996 Turbo Questions

[J.P]

Hey All,

I am starting the initial research into 996 Turbo ownership and have a few questions - have done a bit of searching and lurking, but would just like a bit more info...

1) Does 996 TT = 996 Twin Turbo ? If so are these sequential ??
2) Is the power delivery progressive or is there a bit of on-boost, off-boost feeling
3) Is the GT2 a stripped out, 2 rear wheel drive version of the 996tt or is there ALOT more to it...apart from the price hike
4) As for engine modifications, is it along the lines of ECU's/Turbo's.....X50 engine.....RUF Upgrade (in ascending price order) ??

I currently drive a Tuscan and although fast you have to drive it with alot more thought (no traction control / ABS) and I was used to having a bit more CPU power keeping me out of the ditch (E46 M3) - hence my move to Porsche.

Appols for the numpty questions, but as I said its early days yet and I am still on a learning curve...

Thanks,
James...

[domster]

1) Does 996 TT = 996 Twin Turbo ? If so are these sequential ??

Yes, but no, they're not sequential. They are just diddy turbos for minimal lag.

2) Is the power delivery progressive or is there a bit of on-boost, off-boost feeling

Basically progressive, but you can't completely remove the lag... catch it off boost with full throttle and power will build in a slow but then steeper surge. Really very driveable.

3) Is the GT2 a stripped out, 2 rear wheel drive version of the 996tt or is there ALOT more to it...apart from the price hike

Yes and no. In some respects the GT2 was closer to a GT3 with Turbo engine than a stripped out Turbo, if you see what I mean. They probably weren't worth the massive premium when new but depreciation makes them a massive bargain now. If you like wilder Porsche - no driver aids in these, compared to safety-net-tastic Turbo - then look into them. Bludgeoning performance.

4) As for engine modifications, is it along the lines of ECU's/Turbo's.....X50 engine.....RUF Upgrade (in ascending price order) ??

About 3k gets you 490bhp from a 420bhp car (ECU, exhaust etc). Then you need new Turbos... they can't flow above 500bhp. You get the bigger turbos with X50. As soon as you start changing turbos etc then you're looking at 10k plus for mod packages. RUF upgrades can be many times that - but up to 700bhp is on tap...

HTH
Dom

[lowndes]

As far as I am aware the TT refers to the fact that there is a turbo for each bank of 3 cylinders ie one on each side of the car.

The power delivery is smooth but progressive, perhaps not quite exponential but that sort of thing. It is not on and off like a switch unlike my old 1988 930 3.3. You get a bar gauge as part of the multifunction readout (or at least you did on my 02 car) so you can watch the pressure build up if you wish.

Sorry can't help on GT2 out of my league.

I ran a TT from new for 3 years then sold it last year for a DB9 which was a complete mistake. Am currenlty in a 997S waitng for a 997TT. 996TT is a great road car so go for it! (Incidentally although you mention it, there is no comparison with an e46, which was Mrs Lowndes shopping trolley until recently when she got the RS4, which I actually prefer to the 997S, although please don't tell anyone on this forum!)

[domster]

lowndes said:

As far as I am aware the TT refers to the fact that there is a turbo for each bank of 3 cylinders ie one on each side of the car.

So it's a Turbo Three???!!!



So what was wrong with the DB9?

And tell more re RS4 as I quite fancy one of those as a badgerwagon (would have to be the Avant... yummy!).

All views gratefully received.

Rgds
Dom

[clubsport]

Dom, sorry to spoil your day dream, but the auto box is not available on the new RS4

[bluesatin]

Dom

But you can left foot brake on the RS4 without killing the auto!

[lowndes]

So what was wrong with the DB9?

I have acceded to your request on the basis that these comments were my reaction to the DB9 having come from the 996TT which is the actual subject under discussion. A tenuous link and no doubt purists may not appreciate it. Anyway my comments below are extracted from a table forming part of a letter I sent to Ulrich Bez, who to his great credit replied in person. Unfortunately the formatting of the table has gone to pot so it looks a bit odd but you will get the gist. Car was titanium silver with obsidian black interior.

Feature
Score out of 100
Comments

External appearance
95
One of the most beautiful, elegant, purposeful looking cars in the world

Paintwork
95
Exceptionally deep lustrous finish. Slightly prone to stone chipping

Wheels
75
A little fussy and hence fiddly to clean.

Tyre pressure sensor
100
It works. My car was delivered with a faulty seal which resulted in the tyre losing pressure. This was detected by the system.

Engine
85
Smooth, plenty of torque, however, very high gearing means that one is often at relatively low revs. Engine note is too quiet but once cured by resetting the bypass valve the sound is seriously addictive.

Gearbox
80
Paddle shift works very smoothly but in auto it changes up too early. Lack of clearance means it is not difficult to catch the paddles when applying lock on the wheel. Lack of engine braking in auto means that over due reliance on the brakes is needed approaching roundabouts etc.

Gear selection
25
The buttons are a gimmick and irritating to use in practice. Playstation generation design has no place on a car with serious intentions.

Brakes
75
The brakes have to fight the heavy car and the engine. They are adequate, well modulated but lack real bite. That having been said the ABS never had to cut in.

Handbrake
75
Well located

Throttle
85
Progressive and sensitive. Very easy to use

Seats
72
Adequate, but lack lateral support and become uncomfortable after 8-10 hours. Benchmark Porsche seats

Rear seats
15
A waste of space and expensive materials. The sedats are completely unusable and would be much better as a properly trimmed luggage compartment.

Leather trim
75
Fine quality material but unfortunately QC had let through a faulty section on the transmission tunnel of my car. Acknowledged at 1st service.

Steering wheel
50
Boss is too big. Wheel lacks tactile element that might be expected on such a car.

Doors
70
Easy access. Shut well and excellent design of external handle.

Doors internal
50
Well trimmed but the auto lock and double pull opening are irritating and I was unable to find an override.

Door key
25
Separate key and remote went out years ago. This is a cheap and nasty Volvo compromise that has no place on a £112k car. (Nor do the Volvo boot hinges!)

Instrument binnacle
30
An ugly little bulge housing poor instruments. The graduations of the speedometer are unreadable and the counter clockwise rev counter a silly affectation, particularly when the engine spends most of its time between 2 and 3,000 resulting in the needle pointing limply down at 5’oclock. No oil pressure, no battery condition, no oil temperature, no good.

Centre console
30
My car had sat nav and a phone as well as the standard features. The buttons are all the same and unreadable from the driver’s seat. They look as though they were designed for a kitchen in a docKlands loft conversion. They have no place on a performance car. The whole display looks best in the dark!

Sat Nav
5
Quite the worst sat nav I have ever experienced. It is largely unusable in the real world, with quirky menus and a completely illegible display. It best feature and the reason it gets 5 marks is that it folds away out of sight; where it generally remained. Why does the system not even give an ETA?

Phone
30
What is the point of having a sim card with contacts that you can’t use when the car is in motion? It can’t be safety because the system will allow you to enter a number manually when on the move. Using the narrow window means the phone menus are only visible 3 at a time.

Sim card holder
25
A nail breaker.

Wipers
50
No rain sensitive intermittent is a serious omission on this quality of car. Wiper cannot be lifted off the screen without opening the bonnet. Thoughtless

Stereo
75
No complaints except that the buttons suffer from being indistinguishable from all the other buttons on the console. You’re as likely to start the phone menu as find the Today programme.

Noise
45
The car suffered from numerous squeaks and rattles. One of which I traced to the windscreen hot air vent.

Boot
35
Too small for such a large car. Tyre pressure monitor is rather vulnerable.

Battery Charger point
50
A good idea but the socket is very hard to locate without a torch.

On the road
70
It is a big car that feels its weight. The steering feel is good, although my car had a tendency to understeer at normal road speeds. The engine note is a joy and the effortless progress made over empty Scottish roads was to die for. But once back in the cut and thrust of normal motoring, the dreadfully disappointing interior fittings and features became a source of constant irritation. So the car had to go.

[cab]

And their response was ????

Interesting review that required a response....

Edited by cab on Monday 17th July 21:30

[domster]

clubsport said:

Dom, sorry to spoil your day dream, but the auto box is not available on the new RS4

Hey, I can still drive... what are they called?... a 'stick shift'.

I think my licence allows it, but I'll have to check

[domster]

bluesatin said:

Dom

But you can left foot brake on the RS4 without killing the auto!

It's not my fault the C240 Touring was not fit for purpose. 'Purpose' being a gravel stage rally car that allows me to practice my left foot braking, rather than a comfy estate.

[domster]

lowndes said:

So what was wrong with the DB9?

I have acceded to your request on the basis that these comments were my reaction to the DB9 having come from the 996TT which is the actual subject under discussion. A tenuous link and no doubt purists may not appreciate it.

Au contraire, it is vital that competitive machinery to the 997S and 996TT gets some decent real world reviews here. Many of us may have eyed the DB9 with an air of interest, wondering if it is a match for some teutonic engineering.

Thank you for your review... some interesting points raised, although I note that some could be considered 'subjective' as many DB9 owners would enjoy the fiddly controls from an aesthetic point of view (like I'm sure many have a Starck Juicy Salif to squeeze their lemons), some suggested improvements may have been too difficult to engineer (the wiper /bonnet perhaps?) and others were probably marketing compromises (the rear seats could only surely have been asked for by the marketing dept. to make it a more saleable 2+2 on paper?).

I wonder if Ulrich mentioned any specifics in a reply?

Rgds
Domster

[J.P]

Thanks for the reply guys - interesting about the DB9 as well.

One question I forgot to ask...Tiptronic models - from what I can see (pictures of the 996 steering wheel) Gear selection (apart from the gearlever itself) appears to be via a rocker switch (LHS) on the steering wheel ?? Is this correct - I had SMG on the M3 so was used to paddles..

Thanks,
James...

[clorenzen]

Hi Lowndes

I like your (albeit) subjective review of the DB9 and I think that it must have left an impression on Dr Bez and HQ. I made the switch from a 996 to a DB9 and allthough I agree on some of the points (fiddly interior and useless rear seats) I must admit that on the open road that car is a fantastic vehicle. The gearbox/engine combination is suberb, the blipping of the throttle when changing down is great, the sound is to die for and the torque is relentless. Yes it does understear at low speeds but the harder you drive it the better it gets. Why the 996 had to go was the following: The TipTronic gearshift is crap - it changes up to 5th too quickly and ruins the driving experience. The driving position in a RHD version is seriously compromised for tall drivers (manual out of the question due to lack of kneeroom) and the plastic dash cracks and squeaks like there is no tomorrow. And finally reliability. Whilst the DB9 has been 100 per cent faultless in 15 months and 10.000 miles as a daily driver my 996 had: a new gearbox, RMS, a new catalyst and engine check lights 6 times. Service level between Aston and OPC - no comparison. Everytime the 996 went in I got a Saab diesel as a loan car. Never again!
Yes the 996tt is a great car and 2nd hand they are good value - but bulletproof they are not.

Edited by clorenzen on Tuesday 18th July 15:33

[domster]

J.P said:

Thanks for the reply guys - interesting about the DB9 as well.

One question I forgot to ask...Tiptronic models - from what I can see (pictures of the 996 steering wheel) Gear selection (apart from the gearlever itself) appears to be via a rocker switch (LHS) on the steering wheel ?? Is this correct - I had SMG on the M3 so was used to paddles..

Thanks,
James...

yes, buttons on wheel not paddles with tippytronic