The Official 996 C4S Thread

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Quote: Awesome! Another one here in DFW! The guys at RAC are great. I am confident you got yourself a great ride. Hope to meet you at one of the local events soon. Jamie

Thanks for the good word for RAC. I had never heard of them but took a chance after talking to them. The car passed inspection and they are bringing it to San Antonio, TX. Check arrived today and waiting for it to clear and get the car down here. Cant wait!!

Just an FYI make sure to really inspect the car upon delivery. I had a ppi done by park place and they missed a ton of stuff to the tune of 3 grand. If I hadnt been so excited to get the car and confident because I had a PPI I would have refused it on delivery. They missed a ton of stuff that cost me good money. Money I could have negotiated off on the car had I known. Lesson learned. Then again I doubt who you are purchasing from is as shady as park cities autohaus in Dallas tx is.

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Quote: I would agree with the park place warning. In this case the PPI was ok, but they did miss some things although small in comparison. Problem is I am not local to Dallas and needed to set up the PPI on short notice. They did an ok job but I have noticed a few things they missed that perhaps a good indie would have found. Either way I am happy so far and the car (and my garage) look awesome. Ill get some pics up when I get a chance.

There is just no substitute for seeing a car in person. Mine had a rank smell to it as well, if I had seen it in person never would've even considered it. I ended up trading it in because of all the issues combined with the smell. Congrats in the ride I'm sure it's a great feeling.

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Quote: SCORE!!

My new baby!! Ill get better pics at some point.

Damn nice pick up! I am going to be in the Market for a C4s shortly (1 year or so)....but the ones I have been finding are all so high mileaged....

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Quote: A high mileage should not be a problem if cared fot. Jb

Love this thread, but it's created another issue for me. I finally decided on the 996 over the NSX and now I'm torn on getting the 4S after looking at all of these fine examples! I may end up having to purchase from out of state though. I can't find anything in my area that I like. Anyone with previous experience with purchasing out of state? I've done it before with a M5 but I considered myself lucky. Plus, it was still under warranty.

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Quote: no worries. i have done it several times. First talk to the service center which works consistently on the car you may be interested in. If the owner does not give you a source, move on. then, if you are really interested (say 90% probable), find a different service center to do a PPI. Most Porsche dealers will do one for $300. if the owner will not take his/her car to a dealer, move on bye. then if it passes, go look at the car your self and check the sources. The local PCA is always a good source of information. there are many posts here of drivers who fly cross country and drive home. it is always a fun trip. I did it myself once, and had a great time. GOOD LUCK JB

I have bought several over the internet. If your looking for a specific car it is sometimes the only way to get it. Last one prior to the Porsche was an infiniti G35 with a manual transmission. What I have found so far is that PPI's should never be performed at the dealer. The last 2 were performed at dealers and neither caught what I feel they should have. Do not just have the mechanicals checked out. PPI's performed at a maintenance shop will focus on mechanicals, but pay for a body guy to check it also for prior damage, paint quality, etc. There is no replacement for going to see the car yourself but I have never been able to. The stars never seem to align for me to go pick it up. If your going to ship absolutely DO NOT use the recommended carrier by the selling dealer but DO get a quote from the selling dealer. Reason I say that is they get kickbacks from the carriers and will still pass on the full price to you. Know the shipping price upfront before you dealer with contract shippers because they vary widely. I am sure I could post a few more notes but that is all I have for now. Dont be in a rush.

Thanks for the responses guys! I appreciate the tips. So hard to be patient, but I know I'll find the right one if I wait and take my time. I just know it will more than likely be an out of state purchase. I just have to do the things suggested to protect myself. Nothing like getting the car and then having something fail. When I got my M5 I was on cloud nine. Watched it back out off of the trailor and I was grinning ear to ear that evening. The next day I watched it being loaded up on a flat bed headed to the dealer for the next 5 days... It was under warranty so I wasn't too upset, but I don't want to experience that again. Sorry....didn't mean to hijack this great thread. Back to posting the beautiful C4S pics!!!!!!!

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Quote: I just did this a month ago. I went to Charlotte, NC. to pick up a 2004 C4S Blue after 2 months of searching on line all over this great nation. Only saw one in Maryland with way too many miles. My son (17) flew out with me and helped me drive back - he was excited. I looked from California to NY. Had a few possibilities in Texas but to be honest, I really didn't want to go that far. Also had possibles in Connecticut, PA and Ohio. Ended up with an 04 with 41,500 miles for 36K. Here's what I did: Every night online looking at E-Bay, Cars.com, Cargurus, and autotrader ... monitored all 4 sites closely. Identified a car, put a deposit, got a PPI and called the dealer or owner several times asking questions. One guy stopped talking when I mentioned a PPI - dropped him. A dealer in Texas did not want to fix the problems found during a PPI - got my deposit back and dropped him. Before buying a plain ticket, get the carfax, be satisfied with the PPI (I talked to the inspector in both occasions) and had the salesman/owner send pictures and describe the car while standing in front of it. If there's nothing to hide, they won't mind. My son and I checked the car with a fine tooth comb at pick-up (inspection check list, flashlight, crawled underneath) and I'm very satisfied with the purchase. Hope this helps and ... good luck!

Nice story. I'm sure my son would love to accompany me for a flight/roadtrip too! Love reading purchases like this. I did the same online search to those sites every evening before going to bed. Every night I'd crawl into the bed and reach for the laptop. Then the wife would say "there it is" like she knew my routine! Ha!

This is my C4S. It's an older picture. I've since installed GT2 coilovers and widened the lips in the rear. I'm stretching 295 big time right now I need 315. However I MAY sell it. [IMG] [/IMG]

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So why sell it after all that work...something newer? I was too looking at going to a slightly wider tire out back (just for astetics) but everyone is telling to stick w/ the 295s. Id love to go up to 315s (305s at least) and...its getting to be that time. Thoughts....? Quote:

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Quote: I'm not a fan of the 997 unless it's a GT3/GT2. I like the 991 but I don't like buying brand new, I don't see the value in it. I'm thinking about selling off all of my toys so I can buy some rental property. I have my eyes on an Ariel Atom in 3-5 years. I drove one the other day and there's nothing like it. Quote: Follow your heart. But most importantly understand that it's a offset game. You MUST MUST have a person that knows what he's talking about when it comes to offsets because you don't want to play with spacers and rubbing. I'm able to put 315's on without a single spacer, it wasn't an overnight thing, it cost quite a bit and took a while to perfect it but it got done. If I sell my car I'm going to sell the wheels separately let me know if you're interested, I just refinished them a month ago, they are in perfect condition.

Thanks for the advise Erin. So what yor are telling me is that the 315s won't necessarily go on the stock 18x11 rims on the back on the C4S? Also, do you have close-up pics of your rims?

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Quote: I'd like to see closeups as well. Car looks great!

Havent posted here in a while..heres shot from earlier this year.

Nice back shot! I finally picked up mine yesterday!!! PPI checked out and so I took some advice from others and flew out and drove it back 8 hours the same day. I was exhausted when I returned home around 9:30pm. I just couldn't part with a grand to ship it home. One way ticket cost $110 + gas. Probably the best 8 hours of driving I've had! The time on the road gave me a opportunity to get used to the car. I'll take pics and post shortly. Still in the bed recuperating from the long day. Proud owner of a '04 Black/Black C4S!

Congratulations! I'm sure it was a great drive back home. Sounds a lot like my story. So....where did you go pick it up? What's the first thing on your list of things to do? and ... did you join the club? They can keep you as involved as you want to be with the club and your car. Going to pick up the car is to me, they way to go. Make a day (or two) of it, see it and inspect it before the deal is sealed and take that first long drive on it. Can't beat it. Again, congratulations!

I had to take a trip to get my C4S also, I live in RI and the car was in Long Island. My father and I had to get up at 5 in the morning to catch the ferry to LI. We grabbed a coffee and headed to the boat, was a nice calm trip over to LI. I was so excited I couldn't even sit still on the boat. My father was so excited for me, he has been a Porsche owner for many years now. When we got off the boat is was almost a 2hr ride to the dealership the Porsche was at. We got there and my father and I took the car for a test drive. We were both laughing hysterically. Neither of us could believe I was getting my first Porsche. We then finalized the deal and my father and I was back on the road to catch the ferry going home. We were running late so I figured I would use that time to test the power of my new beast, letrs just say I went from running late to being 10 min early lol. I knew what I had when it came time to load the car on the ferry and the people who worked on the ferry made me wait and had me load my car on last and let me pull away from any other cars. People stood there and looked at me in amazement, they couldn't believe a 24 year old hoped out the driver seat of a 911 lol. That was by far the best day of my life, to forfill a dream and being able to do it with my best friend/father was just an amazing feeling. That is a memory I will forever cherish and never forget.

Quote: Thanks!! I'm pretty excited that I'm finally a Porsche owner. I flew out to Columbus Ohio after getting the green light from the PPI and talking to the mechanic. Only failure was the broken cupholder ($500). I think I can live with that . The owner picked me up from the airport and then let me drive the car before sealing the deal. Then I stopped at the store for some 5 hour energy, peanut m&m's, pringles and a couple Mountain Dews. Funny because the cashier said.."something tells me you have to stay alert for a while". I was up at 5am that morning and had to make a flight out of Baltimore so I was a little tired. I must say I was a little concerned/depressed when the navigation said 7hr 54min from home. I was carrying three wheels with me so comfort was a challenge. The 4th wheel wouldn't fit anywhere so we ended up stopping at the UPS store to ship before I rolled out. I finally set out with overcast and threats of rain. On the road about an hour or so and got a couple looks here and there. Then some guy in a beat up Chevy Cavalier pulls up next to me, looks over, cuts over in front of me and turns on his windshield wiper fluid. It shoots straight over his car and lands all over the front of my car and the windshield. I think he modified his to shoot that high because it was a single stream of liquid. I was pretty pissed, but I was in the middle of nowhere so I just kept my distance. That's when I was getting a little worried about being on the road in unfamiliar land by myself. My wife had me on the phone most of the trip. She was tracking me on her iPad from home and letting me know what towns were coming up next and the traffic reports. I was trying to make it to Maryland without stopping but I ended up pulling over at the end of PA. I finally submitted to the Mountain Dews and all that caffeine! Once I got into Maryland I was feeling more comfortable. I was about 3 hours out at that point and still had 1 1/2 hours of daylight left. The weather held up all the way until I got about an hour from home. It poured down raining in Alexandria for about 5 minutes and then again in Springfield. Then it stopped and was dry and smooth sailing for the next 15 minutes in. I was exhausted when I got home. Mainly due to the uncomfortable seating position I was in and mentally drained from worrying about being by myself and the "what ifs". If I had to do it again I would but not alone. The ride back allowed me to really get used to the car and get a good feel for it on the road. I absolutely love it! I've lurked on this site for a while and finally decided on the 911. Then I really feel in love with the 4S model after browsing this thread. Glad to officially join the family and look forward to learning more from all the knowledgeable members on here! - Rob

i wasn't feelin to good 2day....so i just sat in my garage for awhile....

PoRsChE_ShIfTiN; I know exactly how you feel. The idea of finally owning one is exhilarating to say the least. Not sure if anyone else does this but, I find myself stepping out to the garage under any dumb excuse just to catch a glimpse (if not a minor inspection) of the beast. It looks good just sitting there. I recommend you join the club - lots of fun benefits to it.

Stone_05 : Did you look on the Pelican Parts site? I believe they have the cup holder for our model year. So you mentioned MD and VA. I'm in Baltimore and my son actually resides with his Mom in VA. Are you in the area? We recently had a Tech talk up my way which was very informative. The people were great and the food was amazing. Took my oldest daughter with me - she was all into the event which was nice. Again, I'm a very new owner myself learning ins and outs. Was hoping to get slightly bigger tires in the back (305s) but most advised against it - but this might be material for a different place on the forum. You got extra tires with yours --- what size are they if you don't mind?

Quote: I haven't looked on the Pelican Parts site yet for the cupholder. I used to go there for parts for my M5. I'm actually in Southbridge which is in between Woodbridge and Dumfries. I'm usually all around the DMV(DC,Md,VA) area. The seller threw in turbo twist wheels along with brand new Blizak tires. I believe they are all 245's. This was his only car so he had a winter set up. Right now I have 295's on the back which look great but I'd like to go to 305's too. Just don't want to do anything the jeopardize the ride or the power. I'm all new to Porsche. I was all about BMW for the past 10 years. Let me know when the next Tech talk is. I'd be interested in attending. So just to keep the theme of this thread going....here's a quick pic of my 04 C4S resting quietly......for now.

That's funny Stone, I had a 318 bought new in '95 and later a used '99-528-5Spd., that thing moved. Don't feel lime the lone ranger, I've been at the Porsche game for all of 2 months now, although I've been an enthusiast since I was in middle school and a 911 cut a turn right in front on me - of course I was on foot ... and in love. I really like the Turbo Twists that came with the and have no need for winter tires since ... well, you know. I have been looking for the 305s for the back but they are hard to find unless you're willing to go with a track tire. If you come across something please share. And do check out Pelican, I thought I saw the cup holders there. What I need is a driver side visor mirror flip door - again, if you find one let me know.

Nice looking C4S Stone!

Thanks Dennis!!

Great stories guys, love reading about your C4S' here's a recent shot of mine. Been in love for 6 years now

Yoshinoya, That's a very nice C4S, is that our 356 too next to it? Loving the silhouette shot in dimmed lights. I came very close to getting a silver one but it was out west and very high on miles - had like 105K. What have you done to yours in the last 6 years? I see the spoiler and and rims, are you running factory size tires?

Thanks Ctoro99, Loving your Lapis(?) Blue C4s also. I was actually in the market for a black one, but came across the meridian silver which has a purplish tint and couldn't resist. I'm Running 19inch rims 285 in the front and 315 in the rear if my memory serves correct. Aside from the wing and wheels, the car is equipped with H&R coil overs and front strut brace. I wish the 356 was mine, it was parked there already when I pulled up. That is one of my ultimate dream P-cars, one day my friend!

Looks great Yoshinoya! Love the wing and wheels! I'm still on the fence if I should get a one or not. Maybe down the road...

Thanks Stone 05, love your blk/blk C4s, as you see above, it was my first preference. Enjoy the car without the wing, its such a classic look and of course biased, but the C4s is the sexiest of the 996 range. The wing can come later when you want to refresh the look a bit in the near future =)

I thought I was ready to move on and get a new car...an Audi R8 was calling my name. I had it sold and the guy was bringing me a check yesterday... But, I just couldn't do it. I love this car as much as I did when I bought her in 2007. Anything I liked any better was well over $100K. Keeping it for now.....maybe forever.

Glad to hear Brando! Surprised that you were going to sell after all that work and such a beautiful C4S. Plus, I was a little pi$$ed seeing it for sale after I bought mine. Glad you're going to hang on to it!

Brando, what's not to love...? Can't think of many other vehicles that would look as good as this C4S. Rims and rear spoiler take it over the edge...in a good way.

Ok guys. New to the forum and am about to be the proud owner of a C4S Monday afternoon. I've been looking for a while and decided on a 2003 C4S in Yellow. However yesterday I saw one in White with 49K miles on it. Went to go check it out today... Took it for a drive and after explaining to my wife what was taking me so long at Sam's Club.... I signed some papers. Now, I've done a lot of research to determine what I want but I honestly haven't done a lot of research on this car specifically. I know it has a clean carfax and nothing jumped out at me when visually inspecting it or driving it. At almost $40K for a 10 year old car is a little unnerving, it is by far the best looking and cleanest car I've seen to date (apples to apples). Here is the carfax report: http://www.carfax.com/VehicleHistory...AA29993S623172 And here is the eBay Listing: http://cgi.ebay.com/ebaymotors/STUNNING-911-CARRERA-4S-COUPE-AWD-18-WHLS-BOSE-STITCHING-ONLY-49K-MILES-PRISTINE-/350601174233?pt=US_Cars_Trucks&hash=item51a1755cd9 #vi-content I have been a BMW guy in the past owning an E30, E36 and E46 thus only really know about Porsches through forums, MT, C&D and my friend who thinks his 2001 Boxster is the greatest car ever made. Planning on taking it to Hennesy Porsche to have it checked out on Monday but I know I'm paying more than KBB Value. Am I right in thinking that this is a fair price? There were two other people that came to look at the car while I was there. With that kind of attention there is no way they are going to lower the price. It also seems pretty hard to find a white C4S anywhere. So... you guys being the experts- tell me what you think.

Been around for awhile now. Here is mine with interior basically done and rims/suspension.

Nice!!! Love the red. What wheels are those?

thanks! They are victor equipment innsbruck

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Very nice car and rare color! Hit them with the Edmunds valuation.... They should be willing to take under $38K in this economy. Good luck and let me know if you get it....we'll hit the mountains! Quote:

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Thanks guys! Us older wide butts have to stick together Quote: Quote:

Brando love the wing! That would look great on mine too, good to see you keep,the car the c4S seem to be holding value pretty good (all,the magizine attention seems to be working), best looking 996 save the Gt cars.

I need to replace my 2 front tires on my C4S - they are down to 31%. Any specific brand/style recommendations would be greatly appreciated. Thanks in advance rich

You can use 235 rather than 225.

Finally got around to taking some decent pics of the entire car. Mine came with the GT3 wheels. They've kind of grown on me now. I'm not sure if I want to move up to 19's or not. Love the way the car handles and the power. Don't want to do anything to lessen that. Maybe lowering the car and getting small spacers for a little more aggressive stance with these 18's? Right now I have 18x8 with 50ET up front and 18x11 with 45ET rear. What do you guys think? Also...noticed my exhaust tip is a little off on the right. Wasn't before....must've happend after getting my IMS,Clutch etc. replaced. I'll have to adjust it.

Very nice!

Stone- youll be fine lowering it will make an illusion the rims are bigger, and you should like it... Has anyone ever taken out the plastic inserts on the turbo slats of the rear bumper? Ours have plastic in them, the TT has em open and it looks WAY better. I'm thinking of taking mine off but wondering if anyone has done this? thanks

Hi Guys, great to have found this site. Just picked up my first 911!!

Looks great! Love the Sport Technos!

Picked up my first porsche two weeks ago. 02 c4s.

Like many, I've been dreaming of owning a 911 since I was a youngster. I have my eye on a C4S, and hope to be able to pull trigger shortly. Two questions: 1. Any known issues on the 2002 model I should be aware of? 2. Why do Porsche owners seem to only keep for a couple of years and then sell? Does the reality not live up to the dream? (I guess that's 3 questions) Thanks

C4S: OK, I want one! Been away for a while since selling the 99C2.... 99C2

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Quote: IMS bearing can fail in an unknown percentage of cars. A fix is available when you replace the clutch. switches go bad causing random CEL signals. Cats last 80005 miles; guaranteed to 80000 miles. car eats rear tires. One gets 10-12 k miles on a set. One has to have 4 wheel alignment to preserve rears; some get adjustable control arms. cars are traded every few years, because after driving them, one longs for more POWER. after you get one, join PCA and get thee to a Drivers' education event. You will never know what you have until you get it over 5K rpm in a safe venue. My car is completely different there JB p.s. my avatar is at watkins glen.

Thanks for the reply, itching for the C4S, the maintenance though is scaring me. While I realize it's the price for experiencing the ride, the mileage you quote for the tires seems ridiculous. Track time is first on my list, for sure. Anybody looking for an 09 Harley Street Bob to help finance my dream?

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Quote: CONGRATULATIONS FRITOS74 !!! tell me how much you are loving it

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Quote: If you are going to do any track time or autocross time, then the tires will last even fewer miles! It's not uncommon for rear tires to be worn out in 7,000 or 8,000 miles. You have to pay if you want to play!

tell him Dennis...haha...

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Quote: Definitely understand. Playing at the track and getting that kind of mileage out of a set of rubber is one thing. Just driving to and from work on a nice day, totally different story. Finding a loan for a 10 year old car at a decent rate is frustrating. Too bad my heloc is being used for a bathroom remodel.

Quote: Go through a credit union. Best rates.

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Quote: Point me in the right direction, please. Mine only goes back 7 years. Another is 70% for loan to value for 10 years. I can fel the shifter in my hands, I just need the $$$ to finish the deal.

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Quote: Try Pentagon Federal. I joined my wife's credit union for teachers. I'm not a teacher but they let family members join. Got a 2% rate for a 04 C4S. Credit unions will consider the value of the car versus the age. Initially i was going to purchase a NSX which was older and they were ok with that too. Heard a lot of good things about PenFed and their loan process. Give them a shot! Good luck!

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Quote: oh good, I haven't been in here for awhile and as a fellow wide-butt, are you checking this Burke?, I'm glad to see the tire-wars are going to heat up again. (C4S wide-butt t-shirts would be good, but my last venture into the t-shirt business was a huge bust.) Um, yes, to answer a previous question, tires are for sure a bit pricy. And they do wear out pretty quick if you take the car out of the garage. Of course none of us got into this game with any worry about tire replacement. It's literally the nature of the beasts. So onward to the wars. I ran with Bridgestone Potenza RE050 Pole Positions for years. Recently had to replace the rears after running around all summer. Fronts were just fine. Found out that Bridgestone discontinued the 295's. Noting abs and psm issues when mixing tires, I didn't buy Bridgestone's designated replacement tire, although I would guess the compound would be the same. Instead, I have 4 new Michelin PS2's. And, seriously, I'm finding that running the Michelins is better, both for stick and for sound and ride. Have not been out in the rain yet, but the traction is AA like the Bridgestones and no problems expected. The tread ware differece is 220 on the ps2's to 280 on the pp's. Negligible. So, to answer the questions posed above, tires are expensive, Bridgestone RE050pp's are fine on the car, Michelin ps2's seem to be better so far. Cheers, j

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Quote: Quicksand, I too went throught a Credit Union, Andrews Federal in MD. Just got 04-C4s back in June at a 1.59% int. rate, they offered 7 yrs. but I took it for 5 instead. I joined The Club and have been to a few events and have 2 more this month. IMS issue mentioned is on the back of my head but even so I'm enjoying the car tremendously and getting the wife and kids involved even as they come along for the events - car talk this weekend, big brunch in 2 weeks, kids are coming. And when I wonder why I'm still busting my a$$ at 52, i walk out to the garage, check out the ride and although the question goes unanswered, I see my reward. No regrets!

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Quote: Hello Stone, got a question for you...I can't remember if you were on the East coast but when you mentioned doing the IMS and clutch (plus) on your C4S actually a few questions come to mind. At 42k miles on my 04 I haven't done that yet but I have been looking into it with cost ranging from 2500 to near 4k. That said, do you mind sharing who did the work for you, cost, quality of work and your level of satisfaction with the shop and work done? Thanks in advance for any information.

My first one... Picked this up for my birthday, 02 c4s with 27,233 miles. Anyone know of a good mechanic/ reasonably priced in Atlanta? I know it needs a rear main seal and a cam cover needs resealing but I factored that into the price. Other than that I think it is in awesome condition.

nice if you are getting the rms done do the IMS too!!

That is one nice B'day gift Voodoojar!!!! Enjoy it.

Voodoojar very nice !!! Happy birthday

Great birthday present. Will you adopt me? Ha! Enjoy!!

Just a few new ones of my 2003 4s