New to me 03 C4s

I've been lurking around this site for some time and recently joined officially upon the acquisition of the aforementioned. I've wanted a 911 since I was twelve (it only took me 30 years!) and I feel like a 12 year-old with a new bike! Not my first Porsche, but my first 911 and first Porsche in 20 years as I've owned nothing but BMW cars over the last two decades. Just wanted to say hi, formally introduce myself -- Hi, I'm Joey and I'm a junky for anything with a motor -- and thank you for the wealth of info I've already found here. While I typically only buy cars from meticulous owners with a full service history, I got a really good vibe from an ex jet aircraft mechanic selling his C4s in a rural Missouri. The car did have some records and the PO gave me a rundown of everything he'd done under his ownership. Also provided me with the service history from Porsche dealers over the years. Not comprehensive, but a good baseline to know what i was getting. Beyond that, the car is well optioned from the factory (full leather, upgraded alluminum trim pkg, PSE, PASM, SS exhaust) and previous owners spent gobs of money installing one of the most insane audio systems I've ever seen in a car (I'm an audio guy and work in the music industry here in Nash, it's probably a $10k stereo including the super high end install), a K-40 Calibre system and a set of Carrera classics. A PPI revealed only the need for a new set of coils, rear brake pads and a brake fluid flush. I did the coils last weekend and found a small coolant leak that the PPI tech missed. Just a few wear items as i get this girl back to 100%. As you can see, I have no problems taking cars apart, I went a bit overboard doing the coils, but the extra disassembly made the job very easy.... And all back together and clean.... The interior got a full cleaning and detail with the full leather interior getting the comprehensive Lexol treatment. I plan to claybar and seal the exterior in the coming weeks.

Sweet car and welcome!

Nice car

Love the pics, well done...

Brilliant! I know just how you feel Enjoy what must be one of a man's best toys!

With your credentials, I've got to see a pic of this stereo! Congrats on the purchase. A lot of us were lifelong dreamers like you, so we know the feeling! For me, over time, it amplified. Enjoy the drives!

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Thanks all, I've been a very active member in the BMW community and hope to contribute similarly in the Pcar world. L Honestly sir, i have to back up a bit.... ok, maybe it's not the most insane, but it's better than most you see. I'll take some photos in the coming days and post up, but so far I've been able to locate 2 LARGE Zapco DSP amps ($3k), two 8" Treo subs ($1400) in a custom enclosure in the rear parcel shelf and a dated but serviceable Clarion DD head unit w/ Nav, back up cam, etc. etc. Which is great, as the 8" is my diameter of choice for LFE in 12volt audio, particularly coupes with a sloped rear window. Not sure what the rest of the drivers are, but I'm certain they are not the original drivers behind the Bose grills. The amp rack is nicely done in the boot w/ a backlit false floor featuring the Carrera logo. Not something I would have done, but it makes me feel like I'm college again... and hey, ain't that the point?

Very nice!

Congrats, enjoy in good health!

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Way overdue to update this thread, here goes... Sorry Dr., every weekend i say i'm gonna take some awesome pix of the install and it just doesn't happen. So here are some really crappy pix taken from inside my dark garage.... I'm not so sure about the giant plexiglass Porsche logo on top of the DVD drive, but it's super glued on, so it'll take a bit of thinking to resolve that. Otherwise, the false floor w/ backlit venting is pretty nifty... A couple of massive Zapco amplifiers stacked vertically in a rack that looks sturdy enough to withstand a 70mph head on collision... The subwoofer enclosure w/ a far more appropriately sized crest... Which houses two Treo subwoofers... Not pictured is the Clarion double din that controls all this, it's a bit outdated and needs to be updated. And Hertz speakers replace all oem Bose speakers throughout. Honestly, I had not heard of most of these brands until purchasing the car, but was pleasantly surprised at the quality throughout. Still using my PC to program it all, it's quite a process. More importantly, I've really sunk my teeth into making this car one that i only have to worry about on a daily basis and not hourly, lol. Here's a quick rundown of what I've done.... 09/05/17 97923mi -Coil Packs 6 (99760210402KT1KT) -Serpentine belt 9/20/17 98253mi -Coolant expansion tank 1 (99610615704) -Coolant expansion cap 1 (99610644704) -Engine deck lid struts 2 (99651255104) 9/29/17 98272mi -Door Lock Mechanism 1 (8N1837015C) 10/3/17 98316mi L&N Oil Change Bundle -Magnetic drain plug 1 -Spin on Adaptor 1 -Replacement Oil filter 2 -Magnetic Drain Plug Washer 5 -Filter Mag 1 -Joe Gibbs Racing Oil (quart) 12 DT 40 -Joe Gibbs Break In Oil 5w40 (quart) 12 5w40 12/20/17 98777mi -Full coolant flush and new Porsche coolant 1 -Water Pump 1 99610601157m100 -Water Pump Gasket 1 99610634051INT -Thermostat/Housing 1 99610601359M902 -Coolant Hose 1 99610685006 -Coolant Hose 1 99610685103 -Coolant Joining Socket 1 99610622652 -Coolant Drain plug washer 1 90012314430 -Coolant Hose 1 99610623356m100 -Rose combination Light (�orientation light that shines on ignition/light switch) 1 01/07/18 99353mi Upgraded all interior/exterior lights with the exception of the High/Low Beam headlights to LED bulbs. And while i was at it, i decided to wire up a second rear fog light -- nothing would make a cop in Nash happier than to pull over a Porsche for having a tail light out. And trust me, explaining to him why he's wrong would not help, lol.... One of the findings from the PPI was the need for a new clutch -- it didn't feel horrible, but upon inspection once removed it was indeed. Flywheel was no longer useable as a result, even a resurface was a non-option. So this one was a biggie and I paid someone else to do it... 2/2/18 99795mi -Inner/Outter Tie Rod Boots (4) -AOS 99610702651 -Brake Fluid Flush -Clutch Kit 1 99611691102 -Clutch Release Arm 1 99711671201 -Flywheel 1 DMF024 -Flywheel Bolt 8 99907309202 -IMSb (L&N Single Row 2nd Generation) 1 -Ball Socket Bushing 1 99611671602 -Pressure Plate Bolt 6 90006713103 -Rel. Brg. Guide 1 9P1141181 -Release Arm Spring 1 12141741 -Driven DT40 Motor Oil 9 -CV Boot Kit Front-Outer 2 99634929100 -Axle Nut-Front 2 99908463402 -CV Boot Kit Front-Inner 2 99634929300 -Cam Plug-Front 2 99610421554 -Driveshaft Flex Joint 1 99742102000S1 2/24/18 99899mi -Frunk latch mechanism 1 99661320600 -Front Driver Side Headlight mounting platform 1 99663117300 -Transmission Fluid change I'm just a tick over $7k since purchase and haven't really pinched pennies in the process. Just figured this was good info for anyone shopping for a used 996. Do bare in mind, none of this stuff w/ the exception of the coolant tank, brake fluid and clutch was absolutely needed, but all of it is necessary at some point and I'd rather do these things on my time in my garage vs my mechanic's after a tow based on parts failure. I do plan to update this thread w/ some pix, but keep procrastinating in general, so this is at least a first step in the right direction. Oh, and just to let you know how much in love I've fallen for the 996, I've made my beloved e30 sleep outside in the rain all week to make room in the garage for my C4s to have a friend over. A buddy of mine has had his speed yellow Targa sitting idle all winter as he lost his alternator during a track session we went to last fall. So i changed it out at his house and brought it home for, um, observation.....

Welcome & congrats! Clean 996 - enjoy the ride

purdy 996, congrats on finding the right car for you. The SY targa has a nice stance, spacers & coilovers or springs it looks like.

That's a clean ride. Congrats!

Very nice C4S! I have an '04 Arctic Silver... similar specs as yours. I just picked it up in September and my preempted maintenance is very similar to yours - I went with the LN IMS Solution so I do not have ever have to worry about that part again! I do not want to get stranded on the road! Enjoy and I am very interested to see what head unit you replace the clarion with. I am leaning towards an Alpine unit but there's a Sony unit out that is very simple and clean. Cheers!

super nice! thanks for the pics!

Awesome car! Enjoy it and would love to see some more pics when you get the chance.

Congrats on the purchase, and nice car! Its hard to tell in the pictures - but be sure not to use your floor jack on the oil pan / sump plate to lift the weight of the car. There is a cross-member under there that I'm assuming is what you lifted on, but figured I'd throw that out there just in case. You mentioned the stainless exhaust option. I believe mine has this as well and I was under the impression it referred to the quad tips - but yours has ovals, so now I'm not so sure. Does anyone know what that options actually is? Cheers Charlie

Your car just looks....happy! Nice car.

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All good! I'm familiar with the phenomenon of "time travel" It just has a way of getting away from you, doesn't it? Even the ones you posted show the car off well, and yeah, that's some stereo alright! Acetone will dissolve super glue quickly and easily, but acetone can also mess with the surface you're trying to un-glue from, so double-check that it wouldn't damage the DVD cover in the process. If it damages the plexi Porsche logo I'm guessing your stance is "who cares!?" At any rate - congrats on the car, it's a looker!

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Thanks all. Never thought i'd be a Porsche guy, good thing the market missed these cars. I get the concerns w/ the M96, but all high performance cars are built to high tolerances and are prone failure in one mode or another. I'll gladly accept the risk based on the reward i get with each drive. Thanks, Fabspeed cold air kit going on next weekend. Thanks, I really think i did! Some people would argue that the audio system is uneeded weight, but these cars have no problem getting out of their own way and i'm a musi dude, so yes, perfect car for me! The Targa is stanced perfectly save a small spacer on the front wheels. My car will look the same in the coming months, I'm just torn on sticking with 19's or going back to the oem spec. Nice! I contemplated the solution, but the IMSB is only one of many modes of failure on these cars. Honestly, I contemplated even changing the stock IMSB, I'm of the ilk that if it was a bad one, it would have gone out by now given the car has a 100k mi on it. The bearing we pulled was in perfect shape. But the piece of mind was enough to do the retrofit given i was already doing the clutch. The solution would have required me shipping the car off, so it would have been far more expensive and not worth it in my mind. If money was of no object i may have chosen differently, but i have a few years now to decide i wanna keep it forever and install the solution -- the retrofit is a wear item unlike the stock unit, so I'm now forced with either servicing the part or installing the solution. Yes, I did use the crossmember on the right or left side for most of the repairs. It was necessary to drop the motor from the mounts when i was doing the expansion tank, so i used a piece of wood to disperse the weight a bit wider near the oil pan otherwise i used the suspension crossmember as you recommend. I'm honestly not sure, according to the build sheet, it has the SS exhaust. Nothing upon inspection leads to contrary. I know the oval tips are standard and i believe the quad tips to be an option independent of the SS exhaust option, but I could be wrong. It becomes faster and faster with every passing day, lol. Thanks for the tip and kind words. The frunk lid stays closed most of the time, so I'm not in a rush to alter it, but def on the list. I only have about 37 projects ahead of it right meow. Thanks for the kind words, can't wait to drop it a bit and replace the god awful replica nb fitment classics. I suppose small spacers aren't frowned upon given Porsche themselves sell 'em, but the one currently on the back is unacceptable.I finally made that trip to Tail Of The Dragon... And upon return, realized my headlights need to be polished again -- at some point, I'll clear 'em instead of just waxing after polishing, but this lasted me about 1.5yr and takes less than an hour, so whatevs...

Slick ride! Congrats

WAAAY over due to update this thread, so here's a stab at getting somewhat current.... 3/1/18 100003mi -Fabspeed Inake Boot 1 -Oil Cap 1 99610703552 -Coolant Fan Series Resistor 1 99662414100 Soon after purchasing the car, i replaced the stock shifter with a 997 shifter. It was an improvement over stock, but I wanted something with a "bit more" -- so i went with the oem Teqequipment SKK with EVOMs billet linkage which works great... 8/3/18 101955mi RSS Motor Mounts 2 8/30/18 102008mi Driver side radiator fan replaced 1 11/29/18 102965mi Oil change: Driven DT40 (12quarts) | Nappa Gold Filter 1 1/10/19 105977mi Forgestar CF5V Wheels (4) | Bridgestone Potenza SO4 (235/40/ZR19 | 305/30/ZR19) 1/17/19 106153mi Fuel vent valve 1 99620114301 1/20/19 106153mi Alluminum Speedo Rings 1 1/26/19 106200mi -Cabin Air Filter 1 99657221902M63 -Fuel Pressure Sensor For Tank 1 99660620500M14 Probably the nastiest cabin filter I've ever seen -- I've checked and checked again and no signs of rodents knawing at my electrical.... 4/21/19 107285mi Oil change: Driven DT40 (12quarts) | Nappa Gold Filter 1 4/29/19 107390mi Headlight Angle Sensor Bracket 1 99634137103 6/1/19 107900mi Starter Bosch - NEW (not remanufactured) 1 SR0808N While I'm NOT trying to say there's a cure for bore scoring or that some snake oil is gonna prevent it -- I've been more than impressed with LubriMoly products over the year and giving Ceratec a try. My e46 received a full LubriMoly treatment years ago with under 100k on the clock and it's still going strong at 278k While I'm still debating if I love the black wheels or not (looks A LOT better in person), if i keep 'em, this is what I think I'm gonna work towards. Now that i have a lot of the perishables knocked out, I'm gonna start working more on the aesthetics as soon as i bang out suspension and brake upgrades....

Great stuff! - Joey! I really enjoy the journeys that others take, especially when documented with photos and good descriptions. Thanks for finding the time to keep this going. It's especially nice to see where you started. It gives me a better appreciation of any advice offered to me, as you have done in my thread. One thing I noticed in early photos. I think this is a front knuckle. See the circled area. There is a similar, but less pronounced, 'feature' on the other side. Hope this isn't serious...

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GREAT (eye) SCOTT!! As I did not wish to tackle that job, that was one of the few i let someone else do, and therefore never noticed that in the pix they sent during replacement. Full brake/suspension refresh are up next and I will absolutely give this a close look, thank you!

Thank for sharing! I have gone almost through exactly the same maintenance than you on my C4S, and yes, I think that gives a good idea what a new owner has to expect.

I had a sitch at a gas station where nothing happened after turning the key when trying to leave, the 5min i sat there and pondered, "Why did you not buy an extra ignition switch and put it in your glovebox???" was enough to have me order two, replace the one on the car and put a spare in the glovebox! 6/23/19 107987 Ignition Switch (2) 4A0905849BM253 At the same time, i bought some extra door panel clips as i wanted to adjust my door windows to eliminate a bit of wind noise and don't think I've ever taken a door card off w/o mangling a few of those. Door Panel Clips (10) 99950750540OEM The Rennlister that sold me the black wheels earlier in this thread hosed me, they were bent and apparently twisted upon arrival and had a vibration at speed, so i bought a set BRAND NEW wheels to rawk until i get my suspension sorted and make a long term commitment to some wheels from BBS (or the like). 8/23/19 108722 Wheel Dynamics Wheels R66 Silver Brushed Face w/ Polished Lip [19x8.5" Front ET 45 (2) / et40 | 19x11" Rear ET 40 (2)] Silver Centercaps w/ Gold Porsche Crest (4) This was also a good time to replace the two front tires that I had ordered/installed a few months earlier thinking it'd fill up the fender well a bit better -- bad idea as it rubbed, so out with those and got the right size. 9/6/19 108754 Bridgestone Potenza S-04 235/35R19 (2) Mounted, balanced and installed -- i think they look pretty good. RwQ1kKd.jpg 5CESDYL.jpg And apparently, I'm not the only one as I somehow one first prize for Best 996 at the 2019 PCA Musik Stad Concours! nYcrhEw.jpg 10/26/19 109285 Oil Change: Driven DT40 0 OIL ON HAND | Nappa Gold Filter 1 11/6/19 Speeddiagnostix Oil Analysis Test 1 I got tired of watching my oil gauge bounce at idle from time to time, so time to change that out 11/17/19 Oil Sending Unit 1 99660620303 Out with the old... MhIizQL.jpg And in with the new... KSyc4wX.jpg I somehow got behind on the oil changing, so quickly did that 6/2/20 111111 Oil Change | Driven DT40 (12) | Nappa Gold Filter 1 | Replacement Drain Plug Washers (5) 06/09/20 Speeddiagnostix Oil Analysis Test 1 The PPI before it was mine said the alternator was at 60%, so i had that on the list since i brought it home, but was waiting for the 997 upgraded version to go on sale at Amazon, lol. Got the Y cable from Pelican to complete the starter/alternator/Y-cable trifecta! 6/12/20 111185 Bosch Alternator (NEW not remanned) (1) AL0815N Battery Y Cable (1) 99660701901 SZMrWcQ.jpg Vja8Z9l.jpg I replaced the headlight angle sensor the year prior and when i saw something hanging down from the rear suspension during an oil change, i knew what it was immediately. 6/15/20 111185 Headlamp Angle Sensor Bracket (REAR) 1 99634137103 When adjusting my windows, one of these just decided to walk the F off, so easy order/fix here. Door sealing plug on driver's side door 1 99970354240 A bit of a senseless project here. I had a bit of a rattle from the rear driver's side and after taking the bumper/sound deadening material off the rear noticed a clamp who's bolt had snapped so i ordered a replacement. After spending a few hours to R&R that, i realized it was actually the weld on the muffler tip itself that had failed and was causing the rattle. So I'll need to get my buddy to bring his torch over one afternoon soon. Exhaust clamp (muffler to muffler tip) (1) 996111108

Nice work! Makes me feel guilty about not giving my c4s enough attention!