996 C4S Hartech 3.9 - A diary

Afternoon all I have just joined up and said hi in the newbie thread, and I am going to use this thread to keep track of life with this 996 c4s . The car has been discussed on here a bit, but the basics are; - 2002 manual C4S in Meridian Metalic - 153k - Hartech 3.9 conversion carried out 13k miles ago - Car was the development car used by Hartech for the 3.9 conversions. I collect the car on Monday and as you can probably imagine I am quite excited as this has come about a long long period of research and 35yrs of dreaming! To the research end, this forum has been so very helpful and I feel compelled to record my experiences with the car in the hope that one day the info in the thread helps others, as I have been helped myself. Background I grew up fascinated by cars and probably the best thing my dad ever did, was instil a love of them in me. He went through a load himself in quite amusing and often for others, trying circumstances. What he couldn't get his hands on himself a mate would be able to..... Of all the cars I got a ride in, the one that has stuck with me the most was a black 930 Targa that was, er, borrowed from a mate and blatted around some Kentish lanes. At 7yrs old, I remember thinking it was brilliantly, terrifyingly fast, noisy like the best dinosaurs and I loved that the antenna for the radio was in the windscreen Anyway, thats when "I knew". So when I could finally afford my first car at 25 I ofc got something stupid, although in looks only. A bright yellow MK1 fiesta on white pepper pots anyone? But I loved it and tbf it went well. A string of company cars came and went (one, a Mk1 Vectra went very quickly, into the back of an A3 on the M6 after the brakes failed!) Unfortunately the inevitable move to London so seek fame, fortune and glory meant that a car was not really affordable, sensible or going to cut the mustard with my partner. FFWD 12 years and a lot of cycling but no fame, fortune or glory, and a real desire to finally get a nice fuggin car, we moved back to Scotland. Right up into the middle of FA no where in Perthshire. This move afforded me two whole cars! A very secondhand Disco 2 and a brand new F20 M140i Shadow Edition. We also ended up looking after a Smart plus 2 convertible that my dad (remember him) wanted to no be in London for a bit. Oddly the little Smart proved to the best in really icy conditions. The Disco was an all weather workhorse and M140i a right hoot in the lanes. A further 3 years on and we moved to Edinburgh. The Disco, Smart and Father all departed and we just had the M140i for company. And it's been a great car for us. It's done everything we wanted and more. It's like a little Jack Russell, always has its elbows out and can be immense fun to drive when given the chance, we will miss it for sure. But the dream for 35yrs has been a Porsche and now is the time to realise it. Now Still here? Fair play! This is going to be our daily and it will live in the city centre. It's not going to be a garage princess, or a flight of fancy. It's going be used, loved and cherished for a long time. When I say daily, though, I don't really mean it in the true sense because Edinburgh is tiny and bikes, trams, busses and feet get you most places in 20mins. So in reality it will be used like the M140i was (that did 30k miles in 7years) for normal trips to the further reaches of town and weekend jaunts about the country. I also play a lot of team sport and the practicality elements of the C4S car are really appealing. I can get all of my hockey, cricket and cycling kit in or on it, and no one else's, which is perfect as the M140i was far too practical and I always ended up taking 3-4 others to games on boring drives......Now I can take a chosen passenger and come up with the least efficient route to a game. We also have a 40kg, 7yr old Flat-coated Retriever called Moss, who likes a car journey, especially those ending in East Lothian at a beach. So the back seats will be getting utilised in some form, modified or otherwise. We love a road trip north as well and get up to various hotels and places at least 4-5 times a year. Thats where the M140is limits were exposed for me and I really want to enjoy those longer domestic trips a lot more from a driving POV and I think I will in the C4S. We recently made the 5hr trip to Tongue and the roads were stunning, I cant wait to go back and do them justice. To Do & Questions Research and that - Find out more from Hartech about the car (Grant has been really helpful on emails already and he supplied a lot of info to Marshal and Son as well. I bet he also dealt with a load of other people asking him about it, so huge appreciation for being so patient and responsive) - Find out more about its previous history. It has FSH at Reading Porsche before it went to Hartech and someone put it in my mind that it could have been a press car, but that seems tenuous to me. It would be good to know the history regardless - Decipher car codes when I have them - Go and actually get the car on Monday - Post more photos on here Exterior - While the paint is in great shape there are a few, tiny patches of lacquer peel in small areas, mostly just around the roof rack mounting points. I would like to sort this but not sure how yet. Not fussed about the small amounts of gravel rash on bumper and mirrors but they will get tidied up. - Get it detailed/protected post lacquer fix. Best method to be determined. - There is one thumbnail size piece of paint loss and surface corrosion on the back of the front left wheel arch. I want to get this sorted as well - Tidy up the front splitter a bit - see what suspension is on it. it looks newish and OEMish, but no one can remember/is sure. - Check the head light covers and bulbs - work out the best roof rack/system to use for bikes. Interior - The internal sunroof panel is fouling the mechanism and needs to be refitted properly. - I like the interior design generally but find the gear knob offensive for some reason, so I will swap that out. - As I am fairly large, in time I might want to go for the centre console delete, but I would need to mount the A/C controls in a clever fashion under the dash, so lets see what room I need. - Find an OEMish umbrella - Either take back seats out and mod area for dogs, or get and over-the-top cover for them. Dog size/comfort dependent. - Consider retrofitting some aftermarket heated seats to appease my partner, who thinks they are as important in a car as a manual gearbox. - Consider a steering wheel swap after driving it for a bit - Consider an SSK after driving it for a bit. Questions - Will Porsche tell you about the history of you car? I seem to find conflicting info on t'interwebs about this. - Are there decent after market roof racks/suckers that anyone would recommend? I would be used to transport my bikes in summer mainly. - Is the ESSO PCGB card worth it/does anyone have it? - I'm happy to take the car back to Hartech for major services as I have family nearby, but would anyone recommend a local specialist or the OPC in Edinburgh for minor stuff I cant do myself? All the reviews and recs seem a few years old (or my search chi is weak) - Does anyone have a preferred paint specialist in central Scotland, or is there a DIY way to at least contain the lacquer peel? - Does anyone have a prefferred detailer in Edinburgh? (Loads of choice with the last two so just wondering whats what is all) Er right, so thats a lot of waffle and not a lot of actual happenings. But let's see where this ends up, it will surely be fun regardless! Cheers Rob

I’m pretty sure Hartech don’t do services anymore as I spoke with them when looking around for a good independent. Trying to get info out of Porsche is bloody frustrating as they haven’t to date offered anything up for me. And I’m still waiting for one of the OPC’s to call me back from a couple of months ago. As for the Esso card you’ll end up paying more for your fuel then get a discount so I’m not sure they are worth it

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Yeah I couldn't work the card out tbh, but thats that cleared up! Did you just email the OPC and then wait.....? Noted on Hartech, I will investigate and then look for a good independent up here

Nice write up. Welcome to 911uk. It's a great forum. I use the C4S for everything and anything. Roof rack for when there's not enough room inside and I put a bag on top or a bike. Dog goes in the car - sitting on a blanket on the front seat and she's very happy there. Although a Beagle so not as big as your dog. IMO, as soon as you get it into your head that this life is a 1 ticket ride with no refunds or returns, it doesn't make any sense to NOT use your car every time you can. Rain, snow, worst of the Scottish weather. Hope you let nothing stop you.

I'm glad someone on the forum bought that. Looks like a cracking car!!

What an excellent write-up.... i wondered who'd bought that car and now we know. In my experience i've always found Porsche centres more than happy to help, particularly Wilmslow and Edinburgh... and found the one piece of missing history that turned out to be a £7500 invoice for a new gearbox and clutch in 2005 at 46500 miles... it;s all about how and what you ask for ie: charm. Good luck, i and many others will undoubtedly follow your story and even chip in from time to time. Good tip.... only ask questions of the particular dealer that did work on the car..... as alot are independent, they don't datalog and share the history.... you'll get all the info you need from the stamps in the service book as to which OPC did the work... best of luck and enjoy.

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Cheers and spot on about the one way ticket and we are going to do the same as you, but probably in worse weather Which rack is that out of interest?

There is space J Thread '996 Console delete and heater controls query' 10 Dec 2020 I'm Going ahead with the GT3 console delete to create more legroom but I currently have a double din head unit (with apple car play etc) that I really like. Obviously to do the console delete the head unit has to be changed to a single din, unless someone can come up with an alternative? it looks as though there was a kit to raise the entire centre console but that is no loner available. As far as I can tell the options are as follows: 1. Swap to single din - what parts would I need for this though and any recommendations for a single din non folding out unit with apple car play? 2... jaysagood Replies: 33 Forum: Porsche 911 996 (1997-2005) would need to be a custom job as Function First no longer trade

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Cheers. I blame the forum mostly

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a great tip on the OPC, thanks. Will be charming/pestering Porsche Reading then

Congrats on the new car - she sure looks a cracker in Meridian - good choice on the Over The Top covers, they are brill!!! Cant wait to hear more about your ownership journey

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oooooh! And how does one find the instructions on how to do that? Asking for a friend..... edit - saw the bottom of your message too late. Will have a look and think as that would be great

Do not have those, but there is also Porsche 996 HVAC-Integrated Center Console Delete The classic 996 center console delete, but without compromises. Porsche's GT3 center console delete has always been popular with 996 owners, but you were out of luck if you had switches in the stock center console, or a double-DIN radio and HVAC controls. So we redesigned it, incorporating extra... artndvehiclestudio.com

Good to see another one from the luffgus pipeline Looks like a cracking car. I actually wonder if the mileage might help somewhat in the common issues (coolant pipe, suspension) etc - as they probably would have already been encountered and fixed by 150k I would think

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Blimey.... $550.... bloody Porsche tax.