Looking for opinions on bumper for 00 996 cab

I'd love to see what you recommend for a replacement bumper for 996 cab. I prefer not to get side skirts so an entire aerokit is not desirable. There are many options outside of Techquipment offerings. Please post your opinion and a picture and source if possible. Insurance is paying for some of it! If I missed this exact thread elsewhere, don't flame, just link. Thanks.

I put the Ruf RGT kit on mine -- sideskirts and front bumper only, no rear wing. The rear wing looks great on a coupe but would interfere with the cabriolet top mechanism without modifications (cutting a couple of inches from the stands -- it may look odd after that). What kits have you looked at so far? Which ones do you like and dislike? I can give you some suggestions but I need to get a better feel for your tastes. Also, post some pics of your car including the wheels to see what we're working with. Cheers, .: programmatore :.

Funny, I have the exact same exterior color and wheels! My interior is beige. Is your's an actual RUF part or a reproduction? I like GT2 and turbo-like. Have you heard of this vendor - http://www.mashaw.com/html/product_info.html . Their prices are attractive, but the workmanship may not be? I also like some of the stuff through Carnewal. Like this one... http://www.carnewal-europe.com/cpx/p96115.jpg . The problem may be that the lip requires the line of a side skirt.

Funny, I actually looked at MA Shaw! I liked their Turbo-look bumper (see picture below). I think the Turbo-look bumper will work without the sideskirts -- the red car in the picture does not have skirts. I think the GT2 and GTR bumpers may be too aggressive for a cabriolet...but that's just me. The GT2 and GTR bumpers definitely have to have the sideskirts or they would look odd. I've talked to a few BMW guys who are happy with their MA Shaw kits. I haven't heard of anyone putting a MA Shaw kit on a Porsche though. Check out www.gettydesign.com too -- I think they manufacture the bumpers for MA Shaw so they might be a bit cheaper. If I remember correctly, the MA Shaw bumper is made of fiber reinforced plastic. The OEM Cup Aerokit (looks like a GT3 nose) is a very beautiful kit (although I don't like the cab wing that comes with it). However, it won't set your car apart from the rest of the pack. That might be a good thing in some places but here in the D.C. Metro Area, where there's a LOT of 996s and Boxsters (my neighbor also has an ocean blue 996 coupe and in my office building there is another 996 cab and a 996 coupe), I wanted my car to be different. I ordered the Ruf RGT front bumper and skirts from Weissach (Ruf authorized dealer for North America). I went with Ruf mainly because of their reputation and also because their kit not only looks good (agressive but not over the top) but also improves downforce and brake cooling (the bumper has bigger intakes and custom duct work to better channel the air). The Ruf bumper is made of polyurethane, the same material as the OEM bumper (I think they're made in the same factory). The bumper came ready to paint but I recommend priming and sanding it again before painting (my bodyshop primed and sanded it 3 times and the finish is excellent). Ciao, .: programmatore :.

Thanks for the input. I agree with your analysis. Also the tip on priming and sanding is very helpful. I've seen way to may side skirts not matching the body.

programmatore, May I ask what kind of coin that RUF nose set you back? It looks fantastic! Long term, I will change the front bumper on my car so I'm wondering where this fits in the mod "cost spectrum". Thanks.

No worries. Let me know if you have any more questions. Don't be surprised if you get an aftermarket kit and the shop tells you they have to cut the bumper reinforcement bar. The intakes on the Ruf RGT kit is larger so they had to shave about an inch off each side of the reinforcement. This is not uncommon for aftermarket kits. Safety isn't compromised in any way. One last piece of advice...check with bodyshops in your area first before you order an aftermarket kit. A lot of shops will only install OEM kits because (understandably so) they cannot guarantee the results with aftermarket kits. I asked the dealer and 3 other bodyshops and they all said no. I finally went to a shop in Alexandria, VA called Wagonworks that specializes in high-end German cars. They're a little more expensive but they do good work (as evidence by their prep work on the "ready for painting" part). Best of luck and post some pics when the work is finished! .: programmatore :.

I really like it too and have always been a fan of RUF. I wonder if it looks ok without sideskirts? I also live in the bay area and my driveway is steep with a crest. So, I am worried about the ground clearance if I were to add side skirts. I'm going to contact Weissach to see if they have a picture without skirts.

To be honest, the skirt is not what will scrape on the Ruf RGT kit. It is the nose. The Ruf RGT bumper sticks further out and is slightly lower than the stock bumper. Take steep driveways at a slow speed and a slight angle and you should be fine. I've scraped my bumper a bit (fortunately on the underside so it is not visible unless you put the car on a lift) but you get used to it and now it is second nature to take it easy entering parking lots/steep driveways. The front bumper is pretty square/angular and is a bit lower than the stock. I really recommend getting the matching sideskirts to keep the line and tie the wheels to the front bumper. I don't even think the Porsche sideskirts will work with the Ruf RGT nose because the Porsche skirts are more rounded. I'd be interested to see the picture of the RGT bumper with the skirts too so please post it if you get one. Thanks, .: programmatore :.

What do you guys think of this bumper I found on LLTEK ? It is by a Belgian company called Charactere and is a little bit pricey but I think it looks really good. It was designed for the Boxster but it should fit the 996 (you just have to shave off a little of the bumper reinforcement). I think it will work without the sideskirts or with the OEM Cup sideskirts. It looks more "stock" than the Ruf bumper. .: programmatore :.

TT Bumper

I just finished installing the "Turbo" bumper from MA Shaw. I'll post pictures later tonight (at the coffee shop right now and don't have access to them). Overall I'm very happy with it - the price was reasonable and the part was very well constructed. It fit on the car with little hassle (I installed it myself). I think it works well without any sideskirts... which I could are less for. And Mike Shaw is a super cool guy to deal with ! trev

That's good to know! I'm glad you're happy with the Turbo bumper. I always wondered about MA Shaw because their prices are very reasonable but I've never actually talked to a Porsche owner who has installed one of their kits -- until now. Mike Shaw seems like a nice guy. I had a bunch of questions about the bumper and he was able to answer them very well -- he even recommended some bodyshops in Maryland (he didn't know of any in Virginia) and offered to get me in touch with a few of his customers (again, BMW owners). I look forward to seeing your pics. Regards, .: programmatore :.

GBG, That looks good! Is that an OEM bumper or aftermarket replica? Another Rennlist member, DonCapeCod, put one on his arctic silver cab "Misty". I need to name my car! Unfortunately, both a911driver and I have 2000 996's so we couldn't use the OEM TT bumper unless we also replace the front quarter panels and get the TT headlights and harnesses (because our cars are pre-facelift). Cheers, .: programmatore :. P.S. Have you considered clear sidemarkers and a silver hood crest?

Can't wait to see that Turbo bumper.

Thanks Programmatore, much appreciated. The TT bumper is OEM. The picture quality sucks-- the bumper looks a helluva alot better in person. As far as clear sidemarkers, got 'em. I also lowerd the car since that pic by installing the x74 suspension. Next mod will be the B&M short shifter, which I have sitting in the box in my room waiting to be installed next week.

Here's a couple pics of my mashaw turbo front bumper... I'm really, really pleased with the fit and finish of it for sure. I've dealt with some fiberglass bumpers (not for this car, but for others) that feel cheap and chintsy... not the case here. This is a nice, heavy, piece that seems like will take it's fair share of abuse.

and another shot...

Looks awsome. Do you have a side shot so I can see the relationship with the doors?

Hey mastermind, that looks good. Good color match too. You should get clear sidemarkers though. All the cool kids have them. I know what you mean about cheap and chintsy. I've seen some crappy fiberglass bumpers. Earlier this summer (this summer was particularly hot here in Virginia) I saw a pony car with the fiberglass bumper sagging -- the heat had warped it and because of its weight it was sagging a good inch down! I think Mike Shaw told me that his bumpers were made of fiber reinforced plastic similar in quality to OEM polyurethane (in terms of flexibility, durability, etc.) which explains the good fit. I asked him specifically if it will fit well and not sag with the heat and he reassured me it wouldn't. That's great that it worked out for you. One question though...I didn't see a hole and plug for the tow-screw. How would you tow the car? Did it come with a hole and plug for the tow-screw and you just finished it flush? .: programmatore :.

This one is really growing on me.... I like the blades below the hood and the way they breakup the big "Turbo" air intakes. It also seems to go well without side skirts (although its a boxster). I am going to search around for 996 pic and/or call them for one. It is pricey.

I spoke to the company and they pointed me to this pic: I am really diggin' it. They can ship it painted and can fill the logo for me. Should I have it shipped painted and then if its not a perfect match, get it repainted? Or, just shipped as is? I think I'll go with Carbon Fiber louvers. Do you think the lip is too pronounced versus the rest of the car?

I would not trust a pre-painted part since they do not have you car to perfectly match. What is the price diff between them painting and not painting? You should be able to get the front done locally to you for 400-600.

he said $200. It may be worth the risk if local is $600. Can I get it redone?

Then it might be worth the risk. I would find a way to get a piece of metal, etc. matched to your car painted locally to you and then ship that to them as a guide to your color and include your paint code. Then if that doesn't work, then all you really lost is $200 since you were going to hav to get it prepped and painted locally.

a911driver, I'm with Dell on this one. Get it unpainted. You have an Ocean Blue Metallic car like mine and both our cars are model year 2000. If our cars were fresh off the factory MAYBE they can get an exact match if they pre-paint the bumper but our cars have had 4 years of paint fading. Find a good local bodyshop and have them paint it to match. (Also, with the larger intakes more of the car's body will be visible. You might want to have the bodyshop paint behind the bumper -- either body color or matte black if it looks odd.) Yeah, I like the Charactere bumper. I love the GT2 style vents on the top. The Ruf bumper actually costs less than the Charactere bumper but since I also had to get matching side skirts I ended up spending about $400 more. Like I said in my previous post, I think the Charactere bumper will work well without side skirts or with the OEM Cup side skirts. I like the plain mesh grills but the carbon fiber inserts kick ***! (And the bumper has the plug and hole for the tow-screw which is good. ) Dell, Have you moved back to Vegas? The leaves are starting to turn in Skyline Drive -- we should organize a group drive if you're still in the area. Cheers, .: programmatore :.

Good advice. I can get a peice cut out of the old bumper.

good advice on painting behind. It is an expensive part, but I'm worth it.

Actually I am from MCLEAN but I am temporarily in the colorless dump called Las Vegas until next summer.....then back to NoVa fro good (finally). I will take you up on the drives as soon as we get back to the area. The CAB would rather be there as well. Keep a barstool with my name on it! Cheers, Dell

Hey guys, I just moved to McLean four months ago and I'm looking for 911 folks for Saturday drives from time to time. This is the perfect time of the year in VA for windows down while driving the winding back roads... Later, Mark

Programmatore, do you have any more pics of your car? I have been doing lots of research. It seems like the only quality options are OEM and RUF because they are both real urethane. I am starting to really dig the vertical vents of your RUF bumper. I have two concernsthough , my lack of desire for side skirts and the bumper angle. To be honest, I don't like Porsche side skirts because they look and are bolted on. The gap/angle change is off. I have concerns that the nose angle on the RUF isn't enough in-concert with the 996. I trust your opinion/analysis.

Hey, I am in NYC all week and don't have access to my photos. I will post some more when I get back to D.C. this weekend. I'll try to some take photos of my car next to my neighbor's (ocean blue metallic 996 coupe) to give you a better idea of the look of the Ruf RGT kit vs. stock. FWIW, have you checked out the current prices of the RGT bumper and skirts from Weissach? It's been a while but if I remember correctly I paid around $2,400 for the bumper and skirts (shipping included). .: programmatore :.

a911driver, Here are a couple of pictures of the bumper and side skirts. I hope you get a better idea of how they look from these pictures. If you want a shot from a particular angle/viewpoint just let me know. The Ruf RGT bumper is more angular/square than the stock bumper. As you can see from the first picture, the Ruf bumper drops straight down (as opposed to curving in like the stock bumper). The Ruf side skirts also drop straight down. The car looks lower with the skirts on but the skirts don't really lower the car a lot -- it just looks that way (it looks more aggressive with the skirts IMHO). Like I said in my previous post, you don't have to worry about the sideskirts scraping but you do have to watch out for the nose since it is lower than the stock. The second picture will give you a good idea of just how much lower it is. .: programmatore :.

I think it looks great. I went with the OEM aerokit bumper because it wasn't too much of a change and it was immediately available. We are going to see if we can put a screen behind the grills. Ill post pictures when I get it back mid-week.

Heh... thanks. I choose to be different by NOt having clear side markers! Yea, it didn't come with a hole for the towhook... although I probably could have put one in before paint. I choose not to. If it ever needs to get loaded up on a flatbed, I'll have to use the rear hook mount behind the rear plate. I really like the clean look of no plate holes and no tow hook hole.... a bit risky I know.... t

Hey Mastermind, The amber side markers actually look good on a silver car. They looked horrible on my blue car though. I know what you mean about keeping the front "clean". I was in a meeting (unavailable) when the body shop called asking me if I wanted the front license plate installed (a requirement in Virginia) on the Ruf bumper. By the time I got the voicemail and called them back it was too late -- they had already drilled the holes. Thank goodness for Eric and BumperPlugs.com! Cheers, .: programmatore :.

I just got my oem aerokit bumper installed. It looks great. It adds about 4 inches to the length of the car and hangs a little lower. The lip hangs even lower and I've already scraped it leaving the parking lot of a drug store. I'll post pics within the next couple of days.

Take those driveways slow, and at an angle! You'll get the hang of it. I scraped mine up (thankfully just in the underside) when I first got it. Congratulations on the new bumper! Cheers, .: programmatore :. P.S. Now is the time to think about whether you want to get a clear bra for that newly painted bumper.

RUF or OEM aerokits are the only ways to go, quality wise, other companies arent as good, and the other tuners are a bit ricey

Can't agree with that - I find my mashaw bumper to be far superior to the oem that came off the car... although I will agree there are many companies out there that produce absolute crap, so oem or ruf are a safe bet. Very, very, very happy with my choice.... pictures can be found earlier in this thread.... t

I agree with Trevor. There are a lot of crappy kits out there but there are also a lot of good ones like Ruf, TechArt, Gemballa and MA Shaw kits to name a few. You have to do your research. Find out what the manufacturer's kits are made of (urethane and FRP are good) and talk to others who have bought kits from that manufacturer. Once you're satisfied with the manufacturer then pick the bumper that you think looks good (note that "looks good" is highly subjective -- I chose Ruf over TechArt and Gemballa because I think the last 2 are over the top or "cartoony" IMHO). There is no point in picking a kit solely based on looks only to have it crack the first time you hit a parking lot on-ramp or sag during the first heatwave. Having a high quality kit is a good start but it is only one part of the equation. You also need to find a good body shop. I have seen way too many ricer cars with aerokits that look like crap...the paint is flat or cracked and peeling, the texture is rough or looks like an orange peel, etc. Find a good shop that knows how to "prep" the parts. Some materials need to "cure" before painting. Make sure the shop sands and primes the parts before painting even if the kit is "ready to paint". If you do your research and find a good kit and body shop then you should get excellent results. .: programmatore :.

Trevor can we see more pics of the mashaw bumper please. It looks good, but I have some questions: Is it lower than the stock one? ie would one need to put sideskirts as well so everything is on the same level? can we see a front 3/4 shot with front and side? What is inside the openings? Mesh? close up shot appreciated. Cheers Ramy

After doing tons of research, urethane is the only way to go because they can take a hit and bounce back. Most of the others are too rigid and don't allow for too much flex. Urethane is also more easily repaired. MASHAW uses a home made composite of layered cloth in a mache. I've heard good things, but its too risky in Berkeley, Ca where the roads are bad and the hills are steep.

Yea.. mesh in the openings... personally i like it... I can just see a hint of the radiators which to me is sexy... need to get the 3rd radiator to complete the look.... (oh yea.. it'll help the car run cooler too!!) It's lower than stock... with my PSS-9's set the way they are I do scrape sometimes... but it's gonna happen. I've scraped prolly around 10 times, but it's all on the bottom where you can't see it. At some point I may do side skirts.... not sure yet.... t

Nice, it looks like side skirts are in order to balance the profile?

Hi guys, I'm new to rennlist, can anyone give me a heads up on how to attach a picture, am not sure how this URL thing works... https://rennlist.com/forums/images/smilies/confused.gif I've got a '04 C4S that I put a wicked motorworks '08 (997) GT2 front bumper on (comes modified to fit 996) with techart headlight masks, it cost quite a bit but it gives the 996 a more aggressive yet sleek look. Personally I like it even better than the look of the 997 line up. Once I figure out how to post a picture I'll put one up I think you guys might like it. Cheers, Sid. Ps. does anyone know a good set of "softer" shocks for the '04 996 C4S ? Now you might think I'm a ***** but I'll gladly trade some cornering quality for my cars health because the roads in Canada are killing me... and my car!

Sid, Welcome to Rennlist! We would love to see the pics of your car. Ask and ye shall receive! Here are my "can't miss" instructions for posting a pic. These instructions have NEVER failed to help someone post pics, so the pressure is on YOU to keep my string alive! All words shown in BOLD indicate buttons. If you are just doing a "Quick Reply" you will have to click on Go Advanced button. Then follow the steps below: Down below the part of the screen where you type the text and below the Submit Reply , the Preview Post , and Spell Check buttons, there is a Miscellaneous Options section followed by an Attach Files section. In the Attach Files section, click on the Manage Attachments button. You will now get a pop-up window. There are 3 buttons Browse , Upload , and Close this Window . Click on the Browse button and now (in a new pop-up window) you can search on your PC to locate the pic you want to attach. Click on the name of the file you want and then click the Open button. Now click on the Upload button. After the file has been uploaded, you can click on Browse button and repeat the process to upload another pic or click on the Close this Window button. After you click on the Close this Window , you will be back to the original "message" screen. Your pic file should be listed just above the Manage Attachments button. If you are finished typing the text, you can click on the Submit Reply button and everyone will be able to see your great looking P-car! If your pics are too large, you can resize them with MS Paint, or PhotoShop software, or you can do it online at this web site. http://www.resize2mail.com/

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do you know what shocks are on the car? List the options on the sticker under the front bonnet (or post a pic of it) and take a pic of one of the shocks (incase someone did an "upgrade" for you) Welcome to RL and when you post your pics, feel free to start your own thread.... Cheers!

Thanks guys! It's nice to be among fellow Porsche nuts. OK Tim I'm going to follow your instructions (thanks for taking the time) and see if I have the cerebral capacity to follow you lead As to the suspension issue, I now realize I should have gone to a thread on that subject... but since I messed up already I just want to answer you question Ed. The '04 C4S comes stock with sport suspension (same as the turbo) however after checking it out the the dealer tells me that I've got the regular (softest) suspension not the sport... the sticker under the bonnet is illegible and taking pictures, compressing and posting them is a little out of my reach at this time...but I'm a fast learner. So how do go softer, install the $$ 997 suspension, find a softer after market 996 suspension or see if putting larger 997 tires (higher side wall) will work without trowing my speedo and ABS off? Thanks again for the warm welcome guys, Sid

Wow, Sid. That is a beautiful car.

Thanks David! Now all I have to do is find some good side skirts, new rims, spacers, turbo deck lid, LED taillights....and the list goes on and on and on...

Sid, very nice looking car! I am glad you kept my "string" alive! The C4S already has "built in" side skirts, but I guess you are looking for something more aggressive. Take a look at TechArt. They have some that are more aggressive. You could also look at the Porsche OEM MK II side skirts. Marc Gelefsky has them on his silver 996 and he has a pic in his sig.

Hey Tim I'm glad you like it. It's my pleasure to keep your "string" alive it worked out good. If you're up for it I've got another one for ya, how do you reply to a specific post that doesn't have the "post reply" button (like now with yours) and how do you find a specific user pictures (re; your reference Marc Gelefsky)? I'll check out your suggestions for the side skirts. Cheers! Sid.

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Sid, 1) if you want to reply to a specific post and want a copy of the original post in the gray box (like immediately above), just click on the large double quotation marks at the bottom right corner of that post. 2) on the thread title page, click on Search (near the top right hand side of the thread listing) then click on Advanced. It will let you: Search for specific words or phrases in either: o the Thread Title only or o all posts You can also: Search on the User Name for: o Posts by that user or o Threads started by that user. You can also use the "word search" and the "User Search" in combination to help narrow down your search selection.

Thanks Tim!!!