What do you love about the 996?

[Digga]

maxwellwd said:

Have any fellow 996 owners had their steed ceramic coated? Been offered a good deal from my local detailer and thinking worth a go. You generally only hear of newer cars having this done, but surely can only be a good thing?

Had my old 996 turbo done last year and as well as making it easier to keep clean (I hate washing cars) and also a bit more resistant to chips and scratches, the correction and coating really did make the paintwork shine:

https://www.facebook.com/Staffordshirecarcare/vide...

[maxwellwd]

Digga said:

Had my old 996 turbo done last year and as well as making it easier to keep clean (I hate washing cars) and also a bit more resistant to chips and scratches, the correction and coating really did make the paintwork shine:

https://www.facebook.com/Staffordshirecarcare/vide...

That looks great, really useful to see as my C2 is the same colour. Beautiful car by the way

[Digga]

maxwellwd said:

Digga said:

Had my old 996 turbo done last year and as well as making it easier to keep clean (I hate washing cars) and also a bit more resistant to chips and scratches, the correction and coating really did make the paintwork shine:

https://www.facebook.com/Staffordshirecarcare/vide...

That looks great, really useful to see as my C2 is the same colour. Beautiful car by the way

Thanks. Was p/exed on Monday for a GT3. If I had deep enough pockets to run two 911s, I would have kept it and I will certainly miss it. Both the detailer here (he's got paintwork OCD) and also Center Gravity are sure it's never had so much as a panel painted.

[maxwellwd]

Digga said:

Thanks. Was p/exed on Monday for a GT3. If I had deep enough pockets to run two 911s, I would have kept it and I will certainly miss it. Both the detailer here (he's got paintwork OCD) and also Center Gravity are sure it's never had so much as a panel painted.

Excellent, any pics? I love the GT3, if my numbers came up I would be there, I like to think a good C2 is probably about 2/3rds of the GT3 experience (in my head anyway)

[Digga]

maxwellwd said:

Excellent, any pics?

A few here: https://www.pistonheads.com/gassing/topic.asp?h=0&...

[ATM]

maxwellwd said:

Digga said:

Thanks. Was p/exed on Monday for a GT3. If I had deep enough pockets to run two 911s, I would have kept it and I will certainly miss it. Both the detailer here (he's got paintwork OCD) and also Center Gravity are sure it's never had so much as a panel painted.

Excellent, any pics? I love the GT3, if my numbers came up I would be there, I like to think a good C2 is probably about 2/3rds of the GT3 experience (in my head anyway)

Even closer with a set of GT3 spec KW clubsport suspension.

[RPTIME00]

maxwellwd said:

Have any fellow 996 owners had their steed ceramic coated? Been offered a good deal from my local detailer and thinking worth a go. You generally only hear of newer cars having this done, but surely can only be a good thing?

Mine is booked in next month. There's a bit of a wait at the detailer's, but I'm hoping that's a good thing and that he can do great work on the original 2003 paint.

[ATM]

anonymous said:

[redacted]

Yeah I'll be honest in mine the engine is almost irrelevant. It is just something which causes acceleration. Out of the whole package i would say the engine is maybe 10%. But I've never driven or even been in a gt3. The suspension, steering feel, grip, feeeback through the bum, weight shifting around behind all factor high in the enjoyment of mine. A lot of that is suspension setup related. I honestly dont know how a vanilla c2 would compare. But i do appreciate the linear feel of the throttle and the way it responds to changes. That is engine related i guess. Maybe if i could access another 1000 revs to the red line that might get my juices flowing but on a windy road I'm never really over 5000 much.

[Chris Stott]

What I don't love about my 996...

Water pump went pop about 2 hours ago, 170 miles from home, on my way to my brothers. Currently waiting for recovery to a specialist in Nottingham, who will replace the water pump tomorrow am.

Should have taken notice of the bearing noise I heard a few weeks back.

[carrottop]

Chris Stott said:

What I don't love about my 996...

Water pump went pop about 2 hours ago, 170 miles from home, on my way to my brothers. Currently waiting for recovery to a specialist in Nottingham, who will replace the water pump tomorrow am.

Should have taken notice of the bearing noise I heard a few weeks back.

Ouch. How did you spot it had given up?

[Chris Stott]

Coolant warning light started flashing. Slowed in traffic and could see steam in the rear view mirror. Stopped straight away to find coolant pissing out of the pump.

Didn't overheat thankfully.

[LordHaveMurci]

Chris Stott said:

What I don't love about my 996...

Water pump went pop about 2 hours ago, 170 miles from home, on my way to my brothers. Currently waiting for recovery to a specialist in Nottingham, who will replace the water pump tomorrow am.

Should have taken notice of the bearing noise I heard a few weeks back.

Mine went twice in 2-3yrs, that was annoying but it never left me stranded luckily.

[carrottop]

Chris Stott said:

Coolant warning light started flashing. Slowed in traffic and could see steam in the rear view mirror. Stopped straight away to find coolant pissing out of the pump.

Didn't overheat thankfully.

Good, caught it in time then. Not a big job on these cars thankfully.

[Chris Stott]

Car broke near Ashbourne. Found an Indy in Nottingham that very kindy agreed to put a water pump in it tomorrow morning. So had it recovered there. Will pick her up tomorrow lunchtime.

Saved me having to recover it back to Surrey.

Off for beer and Indian with my brother now... just a couple of hours later than planned.

[Sine Metu]

I love that it's so polarising. Like the best rock bands.

[skinny]

ATM said:

Yeah I'll be honest in mine the engine is almost irrelevant. It is just something which causes acceleration. Out of the whole package i would say the engine is maybe 10%. But I've never driven or even been in a gt3. The suspension, steering feel, grip, feeeback through the bum, weight shifting around behind all factor high in the enjoyment of mine. A lot of that is suspension setup related. I honestly dont know how a vanilla c2 would compare. But i do appreciate the linear feel of the throttle and the way it responds to changes. That is engine related i guess. Maybe if i could access another 1000 revs to the red line that might get my juices flowing but on a windy road I'm never really over 5000 much.

Really? It just starts to open up and get fun at 5000 tho...?
In which case you're probably right the gt3 would not be significantly better for what you want.

Personally I love the engine. A big part of the car and the driving experience for me

Edited by skinny on Friday 13th October 23:04

[Cheburator mk2]

Two things for me - a very modded 996.1 GT3 CS K400 owner and also a totally bone stock E46 M3 SMG on the driveway. The 996 GT3 is about steering feel and also THAT engine. Everything else the E46 M3 has it beaten hands down. Standard 996 vs E46 M3 - the BMW walks it any day of the week (except steering feel) especially at 1/2 the price.

[ATM]

skinny said:

ATM said:

Yeah I'll be honest in mine the engine is almost irrelevant. It is just something which causes acceleration. Out of the whole package i would say the engine is maybe 10%. But I've never driven or even been in a gt3. The suspension, steering feel, grip, feeeback through the bum, weight shifting around behind all factor high in the enjoyment of mine. A lot of that is suspension setup related. I honestly dont know how a vanilla c2 would compare. But i do appreciate the linear feel of the throttle and the way it responds to changes. That is engine related i guess. Maybe if i could access another 1000 revs to the red line that might get my juices flowing but on a windy road I'm never really over 5000 much.

Really? It just starts to open up and get fun at 5000 tho...?
In which case you're probably right the gt3 would not be significantly better for what you want.

Personally I love the engine. A big part of the car and the driving experience for me

Edited by skinny on Friday 13th October 23:04

Maybe i am just not brave enough or can't drive. Honestly. My last fun car was a 5.7 v8 e46. It was heavily modded. Sure it had awesome thrust - no brutal thrust - but that was basically all it could do. It didn't feel like a sports car. On a track in some better hands it is probably a great package. The 996 instantly feels better to me even at 30mph. The steering is so darty. I have tried throwing it into bends as fast as i dare and it has never got out of shape. Sure the back moves a bit but nothing like a slide. I have had one moment when i hit some sand unexpectedly which needed a bit of opp lock but then we're only talking about 30 - 40mph 2nd gear in the dry and the car righted itself as we cleared the sand. Even in the wet on big round abouts I've tried stupid steering inputs and the car just obliges. I think i need an empty car park to really find out how to make it slide.

So my idea of fun is the narrow country lanes near where i live. They're poorly sighted so bushes and shrubbery either side. I zip through these bends and it feels good. The e46 could probably go as quick through the bends as i am going in the 996 but i think the 996 feels so much better. In the e46 i wasn't trying to go through bends quick because i was just waiting to unleash that thrust again where it was straight enough.

For a few months i owned both and the e46 never got a look in. Thats how i knew.

Its not all good. My 996 is rock hard and it might start to grate as a daily driver. But I have other cars. My 996 is the one I choose for fun blasts on tight country lanes to get my heart pumping. It never disappoints. It is clearly a lot better than i can drive it.

[Chris Stott]

Baby back and all good. Big thanks to Cavendish Porsche in Nottingham for fitting me in at super short notice... saved me £500 in recovery fees!

[ATM]

Chris Stott said:

Baby back and all good. Big thanks to Cavendish Porsche in Nottingham for fitting me in at super short notice... saved me £500 in recovery fees!

I've got multi car AA, their most basic cover is £55 per year. I've easily saved that already from the 20% discount at Toby on all booze and food.