AP 997S

^{I suspect it's a unique Porsche part.}

^{It sells for around 4 bucks so just pay (pun intended) a visit to your local Porsche Dealer Parts Counter.}

I would think you can order the euro license plate holder directly form Porsche. I'd say visit or go on-line to a Porsche parts department.

The part number appears to be 997 701 109 00.

Mount to bumper facia screws (2) are 999 919 227 A2 while the license place mounting screws (2) are 999 919 228 A2.

GL :cheers:

ps. I was at the Porsche Museum late March on the way w/ my son to pick up his new M3 at BMW Welt (Munich). We visited Porsche, Mercedes Benz, Audi and BMW. I't was a 'bucket list' trip for me.

Sound advice would be to buy the latest model year your pocket book can handle.

In most cases newer models are almost always more reliable, have better performance and more creature comforts.

That being said I'm not 'offended' over comments of my 2005 997S.

:soapbox: :cheers: :soapbox: :cheers:

I think I have to defend all 2005 997 owners (lol).

I tend to agree that the rear main seal and intermediate shaft issues might have been 'more' problematic then subsequent builds but nevertheless the percentage of failures have never been quantified. If the numbers were significant I suspect we would have seen huge out cry from owners (world wide) and a 'recall' from Porsche. I've had my 2005 997S for close to 5 yrs and have over 22K miles on it. It has seen a number of DE & AX events plus some spirited driving. I regularly check for oil leakage from the seal area and to date it's dry as a bone. Of course an IMS failure is sudden & catastrophic so there is no way to determine when & if it may happen.

I just felt my 'baby' was being maligned and it was my duty to defend her.

I do agree w/ the recommendation regarding factory warranty or CPO when purchasing a used Porsche.

I don't think the Carrera 2 nomenclature is used anymore to describe the current 911 (997) build(s). It's usually Carrera, Carrera S (2 wheel rear) and of course Carrera 4 & 4S (all-wheel). And don't forget you have Turbo, Turbo S, GTS, GT2, GT3, etc. They are all 911 variants.

No matter where or who you buy from try to get your local Porsche dealer service mgr to query the Porsche service database on the car. Get 'chummy' w/ them and they give you some good info; no personal data on ownership but whether the car has seen dealer service and what was done. Of course use CARFAX as well.

I'd try to buy from a Porsche 'nut' (like most of us here) who tend to take really good care of their cars. At least I do. My 2005 (6+ years old) has just over 21K miles and IMHO it's just as good, not better, then new. If the history of the car is 'cloudy' or unknown make sure you have some factory warranty or CPO warranty left just in case.

Lastly . . . . be patient & prudent.

As a 2005 997S owner I certainly wouldn't let mine go in $38-$40K range right now.

I'm sure you'll find one but I suspect it'll need some TLC & $$$ before you'll be happy.

I suspect the good-to-great deal range might be more like mid to high $40K's from a PP and high $40K's to low $50's from stealers (sorry I meant dealers).

IMHO it's all about condition, condition, condition & history, history, history.

Good luck on your search.

I think its fairly common to have 'Oxygen Sense Errors w/ aftermarket Cats.

Assuming you have a 'Cat' problem and you have AWE or some brand of aftermarket 'Cat' you won't get Porsche to replace them.

If they were OEM Cats and you were below the 8 year/80K mile mark they would take care of it.

You might want to check w/ AWE or whom ever manufactured your Cats to see what sort of warranty or solution is offered.

GL . . . .

Well, I just sold my 99 Carrera C2 and purchased an 07 Carrara S two wheel drive. The car has 12,000 miles and is perfect. What I have now noticed is there are some significant differences between the two cars. I got pretty good at and did all my own maintenance on the 996. Geesh...I can't even figure out how to take the air box apart to check the air filter on this new one!! There must be some clips or something somewhere?? I can't find any information on this in the DIY or in the owner's manual. And what the heck is this about no oil dip stick. I kind of liked to look at the oil in person once in a while. If anyone has a quick fix on how to get that airbox apart please bail me out. Thanks

Check out 6speedonline.com. There are a few step-by-step procedures there.

I attached one such procedure from that forum.

Good luck!

Replace-AirFilter-997S1.pdf

You can also pull switched 12v and ground if needed from the fuse panel (drivers left side).

If I recall there are special connectors/adapters that work w/ the modular fuses so you don't have splice or cut into any existing wiring.

I'm 99% sure that 'S' brakes were available as an option on an non 'S' car.

Possibly the 'S' brakes have larger rotors and calipers when compared to the non 'S' brakes. I'm sure you can find out the rotor diameters for both versions and measure yours. They just might have larger or more pistons in the caliper while the rotor is the same size. Just look at the various part numbers for clarity.

Like you said maybe the previously owner simply painted the calipers red. The Porsche lettering decals can be acquired on eBay or other places.

I'm also pretty sure in AX technical inspections the red brake calipers will not send up a flag.

Good luck . .

I bought a used 2007 C4 in 2009. I have always assumed the car to be bone stock. It has red brakes that say Porsche in white on the outside. At a recent autocross someone told me that my brakes had been upgraded with brakes from an S because red brakes were not available on the C4's. This put me in a panic because I am getting ready to sign up for my first national autocross at Parade, and if these brakes were not available as an option on the C4, then I will have to run in the Improved class (which allows any brake mods) alongside highly modified cars with track tires, open exhausts, upgraded suspensions, modified engines, etc. I'll get slayed.

I once saw a printout of the original options on this car. I would have been excited to find that I had a factory brake upgrade, and I don't think I would have forgotten it because the car only has a few options on it, and so my guess is that it was not an option on this particular car.

Were the larger red S brakes available as an option for the C4? If yes, then I am OK to run in a stock class at Parade. If they are later upgrades, is it likely that the larger rotors had to be added too? Likewise, is the increased capacity master cylinder found on the S models necessary to use the S brakes? Is there some way to tell if the brakes and brake system are from an S as opposed to just being painted or powder coated? Thanks in advance.

Mike M

Agree w/ PaulSpeed . . . Something's not right.

You can never red line a TIP car. The software won't let you over rev.

On my 05 997S TIP if you're in 'M' it does up shift unless you reached 'red line'. If your in normal mode and use the wheel button(s) to shift (up or down) I believe the the on board computer will shift to next gear based on your driving behavior that's been stored or some preset rev or speed value.

Open the hood and look to see if a NAV DVD player w/ a NAV disc is installed.

It's behind the plastic cowling on the driver's side.

The NAV DVD reader is located in the trunk behind the plastic surround (driver's side).

Sounds like the DVD (disc) has been removed.

Just put in some 'Bumper Plugs' until you decide what you're going to do. My 05 997S had the same issue when I bought and I simply put in the plugs until I decided what I wanted for the 'long run'. That was almost 4 years ago and I'm still 'plugged'.

"Time heals all wounds" (and license plate holes)

currently own an '07 c2s. love the car. when i purchased her, she was sadly laden with a front license plate. In retrospect, i should have demanded the dealer remove the plate and re-spray the bumper. I, however, did not realize there were going to be not 2 holes, but FOUR, and crudely screwed in.

anyhow, to make a long story short, i have 2 choices. have it patched and repainted, or "upgrade" to the aerokit front bumper. I prefer the more aggressive look of the aerokit front end, but am somewhat hesitant as i dont want to jeopardize top dollar upon my trade-in for the next chapter; a gt3 or turbo.

obviosuoly would keep the original front end to be included in the sale. if it is only the cost of the aerokit and paint that i would "lose", then i am all for it. just dont know how minor mods like this affect the overall value of a p-car.

thanks in advance for any insight. have i told you how much i love this car.

My MY 2005 997S w/ TIP of course exhibits the same shifting issue. It's doing it since I bought the car (2007) so I simply thought it was some heat related issue. I don't think I ever asked my Porsche service shop what the problem was since it didn't really bother me.

Let us know if you find a definitive answer.

My C2s tiptronic slector lever becomes really hard to shift out of drive and into N, R or P after anything more than a 2minute run. The car is an November 04, I bought it 3 months ago from an independent dealer in the UK. AFAIK its been out of the OPC network since 06.

The gears shift fine and the switches on the steering wheel work fine, its just the selector lever.

A local independent has had a look and replaced a bush in there somewhere as he's seen this problem before, but this has made no difference.

Has anyone else had this problem (is it in fact a normal thing - this is my first experience of a Porsche - but both my other cars are autos and dont have this problem)? Or is it something that can be remedied simply? I found a thread on the 987 section here, where there was apparently a recall, but how would this affect me, would I have to pay the OPC to rectify it?

Cheers for any help.

Trust me . . . It's used to stop rattles and squeaks inside the cabin.

Most rattle/squeak specialists use this type of material to wedge in-between rattling or squeaking surfaces.

Go talk to the 'squeak specialist' at any new car dealership and you'll confirm this.

Now on the other hand I've been wrong in the past (1 or 2 times at least) so don't put any money on it.

I looks like the material (wooly velcro stuff) used to squelch rattles and squeaks inside the cabin. If it is you simple wedge it between the rattling or squeaking parts and wala . . the squeak is gone.

It's not a carbon filter; way too small for that.

That's my story and I'm sticking to it (lol)

I would expect Porsche North America would pick up the cost. It's a well documented problem.

I'd have your dealer ask 'Regional PCNA Tech Support' to provide the part at no charge.

It's simply a matter of 'goodwill'.

Hmmmm

Not sure that sounds right.

Possibly New Country did the job at no charge because I had only purchased it recently.... but I did see that on the receipt they wrote recall.

(Still waiting for my copy in the mail)

Interesting... there's a TSB but no recall according to Danbury. The part was relatively cheap for P-car, $65.00.

If you get a recall notice please PM me.

Here's an alleged new PSE on eBay. From the pics it appears to have all parts (mufflers, tips, solenoid, vacuum lines, tees, harnesses, etc).

http://cgi.ebay.com/...sQ5fAccessories

Wow . . For 5 big ones (I think 'K Notes' are still big ones in spite of the way government racks up spending) I hope you really enjoy it.

Let us know if the dealer installs it like the factory (ie. connected to the DME) or with a independent switch so you can 'control' the 'music'. I believe if the car doesn't have 'Sport Chrono' they install a switch w/ a twin tailpipe icon in the center dash panel.

Vrooooooooom!

Ordered my PSE from the dealer. In Lebanon import taxes are similar to Australia we also have a 10% VAT tax on all products. Paid $5,000 all inclusive of parts, labor and taxes. It is pretty steep for a Porsche sports exhaust but I just really wanted a switchable exhaust sound and ordering through the dealer seemed like the easiest way to do it.

I had thought about ordering Mufflers from Borla or FVD and give up the switch-ability option but didn't want to go through the shipping hassle and the customs clearance (clearance is hectic here, kinda corrupt)... should install the PSE in a week, hopefully it'll be worth the $ and the wait... Will keep you updated....

The things we do for our Porsches... sighhhhhhh

Not without adding an aftermarket interface/adapter such as Dension, Dice, etc.

Search the various Porsche forums for 'telephone bluetooth' and you'll discover many threads covering this topic.

Good Luck . . . . .

$5500 AUS is simply crazy to invest in a PSE. However, If that price includes the installation of the mufflers and more importantly the control switch and required wiring it may not be as crazy as it seems. The wiring job is an all day plus labor intensive task. You need to remove a lot of cabin interior parts to properly route the wires from the dash mounted switch to the vacuum control solenoid in the motor compartment. If they plan to mimic the factory install then they will wire to the DME which requires carefully work process. The muffler install is a 'piece of cake' (very easy and straightforward).

I installed my PSE (here in the US) after buying it off eBay for close to $1200 USD a few years back. It was close to brand new w/ all the parts (ie. vacuum lines, solenoids, wire harnesses, etc etc). It took me a couple of hours to do mufflers and a header change. The wiring part took a good 12-14 hours of my time. Routing the harnesses and connecting up to a proper voltage source require carefully work. Working in the rear passenger compartment after removing the seats, Bose woofer, carpet parts, door trim, etc etc is (in my case) tough work unless you're a very small person w/ small nimble hands and joints. I got the job done but it's not something I'd volunteer to do again.

The advantage of the PSE is that it offers you the ability to switch from 'quiet' to 'loud'. Of course if it's enabled via the DME then it controls vacuum solenoid based on motoring speed. I did a 'user' switch so I could turn it on/off. You can buy a 'better made' and 'performance' muffler system from a variety of aftermarket sources. They'll sound & perform equally as well (if not better) but of course aren't dynamic (switchable) like the PSE. It's a decision you'll need to make.

Like 'berty987' mentioned you can go the ebay or Porsche forum route and find one that's for sale. Carnewal sells a nice 'radio controlled' activation option that eliminates most of the PSE wiring chores. You just to connect the solenoid to a 12 volt source and connect the 'Receiver' to it. The Transmitter either sits on your key chain or in your console ready to make your P car sound 'aggressive'.

There are number threads on the Porsche forums that cover PSE stuff. Do some basic searching to educate yourself before you decide.

Good like . . . VROOOOOOOOOOM.

If your exhaust tips are all the same size and not 'off-set' it's a pretty strong bet you have the standard exhaust (not PSE).

There are many other physical differences as well. Mufflers, vaccum solenoids & lines, etc etc.

If you simply look at your exhaust tips from under the car you'll easily spot the proof. PSE mufflers have (2) pipes for each tip whereas the standard exhaust has a single pipe going to the exhaust tip.

I hope this helps.

. . . Dealer just replaced an ECU right behind the front bumper cover. No relays were burned. Simple job and it was covered under my warranty.

I suspect they'll fix it even if it's out of warranty since it is a 'known' problem on the early build 997's.

When was the ECU moved to the luggage compartment? Mine's a late '04 build 997 C2S, and that's where it is. . . I think. Is it the finned thingie behind the carpeted cover?

I believe the 'finned thingie' as you called it is the Bose Amp.

There are ECU's located in various spots depending on what function they control or monitor. For instance the main motor ECU is in cabin (under the rear seat).

Here's some data from the 997 expert in the PCA (Porsche Club of America) a few years back. I think its perfectly safe to drive but if the actuator (electrical soleniod) is energized 100% of the time it might drain the battery in time.

Your question posted on PCA.org has been answered:

Classification: Electrical

Subject: System Fault - Trunk Servo Follow Up

Model:

Year: 2005

Total Mileage:

Car Use: Street Only

Question:

Pete: I thought I'd provide some additional info regarding my original question. Brought the car into Pacific Porsche in Torrance, CA since it's still under warranty. They diagnosed the problem to a faulty 'Trunk Entrapment Actuator'. According to their tech the 'Front Control Unit' and software were fine. It's located behind the front bumper so it took them a while to perform the job. In the process they called me and claimed I had a canceled radar detector mounted adjancent to the actuator and that PCN A most likely wouldn't pay for the repair. Turned out to be the 'Home Link' transmitter. I guess in early 997's it was mounted differently and their tech had never seen one before. My car is #337. Anyways all is well now. Both the 'System Fault' and actuator humming are gone. Thanks!

Answer:

There is a tech bulletin for the fault "8043 Front Lugg. Compt. Latch. Hook" and earlier on people were replaceing the latch which was not the problem. I spent 2 days with a Porsche engineer to look at this fault and we concluded that the software in the front end control unit was too sensitive for the readings of the servo. This bulletin is to replace the front end control unit for the servo fault for every 2005 997 that comes in for this. If the control unit was not replaced, that fault might come back.

Bulletin 9449, dated 10/24/05

Warning Visit Workshop" In Instrument Cluster -

Code 8043 Stored in Front End Control Module

Peter Smith - PCA WebSite - 5/25/2007

I had a humming sound coming from the bumper/hood area. I suspect it was the hood closure acuator not shutting off (It might have been thinking the hood was open).