99 cab 6 speed - us vs europe any difference?

I am moving to switzerland and would like to bring a 99 cab 996 6 speed there - I called the geneva porsche dealer who said it would be impossible to service it since the us cars have different computers. True? (please note that he also underlined the numerous used 996 he had available, but they go for about 40% more than here in New York). I've read somewhere that the exhaust was different which is ok since I plan to change them. In general, what are the differences between the us and european cars? I checked the archives and couldn't find much information by looking for the "export" keyword - if you know of previous threads talking about the subject, it would be helpful as well. thanks, pierre

Same computer, different program and settings. Same exhaust. DIfferent cats, different exhaust emission settings. M030 No keyfob operated hood on cabs. Different immobilizer frequency. No adjustable headlight beam switch. Different horn. Gearbox ratios different on some models. Different warning lights setup on dash. No bong bell for seat belt lock. No warning stickers on the visors. Can start car without foot on break or handbreak on. Different wiring loom. Different headlight settings. Indicators operate differently. Different VIN. OPC may have problems bringing your VIN up on the computer. No bumperettes. Different rear bumper apron.

thanks for the answer, scouser. "Same computer, different program and settings" - does it mean I should reprogram it? "Different wiring loom." what does loom mean? (3 years in the us but french is still my native language...) mo30 is the suspension is I am correct which is higher. does the VIN issue mean that what the guy told me could be true?

Yes but not sure if the OPC will or can do that with PST2. They can set things, turn things on/off etc but don't think they can flash a new program in it. I think it is more likely they will want to sell you a new computer unit setup for EUrope use. Hmmm..... how to explain loom? The wires for the electrics in the car are bunched together and tied up into a "wiring loom" with tape wrapped around them. The wiring loom's for US vs Europe vs UK vs etc... are all different. In fact there are several types of wiring loom for each designated location. For example, a car with MOST and a car without MOST will have different looms. A car with MOST in Europe has a different wiring loom than a car with MOST in the US.....and so it goes on... Yes m030 is lowered suspension. I "think" (but could be wrong) that m030 is not available as a standard option in US cars. Yes I think this is maybe what he is saying to you. But I know of quite a few people who have shipped their cars from the US to Europe. One guy recently communicated with me. He took his 996 back to Holland. I don't know if he has had problems at his OPC though. But there's always independants. They won't turn you away. Also, a Porsche is way more cheaper in the US than in Europe. If you buy a car for $80,000 dollars in the US you can bet you will pay near twice that in Europe. So IMHO it's a real good bet especially since they are both left hookers. Just ensure you go for a reputable carrier and insurer else your car could mysteriously turn up in NIgeria