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YOUR RESEARCHTurbo as Daily Driver?
Leading reported evidence
Replace with one
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Performed · outcome unconfirmed
All taken care of (tranny replaced with one from factory) under CPO warranty.
Leading evidence: 'Replace with one' (no explicit attributable resolution; this is a reported action or suggestion). Across 1 matching discussions, The most frequently discussed action is 'Replace with one' (1 discussions). For that action, 0 discussions report a resolution and 0 report an unsuccessful attempt. No action has an explicit, attributable resolution report under the current rules. These are forum reports and suggestions, not a confirmed diagnosis.
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Performed · outcome unconfirmed
Up until the "Spanish" crankcase, GT3/GT2/Turbo used a 964 crankcase casting.
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Suggestion
The gear teeth are cut an angle to run a bit quieter than straight cut gears, but there can still be some gear lash and at idle these gears can make a bit of racket (rattle) though this is typical of gear driven cams (or shafts) and one reason why most street engines do *not* use gear cam drives.
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Suggestion
Last set managed to get around 15K out of the rears (18" Continentals) though a proper 4-wheel alignment is critical.
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Suggestion
The gear teeth are cut an angle to run a bit quieter than straight cut gears, but there can still be some gear lash and at idle these gears can make a bit of racket (rattle) though this is typical of gear driven cams (or shafts) and one reason why most street engines do *not* use gear cam drives.
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Suggestion
I could see the 996 Turbo as my daily driver but the 02 Boxster runs great and at 234K miles is not worth much as a trade in or a private sale, so I use the Boxster for errands, work commute, to keep the miles from adding up on the Turbo, saving the Turbo for mostly one day's commute (Wed.
0 original-poster resolution reports. Counts can overlap; they are not unique people or a success rate.
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Suggestion
The gear teeth are cut an angle to run a bit quieter than straight cut gears, but there can still be some gear lash and at idle these gears can make a bit of racket (rattle) though this is typical of gear driven cams (or shafts) and one reason why most street engines do *not* use gear cam drives.
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24 eligible posts · 0 unverified posts · 1 discussions match the subject in their title or opening post.
Rennlist: 1 discussions
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Anyone here using a 996TT as a daily driver? I currently have a '99 996C2 as my daily driver, which I love, but would like to upgrade once my son gets out of college. I understand the limitations and benefits of having the 996 as a daily driver, but looking for TT specific issues that 1,000 miles a month might bring about. Thanks!
T2 (IIRC) drives his 996 Turbo (not sure of the year) daily. Furthermore he has accumulated over 250K miles on the car. Has been very reliable. (My big miles experience is with my 02 Boxster which at 233.7K miles has been a real reliable car.)
I do not drive my 03 Turbo every day but have increased its miles from around 9500 when I bought June of 2009 to 40.6K miles. So even though I don't drive it every day I have put some miles on the car. Let's see... that's about 2300 miles per month.
Not much to report. All I do is feed it premium gas -- around town/commuting it struggles to get more than 20mpg and on long trips I've managed to get the mpg up to 27mpg though I have to behave myself -- and mainly tires. Last set managed to get around 15K out of the rears (18" Continentals) though a proper 4-wheel alignment is critical. Set of tires before with an incorrect (unbenknownst to me) alignment had the same tires in the same driving style worn out in around 8K miles (ouch!). The fronts are the same tires that were on the car when I bought it (all 4 tires were brand new) and now have well 30K miles on them and have plenty of tread left.
Just had it serviced: oil/filter (Castrol Syntec 5w-50) and even though early had the fuel filter replaced.
Did have a bit of trouble with the car a month ago: bad idler roller bearing, failed radiator fan hub/blade assembly, leaking 6-speed transmission. All taken care of (tranny replaced with one from factory) under CPO warranty.
I could see the 996 Turbo as my daily driver but the 02 Boxster runs great and at 234K miles is not worth much as a trade in or a private sale, so I use the Boxster for errands, work commute, to keep the miles from adding up on the Turbo, saving the Turbo for mostly one day's commute (Wed. mostly but I drove it today cause I didn't get a chance to drive it Wed.) per week with some longer drives on the weekend and whenever I can get the time off long (4K miles or so) road trips back east.
Mainly one is looking at services and dealing with wear/tear items, like tires, brakes, and other consumables.
I change or have changed the oil/filter every 5K miles and have the other services done on schedule or sometimes early. For instance just had the fuel filter replaced at 40K miles even though it is not due until 60K miles. Replaced the plugs at 30K miles, the serpentine belt and engine air filter when car in for the idler roller, et al repair at around 35K miles.
Sincerely,
Macster.
Had mine for seven months and use it as a daily driver. Currently 44K miles. So far, no problems. Plan to keep doing so and expect to put about 7K miles per year on it.
I have both a C2 Cab and a TT that I alternate as daily drivers! Both great cars but very hard to keep the TT and I from having trouble with local speed limits - that car is a beast! The TT motor is bulletproof so drive her everyday without worry and trust me you will have trouble wiping the smile off your face when you get to work.
The TT motor does not have the IMS setup that the 996 powerplant does, but there are much more qualified Pcar experts on this forum that can go into more detail than I
As mentioned earlier, the Turbo (and the GT2/GT3) all use the GT1 (re: LeMans winning) derived Metzger dry sump engine, perhaps the best production engine ever turned out by Porsche. It has had an exceptional service career.
The wet sump C2/C4 based engine....no thank you.
They are 2 very different engines.
I was at the dealer talking to my SA and he told me that they get a Turbo once in a blue moon that needs IMS replacement. He was showing me a 959 that they were refreshening for a customer in KSA and he happened to show me a 996 Turbo on a lift getting a new IMS due to excessive noise. He also said that Turbo was heavily modded too. His tech said not to worry about IMS unless you go crazy with the power upgrades.
/m
Quite different. The Turbo motor's foundation is an engine used in racing circa '96 and developing over 600hp, though with special rods and titanium rod bolts which many Turbo hotrodders fail to consider when bumping their stock engines up to near that HP amount or higher.
Later, in '98 or '99, in order to qualify for GT1 racing 25 street legal versions had to be made/sold and this version a street version of the engine offered for sale produced around 700hp.
The Turbo engine doesn't have a full intermediate shaft but a partial (around half the length of the engine) shaft. This shaft driven by gear from the crankshaft. This shaft in turn drives the exhaust cams by chain.
The Turbo IMS runs in plain bearings simlar to the camshaft bearings in that the bearing does not use any bearing insert (like the main bearings). These bearing run in the native metal of the block. There are no roller bearings at this shaft. These plain bearings are pressure fed by the high pressure oil pump.
The gear teeth are cut an angle to run a bit quieter than straight cut gears, but there can still be some gear lash and at idle these gears can make a bit of racket (rattle) though this is typical of gear driven cams (or shafts) and one reason why most street engines do *not* use gear cam drives.
The Turbo IMS is probably about as simple and robust as it could be and still be have an IMS. (Now by comparison the new DFI engine does not have any intermediate shaft. The cams are driven by chain directly from the crankshaft.)
However the Turbo engine IMS still drives the exhaust cams by chain and these in turn drive the intake cams by chain. Also, there is a variable cam timing mechanism and variable valve lift hardware present.
While the Turbo IMS and its plain bearings and gear drive are probably free of any inherent weaknesses, the IMS can fail prey to a problem with one of the exhaust cam shaft chain drives, if one of these fails. That is if a tensioner or guide failed this could be incorrectly attributed to the IMS.
My various Porsche tech contacts tell me the Turbo engine is one of the best if not the best Porsche engine made but some qualify that with a mention of the new DFI engine.
Several note that this engine is used in all iterations of the new Carrera model line from the basic Carrera all the way up to the Turbo and beyond.
The implication is the engine is so strong and solid a foundation there is no need to offer a different engine for the more higher output applications.
We'lll see.
Sincerely,
Macster.
Thanks for all the comments guys. I don't need the extra horsepower, but I don't need the 300 that my C2 makes! Sounds like I need to go drive one as the next step, but I have over a year before I'll actually make a move.
+1
Friday my corporate attorney is in my car w/ me & says for the third time this year
Attorney: "Hey we should go drive the new 911s with the new ..."
Me: "Listen, if you wanna work the next 6 months for free, keep banging this drum and I'll go drive the new 911s with you, because you know how I am with new cars and new women"
Attorney: "[prolonged, pregnant pause]... This is such a great car Hans, you'd be crazy to sell it"
To the OP's point on the turbo, if you really are concerned about equipment failure, buy a warranty. It's inexpensive and mitigates the risk of equipment failure.
I think the turbo is way too much car for most streets. If you do a lot of higher speed freeway excursions it might suit you, but its not a great street fighter for urban or higher density, speed trap infested areas. However if you want to make and use serious power on a budget it's the only way to go in the 996 years.
Originally Posted by Macster
My work commute is nearly 30 miles one way, so if I drove the Turbo daily I'd add 300 miles/week to it at least.
Sincerely,
Macster.
... and the downside is????
Exactly. I guess the downside is accelerated depreciation, but wo cares? I'm not buying the car as an investment, I'm buying it to enjoy it 7 days a week.
Thanks for all the motor info. The only thing I'd heard "thru the grapevine" is that the '99 GT3 motor was basically the aircooled motor with water jackets thrown all around it, and that the TT was some sort of similar thing.
Glad to hear a bunch of facts of the true story.
Coupled with the extra power, all this new info makes me want to sell my '01 C4 Aero and get a same-era Turbo!
Or, if I was in the EU, I'd look for a used '99 GT3. That's my cup of tea.
It is true. Up until the "Spanish" crankcase, GT3/GT2/Turbo used a 964 crankcase casting. Please view the thread below...
https://rennlist.com/forums/996-gt2-...crankcase.html
/m
friend of mine is selling his pristine '01 996 turbo, 19k miles. Polar silver, boxster red inside. Just got a gt3 and needs to sell the turbo. Its flawless, from a guy who is super meticulous. In San diego
Well, I could drive the Turbo every day but since I hate to fly and like to drive instead and of course use the Turbo cause it is a very nice GT (better in most areas -- save fuel consumption -- than my Boxster) I perfer to "save" the Turbo for the once a week commute run and the weekend and then of course the several thousand mile (4K or more) road trip that I try to take 2 or 3 or sometimes 4 times a year to mainly visit my mom and dad.
This year I'm behind schedule not having had the car out but once -- early this July -- since last November. I hope to get it out again in Sept and again before the end of the year.
I have banked around 200 vacation hours (and get another 144 hours come March) so I have the vacation time to use. I just can't seem to get a break in my work schedule, though I'm going to be a bit more assertive and just schedule time off to avoid well to avoid working from Nov. to July sans any break sometimes even working at least one weekend day and some holidays. (Compounding my difficulty working my vacation time into my work schedule was I had a medical condition over this span of time that made me feel terrible and I really wasn't up to traveling. Getting up and going to work was about all I felt like doing. But I'm way better now and raring to go anytime I can get the time off.)
Sincerely,
Macster.
