AIB

Here are some new rendering of what the next gen 911 (codename 991) may look like. I personally think the orange color car looks amazing (check out the Panemera style wing).... Definitely going to trade in!!!

For a 2005 model definitely purchase an extended warranty because there's always the chance of IMS failure... What you need to do is compare the quote and the coverage of the warranty you got from Easy Care with the price and coverage of the Porsche dealership warranty and make your decision... (no matter what make sure which ever warranty you purchase covers the motor, Porsche definitely does)... Other than that enjoy the car and don't be afraid to drive it hard (supposedly its good for the motor) been driving mine hard for two years now and no motor issues what so ever... None the less wouldn't be caught dead without my warranty...

My C4S feels rock solid at speed. Though I can't comment on speeds above 140 mph as did the OP I can certainly confirm that up to 110 MPH my car is rock solid. The car is bone stock and running PS2's. I do make sure that my cold tire pressures in the front are identical and I mean as identical as I can get them with an accurate gauge. These cars are sensitive to variances in tires pressure and it pays to check them often. Exactly!!! That's how porsche's should be... Even C2S models are quite solid at high speeds...The excessive floating wandering feeling some of us are getting is not right, maybe its the older models who have this issue while the newer models have been upgraded to solve it, I don't know but I'm assuming... By the way when the car is still cold (first ten minutes of driving) I feel clunking on bumps under my left foot, had the dealership check it out but they couldn't find anything wrong.... You are 100 % right about tire pressure, I also make sure my tire pressures are identical and just right.... Anyways enjoy your 4S to the max, recommend the softronic ecu flash for a more aggressive sporty ride.... My bro (Targa 4S) and I (C2S) got it and are loving the change...

If I find a solution I will definitely write up a huge post with details, this problem has been hunting me for a year and a half now, gets very frustrating when I go on Porsche trips and everyone is hitting high speeds and is comfortable while I'm a nervous wreck... Anyways, I will definitely be upgrading to the new generation 911 ... this time might opt for a 4S... so I guess one more year of having to live with the floating feeling :)

I have the same issue with my 2005 C2S! Have been trying to solve the issue for a year now with no result. Had it checked out by the dealer and all steering components were said to be ok, even had the manager there take it for a test drive, he hit 200 km/h on a slight bend, he said it was ok. Also took it to a porsche independent specialist and he did a check up on the steering components and said everything was good. However I get that same nervous wandering / floating feeling at high speeds. I'm starting to get the feeling that the 2005 steering set up or components are inferior to the 2007 - 2008 models cause my friends who have those models don't have this problem at all. Tried wheel alignment, the steering got tighter but like you said I still have the floating feeling at high speeds.... Hopefully some one out there knows what the culprit is or you find out what it is and can send me the fix, until then you're going to have to do what I do, grab the steering wheel with all your might and let her rip :) (some praying is involved)...

As promised here is my review on the softronic ecu flash on my 2005 C2S: Uploaded the tuned ecu file on Friday night so I've had the whole weekend to test it out. As most people have said before I don't think I got any substantial increase in horse power (need a dyno test to make sure though) but anyways I can try to explain how the car feels whilst driving it. First thing I immediately noticed was when you accelerate full on throttle the red line has increased noticeably, from what I can see the car is changing gears at around 7,200 to 7,400 rpm... So when your accelerating the increased red line makes the acceleration more aggressive. The second thing that i noticed, and this took some driving around to notice, was the power surge in the car feels much more aggressive. I'm not a car expert but I think the torque got stronger. In any gear your in it just feels the car is more alive and the power is just more raw! In sports mode the car down shifts more often, its as if the car wants you to gun it all the time :) ... Finally I have a PSE installed and now with the ECU flash the exhaust is a little louder.... Also before the flash there were times in mid range rpms when the exhaust note would disappear and come back at higher rpm's, now with the flashed ECU the exhaust is audible through the whole gear range... To sum it up, the car didn't get much faster but the dynamics of the power in the car did improve to become a tab more sportier, also improved the exhaust sound in the sense that its audible all the time (nothing that annoys you though, nice sporty sound). I'd bet that with this flash the car could lap a better lap time than stock when its left in automatic sports mode since its down shifting earlier to make sure you have optimal power going out of turns and the red line for changing gears has increased.... Plus since the torque feels stronger the car has a more aggressive sporty feel to it... I am happy with the results. If you are going to purchase this upgrade from softronic don't go in thinking your going to get a faster car in terms of horse power just expect the car to put its horses down to the tarmac in a more sporty manner.... Hope this is helpful.... Feel free to send me any questions you may have...

I know your post is quite old and maybe you've already made your decision on chipping or not chipping however if you haven't chipped yet and its still an option I think I can definitely help you out.... I purchased the ECU tuning package for my C2S from softronic tuning (vivid racing) just two weeks ago... Its very simple to do (no need to remove ecu and send it or anything like that) you just hook up your laptop to ur car thru a cable they provide and run the software which reads your ecu and sends them the info thru the internet.... two days later you receive thru email a tuned file and an original stock file, from then all you do is upload which ever file you want on to your car and voila!!! Unfortunately I had to travel once they sent me my tuned file so in about two weeks I will be back home and will upload my tuned file.... Once I upload my tuned file I will definitely post my impressions and tell you whether I advise on purchasing it or not... the great thing about this way of tuning is that you can at anytime just flip back to stock settings very easily... (warranty purposes) Though I would advise on getting your self a new exhaust, I personally got the porsche sports exhaust and am very happy with the sound, no performance increase but the sound is great and makes it feel as if your going faster than you really are, plus this is what a Porsche should sound like anyways (sporty).... The exhaust definitely changed the overall experience of the drive... Anyways will keep you posted...

It's funny, as soon as I get in the car the first thing I do is hit the sports button so I can have the exhaust sound, but I'm reluctant to disconnect the wires because I paid so much cash just to get the on- off option !!!! Even though since the day I installed the exhaust I haven't once driven it without the exhaust in loud mode :) (totally agree that this is what the car should sound like from stock).... I think I should just disconnect it and have it on all the time and forget about the extra $$$$ spent on getting the on-off option... Will probably do that as soon as I'm back from my trips... Will be posting in a while to tell you about the softronic...

You're welcome. BTW, did you disconnect the valves? If so, what do you think? I also wanted to clarify my above. I said $1200 for the cans alone. Note that you still need tips - you can't use the non PSE tips. So that's a few hundred $. You need tips for aftermarket exhausts too so I'd argue the upgrade cost is still similar but I wanted to be clear. Haven't disconnecting the valves yet. Want to clear something up though, if i do disconnect the electric wire for the valves as explained in the previous replies does this cancel out the on - off option for the sports exhaust??? Oh by the way just received my softronic tuned ecu file, unfortunately I'm traveling on business tonight so I wont be able to try it out till I come back in three weeks... Going all out with my Porsche (kinda got bored and wanted to make some changes to the car since I'm waiting for the new generation 911 to come out next year to upgrade)... Will probably post something up about my experience and satisfaction with the softronic ecu flash performance in a month...

Thank you all very the very helpful and informative replies.... RENNTECH RULES!!!!!

The independent button for the exhaust you have come up with is brilliant!!! Wish I could get one of those set ups, the problem is I had asked my dealer here in Lebanon to do something like that for me but they said they couldn't and I'm not a very technical person to Do it my self (I'll probably screw something up)... I guess my only solution is to either have the exhaust on all the time (bypassing the electronics) or I'll have to live with it connected to the sports button and be forced to press it everytime I turn the car on :cursing: (very annoying though)

Thanks alot for the feedback.... I will defintely search the forum for bypassing the control valves (seems easy).... you also mentioned you bypassed the intake resonator which gave you a nice sound (how did you do this, or are the instructions also found in the forum?) I already dished out quite a bit of cash for the full PSE system from the dealer :( .... I think I should have done what you said and just got the mufflers, anyways I'm going to keep my eyes on the bright side and enjoy my new Porsche sound (loving it, think this is what stock Porsches should sound like!!!) Again I appreciate the reply...

Hey, Just got my PSE installed on my 2005 C2S... I got the on/off option connected to my sports button... I'm loving the sound, the note is great and its not obnoxiously loud :) .... A friend got a Borla muffler system installed on his Cayman and the drone/resonance he gets in low RPM is enough to make you get migraines!!! Must admit though the Borla sounds unreal at high rpm... Anyways just a few questions about my PSE: - At different Rpm's the exhaust makes completely different notes (even sometimes at mid rpm it doesn't even sound like I have a sports exhaust, sounds stock). The dealer told me i need to drive the car for a while and then the sound settles in and becomes a nice uniform note... Is this true or is the sound always different depending on the rpm (I hate how sometimes the sports sound fades away and it sounds stock then out of nowhere it kicks back in).... - Read before something about valves opening at over 50 Km/h in the exhaust... What is this and do i have it and can I have my valves always open (I really want sporty exhaust note on my car all the time, no matter what speed I'm going) - I'm undecided on whether to disconnect the exhaust from the sports button and have the exhaust on always... going to try it out with the button for a month then decide, but if I want to have it always on do you recommend i do it myself or send it to the dealer (read in the forum its as easy as just unplugging some wire) All in all I'm loving the PSE, and highly recommend it to all Porsche owners!!!! Porsches are amazing cars but the sound they make is just not sporty enough from stock (unless you have a GT3!!) There are a bunch of after market exhausts out there to choose from and there's the PSE (need to do your homework and see which goes with your lifestyle). If you have a wife, fiance, or girlfriend DEFINITELY get an exhaust with an on/off option!!!! TRUST ME :) !!!

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

Having a Sport Chrono does not neccesarily mean you have PSE. I have a sport chrono on my C2S but don't have PSE. Usually the PSE exhaust tips are of different sizes (one small than the other on each side) plus the PSE is connected to the sports button, once you press the sports button the exhaust note should definitely change and this is very easily noticeable both on low rpm and high (sportier sound)... If you don't have the PSE on your car I would advise you get it (just ordered mine, love the sound)... Other options are after market exhausts or mufflers with tips (cargraphic, borla, FVD, awe, etc.... ) Personally I think 911's stock exhaust sound needs to be more sporty, so I highly recommend making enhancements.... Cheers...

georgie: I'd check your electronic oil level gauge just before you next start it up. If all the spaces are filled, including the very top one (it's about 1/4 the size of the others below it), it may be overfilled--not a good thing. Just make sure the car sits an hour or two with the motor off to allow all the internal oil passages to drain into the sump before you check it. Thank you for that 355bhp, that was a good idea. I did check it and the oil level seems to be OK. I'll keep an eye on it for the next few days after some driving to see if everything is still alright. Had the same issue, noticed the oil leak under the motor and this went a while. It wasn't pouring out oil just small drops that took a while to show. I park my car for long periods of time in my garage (one month periods) and everytime I would pull it out of the garage i would notice a few drops. Sent the car directly to the dealer out of fear of RMS problems but it turned out to be a faulty hose. One day later with the hose replaced and no more leakage... Make sure your dealer checks all hoses in the engine to make sure everything is A OK. Best Of Luck

Every tire has its pros and cons... Personally I recently switched from worn out P zeros to Continental contact sport 3 tires and I'm very happy with them. Michelin and Bridge stone sports tires are good too. Pirelli's were great sports tires however once they start to wear out they do become very noisy and don't perform so well....

Thanks for the advice.... The bounce check wasn't really showing anything since the car was very stiff when parked and off, I do have pasm. My car does feel a little bouncy on un even roads but I'm not sure if its the shock absorbers being damaged or just the state of the roads and the cars reaction to them.... Anyways my main problem is the steering wheel wandering (tugging to the right mainly) on uneven roads at high speeds, I think I have isolated it to a worn out bushing on the right control arm (steering feels lose at high speeds and when i make a full right turn the front right wheel feels like its slipping or tugging, hard to explain in words). My mechanic says any bushing for the control arms is not sold separately and we will need to order the whole control arm set if we want to change a bushing, is this true? And if the absorbers do turn out to be damaged does my warranty cover them? If so I will send the car to the dealer to repair. Thanks again for all the help...

Hey, What are the symptoms of shock absorbers in need of changing? And How can I check if my shock absorbers really do need changing (Diagnostics, Bounce test?) ? Anyone know the cost of OEM front shock absorbers? Thanks...

Thanks very much for the response - it would be my DD. As to 05 vs. 06, can I assume that your recommendation is related to the 05 engine issues? If so, would your response change if it was CPO, and I intend to renew it? Thanks again Hi. When you say all else equal, does that mean Milage, price & options? If you manage to find an S with tip, all else equal as before, go for the S. You simply get moe car for the money. If you have to make trade-offs - and typically the S will be more e pensive - how about you approach it from what you really want? Have you longed for a 911 for a long time, driven both and blown away by the 3.6 (non S)? do you consider yourself a purist that would love the 3.6 for its lower weight, its focus on the essentials? Or have you had performance cars before and find yourself looking for more grunt within 6 months? Will activating the PASM (and potentially sport mode) put a grin on your face? If you're the former, the 3.6 will make you happy for a long time, the latter needs the S. As for 05 vs. 06, there is plenty of discussion on that on here. But with CPO and renewal I would not worry about it. Certainly not as much as S vs. 3.6. Nothing is more costly than compromising now and only to find you are the second type. Belive, been there, had a very nice 3.6 but succumbed to th S temptation in less than 2 years... Let us know what you decide. Cheers, Jay Definitely go for the S and preferably the 2006 model. Manual or Tip is a personal decision, I have a Tip 2005 S and many times i wish it was manual but then I get stuck in some traffic and thank god its a Tip :) .... It's all about preference and whether you mind a manual in traffic. Either way you go you will defintely fall in love with your Porsche. Cheers...

I have a 05 C2S... Have had the exact same issue for a year and had the dealership checked it like ten times and all the times they said everything is ok... But I assure it isn't.... Finally I found an independent Porsche specialist and he was very familiar with this problem on almost all Porsches. The problem is the stabilizer bar, they disassembled everything and inserted new bolts or rubber components (after time these components get loose and the car will sway and float making it a nervous experience at high speeds). Just got it fixed yesterday and already the whole driving is 100% better). No more floating or swaying, the only thing I have left now to fix is small steering jerks when I'm at high speeds on slightly uneven roads (hard to explain but the I feel the steering wheel slightly jerking to the left and right, not too much but enough to bother me). Sending the car to fix this issue next week, might be an alignment issue or the steering needs some tightening up or a bent rim. Trust me have your mechanic check out your stabilizer bar and you'll be very happy. Porsches are very responsive cars in terms of steering but you should feel confident and in control at most speeds! Hope this helps, Ali

Beautiful!!!!

Hey... I have a 2005 C2S and have been experiencing the exact same steering phenomenon discussed in the post... Have sent the car to the dealer 5 times to check the steering components and they couldn't find any faults, along with these checks they did 3 wheel alignments (due to my constant nagging that the issue persists).... The dealer has assured me that they have done thorough steering component checks and that everything is ok (they even extended my warranty), however the weird wobbly floaty steering feel at high speeds is driving me crazy. I have test drove a friends 2007 C2S and it felt much more planted at high speeds. Anybody find out what components may be the culprits of this issue.... I don't want to install a new aftermarket suspension system because i think the stock system should perform well enough if it is in good shape. Many Thanks, Ali...

I think it all has to do with the type of roads you have in your area and the weather... I had Pirelli P-zero's on my car and they weren't performing so well (even though I've heard that Michelin PS and Pirelli Pzero's are some of the best Tires for Porsches). Anyways I visited my local dealer and it turns out that for the roads in my country (Lebanon) the Continentals CS3 are the best and so that's what I purchased and haven't been happier. I suggest you find out what Tires most Porsche owners are using in Australia...

I had this slight Dilemma a while back... Most of my friends have sports cars and I have a 2005 C2S, and we would always be giving each other crap for how each persons personally car was the best. The comparison was an Audi R8, Jag XKR (supercharged), Aston V8 Vantage, Carrera 4S, Cayman S, and my C2S. So what we did was instead of drag racing each other was we all drove each others cars... And that's when I knew how special my C2S was. The R8 is great as a package the only beef I have with it is that it's not as fast as you'd expect, the XKR has no explosive power to it (compared to my C2S my car is like a bomb going off when I floor it!!!). Same with the Aston, its not as explosive as you want it to be, more of a grand tourer. Cayman S is just like a mini Carrera in terms of power but rides pretty well in the bends. In the end of the day its not the numbers its the feel of the whole package you get. The Carrera's put down their power in such a great explosive manner plus go around the bends in their own special way (given they are rear engine vehicles, I don't care what numbers you track down they just really feel like pitbulls when you floor the peddle, and everyone who drove the Carrera's felt it! As long as you are happy with the performance and feedback of your car don't think about any of the numbers out there. In the end of the day its the feeling you have after a drive in your Porsche that matters. Personally the only car that I would ever trade my Porsche in for is either the new 991 (998) Carrera S or the Audi R8 (even with the lack of power the confidence on the road this car gives you lets it run with the GT3 on the road not the track, plus I have to admit its sexier than a Carrera)....