Dennis C

I think that 19-inch wheels look great on a 996, but I wouldn't put a set on my car. It's not recommended and tested by Porsche, and it can lead to problems. The larger wheel can put additional stress on your suspension components which could cause them to fail prematurely. If you never track your vehicle or drive very aggressively, then it probably won't matter. If you track the car, then it very well may matter. There's not a recommended tire size for 19s for the 996, so you'll have to guess or ask other people on the sizes that they use. I know lots of people have done it, and I'm sure one of them will give you their experience.

The wheels in the photo don't appear to be OEM wheels to me. I'm guessing, but I think they are Champion RG5 wheels.

I did have the ceramic coating put on my mufflers. I like the way it looks (although you can't really see it once installed), I like the additional corrosion/rust protection and I like the potential benefit of reduced heat in the engine compartment. I don't think that the coating is necessary, I just liked the idea.

If you're going to upgrade, then you should get a gen II Cayanne. I'd worry that the '06 wouldn't be enough of an upgrade for you compared to the '04.

I think the cost depends on what they do to the calipers. If they media blast them down to bare metal and then paint them, then I could see the cost. That's pretty labor intensive. I know I saw one place that does them for ~$500. I don't recall which place that was.

That being said, it looks like people are getting pretty good results with the DIY kits! That might not be a bad way to go! You could always try it, and if you're not happy, send them out to be professionally done.

If you can get under the car reasonably well, then you don't need to remove the bumper. When I did mine, I removed the rear bumper and the wheels. It made access much easier.

It's a pretty straightforward installation. I would think any muffler shop could do it for you. I installed mine in my driveway.

Here's one that I found where you can remove your calipers and send them in to be refinished in the color of your choice:

http://www.gmgracing.com/porsche_brakes.shtml

Scroll to the bottom of the page and you'll see the information/link for caliper painting service.

I haven't used them, so I can't recommend their work, but this is a good example of what I was talking about.

I don't know off the top of my head, but you should be able to find some by searching on google.

One other important point - Porsche doesnt use a decal or sticker for the "PORSCHE" lettering on the caliper. It's painted on with a stencil, and then the entire thing is clear coated. I would insist on this procedure if you have somebody paint your calipers. Stickers eventually peel off.

The C4S got the same red calipers as the turbo too. They are larger than the C2/C4 calipers.

There are many people who have painted their calipers with good results. You can also send them out and have them professionally painted.

996 owners don't hate their cars either! I love my C4S!

That being said, I'm pretty excited to test drive a 991. I think my next 911 purchase will be a 991.

Have you installed tires that are different sizes that the Porsche recommended sizes? In an AWD car, this can make a big difference. If the variance in size is too great, it tricks the sensors into thinking that you have wheel slippage and it tries to correct the problem. Even when it's turned off, PSM is never totally off the way I understand it.

Glad it worked out for you!

My initial guess would have been tires, but it sounds like you've addressed that. Looking at all the things you've replaced, it's hard to imagine what else it could be. Engine mounts maybe?

You can adjust the gap. On the underside of the door, there are rubber caps that you can remove to access the adjustment screws. You can only reach them when the window is down. I don't recall the socket size that you need to fit them - I think it's 5mm or something close to that. You'll need to adjust the fore and aft screws to get it right.

You can adjust the gap. On the underside of the door, there are rubber caps that you can remove to access the adjustment screws. You can only reach them when the window is down. I don't recall the socket size that you need to fit them - I think it's 5mm or something close to that. You'll need to adjust the fore and aft screws to get it right.

Good point about oil changes. I believe that it should be changed every year at a minimum also, even if a car hasn't met the standard mileage at which oil is changed.

I hope you weren't on a public road at 178mph!

Most Porsche enthusiasts believe that you should run and/or drive a Porsche on a regular basis to keep the engine properly lubricated and keep the seals from drying up. In theory, this would help prevent leaks. In the case of the 996, it should keep the intermediate shaft bearing lubricated, potentially helping to prolong the life of this component or prevent a catastrophic failure. Porsche doesn't release the numbers of failures of M96 engines due to the intermediate shaft bearing, but anecdotally, it seems to happen more often on low-mileage, garage queen cars.

I don't think it will hurt your vehicle to frequently run it and drive it.

I think that all you can do is take in all the opinions and data and make up your own mind. Personally, I feel that it is better to run and drive these cars often.

Aside from the noise, my differential seals began to leak and I saw fluid on the front underside of the car, and a few drips on the garage floor near the front of the car.

Hard to say without hearing it. It could be a wheel bearing, it could be the gearbox. I had a similar issue, but it was more from the front of my C4S. It turned out to be the front differential.

They look very nice.

Welcome!

I had a similar experience with a corporate relocation. I (stupidly) agreed to go with the company that the relocation company recommended, although I did pay for the upgrade to a covered trailer. The company that was used was called Dependable Auto Shippers. What I found out after the fact was that the car was moved to multiple trailers throughout the process. I don't like that. Additionally, in one of the trailers my car was underneath a car that leaked. It dripped oil all over my back window and down my rear fender. The shipper tried to clean it up, and they really scratched the paint. I was able to have it detailed and buffed out, but it was a real pain in the ***. I don't feel like they took great care of my vehicle.

If I were to go through a relocation again, I would either drive my car or I would pay for a private shipper that specializes in high-end vehicles.

I hope your have a better experience with your move.

Contact Scott at www.radarmirror.com. He can help you out with repair or replacement. He can also do other things like adding Homelink to your existing mirror while he has it for repairs.

I'm up to 101K on my 2004 Cayenne S, and it has been very reliable. I've addressed most of the common issues, including water pump, primary fuel pump (Cayennes have 2), coolant pipes, coils, etc. I haven't had to replace my cardan shaft at this point.

I know why you're asking about the air suspension - I used to own an Audi Allroad Quattro. Cayennes don't have the same kind of issues with the air suspension that you tend to see in Audi, Range Rover, BMW, etc. The most common issue is that the compressor needs to be rebuilt. I had this done too, and I think it was only a few hundred dollars. I've heard of occasional problems with the control module for the air suspension, but they seem to be quite rare. I have never heard of a major component failing. I wouldn't worry about it. The air suspension and PASM are nice options to have on the Cayenne. I typically run mine on low ride, sport mode during the summer months, and at normal ride, normal mode during the winter.

Good luck with your purchase.