My "new" 2003 996 with Aerokit - First impressions of owning a Porsche

I'll add to the steady stream of 'my new Porsche' threads on the forum. I figure the folks on here never mind seeing some pictures of nice looking machines! I bought this from a private seller last week, who had also posted it for sale on the forum here . That thread gives a few more details, but for now I'll share some pictures and my impressions of my first Porsche. Car : 2003 Carrera Coupe Mileage : 63000 Color : Lapis Blue Transmission : Manual Options : Black interior with leather sports seats, special chassis rigidly tuned, 18� MY02 wheels, sunroof, Porsche stability management system, Bose sound system, Porsche sport exhaust, GT3 Aero Kit Recent improvements : new clutch, IMS Bearing, light weight flywheel, deep sump kit, air-oil separator, stainless steel brake lines, new front rotors and all new brake pads, spark plugs & fan belt. Impressions - For a car with 63,000 miles, both of the interior and exterior are in superb shape. Previous owners obviously took good care of it, a tradition I'm going to continue. - Great piece of mind knowing the IMS bearing is replaced, as well as the new brakes, and other components. - I'm too ignorant to feel the difference between a stock Carrera and this one with the aftermarket improvements, but driving this car blows me a way. Overall driving experience is exhilarating. - The rigidly tuned chassis seems to be a bit of a harsh ride, especially at slow speed, but once it gets up to speed it comes alive. - I can only compare the shifting to previous manual cars I've owned (335i & F150), but with the lightweight flywheel it seems shifting isn't as smooth sometimes as revs drop fast when the clutch is engaged. I'm sure it'll take some getting used to. - Can anybody help educate me on the impact of the sport exhaust, deep sump and AOS?

Beautiful car...love the color combination and the GT3 kit...Congratulations and Welcome!

Nice looking car! Congrats and welcome!

Nice looking.. do you know if the previous owner bought the car from Porsche Boardwalk in Plano, TX? I think I test drove this exact car like 5 years ago when it was for sale at the dealer!

Very nice! Track runner. Now ****-can that BMW flag and replace with a Porsche flag. 2003 Carrera 4S Speed Yellow / 1955 356 Continental 1500 Rust Red

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Not likely. This car came to TX last year via NY. But I like to think it's pretty distinctive!

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[hangs head in shame] A relic of my 335i. A new flag is high on my to-do list....but after signing up for some time on the track! Thanks.

Aeros sure are perdy......very nice.

Beautiful car ! What is "special chassis rigidly tuned"? Is that an option? Edit: found the answer in the link provided above: "Special Chassis Rigidly Tuned" is the official description for the M030 sport suspension option. For the USA market, that meant stiffer springs, shocks and ARBs, but still the same ride-height (unfortunately) as the non-sport suspension.

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Apparently it was an option when originally purchased. I haven't done enough side by side to a stock 996 without it to tell you the difference, but it's a very stiff suspension. Feels great out of a turn and at highway speeds though. I look forward to actually putting it through its paces!

NOTHING LIKE A FACELIFTED CARERRA WITH AN AEROKIT 2....MY FAV......Goodluck with your car!! take care of it and it will make you happy!!

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I'll be happy to trade rides with you for comparison! I have an 02 with stock suspension, PSM, FisterD mufflers which are the stock mufflers modified to be like the Porsche sport exhaust but always on.

Glad you purchased it. I came very close to pulling the trigger on the car in December but opted for something else. Not that there is anything wrong with your car, it is VERY nice looking car from the pictures and the seller appears to be a very nice honest guy. I never got to test drive it or see it in person, but I bet it is nice. My new to me 996 won't be ready until Dec 2014, so I hope to see you at some track events in 2015. I usually instruct with Apex at MSR Cresson and hope to do some PCA events and maybe start doing MSR Houston and TMS with PCA and TDE.

I was looking at this car too, it's gorgeous! Congrats!

Very nice looking. Ditch that wheel gap like a bad habit!

Ha! Having just acquired a BMW 328 6-spd, your comments on the 996 shifting made me chuckle. I jumped in the 996 after a couple days of driving the BMW and thought the clutch had frozen. Opposite ends of the clutch feel spectrum. TC

Congratulations and welcome to rennlist. It looks like you got a beauty at a great price

You may have this=> http://www.lnengineering.com/deepsump.html I was reading about this and once I get the build proposal back from my engine builder I will inquire about this.

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Good info there. Thanks.

Nice ride you got there! BMW clutch is weird, CDV (clutch delay valve) is the contribution factor unless you get ///M cars.

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I didn't waste any time! Courtesy of my old man, who is a car nut in his own right: Can't seem to get picture alignment right.

Very nice ride! Congrats!

Great looking car with all the best options, congrats!

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PSE adds 0 bhp in real life but about 200 bhp between the ears ;-)) Best option you can have. Great looking car

A few questions for the more experienced and knowledgeable forum members: - I'm getting some significant brake squeel. The previous owner had put brand new road pads on the brakes and also provided the track pads seperately, but it's still pretty noisy. There's a bit of rust on the rotors, which I'm sure will wear off quickly, but is the squeeling something I should address? - I'm planning on using the car as a semi daily driver, with some occasional time on the track. The car has been readied for the track with the light-weight fly-wheel, deep sump kit, etc.. Should I consider putting a regular fly-wheel back on for the daily driving? - I'd like to replace the stock radio in order to have blue tooth. Based on what I've read, the fiber connection to the Amp creates some issues so I'll need to replace it as well. Any other considerations when doing a radio swap? - Recommendations on daily driving tires? I'm considering the Hancook V12 Evo for it's good price, but I can easily be talked into the Michelin PS2 if it's worth the extra cash. Thanks!

- brake squeal, I'd say you might have the track pads on...street pads don't squeel. - deep sump or X51 baffle usually do the trick on track. light flywheel have a bad rap here, seems the engine doesn't like the extra vibration and knock sensor may reduce the power because of it - fiber optics are a pain to deal with , either you remove it all..ouch..or you buy a fiber optic device like DENSION, expensive but will offer the feature you are looking for.

I agree with Phil with his answers above. However, the brake squeal could be from contaminate stuck on the pads. I'd try re-bedding them and see if it solves the issues. As for tires, I ran the V12s on my C4S and I was very pleased with their all-around performance in most weather conditions (I live in Seattle).

Some Sport street pads will squeal occasionally and especially when it's cold. I would personally do regular flywheel on DD, especially if you have to drive through heavy traffic on a regular basis. If you have the MOST system, there are several write ups here if you search. PS2 is only worth it IMO if you are very finicky and want the last 10-20% of performance or want max refinement in your driving experience.

Pilot super sports are good DD tires. Better value than the ps2 and quieter.

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Thanks everyone for the input. As with just about everyone else in the US & Canada, it's been plenty cold. I have the track pads in hand, so I'm pretty sure the previous owner didn't replace track pads with another set of track pads. I'm taking the car in this week to have it looked over pretty closely so I'll talk with the guy about swapping out the flywheel.

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Street oriented pads can squeal depending on compound and quality of the pads. You could try removing the pads and coating the backside with anti-squeal paste, which I have had luck with in the past. Do you have any complaints in regards to the flywheel? If not, why change it? My prior 911 was a well built '88 Carrera with a lightweight flywheel, I had zero complaints driving it in traffic. The factory Bose speakers are 2 ohm, I'm not sure about the base model speakers. For the Bose, I've seen some report luck with wiring them in series to make them 4 ohm, and I believe there are some aftermarket amps that will drive full-range 2 ohm speakers. Were it me, I would simply plan on replacing everything - head unit, amp, CD changer, and speakers. Otherwise I believe there are a few options to add ipod/Bluetooth to a MOST system. I'm not a big fan of Hankook tires personally, but I know many seem to be happy with them. I think Michelin are great but not worth the premium. Personally I like Bridgestone, I think they offer excellent performance for a reasonable price. Take a look at the reviews and tests on Tire Rack, they are very good and will offer some real world perspective.

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You know, I actually have no problem with how it drives with the fly-wheel. The concern would be on any additional wear and tear to the engine. I'm still getting up to speed, but there are a good number of folks on here who don't seem to be a fan. I dropped the car off yesterday and chatted with the mechanic about fly-wheels. He said that as many LW flywheels as he puts on, he takes as many off. Take that for what you will...

The biggest complaints that I have seen regarding lightweight flywheels are clutch chatter at idle and low speeds, as well as the revs dropping off too quickly (less inertia) which make the car tricky to launch from a stop. In my case I didn't have either. On the upside, you should have a more responsive engine that is quicker to rev. I don't recall ever seeing any evidence that lightweight flywheels are linked to engine damage, it's a pretty popular modification to Porsches of every year and model.

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Are you suggesting I shouldn't believe everything I read on the internet?!?!? There are some credible folks who seem to think that they're bad for the engine. Tend to come unbalanced and they disrupt the harmonics of the engine. Most notably, Jake Raby from Flat6Innovations has highlighted his experience with LWFW causing crankshaft damage. Article Here Bottom line, I wouldn't put one in if I didn't have it already. Less clear is whether it's worth removing. I don't feel any excess or abnormal vibration, clutch engages smoothly and driving really isn't a problem, even in traffic. The only concern is the potential long term damage to the engine.

The problem with having a thorough mechanic is that when he does a full inspection, the laundry list of items is a bit shocking. Just got the full report, and while it was a long list, most of it is fairly minor. 1. Brake pads are of an unknown make and aren't hooked up to the sensors. However, they look brand new. 2. A couple of locking nuts were found in one of the panels. These were specific to P-car nuts. 3. Clunking in the transmission while idling. He suspects a super light weight oil was used and suggested a transmission service and new fluid. 4. Car has skidded sideways through grass. (This was known and communicated by the seller) 5. Both inner fender liners are broken and need replacement. Part of one panel flaps under the car when it's moving. 6. All four tires need replacement. Fronts are 4.5 years old but have good tread, but rears are worn down. 7. Catalytic converter has been replaced. 8. Air filter box is missing a buffer. Additionally, it looks like a K&N air filter is installed, which he suggested was a piece of crap and should be replaced with a regular filter. 9. Very small oil leak, but probably not a problem since IMS replacement has been done. Something to keep an eye on. 10. No issues while driving. LWFW seems to be well balanced. He doesn't think there's a pressing need to replace the LWFW, but if I wanted it done, he'd suggest waiting until the car was being serviced for something else. 11. Car has obviously lived up north ("Yankee car"). Corrosion from salt on the bottom, but nothing bad. Overall, I'd say there weren't any real surprises. I'm having the transmission serviced and the wheel panels fixed. Also getting new tires ASAP. I'll probably keep going with these brakes and keep the K&N filter until it needs replacement. For a car with 63,000 miles, there could have been a lot more! Any of those items raise a red flag that I'm not seeing?

That's pretty damn good in my book. I would do exactly the same stuff that you are. At 4.5 yrs the tires were overdue to be replaced anyway, and my 996 needs new fender liners as well. If you are bothered by the K&N, all you need is a minute and a phillips head screwdriver to install an OEM paper filter.

#3 is probably chatter caused by the LWFW and is a very common thing and there is nothing you can really do about it usually.

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I like that black interior really well! sweet looking car!

Since there doesn't seem to be much traffic on the tire & wheels forum, what's the verdic on Pirelli Pzero Rosso tires? Discount Tire recommended those to me since their the OE tires, but the reviews on TireRack range from "best tire ever" to "these are a deathtrap". I'm wondering if it makes sense to just bite the bullet and get the Michelins.

I personally don't like Pirelli tires, the sets I have had were loud and didn't last very long. As I posted before I'm a big fan of Bridgestone, when I buy summer tires in the spring I'll probably get a set of Potenza S04 or RE11, which were great on my '88 Carrera. You also can't go wrong with the Pilots, but they are close to $100/tire more than the Bridgestones and in my opinion not any better. BTW, take a look at the Tire Rack Max Performance Summer tire survey results. #1 is Pilot Super Sport, #2 is Potenza S04, #3 is Pilot Sport PS2, #4 is Potenza RE050A Pole Position. Pirellis are #13, 20, 25, 27. I had the RE050A on my old RX8 and was very happy with them. These test results might also be of interest: http://www.tirerack.com/tires/tests/...y.jsp?ttid=174 http://www.tirerack.com/tires/tests/...y.jsp?ttid=172

Note that not using the wear sensors is pretty common for folks that track their cars - they just get zip-tied up out of the way.

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What's the advantage? How do the sensors get in the way on the track?

Personally, I always yank the wear sensors out of my pads, jump the connectors and tuck them out of the way. I'm pretty on-top of the condition of my car, so I don't worry about the missing nanny reminder. The only reason I do this is because I've had annoying experiences in the past with pad sensors which has lead me to have an irrational hatred for the them.

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I called Tire Rack to get some input and based on their recommendation I'll give the Pirellis a shot. It sounds like it won't take long before they'll be worn out anyway, so I'm likely to try out the Potenzas next. The ratings on the Pirellis aren't very good on the TireRack website, but the advisor I talked to said they perfomed better in all conditions than anything but the Michelins. We'll see. The Michelins I have on now are waaaay too worn/old to get a good feel.

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That's how I feel about TPMS sensors. Every time it gets cold I get phone calls from my wife asking why her tires are low because the damn sensors get nutty. Never mind that I frequently check them with a tire gauge......

Technology reduces IQ and common sense...

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So does being a woman.

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Have you considered replacing the carpeting on the doors with more of that alcantara? I've been wanting to do this for years. Something not right about a sports car with carpet on the doors. I want to remove all the carpeting from doors, footwell and center console. For the footwell I was thinking about a dark grey twill type material that I saw on a 911 restoration recently. must be good at hiding dirt. https://rennlist.com/forums/attachme...e-2013-006.jpg

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Yeah, at my last track event one of the sensors melted, resulting in a permanent brake wear message that I had to clear every time I started the car. Annoying. One would think that they could make these sensors hold up to the heat a bit better.

Andrew, beautiful car, congrats ! I don't think I have ever seen a GT3 spoiler on a std 911, is that from Porsche or aftermarket ? Does anyone on the thread know if you can put that spoiler on a 996 C4S ?

Absolutely great looking car Andrew. Congrats and keep up the good work.

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Pirellis are fine, However I would go with Michelin over about any brand tire, I do not think anyone can beat the Michelin for a street use tire, they just work very good and last, I do not like Bridge stone, they do not seem to hole up well, I wont buy another set for my cars or motorcycles

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Not having to insert the sensors into each brake pad can shave a few minutes off of the time it takes to swap brake pads. Installing brake pads on the 996 is remarkably easy...this is actually one of the most cumbersome parts of the job. The sensors are not in the way if used as intended. If you elect to not use them, you need to zip tie them to something (like a brake line) so they're not just hanging there / flopping around...

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Pirellis are getting installed today, so I'll give them a good run and go with the Michelins next time for a good comparison. Anything is better than the overly worn Sport Cups I have right now!

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The car came from the factory with the GT aerokit. I get the impression that it wasn't very common, but I have the original dealer data sheet with the aerokit as an installed option in 2003. That being said, I'm sure you can get it aftermarket as well.

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The Pirelli Zero Rossos were great, though somewhat noisy. Sottozero snows have been terrific, and relatively quiet so far; the Scorpion Ice and Snows on my Mercedes SUV are incredible, so Pirelli does know how to make top notch tires. Let us know how your set works out.

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First impressions are good, but not great. I was worried about the noise, but it's not as bad as expected. I haven't had an opportunity to get some real driving in, but after about 80 miles I can say that the tires do give some confidence in grip and cornering (dry). Long term I'm interested to see how quickly these wear and how much the noise increases with that wear. I'm pretty easy on tires, so I don't think 15k miles is too much to ask for!

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It's the factory aerokit for the 2002+ 996, often called the mk2 aerokit. Lots of aftermarket suppliers offer a GT3 rear spoiler, or you can buy an OEM one from Porsche for a massive amount of money.

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Like he said.

I can offer my thoughts on the apparent "odd" gearchange feel. On my car, if I chance gear like I have on all my other cars I find it to be kinda notchy. I found that if I keep slight pressure on the change lever "out" of the current gear then make the change quickly as soon as I move the clutch, the entire operation is much smoother.......it helps not to let the engine revs drop too low....as you say, the reves drop quickly and so you're making the box work harder by waiting too long to make the change.......just my $0.10 Les.