Help Me Option A 2003 Carrera Coupe

In a few weeks I will be ordering my first Porsche ever. I need to keep the car around $85K, including tax, etc. Tenatively, I have selected the following options:Radio, AM/FM ETR Stero with CD (696) $350.Brake/Shifter, Interior Color Aluminum/Leather (YO6) $875. Floor Mats, Embroidered Porsche Logo (XX1) $395. Seats, Dual Power Adjustment (P15) $1535. Wheels Sport Classic (XRB) $2790. Wheel Covers W/Porsche Crest (446) $175. Head Restraint W/Crest (XSC) $215. Rocker Panels Flared (X76) $1750. Looking for some tips?????????????????

Forgot to include Interior Trim All Leather $3250.

Dont know how much you have left but the following are excellent options: If its a c2 then the aerokit looks really cool. Furthermore the sports exhaust and sports suspension. Enjoy choosing...

For what it is worth, I would seriously consider the following options: PSM--a must for the 2 wheel drive models. ($1230) Advanced Technical Package: Gives your the Bose Stereo/CD system/changer, Bi Xenon, headlamp washers. ($3240) Confort Pkg: Power seats, lumber support,seat and mirror memory. ($2100) Heated Seats: If important in your climate. ($415) I've had my 2002 C2 about a month now, and feel the options above have enhanced my driving experience. In terms of overall cost, while the addition of these options would increase your total MSRP, between the substitution of some options you've already speced, plus the $3 to $4 K discount you should be able to negotiate from your dealer...the cost would be about a wash. Good luck!

Did you look at the C4S - I know it's a lot more initially, but there isn't much you can put on it. Fully loaded, mine came in at 87k FWIW I'd pick Xenon headlights and the Auto Dimming mirror as the 2 best options. Leave the Bose alone. It's not too good, and costs way too much. You could do a lot better aftermarket for the same sort of money.

For '03 you can order the Xenon's without the package. They are dropping most 'packages' so you can now order individual options.

This is my ideal Coupe: Cobalt Blue ($3050) Full black leather ($3250) 18" Carrera wheels, code 411 ($1325) PSM ($1230) CD Radio ($350) Adv Technic Package ($3240) Rear center console in ext color, code XME ($725) Crest in headrests ($215) Seat belts-Maritime Blue ($535) Deviating stiching on seats, Blue ($230) Deviating stiching reat of car, Blue ($290) That totals $81,780 including destination charges. Lux tax (federal) is 3% over $40,000. And in this case that means $1253.40 on top of that. State taxes differ. Now for a fantasy car, I would add Special chassis ridgidly tuned (M030) $690 and the Sport Exhaust and finally Flaired rocker panels...

How do the flared rocker panels look like?Are you talking about side skirts? And if they are and if they look nice can it be installed on pre-02 models? Thanks in advance. Mike

You can get the aluminum shifter/ brake lever for $500 or so from Gert at carnewal.com- then you not only save but have TWO sets of levers , so you put the orig back when you trade in and sell the optional set yourself. At trade in, you would get nothing extra for this option. Same goes for painted wheel crest centers- why pay $175 as that is the same price or more that you pay at any dealers parts desk. Buy them there and like the levers above, you have TWO sets ( colored and plain) for same price .

Regarding John Murray's Maritime Blue seat belts - they are a light powder/pastel blue. Not sure if that's the look 'ya want with Lapis/Black.

MKW, The blue belts match up nicely, and the color I picked is Cobalt Blue, WAY different than Lapis Blue which we all have seen. Have you seen the blue belts in person? I like them a lot.

Didn't I read somewhere that there will ba an X51 power enhancement package? I'd always pass on the trim pieces that don't add speed and spend the cash on power (if really available) and the sport suspension. You'll kick yourself hard the day you want to take the car to the track and failed to specify performance enhancers. AS

Duh. The X51 bit is in the 4/25 thread on this board. If you learn availability dates from your dealer, please post. AS

I'd go for the red seat belts

Ordered this last week... 2003 C2 Coupe X51 Power Pkg (345 hp), 030 Suspension, 6 spd sunroof delete, alum guages, full leather interior sport seats w/ logos, carbon fiber package, CF door sills, CF shift/brake, CF Rear Console HiFi, CD, CD Changer, 18" sport design wheels w/ logos and xenon lights, flared rockers and rear spoiler

Ed Newman, Check with your dealer, Porsche has just announced that the flared rocker panels will not be available until further notice. This is common with Porsche when nearing the end of a production model year, they remove certian options from order deck. After the next model year is introduced, or production begins, the options are released for production. Good Luck.

M030 and Sport exhaust. <img src="graemlins/jumper.gif" border="0" alt="[jumper]" />

Not quite sure if your post was before or after your C2 vs C4S question. Looking at your option list, some are standard on the C4S, so it seems you are going for the C2. In that case, make sure you have the lowered (sport) suspension, PSM, and wider 18" sport wheels with the lower profile and wider tires they come with. Make sure the tires are P-Zeros and not Contis, altho both are good tires. The C4S has an improved exhaust song over the C2, so get the sport exhaust. Brakes will have to be improved as an aftermarket. That will get you some improvement in handling closer to the C4S handling. Now, if you can only order the AWD and wider track as an option..... Get the Bixenon headlights, definitely worth the dough on either C4S or C2. Rocker panels are $1750? It's standard on the C4S and it certainly makes the car look so much better. It should be standard on all Porsches. Definitely get those. If you think you will ever have need for cassette tapes (audio books, lectures and whatnot), don't get the CD Radio but get the cassette radio with the CD changer. Just make sure you still have the premium sound system, since they seem to be unbundling packages for 2003. However, I've heard that the CD radio will be standard in 2003. Also, have the dealer replace that useless CD/Cassette tray with a useful plain bin. If you have the CD radio rather than changer, a CD wallet will hold more CD's, and that bin can be pretty useful for sunglasses, garage door openers (why hasn't Porsche heard of Homelink?), condoms...errr condiments is what I meant. On the power upgrade. I've heard the MSRP is $14K. Not to offend anybody, but for a small increase in HP with no torque increase, it's an awfull long run for a teenie/non-existent slide. Other than that, everything else is pretty much to taste and what you want. I love those crests and logos. Good luck, have fun, enjoy the car, congratulations!! I HAVE to get some SLEEP!!!.

Sorry John- I must have been half asleep when I read your post. Cobalt blue/ maritime blue belts will look sharp! Have you thought about grey interior / sports seats with painted ext color backs/and metropol blue dev carpet ? On , second thought, that might be getting TOO Smurfy.

If you go for full leather, the sport seats are a no brainer for $275.00. The X51 is available immediately, with a very limited run - see your dealer ASAP The X51 DOES have a significant torque increase although the peak torque remains the same.

Ed , you need to see a TQ curve comparo to make that statement. For instance, on the TT's X50 powerkit option, the peak TQ was higher, but the width of the TQ plateau was trimmed 2000 rpm , so it's much " peakier" , less " squirty" in around town driving. Will be interesting to see TQ/HP graph overlay on the 996 motor.

I am hoping to get graphs from PCNA. I can only go by their word for now. The turbo package is different than the carrera power kit. I am not sure if I entirely believe their increase numbers anyway. I have heard that the X50 cars had more that advertised. PAG is known for being conservative. Only time will tell the truth. I hope to dyno the car once it has a couple hours on it. Then I will have some real number and a baseline for modifications.