what is an 'early' 3.4 996?

[therealsamdailly]

Various life circumstances have led to me using my 996 as my main car for the past few months (not quite daily to be fair)

I find it greatly satisfying pulling into a parent and child bay in a low/noisy old Porsche; catching the disapproving looks of other carpark users, and then producing 2 children from it

The wife's Vauxhall Astra is a dumping ground of extension related kitchen stuff, and has the rear seats down more often than not. The Merc 190e has a running issue which is possibly vacuum related, but I have neither the time or the motivation to pull it apart at the moment

The only other vehicle I own is a Ford Puma. Another 4 seat coupe, with an impractically proportioned boot

The 996 does everything I need it to do, and mundane tasks are much less tragic when performed using a Porsche

[ATM]

therealsamdailly said:

Various life circumstances have led to me using my 996 as my main car for the past few months (not quite daily to be fair)

I find it greatly satisfying pulling into a parent and child bay in a low/noisy old Porsche; catching the disapproving looks of other carpark users, and then producing 2 children from it

The wife's Vauxhall Astra is a dumping ground of extension related kitchen stuff, and has the rear seats down more often than not. The Merc 190e has a running issue which is possibly vacuum related, but I have neither the time or the motivation to pull it apart at the moment

The only other vehicle I own is a Ford Puma. Another 4 seat coupe, with an impractically proportioned boot

The 996 does everything I need it to do, and mundane tasks are much less tragic when performed using a Porsche

I find it greatly satisfying pulling up ANWHERE in an old Porsche. I dont use child bays myself because I try to park as far away as humanly possible from the premium car parking spots near the entrance of which ever establishment I am frequenting. Although I have to offset this with the desire to be seen entering and exiting the vehicle.

[HughG]

therealsamdailly said:

I find it greatly satisfying pulling into a parent and child bay in a low/noisy old Porsche; catching the disapproving looks of other carpark users, and then producing 2 children from it

+1

Won’t be long before the kids are too big for the seats that fit in it at the moment, the headrest hits the C pillar. What seats is anyone else using for 6-7year olds?

[Mariosbt]

ATM said:

I find it greatly satisfying pulling up ANWHERE in an old Porsche. I dont use child bays myself because I try to park as far away as humanly possible from the premium car parking spots near the entrance of which ever establishment I am frequenting. Although I have to offset this with the desire to be seen entering and exiting the vehicle.

[BillyB]

HughG said:

+1

Won’t be long before the kids are too big for the seats that fit in it at the moment, the headrest hits the C pillar. What seats is anyone else using for 6-7year olds?

Although not strictly legal, I took the view that a child seat wasn't needed once the seatbelt sat in the correct place across their chest in the rear seats of my 964. Afterall, this is why childseats are required.

The next issue is then when the children get too tall to sit in the back without banging their head on the rear screen. That was a sad day.

[nunpuncher]

BillyB said:

Although not strictly legal, I took the view that a child seat wasn't needed once the seatbelt sat in the correct place across their chest in the rear seats of my 964. Afterall, this is why childseats are required.

The next issue is then when the children get too tall to sit in the back without banging their head on the rear screen. That was a sad day.

I've taken the same view. 10yo son doesn't use a booster as it places his head about 5mm from the roof/rear window. 8yo daughter uses a basic booster base.

I'm well aware of all the reasons for high back boosters and the benefits should the worst happen but my kids just do nothing but complain about discomfort if I force them to sit in the high back boosters even in our other cars which have loads of space in the back. They will only sit happily on booster bases (and before anyone says it they aren't illegal to use, just illegal to sell)

I think I've got maybe 1 or 2 years at most before my son doesn't;t fit in the rear of the 911. I might stop feeding him now to get a bit longer.

[richthebike]

My Mrs has no intention of letting me put our child in my 996. To be fair, it's a 2 seater with no sound insulation, and probably doesn't feel massively safe.

I'm happy to use it as primary transport, I did the same with my old 996, but wanting a baby friendly spare car may mean we struggle to go to 2 in the household. Happy to have a cheaper runabout for popping into town or whatever.

Trying to avoid the Defender configuration website at the moment- I'm not switching cars until the summer whatever. I swore off LR products after my L322 experience, but at some point I recognise that the heart wants what it wants

[ATM]

nunpuncher said:

BillyB said:

Although not strictly legal, I took the view that a child seat wasn't needed once the seatbelt sat in the correct place across their chest in the rear seats of my 964. Afterall, this is why childseats are required.

The next issue is then when the children get too tall to sit in the back without banging their head on the rear screen. That was a sad day.

I've taken the same view. 10yo son doesn't use a booster as it places his head about 5mm from the roof/rear window. 8yo daughter uses a basic booster base.

THIS

My child hit head on window / roof in the back prior to us stopping use of the booster

Although I'm not allowed to take a view as the mum doesn't consider me to be responsible enough to make decisions like this without serious consultation and micro management etc etc etc

Mum knows best blah blah blah

[HughG]

Thanks fellas. My wife has a thing about car seats, and has always found the safest/best options even when massively inconvenient. We changed a Passat estate for a Skoda Superb so we could fit 2 extended rear facing seats in the back. Now they are forward facing that problem has gone away, but I suspect she will veto booster bases.

The eldest’s high back booster goes in the front fine so until I can convince her that boosterless is fine I am probably limited to that.

[therealsamdailly]

I stumbled across a high back booster seat whilst in Asda a couple of years ago, as big'un was getting too big for her car seat.

Turned out to slip perfectly into the back of the 911 which was ideal.

As soon as littl'un was approaching a similar size, I sought a matching one out online

They're a decent snug fit in the back, and just use the seatbelt

[ATM]

I saw a thread somewhere from a guy with a 996 or 997 and he recommended the cheapest Halfords or Asda booster. Cant remember now but I bought it. Fits fine in the back but doesn't fit as snug in the front due to the bolsters on the seat. Still usable obviously just makes it look a little twisted off centre in the front. I think the regs says your little one must be 135cm to no longer need a booster by law. Their head will definitely interface with the roof / rear window / side window at this point if you put them in a booster in the back. You could remove the leather seat base in the back to gain a little space but I never got that far and just promoted to front seat. I can get some pics later if you like as I still have my booster. Let me know if that would help.

Edit perhaps this thread might help.

Edit again - Scrap that its a 991.

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

Edited by ATM on Friday 22 January 08:33

[ultrastapler]

I was using a basic booster, without the original seat base, in the back for my 8 year old until recently. Now she is tall enough to not need it as the belt is in the right place on her shoulder, so we are back to stock.

I fear this period of goldilocks like fitment may be brief and in next to no time she will be complaining her head is hitting the roof, limiting the family trips possible and excuses to "take the porsche". Though that may be an opportunity to fit some fixed back seats when this eventually happens

[Fast Bug]

My youngest is 5 and her Halfords seat fits in the back nicely. My eldest struggles with his booster in the back, so needs to go in the front. That's when arguements start and my wife won't go in the back, so it's usually just me in the car. Which is why it's getting more use during lockdown

[nunpuncher]

My son can't sit still for more than 20 seconds (we have timed him) so he does nothing but fidget in the back and complain that he's got no room. Last time the 4 of us went out in the 911 together I seriously fell out with him so I thing its days could be numbered as a useful car.

One of my earliest memories as a child is the excruciating pain felt on my bare legs when sat on the roasting hot black vinyl bench (no booster or even a seatbelt) in the back of my mum's clapped out VW beetle on a roasting hot day. Now my brats are wafted around lording it over people from their elevated SUV with sun protection glass sitting surrounded by airbag curtains on a seat that tilts and slides to their desired position so they can watch the headrest mounted TV. The little sts have got it too good. Being squished into the back of a 911 will help them build character.

[LordHaveMurci]

ATM said:

I saw a thread somewhere from a guy with a 996 or 997 and he recommended the cheapest Halfords or Asda booster. Cant remember now but I bought it. Fits fine in the back but doesn't fit as snug in the front due to the bolsters on the seat. Still usable obviously just makes it look a little twisted off centre in the front. I think the regs says your little one must be 135cm to no longer need a booster by law. Their head will definitely interface with the roof / rear window / side window at this point if you put them in a booster in the back. You could remove the leather seat base in the back to gain a little space but I never got that far and just promoted to front seat. I can get some pics later if you like as I still have my booster. Let me know if that would help.

Edit perhaps this thread might help.

Edit again - Scrap that its a 991.

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

Edited by ATM on Friday 22 January 08:33

I used a basic Halfords booster for my lad in the 996, tried numerous options & this was the best fit.

[eltax91]

MODS - delete if not allowed

Having bought a new project, looks like my ‘early’ MY00 996 C2 manual is up for grabs. If anyone’s looking, drop me a PM

[n3il123]

eltax91 said:

MODS - delete if not allowed

Having bought a new project, looks like my ‘early’ MY00 996 C2 manual is up for grabs. If anyone’s looking, drop me a PM

You bought th land rover then?!

Where will the 996 be advertised if one was to look?

[eltax91]

n3il123 said:

You bought th land rover then?!

Where will the 996 be advertised if one was to look?

Yes, it arrives today! Will need the space for the chassis swap. I haven’t advertised it yet, would normally have waited until the sun came out. But if a PHer was the want it then they could PM me now for details, I would much rather sell it to an enthusiast than entertain tyre kickers and test pilots.

[HughG]

I had some issues with mine on Wednesday night, perhaps stupidly I persevered when I should have parked it up, but it was the end of a very long day so I was eager to get home. The short version is battery light on but voltage normal, then ABS light, low voltage, then spiked at high voltage (no idea how high but the gauge was at the top/16v briefly before I switched off). I suspect the voltage regulator has failed, so I have ordered one of those which is due to be delivered Sunday. It has definitely blown 1 headlight bulb, and probably 2 fuses (hopefully otherwise lots of bulbs), fingers crossed none of the electronics are fried. By mid-morning yesterday the alarm was going off intermittently, and the battery showing 10v, which I suspect means something is shorting. I winched it up the drive last night, and when reconnecting the battery it read 10.5v.

I already had a Y cable ordered, waiting to be picked up from OPC so I will get that, the voltage regulator and new battery fitted on Sunday, then we'll see if there's been any other damage. Happy to hear thoughts on what you think may have been affected.

Full chronology in the spoiler for anyone interested:
I was joining the M25 CW from the A20 and revved it out in 2nd up the sliproad, changed to 3rd and went through some standing water as I joined the carriageway, then noticed the battery light was on but voltage was showing normal (13v once warm on mine) so thought as only 15minutes from home I'd persevere.
ABS light came on 10 miles later, and voltage now showing 12v though had been pretty steady at 13v until then.
Leaving the A21 at my exit I noticed the headlight brightness changing with revs, ~3k rpm was 13v so carried on like that.
2 miles later, entering the village where I live the lights dim, so I drop to second and the voltage gauge pins to the top, bright flash from 1 headlight then they all go out. I cut the engine and coast to a drop kerb and pull over. With the ignition on headlights are dead, but fog lights and hazards working, so turn everything off then try restarting the car, at idle it is reading 12v. So fogs and hazards on again and pull away, and anything over idle the volts rapidly increase, so crawl at idle to the top of the hill/rise then switch off and coast down the hill. Had to switch on briefly to get up the last incline towards home, and during the last one I lose all fogs as well. Ignition on battery was showing 12v.

Edited by HughG on Friday 29th January 06:48

[ATM]

Interested how much work is involved to change y cable. I'd probably do starter at same time also.