RF5BPilot

If the above doesn't help, chatter usually comes from blades that grab, then skip. This is typically caused by the rubber blade itself or the windshield. In general, assuming your chattering isn't actually a function of problems in the wiper motor assembly, if the blades skip in both directions, the windshield is contaminated. If they only skip in one direction, (or only top or bottom of the blade skips) it's an alignment problem. Clean the windshield thoroughly. This might include a slightly more aggressive cleaner. Sometimes you might even have to use a solvent to get sap or some petroleum based contaminant off the glass. Even RainX can cause this if it was not removed enough during application. Obviously, protect rubber seals and paint from aggressive products. If your wipers are old (doesn't apply here), then try new ones with more flexible blades. Note that some exotic blades (although new) might be of a composition that it can grab at the glass. There are some glass waxes/sealers that can add a temporary, smoother coating to the glass to make these high performance blades pass more smoothly over the glass. The only downside is that you'll have to reapply periodically. Once you are sure that the windshield is clean and your wipers are in good condition--but it still chatters--then consider aligning the wiper blades to the glass. Blades will tend to skip in one direction if the wiper leads the blade in that direction. (the bottom of the blade is more forward than the top of the blade) If it chatters going to the left, then carefully twist the arm so that the bottom of the blade moves slightly backward (away from the direction of travel)--to the right. The goal is to have the blade perpendicular to the glass, so that the back and forth action simply bends the rubber wiper without chattering. Obviously, this is a great opportunity to damage the arm or wiper motor, so use common sense. On most wiper arms, there is a flat piece of metal between the main wiper arm and the fitting that holds the blade. You can use two adjustable wrenches, one at each end of that flat piece of metal, to twist slightly. Take your time, adjust it as little as you can to get it to a more perpendicular position. If you go to far, it will just chatter in the opposite direction. Any force should be applied only to that strip of metal, not to the main arm, the wiper assembly, etc. Similarly, if only the top or bottom of the wiper chatters, then the top of the blade is leading too much. Adjust accordingly. Note that some auto manufacturers put an air foil on the wiper blade for good reason. At higher speeds it was obvious that the air flow was lifting the blade, causing what can look like, chattering. I've seen a number of owners refuse to pay the higher price for a blade with the air foil (or add an aftermarket one) -- then complain about how bad their wipers are on the highway. Hm-m. Anyway, good luck.

If the car is a CPO, you'd think the dealer would have a log of oil changes to date, each with a mileage (should have been done at least once a year).

fwiw, I have tended to drive with a radar detector since the 60's. I felt that if a LEO was casting a net, I had the right to know -- no matter how fast or slow I was driving. (Some states disagree.) It also let's me anticipate a crowd of drivers who suddenly slam their brakes on as they round a corner/crest a hill - to find a cop car by the side of the road. I agree that some try to use it as a defense against stupid/inappropriate driving -- and am content to know that it won't work that way. When I bought my car 5 years ago, I had an Escort SRX installed. In this way, it's built in to the car. There can be no claim that the detector obstructs my view. Even went to the point of putting the display inside the console. The only evidence is an LED in the bezel for the emergency flasher switch & a small speaker under the dash. Not perfect, but makes me happy. I know there are days when I'm impatient or there are particular roads where the speed limit seems to be set to create income rather than represent the surroundings. I often use my cruise control at those times when I know my speed will get too high. I'll set it for 2-3 mph over the limit, then just let the car drive itself. Has kept me out of problems numerous times.

I agree that Porsches -- (have only driven C2's) -- drive well in winter. The old logic was -- if there's salt on the roads (and thus on your car), don't park your car in a heated garage overnight. The warm temps maximize the corrosive effects of the salt (or whatever the compound du'jour is) -- then you go out and coat it again the next day. Once salt is on, leave it outside until you wash it. (Not sure how much this really matters. Your choice.)

I recently had my IMS bearing replaced (LNE product), RMS and clutch (disk/pressure plate/throwout bearing) + oil change -- for about $2700 (including labor, parts & tax). I think Porsche should have given owners better support on this. Obviously, their solution was the 997.2 engine. On the other hand, when you look at the service requirements and costs for other (genuine) high performance cars, $2700 is a drop in the bucket. We have tended to become so accustomed to Porsche reliability that people buy these expecting to get the kind of no-issue reliability that they got with their low-tech, low performance transportation-vehicle engine. If you want simple reliability and transportation, there are many Fords, Hondas, Toyotas, etc., which will do an outstanding job for you. They are genuinely good cars. They merely have limited entertainment value. Anything you pay for cars that's above basic transportation is for entertainment. If it's not that entertaining or the cost is too high, then don't. But there are countless cars & engines that have required you to stay on top of particular issues or weaknesses. It's unfortunate that the IMS is one of them. (Note that some of the Porsche engines in the mid 70's also had IMS bearing problems.) What is important to me is, once the bearing is replaced & the RMS updated....there seem to be no other, consistent, big issues with the engine -- other than a soiled reputation. Are there other service items like the radiator reservoir or the AOS?....yep. But they are more "accessories" rather than representing something wrong with the engine itself. If I can do some simple preventative maintenance and the engine will be solid..... excellent. The car gives me a wonderful combination of a good ride, handling, fuel economy, power and general dynamics.

I just had some of the coolant replaced in my 996. The shop just mixed Porsche coolant with tap water. That said, the tap water in the Seattle area is mountain run-off. You might want a different source if your city water was coming from wells that had high calcium or other elements.

Thanks to Loren, moderators and experienced contributors. I wince when I see some of the advice tossed about on Rennlist & 6speed. It's no fault of the forums. I've seen crushingly stupid advice and misinformation offered as if it were straight from a factory manual. I have appreciated the more reasoned, experienced advice & information on this forum. Happy 2011.

The M96 has had its problems, more than we have come to expect from Porsche. An acquaintance showed me a scheduled service that was done to his Ferrari for over $15k. Nothing to repair, just a service. I am quite happy to treat the RMS/IMS/AOS/water pump (if you believe the latest from Raby about the plastic impellor)....as preventive maintenance items. It's not as if the engine core is badly designed and it's throwing rods. The intermix problem is more disappointing, but thankfully, seemed to affect relatively few years and (I would hope) has pretty well worked itself out of the system now (guessing that if your engine was going to have problems with it, it probably would have by now). Having owned some older English cars where you seemed to get precious little driving while your lights still worked and you weren't servicing or replacing parts.....the M96 is just fine. Granted, Porsche has more service items than we've come to expect from Japanese cars....but if I wanted a sewing machine, I would have purchased one. In short....get a grip....or get a sewing machine.

It is true that a multi-weight oil will flow in colder temps like the lower of the two weights. But at cooler temps, that is still a lot thicker than the higher weight when the engine is warm. I run 20w-50 in my airplane. In 40 degree temps, the pressure will almost peg on high--just at initial idle. I let it run a bit to thin the oil even before I raise the rpm's enough to taxi. With the engine fully warmed, at max rpm, I'll only see a pressure of about 3/4 of the max. And this engine only uses a strainer--no pleated filter like the Porsche.

Thanks. I have no concern about a warm engine, operating with recommended oil within normal rpm ranges. My guess is that the by-pass is there for cold weather conditions. For all we know, it was installed so that someone running thick oil (heavy weight) in a cold engine at higher rev's wouldn't cause the plastic filter housing to fail.

Actually, if you would do a search, the particular issue of the loss of a by-pass has never really been addressed. Almost all the information has come from LNE, with just a few vague buy-ins from reponders with no clear expertise. Part of the problem is, how would you be able to tell how often and under what conditions the by-pass engages or is necessary to maintain flow?

LN Engineering has been selling their spin on oil filter adapter for some time. While I tend to agree that it may be more convenient and cost effective (in the long run) than the factory cartridge, the filters they recommend don't have a high-pressure by-pass valve. Their argument is that with the spin-on, all the oil gets filtered. Yet, it seems to me that all the oil has been getting filtered all along and if conditions have created a need for the by-pass to let more oil through for a few seconds, that's better than over-pressure or starvation due to oil not being able to get throught the filter in sufficient quantities. If you are one to inspect your filter, you'd now need a filter cutter (not wildly expensive) to inspect the folds of the filter material. They also argue that the metal cannister is less prone to damage from road debris. Any ideas yay or nay on switching to a spin-on?

I can't agree enough on the recomendation(s) for driver instruction. Years ago, I used to autocross almost every weekend in Columbus, Ohio, with different clubs. One weekend, Paul Dickinson drove up from W. VA to compete in his 911E (then a current model). He bested the local hotshot in his 911S by 6 seconds. Local hotshot filed a protest. Paul got in the hotshot's car and beat the hotshot by 4 seconds (while everyone else was working to beat each other by a few tenths). Instruction makes you faster, safer, smoother, easier on your car and you won't be one of the young guys trying to add crap to his car to make up for poor technique.

Suggest that he pays you $550 to remove it from his premises to make room for the next one he wrecks.

My '03 996 C2 Cab has about 45k and runs well. Have kept up with all scheduled maintenance including brake system flush every 2 yr; replaced the coolant tank cap; cleaned out the radiators before temps started rising. Is there anything else I should consider doing? (e.g., cleaning MAF) I feel I could just as easily argue, since it's running well, leave it alone.

Although it may come back to bite me, I have taken the same position (for now) with my '03 996. The bottom of the engine is dry. It has never had any visible seepage from the RMS/IMS/PDQ or RSVP. At about 45k miles, the clutch still seems like new. While the LN upgrade is attractive, it is hard for me to justify screwing with something that doesn't seem to be broken. The LN upgrade may turn out to be a valuable addition to our cars. Yet, the upgrade is so new, who knows how it will age. Will it have its own set of problems? Although not the same, you see medicines marketed every day that lower cholesterol, but who have to admit there is no evidence that they lower heart attacks or strokes. My point is simply that while it may be the greatest thing we've had...we really don't know about the long term implications for their product. While RMS issues showed up early, IMS issues (for the most part) took years to surface. Without new motivation or information, I'm going to take my time jumping into that pond.

I heard a loud snap as I locked the car last night. Checked to see where it might have come from, only to find that the fuel door was not locking. I checked to see that the plastic catch was on the fuel door lid (see #5 in DYI, Ref. P/N 996.201.243.00). It was there. Took the car to the dealer as it was still under CPO. The service writer checked checked for the guide rose (Ref. P/N 997.624.505.00) also in #5 in DYI. The solenoid had knocked this off and it was sitting by the fuel cap. He snapped it back in & all worked ok. He noted that this happens a Lot and people get suckered into replacing the solenoid when it was just the guide that pops out (and then the locking shaft doesn't align with the catch on the fuel door lid). Anyway, if you think you solenoid has gone bad, this is worth checking.

Years ago when sports/exotic cars were expected to need a fair amount of maintenance, it was a common rule of thumb to have (at least) half the purchase price of the car in the bank, ready to be used for unexpected repairs. The parts & maintenance is still based you your car having cost $80k. Especially since you are looking for a minimally priced car, consider making sure you have the financial reserves in case something dramatic happens.

Has your area switched to mandated alcohol in the fuel? That will reduce mileage.

Which was his way of saying he wasn't smart enough to keep up with the later models. Always nice to make others feel bad to hide your own inadequacies.

At 10 y/o, was shifting my Dad's 356 from the passenger seat when we drove places. At 17 I was removing the speedo cables on my Dad's 356's so I could take them for rides and not change the mileage...a cat & mouse game for years. At 20, bought a European version '69 911s in '71 -- probably my favorite car. 5 across the years. A life of crime.

I have run into shops that say they will do an extensive inspection, then tell you what they find. What you use it for is up to you as they are not telling you to buy or not buy the car. I don't blame them. You can have the previous owner give the shop permission to show you the service history--or get a copy & give it to you.

Large, commercial aircraft do use nitrogen, but primarily because the landing forces on their tires heat them suddenly and dramatically -- nitrogen minimizes that effect. They are dealing with extremes that you just don't see in car tires. I own a small airplane. I just use compressed air. No other pilots I know use anything other than compressed air. Technically, most of the nitrogen claims are true...but exaggerated. If you got a nitrogen fill for free, great. But its practical value is so small, it's not worth paying for unless you do it for entertainment. You can get hours of garage talk about it. Add a couple of beers, even more. So, it's entertainment value is wildly greater than its practical value.

Once per year, or 15k whichever comes first. I change it in November so it has fresh oil going into the winter months. Mobil1 0w-40 per factory recommendations. So, in practice, the oil in my 996 gets changed about every 7k.

To a lot of people, a good car has lots of room, is almost silent and gives a silky smooth ride. Basically, it's like you're sitting in your living room. It can be hard to imagine paying a lot of money for a small car that's relatively noisy and has a firm (if not harsh) ride. That's what cheap economy cars do. It has also become Very clear to me over the years that the experience of the driver & passenger are very different. You enjoy the control, performance and feedback from the car. The passenger has to sit through noise, bounces, changes in speed -- and can be relatively terrified by the way the driver is taking turns, going through traffic, etc. Consider trying to drive your car like a limousine when she is in it....as smoothly, quietly and as restrained as possible. Also, figure that she will never get the enjoyment out of a spirited drive that you do -- so keep recreational drives short & add food & rest stops along the way. (Now you know why married men are jealous of the wife - S/O who genuinely enjoys sharing the experience. It's relatively rare.)