Mod or stock?

I'm looking at a '02 C4S with the following mods: - Fabspeed mufflers - EVOMS Cold air intake - RSS Intake plenum - B&M Short shift kit - Bilstein PSS10 coil-over suspension - Front and rear H&R adjustable sway bars - Lightweight battery I've looked all this stuff up. Taken together it should add some HP and some grunt to the car. What do these changes do to the longevity of the engine? Anyone here running similar gear?

My thought is that the owner loved the car and spent good money on good mods. Most likely these items would be things you would "wish" you had once you bought an all stock car but would be pressed for the extra cash to buy them all.... since the car has them all, you wont know how much the improvements are, but for those of us who dream of those parts, we can only imagine. I think if I had a chance to buy a car with those mods on it, I might have passed it up when I was shopping, but a year later, being more informed, I would take a very serious look at the car and be much more excited to have found one with those mods...

That's what I needed to hear. I was putting a premium on stock configuration -- like you mentioned. Thanks for the feedback.

+1... those are good mods. I would look at maintenance records, they are more important.

With the exception of the CAI, that sounds like a well optioned car. As for the CAI, I'd suggest you do some research on this board. I've heard enough horror stories about CAI's to make me a bit gun shy. The fabspeed mufflers, Bilsteins, and sway bars are definitely positives. Especially if you ever plan on taking the car to the track.

EVOMS CAI is the "best" aftermarket intake available IMHO. Its a nicely setup car. +1 on maintainance records.

I'll echo the sentiment already placed. My first 996 was a fully built car with every goodie that you could imagine and great records and a fanatical previous owner. The car was fantastic on the road and in autocross (I didn't get a chance to try it on track as it got hit after 8 months of owning it). It's replacement was a bone stock car and the difference is almost day and night in terms of it's responsiveness, handling and balance. I miss that car tremendously and constantly debate doing the same to my current car or just saving the money and stepping up to a GT3 in a few years. Of course, I did do a few mods already to my car but they where little things. To give you an idea how my old car was modded: PSS9 Fabspeed exhaust and intake Gt3 Control arms Gt3 Sways Custom alignment B&M short shift Sport seats 3 spoke steering wheel Turbo brakes That's off the top of my head. Wow, I miss that car. If you are going to mod the car that one seems like it has all the pieces that you would want now and it has good records, go for it. The only argument that I can present to the opposition is that if you intend to track it or autocross, there is something to be said of driving a stock car for a while to learn it. Depending on your experience level in driving, a modded car can provide a steeper learning curve and might be difficult to master where as the stock car adds a measure of forgiveness that a modded car may not have depending on setup. Hope this helps,

Wow, that's almost the Rennlist approved mod list. Does it have clear side markers? [So far, I have the PSS10s and the Fabspeed mufflers off this list. Considering several of the others too]

IMO the following mods are great. The others are not what I'd spend my money on but since someone else spent theirs, they certainly can't hurt! Fabspeed mufflers - B&M Short shift kit - Bilstein PSS10 coil-over suspension - Front and rear H&R adjustable sway bars

It also has clear side markers. Car was CPO, is update to date on maintenance (with records), and is going in for inspection tomorrow. With any luck, I will get to introduce myself as a P-car owner soon.

Wow. I also just got an answer back on another car -- a clean 40th with 15k miles for $36k. Never been tracked, mostly sat in his garage, owner didn't know the term RMS. It's a little more than the C4S but has 25k less miles and is two years newer. Also bone stock. My inclination right now is to go for the C4S since I prefer its lines, AWD, and know about its history and owner (still waiting on PPI). Only thing I'm not enamored of on the C4S are its wheels (custom painted twists - black with red pin stripe stripe and S insignia), but I think might grow to like them. I guess if the PPI uncovers something horrid, then I'll fall back to the clean 40th. Definitely a buyer's market now.

The listed mods mentioned are popular on this forum and others. I'd say they are an improvement over 'stock', but probably less HP than claimed by the companies selling their products. There is a Rennlister on this forum selling his 40th as well. I would drive both, back to back if possible...then decide. GL

Ooops,( post #5) above.