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YOUR RESEARCHWhat's the stupidest money you ever spent on your 996?
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black thin-film
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Reported cause
For me it was the black thin-film that stick over the air-bag warning signs on the sun-shade mirrors.
What's the stupidest money you ever spent on your 996?
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Leading evidence: 'black thin-film' (1 discussions report identifying this cause; no attributable repair resolution). Across 1 matching discussions, the most frequently mentioned possible cause is 'black thin-film' (1 discussions; 1 report identifying it and 0 suggest it). The most frequently discussed action is 'Check turn signals)' (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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I've also spent about $50 on a California Car Duster thay I never use for fear of scratching the paint, two rock-chop repair kits, $150 for a Porsche bra (bought for road trips yet never unpacked much less used), scads on the latest high-tech air pressure gauges (I have a box of them now), much more on the latest/greatest radar detectors (I finally wised up and bought a V1), about a dozen Porsche Key Fobs of various style/design, countless $$ on various leather conditioners - all promising to keep the interior leather as soft as Posh Spice's butt, $300 on various "car-dedicated vaccum cleaners (I steal the wife's Dyson now).
What's the stupidest money you ever spent on your 996?
Check turn signals)
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It's not much, but the $18 I spend every year for a vehicle inspection in Texas - (turn on the headlights, check the turn signals).
What's the stupidest money you ever spent on your 996?
Clean feeling
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Suggestion
$40 hand washes at my local detail shop - but i love that clean feeling!
What's the stupidest money you ever spent on your 996?
Repair kits, $150
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Suggestion
I've also spent about $50 on a California Car Duster thay I never use for fear of scratching the paint, two rock-chop repair kits, $150 for a Porsche bra (bought for road trips yet never unpacked much less used), scads on the latest high-tech air pressure gauges (I have a box of them now), much more on the latest/greatest radar detectors (I finally wised up and bought a V1), about a dozen Porsche Key Fobs of various style/design, countless $$ on various leather conditioners - all promising to keep the interior leather as soft as Posh Spice's butt, $300 on various "car-dedicated vaccum cleaners (I steal the wife's Dyson now).
What's the stupidest money you ever spent on your 996?
Repair kits, $150
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Suggestion
I've also spent about $50 on a California Car Duster thay I never use for fear of scratching the paint, two rock-chop repair kits, $150 for a Porsche bra (bought for road trips yet never unpacked much less used), scads on the latest high-tech air pressure gauges (I have a box of them now), much more on the latest/greatest radar detectors (I finally wised up and bought a V1), about a dozen Porsche Key Fobs of various style/design, countless $$ on various leather conditioners - all promising to keep the interior leather as soft as Posh Spice's butt, $300 on various "car-dedicated vaccum cleaners (I steal the wife's Dyson now).
What's the stupidest money you ever spent on your 996?
Use ), scads
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Performed · outcome unconfirmed
I've also spent about $50 on a California Car Duster thay I never use for fear of scratching the paint, two rock-chop repair kits, $150 for a Porsche bra (bought for road trips yet never unpacked much less used), scads on the latest high-tech air pressure gauges (I have a box of them now), much more on the latest/greatest radar detectors (I finally wised up and bought a V1), about a dozen Porsche Key Fobs of various style/design, countless $$ on various leather conditioners - all promising to keep the interior leather as soft as Posh Spice's butt, $300 on various "car-dedicated vaccum cleaners (I steal the wife's Dyson now).
What's the stupidest money you ever spent on your 996?
Coverage and how to read this overview
Counts describe captured discussions, not unique people or a diagnosis. Author identities are not reliably stored. Exact duplicate evidence is counted once across matching discussions; one discussion counts at most once per action/state. Multiple repairs reported together remain a combination. Suggestions and failed attempts do not establish a fix. Matches cover whole discussions and can include related faults, model variants and incomplete threads.
78 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: 20261027T161234Z · outcome-qualification-6. Deterministic extraction; no AI model inference. How we use sources
This stupidest thing I ever purchased was the black rear taillight film kit. Very cheap off eBay. I still really want my taillights blacked out, but this was impossible to seat with the curvature of the lights.
You ain't kidding considering your car already has one. From the Cup's no less!
As for me?
I would have to say that for me it would be NOTHING. Every dime I have spent on all my P-Cars has been money spent that brings me great satisfaction. Can't say I have bought anything like that silver painted gas cap. But if I have to say from a high dollar, non-functional aesthetic purchase, I did spend damn near $500 on those Ralph Booth silver crest custom made center caps. Sweet *** bling bling jewelry for the car.
Hmmm - if not the $11K for a new motor out of warranty (which I don't think anyone should have to spend on a car with 54K miles), then for me it was also the $375 colored center caps. They look great though.
I've spent about $4K on engine mods (see signature below), $1.3K on GT2 wheels (ebay trade), and $1.4K on interior stuff (aluminum and wood e-break and shifter, leather covered airbag, GT2 padded wheel) and have not regretted a cent. What I do regret are the parts I --try-- that are not only junk, but so bad I would feel guilty unloading them on ebay (like the K&N CAI). I just throw this stuff away. If I bought something at K-Mart, I bet I could take it back. Why are Porsche performance parts often just junk?
Yeah I know, we discussed that already.
https://rennlist.com/forums/showthre...trut+brace+996
However, I've to say that I'm very happy with my 2nd horizonal connection between the front wheels - the GT3 sway bar upgrade. That compensates me for the useless strut brace.
For me it was the black thin-film that stick over the air-bag warning signs on the sun-shade mirrors. They are cheap and easy to remove if they start peeling off
I just hate to see those ugly warning signs each time I sit in the car...
ha i just spent 55 bucks on bosch icon wiper blades.... yeah i was so happy when i bought them now i realize how dumb it is to spend 55 bucks on wiper blades...
$475 yesterday on a new P Zero Rosso to replace the nearly new right rear that picked up a nail. I had the nailed tyre plugged, but I'm not happy taking it to 165 mph at the Silver State on Sunday.
I bought an extra liter of tranny fluid thinking that it is better to be over than to be under when refilling the trans box. Now I have an extra liter kicking around the trunk because the shop will not accept chemical product returns...
dumbest thing and NEVER installed: Boomerang, this protection plate saves your nose panel from damage and protects the radiators and front condensers from highway damage. .....RIGHT!! Never installed.
other stupid thing: RADAR...what a waste...luckily it came in a beautiful black alu case...to prevent it from catching dust!
[ I did spend damn near $500 on those Ralph Booth silver crest custom made center caps. Sweet *** bling bling jewelry for the car.[/QUOTE]
I have those on my Boxster. I was suprised to find that they fit over the wheel surface and not "into" the recess. I have both a Boxster and a C4S currently. If I ever sell the Boxster I will prolly move them to the C4S.
I spent $3,000 plus 10 hours of labor for a set of custom Recaro Sportline Topline seats. They have fans.
I've also spent about $50 on a California Car Duster thay I never use for fear of scratching the paint, two rock-chop repair kits, $150 for a Porsche bra (bought for road trips yet never unpacked much less used), scads on the latest high-tech air pressure gauges (I have a box of them now), much more on the latest/greatest radar detectors (I finally wised up and bought a V1), about a dozen Porsche Key Fobs of various style/design, countless $$ on various leather conditioners - all promising to keep the interior leather as soft as Posh Spice's butt, $300 on various "car-dedicated vaccum cleaners (I steal the wife's Dyson now).
I have resisted it so far, but I have to admit that I really like that gas cap.....
This is one of the best post I ever read....takes a lot of Ballssssss to stand up to some of these usless money spent upgrade(or downgrade). And because of your bravery, many of us will be spared from the same misktake. Keep it going guys....love it.
Although not for the 996, as a younger man, I once bought a sunroof deflector for my 84 GTI. I was too cheap to get the right kind, and bought the stick-on kind. While attempting to install it in the glaring sun on a black car, it adhered crooked. Of course, it broke when I tried to remove it, and I subsequently spend 3 hours waxing the gunk off the roof - then went and bought the right one.
Stefan
You know funny story of mine... i go up to a chevron gas station where they do decent hand washes alongside the typical huge auto wash.... and by a complete freudian slip i ask the attendant: "How much for a hand job?"
She replied with a slight giggle... $20 + tax.
Most expensive? I sold my 1990 red/tan 964 in 2002 for a new E46 M3 after only having it just over a year. Don't get me wrong. BMW's are fine cars and the M3 was all is was advertised to be. The problem? It was NOT a Porsche and did not drive like one. It was faster than the 964 but just not the driving experience. That's when I first got back into the sports car scene, that was the flash that caught my eye. I've now learned not to be quite so quick with the checkbook.
Man! I miss that car!
Hilarious!!
I think the silliest thing I've ever bought for my 996 is the the key hole plug for the door. Cheap, but every time I see it on my car I laugh about it......so I guess I got good value for my money.
I have given SERIOUS thought about the key fob. The one for my CAB is all worn out so the new "911" would look great and the GT3 would look great with the "GT" key. Ah so tempting. I already have the $500 cupholder for the CAB but just haven't done the install of it.
I do agree though. The stupidest is the wood. $8k? There are people in this country that barely even make that in a year. (min wage with 4 weeks off)
The 8k wood package is ponderous, but the entire car can make you shake your head. Over 100k for a car... I know people don't live in 100k dollar homes in this country.
$2K for a two year warranty (aftermarket). So far, complete waste of money. But I guess if something happens, it wasn't foolish.
$8k on the wood package is my vote for winner! It does look rich though!
And, this country needs MORE $20 hand-jobs!!
I gotta admit, *sometimes* i'm very tempted to dump the 911 for that v10 m6/5.
and that $8K wood package gets my vote. it's one thing if it looked good on the car, but that looks absolutely ridiculous - looks like it belongs on a rolls royce or something.
are those key fobs OEM porsche?
Do you need any programming with the key fob? my key still works great but the key fob is worn and loose. sometimes, it will not transmit a signal when pressing the button.
Yeah, but if you need the $8k to get wood in the first place, the $20 hand job/washes wouldn't do much good without, would they ?
- N
P.S. Yeah, I bought the $20 dollar vinyl airbag sticker covers from ebay, too, before someone pointed out the DIY on renntech on removing the stickers completely. Oh well, judging from this thread, $20 wasted ain't much in this game. But I've only had my car 6 months - I'm sure I'll have opportunities to waste lots more money before I'm done
P.P.S. One thing I don't regret is the B&M SSK I just got installed in my car - wee! Feels much more like a sports car now.
i got one that's recent
i just spent $3500 on a set of work wheels being made in japan as we speak, but just bought my OZ3s for $4K 5-6 months ago. so once the work wheels come in i'll have 2 sets of 19x12 widebody fitment wheels.
i swap wheels like your wives swap heels.
Thanks Rob, I have the bird thingy too, and I always wondered why that velcro was covering the old key lock and what the hell that disc was......
AS for that erector set piece of crap cup holder I never and will never use the thing, maybe I could make a small bridge?
(Thanks dell, doin my part to keep the board green...lol)
Oh and I forgot to leave my own response..... GAS!!!!!!, no really, I am pretty practical and haven't wasted a dime on my car that I regret or think is stupid.
I too suffer from the hidden gas cap:
and the key fob:
and since I am addicted, I am getting ready to spend $2500 on various leather bits and pieces for the interior.
Dumb and proud.
I've got a buddy that lives in an $80k house that's currently shopping for a 996TT. He doesn't seem to mind that one of his cars will be worth about the same as his home.
I actually have something that takes care of what I hear you guys complain alot about; instead of stock visors with the horrible stickers my car came with leather visors.
After seeing your 996 and that you put 19"s on it I'm taking that as a compliment - mine's the anti-Ben
Yea, the key fob is OEM. I got mine from Suncoast. You use your old blade ( metal part ) and the little capsule that communicates w/your ignition.
Thanks, when I first saw your post I was like noooooooo.
Did that too, but PSE. I like the choice - go slow and listen to music, or push it and listen to the exhaust sing.
$50 for California Car Duster!!?? you can get one at Target for $10 (The origional brand)
PS They won't scratch your paint but dont use it on an overly dirty car. Keep it waxed and dust it off aftr each drive.
Wow that is an expensive wood job, does make it look more luxory than sport, but I guess it falls in both categories. Looks very good IMO. I def want one of those keys!!
I thought the gas cap was the dumbest thing but I might get honorable mention for this:
After buying an 02 C4s last year I spent $118 on a valet key. The key sits in a drawer at home. I never let a valet park my car.
Come on Dell, I never give consideration to what others can afford or what they make in a year when making my purchase decisions. And, I hope they never consider mine. Heck, using that logic, we should all be driving Tercels.
On an aside, I have, admittedly, been longing for that gas cap. Tell me Gary, does it lock down tighter? And moreover, did it come with that rubber leash? Nice looking!
It seals in the flavour.
But seriously, it's actually made from rendered 993s. This gives it magical healing properties and wards off evil spirits. Plus, yes, it comes with a rubber leash, like so many fun things do.
one can make a supportable arguement that spending over $100k on a car is stupid, irrespective of how the pile of cash parsed out.
and bennie always has such nice things to say about other's choices.....you know, cause he is sooooooo cool and all.
I know this is not money actually spent on the car but....
$80.00 on a P'3100 Porshce Design "Writing Tool" : Pen.
Now Im wondering if it's a really pen....
I like those leather visors - bet they would look nice in black! I vote them "not" a stupid purchase!
That light up 911 key head - does it have one or two buttons??
