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While there are aftermarket warranties, I'm not aware of any that are actually recommended by other porsche owners. Why not registering and searching p-car forums like rennlist or renntech?
The best way to enjoy your sports car is to track it.
Carrera S, Atlas Grey, blk std leather. It just came off
the truck - went to look at it while it still had the protective wrapping on it. Will pick it up at 9am in morning. Beautiful car. Seems that mpg has improved alittle. Also, the turbo no longer has the gas guzzler tax - looks like they improved it's mpg too. 4 months of waiting are over....finally got to see it.
Thanks,
Chintan Talati
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I mean really Edmunds/HOST, I just saw this at 7:20 PM EST.
Some of us actually have lives and don't log in here until the evening. Would at least one day's notice be too much to ask? It's too bad because my new Porsche is presently at the dealer (again) for (more) electrical problems.
YEAH! Tell them about it! But then again I am used to it: my bosses always tell me right about now (4:30) that they want something by 5.
Condolences to your new p-car, dweiser. I hope it gets well soon. We have put just a little over 1000 miles on our new C-4 in 2 weeks, and it's been so far so good (actually it's been great!).
By the way, I found out we needed to take it for a smog check before we could register in California (we bought it from Phoenix). Even the mechanic who made our money doing the smog check said our "great state" is totally stupid.
kying
The vehicle would have an '06 MSRP of 83K (as I recall; my notes are back in the office). They would give me 2K off '07 list when it comes in this fall.
How am I doing? Any thoughts on my options?
Go for it!
The Bose in our 2006 C-4 is the best we have had so far (we had Bose in our 2001 Audi A4 Avant and 2001 Audi TT). It is significantly better than the "Hi-Fi Sound" ($830) in our 2004 Targa. But you are right, it is still not worth the $1390 price tag.
We love our C-4's 19" wheels. They look great, and its ride is actually better than the Targa, which only has 18" wheels. (2004 Targa only came with 17" wheels, 18" was already an option).
In CA, heated seats and rear wipers are not needed, so we don't have them. But I can see why you want them in New England.
Don't forget the seat package if you share the car with another household member; it's great!
The only things the Targa shines over the C-4 when parked side-by-side are the colored crests on Targa's wheels. Vain (according to habitat1) but significant (here's an oxymoron!).
$2K off list for an early arriving 2007 is an amiable deal for both you and your dealer. Enjoy the ordering/purchasing process.
Things I like - colored wheel caps. TPMS. Heated seats.
Blk std leather. Much quieter than my old 1985 Carrera.
The color does not draw attention.
Things I would like - A little softer ride might be nice, and a little quieter on highway. Larger fuel tank. A little smaller overdrive ratio for 6th.
Very beautiful, awesome super-car. It is quite the conversation piece at work and home. Everyone who has ridden in it is all grins.
When our younger daughter drove the Targa for the first time, she giggled like a 8-year old (my wife told me). We haven't told our children (still in college for the summer) since we got the C-4, and we are expecting some screaming and laughing when they see it in August.
On the 18 vs. 19" wheels, if you can tell the difference in the ride quality, you are a better man than me. Before buying our 911 S, I test drove several Boxster S's with 18" and 19" wheels and could not tell the difference in ride quality. But that said, your points about cheaper tire replacement, and lower upfront cost are very valid. Unless someone strongly prefers the looks of the 19" wheels, I would recommend sticking with the 18"'s on a base Carrera.
Seriously, get what you want. But I do think something in the $4k off range is a fairer discount. Even with your frugal option list, the dealer markup would be close to $11k.
P.S. kying: "vain" colored wheel crests? I may have been repeating what someone else said in jest, but that's an option on my current car that I would order again. It's the Porsche Crest in Headrest that I would draw the line at.
P.P.S. dweiser: I am very sorry to hear about your continued problems? Is it something new, or soemthing they didn't fix right from before?
Same here. I wonder what the actual cost to Porsche is for that raised leather emblem. I picture some big German guy with a hand tool that looks like a giant notary public stamp squeezing out leather crests in about a minute a set.
I would be willing to bet that Porsche makes more profit per car on the "colored wheel crests" and "headrest crests" than Ford or GM make on building an entire car. And that doesn't even include the markup on my "aluminum sillplate with model logo for $400+/-".
Make that $920 sport/chrono package that actually does something seem like a steal, soesn't it?
Say what?? Let's try that again:
Makes that $920 sport/chrono package - which actually does something - seem like a steal, doesn't it?
That's better - must have been something I ate for lunch.
Just got car back this afternoon. Here's a list of what they did .... Remove and install operating unit and information system, repair wire connector at sensor, check & top off oil. Hopefully, the electrical gremlins (see time line below) will be gone forever. None were serious, getting to the dealer and back was a pain.
11/12/05 Car purchased in Hickory, NC and delivered with "headlights mis-aligned" error requiring two trips to closest dealer, Deal Motors in Asheville, NC. One trip to diagnose and another to replace faulty sensor. Sensor replaced 1/19/06.
4/29/06 Oil temp reporting sensor failed. Vehicle flat-bedded to Deal Motors by Porsche Roadside Assistance. Dealer had car 9 days (5/1 thru 5/9) as the first replacement sensor Porsche sent was itself bad so a 2nd replacement sensor had to be ordered. Sensor was replaced on 5/8/06.
5/28 CD began to play erratically then PCM went black. It tried to re-start itself a few times on the drive home but went dark again. Next day it was fine but the car's clocks had lost 38 minutes.
5/28 Sent PCNA an email detailing problems when I arrived home.
6/5 "headlights mis-aligned" error message re-appeared twice today then went away.
6/9 "headlights mis-aligned" error message re-appeared twice today then went away.
6/11 "headlights mis-aligned" error message came on four times this morning.
6/13 Porsche Regional Service Manager called. He's going to get with Deal's Service Manager, to schedule my car to be looked at/fixed. He also wants the regional technical manager for this area to look at the car. They will upgrade the radio software. They will pick it up and deliver it back to me, probably next week, when fixed. He said it sounds like a loose connection somewhere.
6/14 "headlights mis-aligned" error message comes on now every time the car is started so I won't mention it here as the daily occurrence it is.
6/14 Deal Motors, called me. They will pick my car up Monday, 6/19. He suspects a loose ground wire could be the problem.
6/19 Vehicle flat-bedded to Deal Motors in Asheville.
6/21 Service Manager from Deal Motors called late afternoon to say they thought they have fixed my car. They found a loose wire associated with the "headlights misaligned" error message. They performed several software updates for the radio and CD player. Danny thinks these changes will also fix the oil temp. gauge reporting zero, the PCM going blank, and the CD skipping problems too. Danny said they want to check the vehicle tomorrow (6/22) morning then they will return it to me.
6/22 Vehicle flat-bedded to me from Deal Motors arriving at 3:00 p.m.
Be happy with Porsche it seems they believe in and back up their products AM on the other hand will not even consider doing the right thing and buying back this lemon they would rather stone wall and force a law suit.
And just for the record I find the 997S a much more fun drive, the Vantage gets the vote in the looks department but it ends there.
http://123car.com/lemon/lemonbystate.html
With reference to 18" vs. 19", I have very limited seat time in a 997. Very limited. My feeling that the 18" wheels give a better ride is only based on an earlier post by another forum participant and in driving my Cayenne with summer and winter wheels of different sizes.
Now that I am thinking about it, wouldn't the 18" wheels hydroplane less?
Both the 18" and 19" tires that come on the 911 (and Boxster S) are summer tires. I suspect your winter tires were a little less stiff (i.e. not as performance oriented), so it wouldn't surprise me that you could tell more of a comfort difference on the Cayenne between summer and winter tires of different wheel diameters. The bottom line for me is that when I have my PASM set on "normal" mode, the ride is very acceptably comfortable. Noticably more comfortable than a friend's 996 Turbo on 18" wheels that did not have an adjustable suspension.
Now that I am thinking about it, wouldn't the 18" wheels hydroplane less?
Again, I'm no expert, but I don't think wheel/tire diameter means as much as tread design and the size of the "footprint" of the tire when it comes to wet performance. I may be wrong, but my 295 width 19" tires seem to have slightly wider channels than the 265 width 18" ones. I would think wet weather performance would be about the same. Also, the width of the front tires are the same in 18 or 19", so they should be virtually identical in wet weather performance.
Again, I am not trying to talk you into 19" wheels/tires. Maybe the opposite. Unless you are going to push the performance envelope of the 911, 18" wheels and "skinny" 265 rear tires will serve most buyers very well (especially at replacement time). And it might very well be that in the base 911, without the adjustable PASM, you would notice more of a comfort difference in everyday driving than I do on my 911S set to normal. So, if you like the looks of the 18" wheels and aren't going to take your car to the track on the weekends, go for them!
Metallic Blue, 19 inch classics, Bose, heated seats, Navigation, full leather.....all in, 110K sticker.
I love this car and want to protect it.
Since I have owned this car (less then two months), I have had a pebble hit the windshield and crack it (since then replaced) and have noticed small chips in the paint (in the nose of the car).
Is there anyway (with out slapping on a leather bra) of protecting the nose of my C4?
Also, how do other owners detail their cars?
Is there certain products that are better then others for washing, waxing and general maintence of the exterior of the car?
Thanks!
I was wondering if Mr. Shiftright reads this forum and if he (or if anyone out there) has advice on how to check out a '02-'04 996 Targa before buying one used soon.
I live in the southeast and I am looking at a lot of different examples for sale over the internet and would assume I would want to have it inspected in the area where the owner lives - I would be willing to drive up or down the southeast / east coast to secure a reliable one. Thanks!
I don't think I'd buy one of these cars remotely, even with an inspection, unless the inspection were a thorough mechanical one by a qualified shop and put it writing. You can't just 'eyeball' cars like this.
Naturally, you have to weed out some of the cars you are looking at BEFORE you spend money on an inspection.
here's my pet peeve list of things I DON'T LIKE TO HEAR when I call about a Porsche.
1. No service records available, no history on the car available.
2. A "but" car. "It runs great BUT the AC needs recharging...BUT this warning light is on....BUT...it's on its third engine....BUT the paint is checking on the engine lid....BUT...etc etc.
3. Someone "selling a car for a friend".
4. Car with extremely high mileage for the year but with a price that doesn't deduct properly for the high mileage.
I'm sure others could tell you even more about their shopping experiences.
Is there certain products that are better then others for washing, waxing and general maintence of the exterior of the car?"
I know that there are specialty high-end multi-step cleaners and waxes like Zaino and Zymol, that others swear by. But I have been very pleased over the years with relatively easy and simple Maguires Professional (#26) wax. I wash mine about once every 7-10 days, and I've waxed it about once every two months. Probably more than I need to, but it gives me a chance to go over the car carefully. And with the Maguires, I can wash and wax the car in about 60 minutes flat (helps having a Cab).
I've also got 3-4 small chips on the hood (9 months / 7,500 miles), but they aren't that noticable in Seal Grey. Even a clear bra wouldn't have helped, they are 1/3 of the way up the hood.
has any one installed a clear bra?
I did some research, its a 3M product and basically is a clear laminate.
Let me know how it looks and if you would suggest one for protection of the nose of the car.
I checked out several firms that sell these things and they all were basically one man franchies operated by car detailers. The bras come in stages from simply a roll of plastic to pre cut pieces for various body parts that you could install or have an installer install. I willingly and knowingly paid more to have my Porsche dealer (Porsche of Nashua, NH) arrange to have it done by his local contractor because if anything went wrong I would have some recourse. Nothing went wrong. With their Porsche experience they even counselled me NOT to have the mirrors done because it generates wind noise (?). I think this is one thing you don't want to cheap-out on. Bring it to the right guy, have it done professionally and then enjoy the car.
Now that I am mentioning money, I think that this might be a good bargaining point in buying a new car. "OK, I'll pay your price, but throw in the clear vinly bra treatment." The sales guy should know that his internal cost is a lot less than "list" so they can call this a $700 concession knowing it only might cost them $450. Habitat1, I think I'll even try this on the Chrono clock and 19" wheels you want this 61 year old guy to buy: "OK, I'll order the clock and the wheels but throw in ..."!
Say what? I've been an advocate of the sport-chrono as a cheap way to get the feel of a more responsive quicker car, but I'm not advocating 19" wheels for a base Carerra.
As a matter of fact, when you start adding xenons, 19" wheels and PASM to a base Carerra, I believe the "S" makes more sense. So keep those 18" wheels with my blessing!
Gee here's an aerokit for a mere $6,990. And I wonder what that $240 clothes hook looks like?
Back to Porsche: IMHO, only two options are really needed for us: (1) Xenon is a must; C2 and C4 only come with halogen lamps. (2) Seat package is great if two drivers share the car often.
Things to avoid will be different for different people/tastes. For example, I always try to avoid the navigation system, because I won't use it. I tried to avoid the Sport Chrono package too, but I might try it next time since habitat1 has highly recommended it.
I was told by my salesperson in S. Cal a couple months ago that since there are so few C2s around, especially ones with minimal options, he was selling them at sticker price. I think he was really exaggerating, but I also think you won't get as much a discount (%-wise) as you would for a C4S Cab. We got our 2006 C-4 with 7.6% off sticker about a month ago.
My husband and I went looking at the Cayman's to decide what options, etc... we would want if we decided to order one, etc...
Well, the salesman also showed us a CPO 2003 Red 911 Carrera Coupe with only 11k miles. It is 6spd, upgraded wheels (I forget which ones), sport exhaust, heated seats, bose, red stiching on the seats, porsche crests in the headrests. For the most part, minimal on the options. It drove beautifully... They just performed the 15k service and put new tires on the rear. Anyways, they are asking $57,000. ("red tag sale"...)
Any thoughts or suggestions?
Thanks,
Stacy
What do you dry it with - I just use a beach towel.
rod....
Owners of P-cars run the gamut I'm afraid with some nearing what I would call "close to the lunatic fringe" about keeping their vehicles looking nice but it stems from their love of their cars so who can blame them. My first advice, ditch the beach towel, this ain't a 10 year old Chevy you're talking about keeping clean. You really should get some microfiber drying towels for your P-car. You didn't state what color she is but the darker the color, the more you need to protect against self-induced swirls and scratches. Ask 50 P-car owners what they use to wash/wax their cars and you're likely to get 50 different answers. I like this guy's products if I'm allowed to say it here:
http://www.adamspolishes.com/
Good luck & enjoy your car,
Don
p.s. Some use an electric leaf blower to dry their cars. As Dave Barry says, "I am NOT making this up".
I've come across a beautiful Guards Red 2003 911 Carerra Coupe. It has 11.5k miles, 6 spd, 18in light carerra alloy wheels, power seat package, xenons, heated seats, bose high end system, sports exhaust system, porsche crest in headrest, red stitching on the seats, and black mats with lettering... Price is $56k. Also is CPO'd until August 2009.
ALso, they just performed the 15k service and put new rear tires on it...
Opinions, advice, etc...
Thanks,
Stacy
Now $20,000 isn't anything to sneeze at. But neither is the difference between a 4 year old 996 and a brand new 997. If it were me, I'd go with the latter, low mileage and CPO benefit notwithstanding. But I realize others look at it differently.
JingleJill. I'm givng my advice as someone who dreams about Porsches (among other cars). Normally I'd say that $56K is A LOT of money to be spending on a used car. So the Practical side says go for a Cayman. But from what I've read, 996s are pretty solid cars. You'll have to drive it and see if YOU like it more than the Cayman. Can yuo get a bigger discount than what the red tag says?
2001 Prelude Type SH, 2022 Highlander XLE AWD, 2022 Wrangler Sahara 4Xe, 2023 Toyota Tacoma SR 4WD
My local Porsche GM confided in me that the CPO warranty is pretty crappy BUT why I got it with my turbo is that it protects you against the BIG things like trannies, rear main seal oil leaks, blown engines from blown seals, etc. I think there may be a small deductible - not sure. Just keep in mind that all scheduled maintenance MUST be documented and done on time or PCNA will find away to get out of the warranty.
Even though it's CPO'd, I can't recommend this strong enough - take the car to another Porsche dealership or an independent mechanic with extensive porsche knowlege and get a pre-purchase inspection. It'll cost you $150-200 but it's well worth it. I almost bought a CPO turbo that had some big issues. Yeah, it would have been covered by the mfr's warranty but who wants a car with issues and then having to spend time in service rather than out on the twisties??? Basically their CPO inspection does not mean anything except put new tires on it, oil or brake fluid change and a nice detail job.
ALSO, very important. Get the VIN and have the service mgr/writer run a warranty repair history on the vehicle. Any warranty repair history done in the US will show up. Don't let them tell you that they can't pull it up because they can. The service guys here are friends of mine and they have done it on several cars that I've purchased/considered purchasing. There is not a charge for that. It will give you a good idea of how "dependable" the car has been and hopefully will be.
Sorry to not just tell you go buy it but Porsche can be problematic if not taken care of so do your homework up front so you can enjoy it later
Happy to answer any other questions.