996.1,,,,After 1 year (really like 7-8 months bc I lived in Chicago at the time) I spent slightly over $10k in full front suspension, h20 pump, hoses, lines fluids. The $ was well worth it, I went with one of if not the best shop local to me. So like me you’ll end up with $50k worth about $35k 😎🤙🏻 Welcome and enjoy,,,they ain’t making classics these days!

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Thank you, sir. I have read similar about the effects of poor rear toe. Hoping thats it. For the life of me, I cant recall whether these symptoms existed in the few miles I drove before swapping coilovers, as the stock dampers and bump stops were extremely toasted. We shall see Wednesday.

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I feel like I may be in a similar boat 🫠 But I keep telling myself this will be worth it and worth keeping longterm too. I've already watched the prices begin creeping out of reach in just the past few years...

Congrats with the car! I will be doing a lot of suspension work on my newly acquired 996 as well. Good thing is parts are not super expensive and repairs should be very cheap, especially if repairs will be done DIY. I will be doing all repairs myself and will post videos on it, but that will take awhile as I have several other projects I am working on.

It sounds like you the car came with no service history. I would go back to the dealership and ask them to give its CarFax report. My CarFax report had a surprisingly high level of detail, and I had all the service invoices for the last 8 years. I called some of the shops that had worked on it > 8 years ago and they sent me what they did. Having service history allow you to create a plan. Without a plan you end up replacing stuff too soon or too late. And there is always a surprise, but fewer because you're attacking the problems. If your introduction to the 996 is this suspension issue consider yourself very fortunate. These cars are 25 years old and some items just need to get swapped out on age. With the 03 you have a single row IMS bearing. I'd plan on doing that and installing a Ultimate AOS Track addition so long as you know when the water pump was done. Driving it has me hooked on the combination of light weight, nimble, precision and just enough power. I have people tell me they love my car when I'm in a parking lot, and I get thumbs ups from old guys and kids. When I'm asked about how it feels I just tell them, "it's a 911". I really like the color of your car.

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For sure. I'm holding you to these guarantees!

Where are you located? If you are close you can use my tranny mount install tool or maybe someone near you has one. Ps. Tires, balance and alignment. Then report.

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It did come with a fair amount of records, including a fairly detailed carfax report, plus a couple docs from shops that did more significant work, like IMS/RMS/clutch. But it was still rolling on all stock suspension and even brakes. It definitely needs a proper brake flush, as they feel too spongy and a basic bleed didnt improve it enough. But yes, i cant wait to get to the point youre describing. I very specifically sought out a 996 for the side-weight-power characteristics. All of my past few cars have been 2500-3100 lbs, and every time I test drive something bigger and heavier, I'm reminded why smaller and lighter is better.

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I'm in Michigan. I'd gladly provide a deposit or pay for rental! Pending alignment results, I may have the tires re-balanced too. I also have a buddy with the same car, and we may do a quick wheel swap as a test.

Love the color brother and welcome, things will get better.

Welcome to the slippery slope! Where every change you make to the car makes it better! Well mostly. My car, when new to me had a waggle in the rear at speed. If I downshifted and got on it, the rear would waggle. It was the engine mounts. Engine bouncing around. Much later, some days after an alignment, the rear felt like it was steering itself. Quite unnerving. It was crabbing. One of the toe arms in the rear had come loose. Reset it and all was good. These cars are smile machines when they are setup. You�ll get there!

Welcome! In the first 18 months of 996 ownership I did: IMS Solution / Check for B ore Scoring from the sump Check Cam Deviation Clutch/Flywheel/RMS AOS Plugs/Coilpacks Fuel Injectors Water pump / Low Temp Thermostat/ Coolant Flush Serpentine Belt/ Rollers / Tensioners Fuel Filter Battery Clutch/ Brake Fluid Transaxle Fluid Engine Mounts Transmission Mount ..before starting on the 25+ year old suspension. Wanted to make sure the heart of my 996 was sound before anything else. I think replacing the old fuel injectors with new OE Porsche injectors is one of the most important steps.

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Congrats on the 996.2! You will love its driving/handling characteristics once you get the suspension and alignment sorted and old parts refreshed. Just make sure your shop knows the 996 so they can sort it properly. Nothing better to drive than a well sorted 996, and nothing more frustrating than a poorly sorted one. For sure, old engine mounts and old tires don't help either.

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While some of that was done and documented prior to my purchase, the rest of it will clearly be my obligation in the next 6 months, im sure. Like you, i hope to have it sorted for my peace of mind and enjoyment.

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now if there was more affordable options for new injectors 😅😅

FCP Euro has new Bosch injectors for $62 a piece. Don't get any injector other than new Bosch or Porsche injectors from a reputable source. Ask me how I know...

It is a fun thing for me to guess where the car is from the pictures. The overgrown green grass and the architecture of the houses in the background .. eliminates Texas and the south, possibly points to Pacific NW, but I would never guess Michigan.

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Haha, the greenery and gardening is pretty common around here, but the architecture of my neighbor's house in the background is extremely uncommon in Michigan; probably fewer than 1% of homes around me have stucco exteriors.

No way am I an expert but with only 46K on the clock and what you described any chance the car took a crack at the Paris-Dakar Rally ?

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Close enough. I think it sat in a very dry climate (CA) for many years mostly untouched, and it wasnt friendly to numerous rubber, plastic, and leather components.

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oh cool i wasn't aware they had them in stock again. thanks!

Got the car back from the shop. It drives WAY better now post-alignment. Cant believe some wonky toe and camber could've caused such insane handling behaviors. Again, I've lowered numerous cars on coilovers and other supporting suspension mods but this was a wild experience. Glad it wasnt something worse. They also performed the elaborate brake flush with theie computer running/purging the ABS module and the brakes feel infinitely better. I can tell the tires are at the end of their life cycle age-wise, as they ride a bit stiff, but I need to let my wallet cool off for a bit. Updated pic just because

Great news! You may want to consider doing a string alignment when making suspension changes. They're not hard to do, just a bit fussy. Gets you in the right ballpark at least. You Tube

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Ditto. And I generally do NOT like Guards Red (Give-Me-A-Ticket-Noe-Red) or similar colors. Your red is more muted and looks "classy" - I don't know what other word to use... I also like the 5-spoke wheels, I have very similar wheels, Carrera IIIs, not pointed on the top of each spoke, more like a flattish curve on the spoke. I like them because they show the brakes. Original? Take of front bumper and clean rads & condensers. Locate the "pull cable" for frunk, re-route it, do something to make it so you know where it is. The is also one by back LR tail-light. Always use battery tender when parked at home. These cars are notorious for using batt-juice even when parked. Welcome to the 996 world. cheers. YMMV

OP - Arena Red is beautiful. Stance is nice. Quite a whip! The 996 is crazy sensitive to most anything, even rake and sidewall influence. My experience of the last 10 years is the more aggressive the alignment, the better. I feel ‘neutral’ and ‘lowered’ fight each other a lot. When it’s time for new rubber, go with tried-and-true: PS4S or 5, Conti EC Sport, DWS 06+, Potenza Sport. I’ve driven all 3 and they’re really, really good. Potenza Sport is my current summer tire, but the re-placement EVO isn’t available for our rear sizes. Excellent all season tires in the 285/30 size are almost extinct.

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I will likely try a more aggressive alignment next. My prior car was set up for casual track use, so this feels quite different right now. And yeah, given the relatively minor price differences, I was thinking the PS4S tires later on.

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They call this "orient red metallic". It often looks quite orange or pink depending on the lighting. I've been meaning to look for those backup cables.

Beautiful example you found. ❤️ Wow. There is something really special about those wheels with a mild drop + great paint. IIRC they are the lightest production wheel you can find for this car. Yes, as you have found even the best of these 911s can require a bit of sorting when they become ours. Getting them dialed in is 100% worth it, I'm sure the 996 will get under your skin the way it has for many of us. Bradley

Clean looking ride in a great color. Aftermarket sways & drop links did wonders for the handling of my old 03 C2, alongside a proper alignment. Might make less an impact with new coilovers but something to consider.

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I'll definitely consider it as i continue sorting this out and familiarize myself with the car a bit more.

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Thank you! It can be tough to find any gen Porsche in non-greyscale colors, though they look good in those too. I have these coilovers set within 10% of max height and theyre still pretty low, but it does look good. Might need some spacers though.

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Good to hear you got the alignment dialed in. The stance looks good. You can easily run 15mm spacers in the front and rear assuming you run the standard 225x40x18 in front and 285x30x18 in rear on the Carrera 2s. If you want to further improve the handling someday, a set of Tarret 996 GT3 adjustable sway bars and drop links will take it to another level. So will a LSD. Imho, the 996 is one of the most incredible driving experiences on the street and track once its set up properly. Not to mention its pretty easy to balance the set-up for both.

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That does sound good, depending on cost... LSD probably outside the budget for a while. I havent had a sportscar without an LSD in quite a few years, sooo I hope the dynamics of this car make up for it at least a little bit. My GR86 was my go-to trackable street car for the past few years and i had the setup almost perfect for my wants/needs, and i was so dialed in with it, so this wildly different platform and experience is throwing me for a curve already!

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Yeah, with your track experience, you will feel the difference in handling w/ and w/o LSD. When the time comes, take a look at Guard. They sell the internals for the 996 differential that is plug and play. Matt Monson is the owner and he is here on Rennlist from time to time. He can recomend a shop close to you that can do it. Just plan way in advance because Guard sells out if their stuff very fast and you may have to wait for a bit. 40/60 is what I have for street and track.

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Your car is 23 years old. There are a number of things that may look passable, but feel and appearance of the bushings are deceptive. First your issue then suggestions for further maintenance as insurance your car mechanisms work as expected. From your symptoms, I bet your wheel bearings are the culprit. Jack up the rear high enough to get the tires off the ground, put a jock stand under it before performing the work (and any work done that requires elevating the car should always rest on the stand and not the list) Test the wheel movement laterally. Grab both sides of the wheel and try to wiggle it. You should not have any movement at all. If you do, then they need replaced in addition to the front to ensure another problem doesn't arise. It's not cheap either. It'll run around the $1 to $1.k. The bearings required a 20 ton press to put the new bearings in. Unless you have one in your shop (very doubtful) then it has to goto a shop to have it done.you don't need to take it to a dealer. Any local generic garage (best being one you have some relationship with) can do this. Just to be sure, as them first. Bearings are relatively easy to remove but the press is a requirement, not an option. Suggestions for further maintenance requirements: 1) Closely inspect the suspension bearings. Your car has low mileage so the metal will be good, but the bushings on them should be replaced. Rubber deteriorates slowly at first but will quickly be become cracked and soft. 1a) If your car lunches when the car comes to a stop, the bushings definitely needs replacing. It fixed mine ride issues and the car no longer has a pronounced lurch front and aft when it comes to a halt. 2) With spotty documentation on the previous maintenance information, and suspecting it's been flipped, your fluids are suspect and you should have everything flushed and replaced. Transmission and differential as well. Sludge can build up if the regular maintenance hasn't been done. I doubt who flipped the car did do any of this. It would cut into their profit margin. Better safe than sorry in addition to having a base to start with to judge future fluid replacement and give you the confidence to drive it, assured you know it's done. 3) Oil. You will find vigorous debates here on the benefits of using one brand or another. It really doesn't matter that much. What matters is you use a high quality blend for European cars that meets the basic Porche requirements to use in addition to the proper oil viscosity, 5w-40 or 5w-50. Read the oil debates for suggestions and ideas about the viscosity for your geographic area and your driving habits. I drive mine daily myself. The car is made to be driven, and use the loud pedal as much as you can, even it's only through the 3rd gear. Push it up to 6500 in each gear for the Italian 'tune-up' and the G's driving you into the seat. 3) Check tire pressure and oil level in the morning on a level surface in the morning when the engine and tires are cold, not after a warm-up. Use the lipstick to measure the oil if you have one. You want it in the middle between the high and low mark. Don't overkill it. It can cause the oil to froth and be sucked into the AOS and causing it to choke the flow. This can cause the car to begin smoking and you better pull over as fast as you before you blow the engine. Apparently the AOS diaphragm is too delicate and the oil return return design is not optimal in this scenario. Have the aftermarket UAOS installed to eliminate the weak spots in the design and never worry about the AOS condition the OEM version is susceptible to. I'm sure many others will have more recommendations, and replies on my own suggestions that correct or refine my info or refute them totally. I just hope each poster will justify them instead of simply derided the comments. Not really productive or helpful to your interpretation. I LOVE mine. It's been a money pit, but it's more from my efforts to restore it to the original feel and performance in a stock condition. I've only added Fister mufflers. It drives and handles like a dream, sweeping corners feel like your on rails. I didn't understand why Porsche owners seemed so smug and dedicated to the brand. It was a mystery to me what gave them that aura until I had the opportunity to actually own my first Porsche and I couldn't be happier when I drive it. It's as perky as the first supercar's that appeared on the scene. It's performance matches and exceeds my first love, the '72 Lamborghini (only 19.2k off the lot). EVs may blow our doors off the first 1/8th mile, but the car will beat the pants off it in the long run, and current EV SUVs will never match the handling. Once you get your issue fixed, you'll become a Porsche fanatic like it has done to me. It only deepened as I began addressing the conditions a car with 100k that's labeled a high performance luxury vehicle. It's very durable and will last longer than you will with proper maintenance once you get all the issues a classic car will have resolved. Then it's just oil changes at 6 months or 3 to 5000 miles with high quality oil and tires the next 100k miles, repeat the refresh I outlined and the performance and handling will retain the original feel and form. I don't have any added performance advice, that's not the direction I'm aiming at. If you are going to flip it, too many mods, especially body mods will have a lower resale value and longer time to sell than one that appears in original condition. I do know once you're done with the minor issues a classic car will have, you will become a believer. That much I can say with confidence or doubt. You are going to love it, no doubt in my mind. Enjoy your good fortune. Like my sig say, grab your hat, sunglasses and join me for the opportunity to use the loud pedal and strut around like a billionaire Spoiler 

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Give me a shout when you do. I got invited to create a 996 howto when Iinquired about it missing. (It doesn't exist when you select the Howto menu selection on their top menu.) My only qualifications are a strong documentation skill and breaking down complexity to the lowest level that even the most ignorant owner can get started and do the job as thoroughly as an experienced person. Otherwise it's not documentation that's a helpful Howto must be. Pelican Parts does a decent job, but often slips into the assumption you know what you're doing in addition to overlook a step or two on the way. Their O2 sensor test description is not a complete test as @Porschetech3 wrote in a thread involving a CEL with acomplete test, diagnostic information and the values the be within to be considered in working condition or it's failing or dead. I would be ecstatic if you broke down every step on each issue you are addressing in video min detail as you go through your updates/Refresh or upgrade so I can showcase and credit your work. NOTE: I will copy anything related to any HowTo subject, but I also make sure I give the credit due the person source it from. I don't copy the entire document without proper permission required under copyright law unless it's labeled as public domain for everybody's use. I'm out of here. For anyone reading this and interested in making helping create our own 996 Howto, please send me a DM. Don't reply in this thread as a courtesy to others reading. TIA

Love this color - Orientrot - and just got one myself (01 Cabrio). Glad to hear it was only needing an alignment! Mine's currently on stock suspension with 17s so looks ready for a Rally ....yours looks great with the drop!

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Awesome! It's definitely a unique shade of red - ends up looking pink or orange in different lighting. And yes, the stock ride height was definitely indicative of its era, tons of wheel gap. On the other hand, im quite surprised how low these coilovers go. I have mine set probably within 10% of their highest setting, which is fine overall, but pretty sure the oil pan would be on the ground if i went close to their lowest setting.

Figured I'd share a general update, as well as some other details/concerns that have since been addressed... Coilovers and alignment have worked wonders for the ride quality and handling/tracking/steering. It still had some clunkiness on various bumps and impacts, not extreme impacts either. Additionally, there was some vibration in the steering wheel and an uncomfortably light-floaty feeling at certain highway speeds. This turned out to be bad tires. Car had 2018 Continentals, which have since been replaced with fresh PS4S tires. Fresh tires really transformed the ride quality and fixed the aforementioned issues. I also installed those cheap trans mount reinforcement bushings, which made a modest difference. When i can find a proper tool/press, I'll replace the actual bushing itself. So now the car is actually driving how I thought it would when I bought it. Its been stressful and cost more money than I bargained for, but I feel some mild relief. It will certainly benefit from some further suspension updates; virtually all components with bushings to refine the final 10%, but that'll be next spring-summer.