This is a little long, but the previous posts beg a significant question. Three months into my first 996 experience, I’m starting to also ponder this notion of keeping the car indefinitely and tweaking it to the nines. I had been searching the earth for a low mile 993 C4S. I do love that last of the era thing as well as the lines of that car and really had never considered a 996. A friend of mine who deals in used high end cars and was helping find the C4S called me one day and told me to come down and check out this 02 996 he had on the lot. I didn’t want a 996! Or so I thought. I sat in the car and the second I did it was as if it hugged me and drew me in. I couldn’t imagine driving anything else, especially after I took it out for a spin.

I’ll still buy a 993 – probably a Turbo now that I have my 996 as my DD. Since I don’t commute to work, and most of what I regularly need and do is within walking distance, “daily driver” is far from accurate. I go 3 or 4 days sometimes with no need to drive anywhere. My 996 is an 02 with 27,000 miles on it. It’s a great car – not too heavily optioned, but with things I’d have checked off if I had bought the car new, but would not be inclined to spend $$$ on after the fact such as Xenon headlights, Bose premium sound, and the alcantara headliner. The car was well maintained, pampered, and it shows. I guess you could say “this one is a keeper.”

And therein lies the rub; I’ve already installed the bumper plugs (no front plate in Florida), key plug, clear side markers, black lug nut covers, a new Alpine head unit, and tinted the windows. I’ve also ordered ZTek SS headers, exhaust and “Turbo” tips, FabSpeed cat bypass, Evo intake, GIAC chip, SS break lines, yellow gauge faces, I’m sending the calipers to Sandoval to powder coat yellow, I’m powder coating the stock 02 5 spokes black, and found the yellow belts on e-Bay. That should give me a pretty nice ride, but why stop there?

This project reminds me of the last motorcycle I built. Is it ever done? The next phase is the interior: Matching arctic silver center console, non smoker conversion and paint matching horseshoe and vents. Some CF pieces including the hand break and the shift ****, and while it’s all apart I might as well install the B&M short shifter.

So, then why not do some head work? I extrude honed my mechanically injected 2.7 S motor about 12 years ago and did some porting, a 3 angle valve job, RS cams, Carrillo rods, etc., etc., etc., and got a motor I’ll never forget. Is there such a thing as 3.6 normally aspirated Carrera motor capable of 400 horsepower? And supercharged? Then a wide body kit? A wing? 19s?

I bought the car for $47,000; I financed about half of it with a payment of $501 a month. Over the next two years I could conceivably invest another 25K into the car and end up with a totally tricked out, Mack daddy ride of my design with everything my way. What will be the price of admission for a comparable car? A 997 with a bunch of custom work?

Continually trade up to hotter, more expensive, newer cars or build up the one we own?

 

That is THE question! I decided to "marry" mine. It's a keeper now. Hell it's paid for. Why get myself into a note when I can spend that money on mods?

 

Well the thing is....if you really examine the 997 Carrera's (particularly the 3.6L) there isn't huge leaps and bounds of advancement over the 996 3.6L. I actually thought my 02 was a bit quicker than a 997 C2 3.6L i drove. Furthermore there was one sitting right next to my car in a parking lot once and when I made mention to it to a lady friend I was with at the time she litterally said "it looks nice but I like the NEWER ones like yours better, they have a more modern look to them." Then I told her the 997 sitting next to my car IS the so-called newer one, LOL.
My point, as I see it there is NO point spending money for a 997 when you already have a 996...same powertrain, same basic chassis and design. Making it much more worthwhile to just mod up your C2 to beat a 997TT

....back to the discussion, anyone have anything more to add on a killer head job/package for our M96 motors ?

 

Kevin, check your e-mail.




Theo

 

Andial is working on a head/cam package for the 996, give them a call.

 

I have thought of it, But i am going to keep the 996 when the TT hits. I feel that the money I am spending id going to a good cause........ME. Your advise is sound but I want my car to be MY CAR, different and not like evey other 996. The 997 will undergo the same mods I am sure of it, Its only money and what good is it , if you cant enjoy it?

And I have to admit I am looking forward to pulling up beside a 996 TT and showing him what a NA 996 can do.

 

excellent DUDE! i plan on doing the same. the 996 SC will be the track only car then i'll pick up a TT for the street. pretty much i figured that it has more power than i can handle at the track right now. any more would be really scary