It's been quite a summer for my car and although my car has been 'done' we all know by now that it was a lie. Something about the summer always gives me the itch to do more to my car. This is a review and pictorial of all the modifications I did this summer for those that would like an my opinion on some familiar, new and controversial (IPD Plenum) mods.

Part 1: Pioneer AVIC Z110
I started off summer by changing out my outdated PCM. I needed a solution that could update my car by giving me iPod,Nav and Bluetooth. The Pioneer AVIC Z110-BT gave me all that and more. In addition to those key features I also have Voice Controlled phone,navi and iPod functions as well as DVD and iPod video playback. I added a Pioneer 4 channel Amplifier to power up the speakers, and had my Bose subs powered by the headunit's internal amp. The stock Bose speakers sound so much better with the new amplifier now as opposed to the underpowered stock Bose amp. I bought Euromotorspeed's Double Din Installation kit off of ebay that included the perfectly color matched bezel and needed brackets to fit the AVIC into my car. I highly recommend going this route if you want a clean update to your old PCM.

The Hardware:


Clean Amplifier Install:




Headunit Installed with Euromotorspeed Bezel:



iPod in Glove Box with optional Pioneer :


Porsche Start-Up Screen:
Clean iPod Interface and Video Playback:

 

The second portion of my modding involved squeezing some performance out of my car to heighten the driving experience. I wasn't looking for any phenomenal gains as one shouldn't expect those kinds of gains from N/A mods. That's what forced induction is for. You can only be satisfied once you can line up your expectations with real world results. I brought my car over to Stuttgart Performance in Costa Mesa to do all the work and the Brian and Mike treated me like family as usual. Anthony is meticulous and took care of my car like always and I had him do an oil change as well. They really are the premiere Porsche Indy shop in Southern California.





OEM SSK: The first thing I did was the one mod that has always gotten positive reviews across the boards which was the OEM Porsche SSK. The stock shifter already had a great feel to it which is the only reason I hadn't done this mod sooner. However, I had nothing to loose so i went ahead and installed it. It feels like the OEM Shifter, but the throw is shorter, more precise and has a more defined feel which I like. It gives you great feedback and lets you know what gate you're going into. It is not negatively notchy and it only increases shifting effort marginally.

IPD Plenum: This was the controversial mod that I was most reluctant on doing. There were too many mixed reviews, but I knew the only way to know for sure if it was worth it was to try it. I was getting a great deal on it and thought what the heck. As soon as the guys from Stuttgart Performance put it on I took it out for a test drive. I immediately noticed a surge of power that was especially noticeable from 3500 RPM all the way to redline. I didn't have much expectations from this mod and I know that it wasn't a placebo. The plenum definitely made a difference from mid to high end and I don't need a dyno to tell me that the car is putting out more power and torque than it did before the plenum.

Sprint Booster: This was a mod that I had planned on doing as an alternate for a full software upgrade but didn't see too many reviews on. I found a used one for half the price and decided to put it on. In a nutshell, it basically does what the Sport Button does and intensifies the throttle signal. It was an easy install and plugs into the Gas Pedal and can be installed in 10 minutes. During the test drive I immediately noticed the results. It doesn't give your car any additional horsepower but it does make driving more fun. The power comes on immediately and any throttle lag from the drive-by-wire has been eliminated. I definitely like the Sprint Booster and is a great alternative to software for those that are worried about their warranty.

X51 Intake: I mainly bought this for cosmetic purposes. It requires that you install a shorter oil fill tube in order for it to fit with the X51 airbox. I didn't expect much of a power gain from it and I really didn't feel anything from it either, but i'm sure it didn't hurt either. It did make the engine sound throatier and you can't argue that it looks beautiful in the engine bay





Aluminum Gas Cap: I don't really know what to say about this one, it just looks cool.

 

Looks very clean!!! So, you're still using the stock speakers??

 

I got these seats from Raymond from Rottec and I gotta say they look amazing. For the price point that they are offered at you really can't complain much. The leather and Alcantara materials are really nice. It isn't Alcantara brand, but the feel and texture and the grain of the suede is really close to the factory Alcantara on my dash and headliner. The Carbon Fiber looked really good ut there were some dull spots that aren't too noticeable at all. The hardware was ok, and some holes needed some additional drilling or widening for everything to line up. The seats fit me pretty well. The waist area is wide enough and I am about a 33" waist. I have more than enough leg room when the seat is all the way back and I am about 6 foot. The only issue is the shoulder area that seems to be a little narrow and snug but for me personally it isn't much of an issue. I did the installation myself in about 4-5 hours taking my time with a DIY I found on rennlist.com

 

One of my favorite 997s. Nicely done!

 

Very nice Aaron, you have been busy!! The seats look sharp, I'm still trying to figure out what direction I want to go with my seat upgrade. The X-51 intake is stunning, it really dresses up the engine compartment. Glad you were able to feel some gains from the Plenum and Sprint Booster, the feedback on those mods has been all over the board. The Pioneer install looks nice and clean, it sounds like you are thrilled with the upgrade!

Well done!

Jay

 

Very clean. Nice carbon theme used sparingly.

 

Really nice! I like what you've done with it

I hope you got the X51 intake for a good price because their price have gone up so much on Suncoast.

 

Very nicely done!
I keep thinking about what to do next with my supercharged 997S, and seeing yours gives me plenty of ideas. I'd really like to get some Carbon seats that fold, since I use the back seat for my son. And your new Pioneer setup is attractive.

But shoot, I just bought an '87 911, which while 98% perfect, is taking about $5k to make it truly a concourse-worthy entry, so I ought to sit tight.

Yours is gorgeous!
Hmmm...
CATTMAN

 

Very nice mods V35!

 

awesome!! well done.

 

Your car is amazing but you're pretty cute yourself

 

Your car keeps getting better. +1 to for RSS as I plan to bring mine back when the itch finally takes me over. OK i hate to say this to myself, but let me know if you ever want to sell!!!

Great job again.

 

Aaron: the car looks better everytime u add something to it!! great job bro.. isnt it about time to leave it alone? we can catch up hahaha..

Jay: i've been looking for ur car's pics and couldnt find any, i beleive you have a fantastic 911 worth seeing!!

 

RSS guys are the best, did you spot my car in there?