355bhp

Just got back from a PCA-LA Fun Run that included everything from 356's to a brand spanking new 997.2 Turbo, and we all had complaints about our respective models: from the 356B's puny tires and fade prone drum brakes to the "poor" guy with the new Turbo being saddled with a break-in regimen and an astronomical insurance premium (our hearts bled for him. . . ), but all of us were proud to be privileged members of an exclusive club. We practically fell over each other in praise of each other's different machinery. Cheers!

Just drive it like it's supposed to be driven, and change the oil every 7500-10K miles. A Prius it's not.

I decided after talking to my local Interstate retailer, Interstate Factory Rep and checking the physical and electrical characteristics to go w/ the Interstate MTP-H7.

Did you find a local Interstate dealer and rep via an internet search? My battery has never really been anything beyond merely adequate. And if I accidentally kill the motor shortly after a start, it's difficult to get it to crank sufficiently for a restart (not to mention the embarrassment of having the guy in the Bimmer chortling behind me!)

Porsche has managed to maintain a consistent reliability and build quality record despite increasing their model range and volume exponentially over the past decade. They've kept their brand promise despite selling to more people at a lower price, and opening the owner's club to folks who commute, abuse, and neglect these cars--something that few aircooled folk do at the risk of destroying an "out-of-print" model or replacing unobtanium parts. And for aircooled fans who cry foul about engineering defects like IMS and RMS: what of head studs, valve guide wear, secondary air, and oil leaks from every nut, bolt, and seal? Seems to me that leading-edge engineering has always come at a (slight) reliability cost, not much has changed.

Mark

Personally, I find the build quality, design and engineering of my 997 to be exceptional. And it goes so bloody fast to boot! And White987S, I'm gonna make it a point to visit Truspeed, if only to be up to my fanny in Porsches, air-cooled or otherwise. And starting a flame war is the least of my intentions.

Is there a bit of snobbery of original air-cooled 911 owners toward us owners of the water-cooled 996's and 997's? There was an article in the 2/14 Orange County Register about a highly reputed Porsche shop there called Truspeed. The author maintains that the original 911's were the last of the "hand built" Porsches by dint of the numbers produced of those vs. the later versions. I encountered this perceived snobbery when I inquired at a local independent shop if they could service my 997. The owner said that they had a tendency to "blow up", and he basically dismissed me. OK, so he was right about the Dreaded RMS and IMS issues (but mine has yet to detonate). I dearly want to visit Truspeed next time I'm in the Oh Cee, because I have a new-found respect for the original 911's, and I consider ALL Porsches worthy of a wave or light-flash salute. Cheers.

The pull ring might reset itself once the ignition is turned on or the doors are locked. There's nothing in the manual about it beyond pulling it as an emergency function, but Porsche is usually pretty thorough in their gadget design. And welcome to the forum!

And I burned up a half tank of 91 RON blowing out the cobwebs; don't even ASK how fast I was going on Mulholland Hwy! Dang, I missed that little monster, but you know, I think it could use another 50 bhp. The strut tower damage was actually very minimal, and according to the body shop owner, it bordered on a no-call, and there should be no problems when I track it. Oh, and it looks and drives terrific! Cheers!

I think I would go the GT3 route.

On the 996 (and 007-1) the center radiator is for the Tiptronic.

The GT3 should have the correct hoses too.

It seems that I'm the one who was confused! Jeff did give me the price quotes, but I was too dumb to tell them apart from the part numbers. (And I'm turned loose in a car with 300+ hp!) Anyway, my question now is, would there be any installation problems with fitting the 997.106.037.02, which is apparently the one that comes with the factory installed X51 package? Is it the same one that's in these images?: http://www.renntech.org/forums/index.php?showtopic=22873. Would I have to order the hoses, brackets and intake duct separately as shown in the second image of your post #4? Perhaps I should ask the guys at Sunset.

There seems to be some confusion from Jeff at Sunset imports as to which center radiator would fit my early build 05 997S 6-speed with no modification, therefore, he couldn't give me a price quote. One part no. was 997.10603702.180.88. The other, 996.10603775.407.82 seems to be for the Turbo, which mine is not. Various posts state that some 997 owners have installed the 996.106.037.73 GT3 radiator.

To answer question No. 1 after statement No. 2: Select Link

Looks like Michael Schumacher endorses driving fast on public roads after all

Woah woah WOAH! Speeding on public roads is a loaded topic. Expect some strongly opinionated replies and let it go!

Ah, so there IS hope for all of us who drive cars with the M96 motor! I plan to be buried in mine--that is if I can stay clear of L.A.'s more formidable potholes!

And drive it more. These cars aren't garage queens; they're meant to be driven and driven hard. Cheers and welcome to the forum!

I'm not angry it happened, we all do stupid things sometimes and if some kids learn not to do that at an early age it might prevent them doing something really stupid one day, possibly with not such an easy resolution.

That's very magnanimous; you must have kids yourself. At least your car wasn't "keyed": a vile practice, where someone runs the point of a key or knife blade along the length of the bodywork to permanently scar the paint.

I'm in sales so I'm always a easy mark. I know that I could have pushed for a few thousand more but I have a soft spot for sales people, even Porsche sales people!

Anyway, I get the car tomorrow and will post at least some remarks early next week and later some pics. Weather is unnaturally nice for Boston in January, so we'll go for a ride.

Please watch out for my kid. He's probably frozen solid somewhere in the Back Bay near NEU. He just returned from a 3-week stay here in balmy L.A.

I'm a soft touch too, when it comes to a pretty face; just ask my ex. And the guy who sold me a red Alfa Spider years ago saw me coming from a mile away! I actually got the guy who sold me my C2S to come down a few thousand, but he made up for it with an overpriced extended warranty. The car is currently in the shop after an encounter with The Pothole from Hell, and do I ever miss it! Enjoy yours, and drive it like your hair's on fire! Cheers!

You need to have looked at by a competent alignment shop. You made need frame work.

That's the one who discovered the bent tower and suspension bits. And he has the facilities for such work. Thanks.

Yup, that musta been what I hit! My main concern is that bent strut tower. Is it a separate piece, or is it part of the monocoque? Thanks for the sympathy Phil.

Amen! Just watch out for potholes. :)

NOW you tell me? :huh: That pothole will have caused no less than $6000 in repairs! :o At least my insurance co. hasn't squawked; they're paying all but $200. Sorry for the digression: back to the topic.

My '05 runs like a beast, and I have CPO should it break.

Mark

Mine too, and it's been doing so for 42,411 miles.

But it won't be nearly as fast and noisy. My sympathies.

Tip gets a transmission cooler.

Aerokit/X51 get a 3rd radiator for the engine.

If the bumper cover is like the 996 version then you can always leave the center block plate in place.

The 997's center block plate is also a separate piece from the bumper cover. The adjuster showed me the PET diagram on his laptop. If I decided to leave the block plate off, would it look even sillier exposing the gaping hole along with also perhaps upsetting the aerodynamics?

...might call too much attention to the S's phony-baloney blanked-off front intake.

Just tell the adjuster that your third radiator was torn off in the crash. ;) Seriously, it can be added with relatively little effort.

Just what IS that center intake for? an extra coolant radiator? oil cooler? intercooler? I might wanna add one later--Aerokit or not--just to fill that annoying blank void. Perhaps the bumper cover for a Tip has the hole already cut out for, say, a transmission fluid cooler?

You da MAN Loren! The Aerokit looks a little busy for my tastes, and it might call too much attention to the S's phony-baloney blanked-off front intake. Maybe when I replace it with a Turbo or GT3. . .

And Happy New Year to you and all. Many thanks aGAIN!

997.504.527.02 Main cover -- US MSRP $122.37

For the front bumper I need to know 6 speed? and headlight washers?

Oh, perhaps this would be a good time to upgrade to the Aerokit front bumper?

Yes, 6-speed and with headlight washers. What is the Aerokit front bumper and its MSRP? Wonder if I should press my luck. Thanks!

Yes, item 7 covers the transmission.

997.504.429.01 Transmission cover -- US MSRP $102.18

Bumper cap? Do you mean the complete bumper cover?

OOPS! I was viewing the diagram as rear-to-front, rather than the other way around! It should be that huge p/n 1, and yes, I'll need the complete bumper cover. Thanks again.