Year: 2002
Make: Porsche
Model: 911
Price: $33500
Mileage: 45000
Color: Lapis
Private or Dealer Listing: Private Listing
Location (State): MD
Transmission: Manual
Drivetrain: 4WD & AWD

Special 2002 Porsche 996 C4 Cabriolet

For sale is my beloved 2002 Porsche 996 C4 Cabriolet. I am the second owner. The car was originally purchased in Southern California. It was brought to Maryland when I purchased it in June of 2005. Although the car is generally stock, the two modifications made puts it into a category that will probably require a special type of enthusiast to appreciate and enjoy. Very well optioned from the factory. From the window sticker:

Porsche Base Model
Lapis Blue Metallic
Black Top
Black Full Leather
U.S. Standard/Emissions
Comfort Package
Advanced Technic Package
Heated Front Seats Package
18" Lt Alloy Carrera Wheel
Wheel Caps with Colored Crests
Porsche Comm Mgmt
Delete Cabriolet Hardtop
Supply Leather Front and Rear
Black Mats - Porsche lettering

Sticker Price: $98,085


Purchased in June of 2005 with about 23,000 miles. Currently has about 45,000 miles.

Asking $33,500.

The first of the two special pieces are a Fabspeed exhaust which really creates a nice, pronounced growl with a nice off-throttle crackle without being obnoxiously loud and difficult to live with. The stock exhaust tips are retained to keep the original look intact.

But the most dramatic change to the car has been the installation of a Porsche X74 suspension. Very rare option. These parts were sourced from Europe and installed by a local Porsche factory mechanic. The kit included shocks, springs, anti-roll bars, and bushings at all corners. The ride height is lowered about 40mm from stock for a very aggressive (and visually very pleasing) stance.

These links will give you an idea of what kind of transformation the car undergoes with this premium suspension setup:

http://www.renntech.org/forums/topic...ion-installed/
http://boardreader.com/thread/X74_Su...czlrXcpm8.html

I suspect this one of a handful of cabriolet Carrera 4's that exist with the suspension and would be most appropriate for the enthusiast who is happy to accept a moderate compromise in ride comfort for a dramatic increase in suspension sportiness. At the end of the day, my evaluation of this setup would be that it tidies up the handling of the cabriolet substantially enough that it makes you forget about the edge typically lost when a car's top is removed and makes it feel like a sports car with serious intent. But it does come at the price of being somewhat harsh when the top is up. If you like the feel of modified suspensions that work well for autocrossing or moderate track events, then you'll love this setup. I could easily drive this on a daily basis, but I'd describe myself as a little more hard-core than average. That being said, this car has not spent any time autocrossing or at the track.

I have the original sticker and a lot of sales and service documentation for the car. Most recently, the oil was changed in February 2012 and at that time a full inspection of wear items was done and it was determined that all the fluids were fine. That being said, I would plan on flushing the brake fluid as its been 2-3 years since that was done. The one issue they found was a leaking half-shaft which was replaced with Porsche parts. The RMS has been changed prophylactically when I replaced the clutch in March, 2007.

This car is not a garage queen. It was driven and enjoyed. The cosmetics could stand a little TLC with a buffer and some touch up paint. It also needs one of the headlamp washers replaced as its cover is missing. And the function that auto-lowers and raises the window glass when the doors are opened needs to be repaired. Otherwise, this car has been extermely trouble-free and super enjoyable to own. One other note - although it does have on-board navigation, I do not have any of the navigation CDs. My phone or Tom-Tom has served me well in getting from here to there and back again.

The replacement car has already arrived, so I am very motivated to sell, but would like to make sure that the right kind of owner takes the keys to the car since there is definitely the potential for this car to be too extreme for some.