tiptronic woes...

Used search and came up with ideas, but the transmission malfunctions were not describe very well. My problem began as follows. Saturday took the car out, not even fully warmed, entering a freeway onramp in Drive at maybe ten mph. As I slowly start to increase speed in second gear it suddenly lurches forward and there is a BIG thump...almost as if getting rear ended, but such was not the case. When I get to the top of the onramp...maybe in third or fourth gear...traffic is slow and heavy. I start to accelerate to move into a faster lane and the same huge lurch and thump again happens. I glance down at the tiptronic indicator lights and they are flashing to let me know something is wrong. I ease off the freeway as the next exist. The car is in emergency mode and I drive back home on surface streets in what feels like third or fourth gear. Tiptronic warning lights flashing all the way. I pull into the garage and park. Check under the car, no signs of any fluid leak what so ever. I go inside, read my after market warranty and call the indie dealer and arrange to take the car in first thing Tuesday morning. I had no previous signs of distress from the transmission. Had it serviced for new fluid and gaskets in February. I drive it aggressively and often in manual mode to keep from lugging the engine. On downshifts I give a very slight blip of the throttle and get engine rev matching. I went down to the garage later, started and moved the car and had no warning lights or lurches. I reparked and it is still going into the shop on Tuesday and won't be driven until then. Reading what I could find here, and from driving the car, I don't think it is a "worn transmission" but rather something in the electronic controls, among those being: Tiptronic supply voltage speed sensors. TCU or valve body. Short circuit to B+ ground/between wire or open circuit. Solenoid on the conductor plate. All of the above were on threads about tiptronic "lurching." None described anything as sever as what I experienced. I am not a wrench/DIY guy. I would not know how approach any of the above possible causes. I'm going to let the shop find it and fix it but I'm looking for information that I might pass on to them and that I can also educate myself with. Anyone here have similar experiences and specific solutions or other possible causes? The car is a 2000 cab tiptronic with the later Diameler Chrysler generation tip that allows instant access of manual mode through the steering wheel buttons. Has 48k on the odometer. Thanks for any information.

Sounds like maybe a simple electronic hiccup that was remedied by simply turning the car off and restarting it again. Got my fingers crossed that your indie doesn't find anything too serious. These MB trannies have a bulletproof reputation (quite unlike my Audi D2 S8's!).

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It is important that when the Tip is serviced the fluid level is correct. This is not just a simple drain and refill. If this was not done correctly this can have the Tip low on fluid. If you can you can check the fluid level and confirm it is ok. Regarding the behavior, there can be some stored error codes that to a knowledgeable tech can give him a good idea of what is going on. He'll have to get the codes and work from there. It is possible the behavior was just a "glitch". I really don't like this as an explanation but I have read a number of vehicle road tests in which for some reason the car just started acting up and it got to the point the driver had to just pull over and shut off the engine and wait a while. While I do not recall coming upon any reports of Porsches doing this it is possible I suppose.

Hurdi, you don't have the Mercedes transmission. You have the ZF 5HP19 tiptronic. Emergency run mode is most likely a 3rd gear lock. If simple on/off fixed it, it seems like an electronic problem or can be related to trans fluid level.

Thanks everyone for the replies. I had the trans serviced in February (fluid changed, new gaskets and seals, and I'm guessing that if it was fluid level it would have showed up a lot sooner. But I will have everything checked, codes read, and I understand there is a way to check fluid level through the codes.

Whatever it turns out to be keep us posted.

Had the car just been washed or did you drive through standing water? That can trigger a temporary short and result in limp mode.

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That is correct Hurdi - you have the first generation ZF as your Carrera is a Mk1. I'd be worried about the thunk though - it sounds like something mechanical. Anyway - you need to hook up durametric or something else to see error codes. The Mercedes 722.9 transmission was put on the 2001 TURBO and 2002+ MkII Carrera models.

I'm still looking for Hurdi's post.....?!?!?!?

Are Hurdi and John Ireland the same person?

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Hurry had a really positive post a couple of days ago. I wanted to call it out but was afraid I would break the spell.

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I get it.

The age old rule of "If it happeend once, it will happen again, again and again at a much faster interval". So have a shop that knows these transmissions really well have a good look at it. At this point, it can be anything. Need a proper diagnosis before eve start guessing.

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No, not in several days. Got up this morning and drove it to the shop. Af first the trans malfunction lights didn't come on but as soon as it hit second gear it did. I'm fairly certain it isn't a short, they put code reader into the plug under the dash. It's either second gear or the TCU. Should know tomorrow. I talked to a psychic and she thought the car was just confused because it had such an easy first 43k miles and now I was abusing it and making it rev and speed and shift up and down via the buttons. The psychic says it is just like when a woman tells her husband she has a headache. But it's been so long since my wife and I have had headaches I'm not sure what to do.

Post up the codes as soon as you have them. Your dealership may not be the best place to diagnose a transmission issue...it's easier and cheaper (for them, not you) to install a new one than it is to disassemble, diagnose, repair, reassemble, and reinstall a "bad" one. If you feel like you're getting the "it's best to just install a new transmission" treatment - and it's your dime - finding an old-school transmission shop might be worth your while. This is another one of those times when having a $50 OBD-II code scanner and/or a Bluetooth/Wifi OBD-II adapter and Torque / one of the other apps for your phone would be really helpful, since you'd be able to read (and keep a record of) every diagnostic trouble code without a trip to the mechanic; some codes will clear after additional drive time and that diagnostic data can be lost...

OBD-2 scanner on my shopping list. The "dealer" is an indie...same place I bought the car and they are working on everything from old SC models up through the 2013 991s...which may or may not be a good thing. Its going to be on the warranty's nickel so they'll have a say in whether it is repair or replace. But you're absolutely right about it being time for me to learn code reading.

The good news is that "learning" code reading requires no learning at all - it's a piece of cake; the hard part used to be deciphering the codes, but now we have the Google and even that is a piece of cake.

You may need a durametric to read transmission codes. I don't believe ordinary ODBII readers will do the job.

OBDII scanner are not for transmission codes.

Good point - assuming the codes being thrown are transmission codes. Maybe John can find someone nearby with a Durametric pro (or an enthusiast with a couple of free VINs...).

Why not take it to an honest transmission shop that has the scanner? This way they can tell him what the codes mean too.

JI, buy the scanner below. I have the i980 for Mercedes, and it works great. It reads faults with every module and gives you ability to erase them (trans, seats, airbag...all modules I can find on my Mercedes). http://www.icarsoft.com/web/icarsoft...32y40p9_1.html

Looks very interesting but they don't list any prices on their site. Kind of strange. Edit: I see it on Ebay for about $100. Do you know the difference between the i960 and the more expensive POR II?

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This would be a good alternative to the Duramteric if it can do all these things on a Porsche too. Even better if it can read cam deviations. I know some just buy the Durametric to do simple things like reset airbag warning so it would even be good just for that for some peeps.

Wyo, I bought my Mercedes version off Amazon for about $110. So ebay price is about right. Version II seem to be just bigger units with larger screen, software seems to be the same as far as I could tell. Alpine, I am not sure about the cam deviation. I can check if my i980 unit can read live data and what it can pull. I know for a fact that on Mercedes it resets the SRS/Airbag light and lets you reset codes for every other electronic component. There is a PDF file on their site that gives you what tool can do for each model as well. Edit: searched for live data for the i960 on youtube. There are quite a few videos available. Live Data Porsche iCarsoft i960 - YouTube Porsche iCarsoft i960 Diagnostic Tool Testing *EXCLUSIVE 1st Ever Video* - YouTube Porsche iCarsoft i960 Diagnose Engine Warning Light & lumpy Running Lack Of Power - YouTube

This looks really good. I paid $70 for a generic reader that does a small fraction of what this does. It would be worth it just for activating the ABS system while doing brake fluid changes. The site isn't that great in terms of comparing the two devices. I would love to know if the higher-end model does more or if it just has a bigger screen. I'll ask that question their website.

I have a 2000 Cab tip. At 100k miles I had to replace the transmission. Porsche did nothing for me, of course. input shaft bearing in the tranny was the reported issue.

I have to humbly disagree with the iCarsoft i960. I bought one, and it wouldn't communicate with the car. Kept returning communication errors. I returned it and then purchased an Autel MD702 and it has worked wonders on both my Porsche and Volvos. http://www.auteltech.com/autelcms/Pr...ools/390.jhtml

Update: iCarssoft Unit does NOT work with 996's, only Turbos

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Was that recently? I think I read that there were problems with earlier version of the software. Edit: iCarsoft has confirmed that there units do NOT work with NA 996's, only with Turbos.

Regardless of how you get them or who gets them for you, John, it would be good to see what code(s) are present...

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HURDI ?????????????????????????????????????????????????????????? Duh

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No I do not. lol

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yeh so am I lol.

Things not going as quickly as hoped. However I'm fairly certain it is an electrical issue. First the warranty doesn't cover the TCU since it is outside the trans, not part of inside the case. While a pain in the butt, I'm more concerned that the problems hasn't been solved yet. I was told it was the TCU and on Friday I was called to say "the is ready to go." Below is the top page of the six pages I am giving to the service guy at 9 am tomorrow morning. I will not be going back to them after this and will interview another shop that has very good references. However I do want this shop to make one more run at getting it right. NOTES ON JOHN IRELAND’S 2000 911 CAB WITH TIPTRONIC 1. WHEN I PICKED UP THE CAR ON FRIDAY AND STARTED TO DRIVE HOME THERE WAS NO TIPTRONIC MODE, EITHER IN DRIVE OR IN MANUAL POSITION. I BROUGHT THE CAR BACK AND THE CODES WERE CLEARED AND WHEN I STARTED TO DRIVE HOME AGAIN, I WAS ABLE TO DOWN SHIFT FROM THIRD TO SECOND JUST ONCE AND THEN I AGAIN LOST ALL MANUAL CONTROL. IN BOTH CASES I DID NOT GET THE TIPTRONIC FLASHING WARNING LIGHTS. 2. ON SATURDAY MORNING I WENT TO DRIVE THE CAR AND BARELY GOT OUT OF THE GARAGE WHEN THE FLASHING WARNING LIGHTS IMMEDIATELY CAME ON. I DROVE THE CAR TO STA AND LEFT IT THERE SATURDAY MORNING. THE FOLLOWING IS TO DISCUSS THE DIFFERENCES BETWEEN THE ZF AND DAIMLER CHRYSLER TIPTRONIC TRANSMISSIONS AND TO CONFIRM THAT MINE IS NOT THE ZF, BUT RATHER THE DAIMLER CHRYSLER VERSION. 3. OVER THE WEEKEND I READ ALL MY 996 BOOKS TO TRY AND UNDERSTAND WHAT MIGHT BE THE PROBLEM. I CAN ONLY WONDER IF WHEN THE TCU WAS REPLACED, IT WAS REPLACED WITH THE MODEL FROM THE EARLY ZF TIPTRONICS. THOSE TRANSMISSIONS COULD NOT BE USED MECHANICALLY UNLESS THE SHIFTER WAS MOVED INTO THE MANUAL MODE. 4. I AM CERTAIN THAT MY MODEL HAS THE DIAMLER CHRYSLER TRANSMISSION INTRODUCED IN 2000 BECAUSE IT HAS THE ADDED FEATURE OF BEING ABLE TO GO INTO MANUAL MODE INSTANTLY BY SIMPLY UP OR DOWN SHIFTTING WITH THE TOGGLE BUTTONS ON THE STEERING WHEEL. AFTER SEVERAL SECONDS IT RETURNS TO THE AUTOMATIC DRIVE MODE. WHEN SHIFTED INTO MANUAL IT BECOMES FULLY MANUAL. 5. 1) THE FIRST PAGE DESCRIBES MY TRANSMISSION FUNCTIONS. 2) THE SECOND PAGE DESCRIBES HOW...“TO ACCESS ALL LOGGED FAILURES THE PORSCHE TEST ADAPTER 9616 MUST BE USED TO CONNECT THE PST2 TESTER DIRECTLY TO THE TIPTRONIC S CONTROL UNIT ELECTRICAL HARNESS.” 3) THE THIRD PAGE ARE JUST VARIOUS CODES THAT I THOUGHT RELATED TO THE TRANSMISSION’S BEHAVIOR. 4) THE FOURTH PAGE HAS MORE INFO ON FAULT FINDING INCLUDING HOW IT CAN TAKE UP TO TWO HOURS TO ACCESS THE DAIMLER TCU BECAUSE ITS LOCATION IS NOT THE SAME AS THE ZF TCU. 5) THE FIFTH PAGE IS JUST A DIALGRAM SHOWING ZF COMPONENT LOCATIONS FOR COMPARISON WITH THE DAIMLER CHRYSLER UNITS. HERE IS HOPPING ALL THIS CAN GET FIXED TODAY. While the warranty coverage was still to be determined, I found that the price of ordering a new TCU from Porsche was just under $2500 plus another $250 for delivery in one week...otherwise it was two weeks. When the warranty washed out, I suggested we go look at LA Dismantlers and get a used one. Now the wrench who is doing the work has many many years working on many many variations of the 911. I partially think that because the shop has the primary job of getting cars they sell ready for delivery to buyers, that they put my car to the side and did not give focused attention to it. Monday will tell me more and decide my next move. In the meantime on Tuesday I'm driving a 2004 Targa. I want to see if it rattles as much as the 2008 that I drove. More to follow.

I really don't understand your diagnostic efforts here Any shop you go to - ask them if they have a pts-2 or a durametric Both will give a full readout of error codes with the specific transmission module as well as reset any adaptation issues And you have the ZF transmission - your dme wouldn't even work with the later Mercedes transmission

So then the ZF does have the same feature as the Daimler Chrysler and can go into manual just by using the toggle switch. I don't find that in the literature I made my conclusions from. My diagnostic efforts are just that...and information gathering and trying to confirm the evolution of the early 3.4 996. The shop I went to has a large lap top size diagnostic code reader. I am just skeptical of diagnostic systems that rely so completely on plugging in a computer. I prefer the mechanical age. I probably should go back to the Model T. Thanks for the reply.

JI, you have a ZF transmission- not Mercedes one. If shop is telling you otherwise, change the shop. I know you have 996 books, pull out your 996 The Essential Companion and read the part about transmissions. Here is the PDF version. https://books.google.com/books?id=Ra...ission&f=false

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Don't you just love these types of warranties where they pick and choose what they're willing to cover or attempt to wiggle out of paying because of some silly technicality? But yet, when they're attempting to sell you the warranty, they act like it's a MUST HAVE and if you reject it, you could be stranded on the side of the road and risk being molested by Harambe. Or, they claim their coverage is "bumper to bumper"... my translation - they cover the bumpers but nothing in between! Anyway, John, keep us updated, I hope you have a better "tranny" story than the KK (north carolina one) story a few month back. That was a train wreck from the beginning. Kalash came to the rescue on that one.

You shouldn't be giving any advice to a professional mechanic. It's an insult to them and they will take it as such. Take the car from the current shop to one that knows what they are doing. Don't try to argue using the "research" you dug up on the internet. That warranty you got it probably not with the paper it's was written on. The TC is outside of the transmission case so it's not covered???? What a load of crap is that? This alone tell me that the warranty you've got is $hit. Get the car out of there!

The shop should at least tell you what codes they have read from your car. Then you can go online and do your own due diligence if you want, before replacing a $2,500 part.

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To each his own. I realize that this is likely exaggeration, but having owned sports cars on either side of the 1996 OBD-II cusp, I'll gladly take the OBD-equipped car over a similarly complex car with no diagnostic functionality. After helping my nephew wrench on his '76 Camaro a while back, I found myself wishing it had OBD-II (and maybe fuel injection). Hopefully the new week will bring news of a breakthrough...

The car is at the new shop...they don't sell cars they just work on them and also build and race Porsches. I'll report back when I have something specific to say that adds to tiptronic information. But even in limp mode it was so nice to be back in the Porsche...I really like this car...it deserves to be fixed and kept on the road just for the pleasure it gives me. Thinking that AutoX is where I should take it. Not expecting to win anything, just enjoying the car in its stock form. In the meantime my wife has found that she really likes the GTI...and it is a great car for taking more than two people to dinner. Thanks to all here for your advice and information.

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Mercury is in retrograde... just sayin'...

AutoXs are for slow cars.

I can't really blame the warranty company since they based their rejection of the claim on the mechanic's incorrect diagnosis of the problem. Unfortunately the shop I now have the car at is not part of the Mile Edge Warranty program. My first priority is to get the car repaired correctly. Once the car is fixed and I have the total bill, I will go back to the warranty company and see if I can get them to cover it...or part of it.

The mechanic misdiagnosed it becasue he works for the warranty company. If the agreement states that you have to use an approved shop then they will pay zero if you try to claim it from the other shop. They won't pay even a little. They are in the bussiness of making money and keeping the money they already got from you. They are not your friend and are not looking out for your best interest either. If there is any hope that they might pay something then, I suggest you contact them ASAP but I will be extremly suprised if you don't have to eat the entire eepair bill.

Gotta agree with ImoOOO on this one...asking the warranty company to cough up some money in this circumstance is going to get the same result as asking the hot barista at your $300 oil change place for a little something extra...but hey, you can't get get if you don't ask and she just might like the look of your Faux-lex...

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Faulex?!? No, no, no. This is a Rouchefoucauld. The thinnest water-resistant watch in the world. Singularly unique, sculptured in design, hand-crafted in Switzerland, and water resistant to three atmospheres. This is *the* sports watch of the '80s. Six thousand, nine hundred and fifty five dollars retail!

Know how much it's worth in Philadelphia?

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I thought the Swatch was "the" sports watch of the '80's. $40, all in. Maybe $45 if you had to have the neon version with the squiggly stripes.

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When you call them about the bill, what you wanna bet this so called "Mile Edge Warranty Co" rep. is going to tell you, "Um, sorry Mr. Ireland, but you chose to use an *out of network* service center; therefore, we can NOT reimburse your claim. If you would like to make an appeal, you may call the appeals hotline at 1-900-U-SCREWD. Once you finally get someone, please talk slowly in English and explain your problem." "Thank you for using the... MILE EDGE Warranty Company where **We're happy to walk each mile with you right on the edge!**"

So its blood on the tracks as Bob Dylan would say. Life ain't always fun but it beats the alternative. The excerpt from the work order I signed today says it all. Codes...smells...solutions. I'm opting for a used trans from LA Dismatler...same exact model as mine...which may be good...or not. It is cheaper than a rebuild by just over a thousand. My money my choice. Hoping to be back on the road a week from today. I emailed the report below to the warranty company. If they step up, fine. If they don't...well they don't and I cancel the rest of the warranty and put the money towards the trans. While the engine and trans is out of the car I have decided to pass on the IMS bearing. Simple reasons, some of you will agree, some will not. My money my choice. The failure rate in the early 3.4 engines is low enough for me to play risk management...anyway a new IMS bearing would not prevent D chunk or bore scoring or all the other crap that can happen...and if the engine lets go...well such is life. The good news is, I'll be back on the road by a week from today...and I can give the car a good wash. John Ireland, John Make: 00 PORSCHE 911 Black _________________________________________________________________ Job01 Diagnose Transmission Labor: 1.00 hrs@$135.00/hr=$135.00 __________________________________________________________________ __________________________________________________________________ Vehicle made loud "CLUNK" noise while accelerating; Faults registered for Tiptronic transmission - Test drive vehicle to verify customer complaint; Scan TCU and identify fault codes (P0717 [91 & 92], P0734) ... Remove and install trasmission fill plug; Check fluid - Trans fluid smells and looks "burned" indicating clutches likely worn out and slipping ... Transmission replacement recommended Job Subtotal: $135.00 __________________________________________________________________ Job02 R&R Transmission Labor: 15.00 hrs@$135.00/hr=$2,025.00 __________________________________________________________________ 996.300.011.02 ZF Tip. Trans. 1.0 @ 1900.00 =$ 1900.00 __________________________________________________________________ Remove and install motor and transmission; Remove and replace transmission Job Subtotal: $3,925.00 __________________________________________________________________ Job03 Service Replacement TranLabor: 3.00 hrs@$135.00/hr=$405.00 __________________________________________________________________ 996.307.403.00 Transmission Filter 1.0 @ 70.66 =$ 70.66 986.397.014.00 Fill Plug Seal 1.0 @ 4.20 =$ 4.20 986.397.013.01 Drain Plug 1.0 @ 13.12 =$ 13.12 986.397.016.00 Trans. Pan Gasket 1.0 @ 29.12 =$ 29.12 000.043.207.00 ATF 8.0 @ 18.76 =$ 150.08 __________________________________________________________________ Drain transmission; Remove and install transmission pan; Remove and replace transmission filter; Fill transmission Job Subtotal: $672.18 __________________________________________________________________ Cost Summary __________________________________________________________________ Labor 2565.00 Parts 2167.18 Tax 195.05 Total $4927.23 Payments 0.00 Bal Due 4927.23 Status: In process Work Order

I understand the reasoning behind not doing the IMS but you really should replace the AOS while you already have the tranny out. Cheap part and it will fail, might as well save virtually all the labor. Good luck!

John, you don't have to answer this if you don't want to - and I'm genuinely, albiet morbidly, curious; feel free to tell me to take a hot flying leap. Knowing then what you know now, would you have just kept your '03 996 or would you still have done the whole 996-to-997-to-VW-to-996 thing?

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Two days after I sold the 03 and bought the 06 997 I was trying to get the dealer to unwind it and get the 03 back...but he wanted more money than I thought was fair. (Might be in some of my old posts.) Looking back I should have gotten down on my knees and kissed him plus gave him all the money he wanted. History shows I just never could get to like the 06 997...I'm not sure selling it was a mistake, on the other hand I would have again saved some money so I guess it was a mistake. Buying the Red GTI wasn't a mistake...though I wouldn't have done so if I had kept either of the first two cars. Well my wife has it now and loves it. I really have liked how this tip cab drives. There was zero warning that the trans was going to pack it in. But the ZF guy the shop talked to said that is how it can happen. Same thing happened to my brother-in-laws Jag. This definitely has put me back on the manual trans side of things. No point in going into it now but the next car will be a manual, period. Depending on what I feel when I get the car back, I'll either drive the money out of it for another year or so...or until I find an irresistible example of another 996 coupe, with an irresistible service history and at an irresistible price. Maybe even a roller and I'll put in a quality rebuilt motor and include the IMS, etc. In the meantime I better start writing a lot more e-books. At the rate mine are selling I'll need to churn out three a month to pay even some of the bills. Thanks to all for your ideas and input.

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Thanks. The AOS was replaced by Porsche just a little over two years ago. Also the water pump and motor mounts.

15hrs? Does the engine must come out to pull the automatic transmission?

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To take just the tiptronic trans out you have to take apart some of the rear suspension which puts you into labor to put it back and then a realignment. Then...if it looks like the IMS does need replacing...well isn't everything easier with the engine and trans out? You end up seeing everything, all sorts of stuff gets to be inspected and reattached. Etc., etc., blah blah blah. At this point its just a big p-car pig f**k. I'm just standing there with my money in one hand and a jar of Vaseline in the other. I feel like someone who finally got this great looking woman to take off her cloths only to find that she has a really bad rash and lots of boils and scabs. If it gets that grim I'll just dump the car.

Expensive high performance sports car = expensive to repair. Friend has a Mercedes Benz GLK. Went for routine service at MB dealer. Serviced engine and transmission, changed spark plugs. Bill was $3000. Just a case in point.

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It isn't the cost of the repair, it is the need for the repair with less than 50k on the "bullet proof" transmission. Probably just bad luck...probably. If I had taken my car to a dealer I'm sure the cost would be more like eight thousand...plus the cost of the expresso bar. I can understand why people no longer buy Porsches, but rather lease them and dump them just before the warranty runs out. The idea of long term ownership has become as obsolete as the every changing technologies in the cars.

One,JI, you don't have the "bullet proof" transmission. You have ZF transmission man. 722.6 is the bulletproof transmission. Two, repairs on any aging supercar will be outrageous. 996 is still fairly DIYable, and relatively easy to diagnose. You really can't complain about labor and part prices. You know better man, you've been in this game for a while. Three, people lease cars because they can't afford to buy them. Do you know that 84 months loan is the new norm? Or that subprime car lending is at its all time high right now? People who buy modern day Porsches buy the tag, not the heritage or performance. The crowd that I interact with in Scottsdale all have late model German/British cars, none give a damn about the brand or what kind of engine they have. It is a tag on the hood and trunk that matters. Good luck with the car man.

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Your girl's issues would be even more expensive to rectify...And she won't let you take her to some indy to save a few bucks...

I have a tip...2003 c4s...this whole article makes me sick...sorry for your situation. I had a chance @ a 2008 less than 12kish out of pocket plus my car...I barely passed. this is my last p car. I've loved every minuet of it. lots of preventative stuff, no major crap yet. wish u the best man- m

You guys really need to learn how to fix your car or know someone that can teach you. The 996 is getting too old to be owned by a credit card enthusiast.

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If I've learned anything from this thread John, it's DON'T sell my '03 Cab with the manual tranny. Enjoy it while it lasts.

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Long rant...meditation...medication...? All the various comments to my last remarks are true. Your comments are too. For me, the outcome of all this is that I'll drive the car to get my money out of it...and ideally will enjoy the process. If I am very luck the gods of fate will decide that the 2000 996 Cab is the next 356 Speedster *** 993 Turbo....making me the coolest guy in the nursing home. I think I may have one more Porsche left in me but for the moment I can't think which one it might be. But I know what it won't be...a tiptronic or a PDK. A 997.1 with the big non-changeable bearing sounds like a pretty safe engine based on Jake Raby's comments in another thread. For me simple is better than complicated. In transmissions, that means manuals. I spent these last two weeks thinking about automotive design. My conclusion is that Porsche was right to want to dump the 911 back in the 928 days. Since then the majority of the "improvements" have been lipstick on a pig in terms of design technology. We can only guess at what cars they might have designed and built if they followed their water cooled front engine instincts and not the rear engined rearview mirror of the marketing department. For me simple is better than complicated. In 1962 a woman I knew drove her daily driver 250 SWB Ferrari from her west village apartment in NYC to Sebring Florida where she taped the headlights, put on a helmet, raced for 12 hours, won second in class, took the tape off her headlights and drove home to NYC. Simple is better. The modern 911 is absurdly complicated and with zero practical use. The speeds are obscene because they are unnecessary and unusable. I drove a couple of 2000 Audi tt coupes in the last week. I was reminded how much usuable fun is available in the 150 to 225 hp range. And I wondered where was the real life value in a car that can do over 170 mph. Yesterday I wandered around the internet looking for examples of my favorite car (unfortunately beyond my financial means). Simple and uncomplicated compared to today...the Maserati A6G 2000 Zagato. Two liter straight six, 2 valves, twin cams, two spark plugs per piston. 150 hp. Light weight aluminium body. The closest I can find to this car (in my budget) is ironically this one...by today's standards very technologically simple. And better. So I cry in my beer about the five thousand I didn't want to spend on the transmission. And I might attempted some small DIY if the condo rules allowed us to work on our cars here. But lets see how I feel when its back on the road and I'm having a late night drive through Coldwater Canyon and back again.

...lots of medication here...lots!

What you really need is a bus pass...

My Corvette guy would punch himself in the face if he caught himself saying it's just easier to install a new transmission than fix the one in the car. The 4L60-E Chevy used for my Corvette is bomb-proof. It's modular, nearly indestructible, and ubiquitous. A basic rebuild kit (servo, accumulator service kit, and valve body rebuild kit) sells for $68; a stage 3 upgrade kit (good for ~550HP) sells for a whopping $500. On the one event I got a little lazy (D44 swap) and asked him how much he wanted to do the work, he looked at me funny and asked why the F--- I wasn't doing it myself. So I did it myself. The "user serviceable" parts of the 996 are so easy - and relatively inexpensive - to work on; it's a shame that the Porsche ecosystem treats major components like the transmission and engine as black boxes full of magic that can't be touched by mere mortals. It just shouldn't be as hard as this thread suggests to get a competent mechanic to fix a transmission. Sorry you're getting railed, John. Doesn't sound fun at all.

John actually got off cheap, that is if the used tranny holds up. My Tip is slipping a bit in 4th gear. I took it to my indy who sent me to his transmission guy. They suggested I live with it for now as it's not too bad. Eventually it will need to be rebuilt for about $6k. That advice, along with a routine servicing, cost me $700.

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$6K.....holy ****.

Sorry it worked out that way. I replaced mine tip back on 2007 (IIRC) @100k miles. (2000 C4 tip cab) bought a new tranny and the dealer installed it. Cost me substantially more than $8k. If I had to do it over I would have let my INDY find me a tranny and do the work. I definitely over payed. The second tranny has run better than the first one........... from day one. I recently had my INDY do the IMS bearing, and they removed the tranny to do the job, with the engine left in place. The tranny was bolted so tight to the engine, the INDY had to torch the bolts out to avoid potentially stripping the bolt threads in the block. So I got porked several ways back in 2007. I, too am driving my last Porsche...........I like the car and am taking care of it, but I am done with the company.

Me, too. Porsche's refusal to sell engines - or even engine CASES - in the wake of the bearing fiasco pisses me off. I don't expect them to give me one - but being able to buy one would be awfully nice considering the 996 is one of those "Classic Porsches we are dedicated to supporting." What a crock.

PLUS 1 5CHN3LL...!!!

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LOL!!!!!! I ABSOLUTELY love the HONESTY in that statement! Your a good guy!

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Tell me about your Corvette? Driving how does it differ from the 996?

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John, it doesn't matter if its a Corvette, a 996 or a Ferrari from 1962. If it's got **** or tires, it's gonna give you a headache at some point or another.

Yes I know all things can break. Just curious about the man's Corvette. Simple leans toward being robust, complicated leans toward being fragile. Politics, monetary systems, cars, relationships. It would take an awful big issue to make me bail on my Porsche now and walk away from $5k worth of work. At the moment I'm thinking about driving it until it looks like Paul Newman's old 356 in the movie "Harper." I'll treat the mechanicals well, and I'll keep it water tight, but it will never be the crown jewels in my life.