Handling problem 2001 996

Having recently bought my 2001 996 C2 ( first 911 owned), i have been more than dissapointed with the cars handling. I have experienced two problems. 1. What i can describe as a floating & negative sensation from the front end of the car at high speed 2. At moderate speed, any change of direction in steering that you would expect the car to soak up gives a definite "un-planted" feedback through the steering, not under full load, i.e. 50-70 mph. Is this the driving experience shared by others ? The car for the record was supplied main dealer and has not previously been damaged, the dealer has corrected and realigned all four wheels, geometry and balancing and the car is no different in my opinion. Any feedback would be most welcomed. Neil

Hard to say. The 911 does have distinctive handling. The rear weight bias provides tremendous grip and traction, but the car's natural tendancy is to understeer slightly. The steering can feel odd compared with front engined cars, but the steering feel is widely regarded as best of any road car. It communicates everything that is happening at the front end and this is what contributes so much to the 911s character. IMO the pre-assisted cars were the best, but the 996 still sets a very high standard. Tyres can make some difference, but your OPC should have ensured that they are all matching 'N' rated. And, cross winds can affect the feeling of stability. Presumably the rear spoiler is working at high speed? Why not book a few hours with one of Porsche's driving consultants. Depending on where you live they will give you some tuition on road and track.

Neil why not get your dealer to let you test another similar spec car and compare back to back naturally with him onboard [8D] Then you will know if its the car or driver

Assuming the geometry, etc, are correct, then there should be no problem. If you are used to front engined car, the feel is very different. The first time I drove a mid engine car I found it most strange (a MR2 mk2). Rather than having 60% over the front wheels, (or maybe 50-55% for well balanced front engined cars), you have around 70% over the rear wheels. This means that the front tyres a lightly loaded, so the steering rack and other items can operate with a bit more finesse and deliver more steering feel. It also means that the front bounces and bobs around a bit on bumpy C roads. If you have confidence, set the car up by braking changing gear and getting it settled, then you can push hard and there is a remarkable amount of grip and poise. It does take a but of getting used to, but it is worth it (in my opinion). That it takes a little bit of effort, is wat makes it more rewarding when you get it right. The fuel tank is in the front, so a full tank of fuel adds an extra 40-50 kg over the front axle. Since the weight is in the back, it is more susceptible to side winds, than a comparable front engined car (think of throwing a dart backwards), but it is not really a problem, and other cars moves about more on the motorway. The C2 does have small amount of lift over the front axle, which is why the GT3, GT2, Turbo have different front spoilers. However I don't believe that you would notice any significant effect below 130-150mph.

Standard two wheel drive Carrera's are light at the front end & you can feel the nose move & bob slightly during driving, but it is still a fantastic handling car, the upside is fantastic traction from all that weight in at the rear & better steering feel!! Few questions............ How new are the tyres & are they all to the correct pressure, N rated & the same front & rear? What suspension is fitted, standard or sports? What car have you come out of? Stupid point.........Don't forget it's VERY windy at the moment!!!!!!

Hi Grant, The tyres have done 3k, all N rated and all at the correct pressures, same-same front and rear, suspension is standard but i wouldn't have thought that to be a significant problem? Wind wasn't a factor on the day, this is a two week old nightmare now! I previously had a front mounted 7.25 litre 427 AC Cobra and pretty well balanced, i guess from what i'm reading is the now rear mounted plant gives a significant difference in feedback from the front end. Thanks & Regards, Neil.

Tyre pressures the same all round...thats a rich vein. Everybody "on the street" says drop fronts and inflate rears. I complain about understeer to anybody who'll listen. Did a charity track day a few weeks ago & organisor who instructs on Ferrari experiences harked back to saab rallying and said drop front pressures - he still understeered all the way round. May not sort wandering out but I reckon tyre pressures could be a lively thread

911's only feel 'understeery' if you drive them like a conventional configuration car. As Swiss Toni would say 'Driving a 911 is much like making love to a beautiful women'.

Sarah, my wife, would like me to point out that my last post should have read "WOMAN", not "WOMEN"!!!

In what way? Do you mean: For the connoisseur and the experienced, to be gently warmed up, then operated with skill and dexterity, before cooling off and basking in the glow of a job well done. To be treated with care and respect, to be wooed to give her all, then admired for her abilities to accommodate all situations with grace and poise. Or: Lock her in the garage for the winter then thrash her in the summer for a quick thrill. To be buffed and dressed up to gain peer approval.

I have been married for 21 years, and a member of PCGB for nearly as long. In my experience, your second scenario always seems to lead to problems of unreliability and high maintenance costs. It is much better to keep use as regular as possible. In operating terms, 911s do seem to respond more eagerly to precise and controlled operation, rather than rough and ready shoves and pushes. Treated this way, you will never quite know where you are, and what is going to happen next. Oh, and lastly, ownership tends to be more rewarding if you keep the number of other cars in the garage to a minimum!

nth, seriously though, as stated earlier in this thread, 911's are a unique driving experience. To prove if there is something adrift in your car's setup, just drive another one on the same road etc. If you still feel uncomfortable, turn this thought on its head and just consider that what you are experiencing is what is REALLY happening to the front of your car. Think of it like someone being given a pair of glasses for the first time. The astonishing feedback you are being treated to via the steering wheel is a GOOD thing. If it makes you nervous, you need to find out what your and the cars limits are, to callibrate the sensations you are getting. I guarantee the cars limits will exceed both your current expectations and your initial ability. Unless it is genuinely b*ggered, in which case you light a firework up your dealers catalytic convertor!!!!

Hi, just returning to your original posting , you would benefit from at least another 996 driver trying your car , assuming you are a member of PCGB and your region meets once a month then you may have such a resource to hand. Try their 996 as well. Its unlikely to be a fault on the car if the dealer has checked it , more likely to be you coming from a car with completely different feel. Mine ( bog standard 97 vintage C2 tip )has travelled down autobahns at twice UK speed limit and felt about same as it did at half the speed on UK motorways.....except that steering input needed to be very restrained [ ]

nth I can completely share your feedbacl on my own pre facelift 2001 C2. At speed the front feels "very" light and twitchy. Stable is certainly not a word I would use. Floaty is a really accurate description. I have had 4 x new N4 Rosso's and 2 x recent OPC geometry checkups so all seems OK on this front. I am now thinking that the stock, standard suspension has seen better days? Only done 25K? and maybe some of the front bushes are not how they should be? I certainly know that the front discs need skimming as the annoying vibration is getting worse and worse. I will keep you updated on any progress I make

Good advice to go test drive another 996 to compare for your peace of mind. if you still aren't happy spend some money on the 030 10mm lowered suspension, although this firms the ride up (some don't like that!) it transforms the car's handling compared to standard.

Mention was made of tyre pressures, what is recommended. I use standard 36 front and 40 rear, feels great to me. Now my 993 was floaty at the front !! Tim 996C4

I had a 1998 C2 that felt very "front end light" at high speeds - quite unnerving really when first experienced it. My problem was the wheels themselves. I bought the car privately with what I thought were Porsche Turbo 18" alloys on the car. In fact they were very good turbo copies, which were much heavier than proper porsche wheels - to the tune of 13kilo's over the rear ! Completely screwed the handling. I bought a set of Carrera alloys, new tyres, balanced, proper pressures etc & it transformed the car. Still a little light at the front, but I was advised to keep the car at least half full of petrol to weigh down the front. I really do think the facelift helps things - I then had a C4S which felt fantastic & now have a Turbo which again handles like a dream - no front end lightness at all. So as per advice, go drive an identical car & see if its just your car, or "they all do that sir" !! Ro.