gnetwerker

I did this in my (old) 986 Boxster, and have two pieces of advice: 1) The whole thing is stiff, and quite tight. I used two screwdrivers, one through each "key", in order to exert enough force to get the CDR-220 to slide out; 2) You may have to jiggle the unit up and down (not right and left) a little to loosen it. That's it. My keys were marked right and left, but as I recall, they were the same. I haven't tried in my 996, but one can also pop off the side panel in the footwell and get some access to the back and side of the cage. Good luck.

I have noticed more in the cold weather than I get a significant unburned gasoline smell when I start the car ('04 996 C4S) in the morning. It isn't too bad if I have the defroster/heater/fan off, but it is strong outside the car. With the defrost on, I get a strong scent in the car, which dissipates after 45-60 seconds, and doesn't come back. I'm pretty sure it isn't the heater core, because it doesn't smell like antifreeze, and there isn't a residue on the windshield, and it's not exhaust. My 986 Boxster never did this, though I usually got a puff of blue smoke from the residual oil on the pistons burning off. I searched the forum on this, and didn't really find anything, so thought I would throw it out there. Is this just something that goes along with the 996 (I've only had it about a year, and I was too excited when I got it to notice anything). Any ideas?

No. These solutions are "AUX-In" only. Most of the cables don't even provide power.

I have an '04 C4S. The softtop has a glass window, and I also have the removable hardtop. I put the hardtop on in October and take it off in May or June. During June - September I probably put the top up and down once or twice a day. It is definitely showing some creases and a little bit of wear. I wash the top every month or so in the summer. I don't treat it with anything but keep feeling like I should. I am guessing I'll be in the market for a new top in 3-5 years, but that's partly because I'd like to get a different color.

WHall - Thanks for that note -- it is worth knowing that. I think it was just the oil can symbol on the OBC, and not the idiot light. I know it sounds idiotic to say "I think", but between hearing the chime from the OBC, looking at the OBC, looking at the gauge, and trying to both drive and look for a place to pull over off the freeway, by the time I could look at the idiot lights nothing was on.

Thanks for not confirming my worst fears. I drive daily over some seriously crappy roads, so it probably is just a loose wire.

As I was driving away from home the other night, my '04 C4S threw an oil warning light. By the time I looked at the gauge, the pressure was back up to 5 and the warning was off, but a few yards further on, it threw another. I put the car back in the driveway and took another car. The next morning I checked the oil level, looked for leaks, etc -- and found nothing. The car started up and ran fine, with normal oil pressure (which to me is 5 when cold, then 4-5 when driving and 2-3 when idling). Clearly a little worrying, so I've been keeping my eye on the gauge lately. A week or two after the incident above, I was accelerating rather vigorously from a stop onto a freeway, and it threw a oil warning again. I quickly looked at the gauge, and it was reading zero. Oh sh*t. But I put my foot on the clutch and the gauge went right back to 5, and was normal from then on. So, do I have a bad OP sensor, something gummed up in the oil system, or something else entirely? Any ideas? I'm taking the car into the shop soon anyway, so if anyone has an idea of what to ask about, please let me know.

1996 : 39 y/o : '61 356 Roadster 2002 : 45 y/o : '59 356 Speedster 2004 : 47 y/o : '01 Boxster S 2010 : 53 y/o : '04 996 C4S Cab Still own three of the four. The Boxster met a sad fate on the pointy end of a rogue SUV.

Anybody have an opinion on laser (*cough*) "countermeasures"? More cops seem to be using LIDAR.

OK, Yer Honor -- how much did it cost, all in? Many of us have the same worries. (Me: 54k mi on '04 C4S Cab).

I am sure that someone will rise up to contradict me, but I don't see a lot of advantage in so-called "heel-and-toe" downshifting, except in those circumstances where you've entered a tight curve a little too "hot", to the point that a sudden downshift will risk breaking the back end loose. A race driver would differ, but in that situation I prefer to stay in the higher gear through the curve and use engine braking, downshifting after the curve. I understand the advantage in racing, but still wonder, with modern synchros and good tires, whether there is any real advantage in road driving. My C4S hardly every puts me in a situation where I'm worried about the rear end staying behind me. On a related subject, I've noticed in city driving that I get substantially better gas mileage if I skip second gear most of the time, and go from first to third very quickly off of a light or stop sign. The C4S has more than enough torque for that. My Boxster used to get 18-20 mpg in the city, and when the C4S started getting 12, I was a touch upset. But I've got it up over 18 most of the time now, and 22-24 mpg on the highway, except when I'm having fun. But nobody owns a Porsche for the fuel economy.

I am still waiting for someone to explain how the "Guardian" actually works. My mechanic is dubious, but we're withholding judgment until someone explains it.

The Suncoast page here lists that one as only for Boxster, doesn't mention 996 or 997. That's why I'm asking. I suppose I could fabricate something .... Why I'm at it, can anyone describe to me the logic of preventing raising the rear quarter-windows when the top is down?

Pardon me if this has been discussed elsewhere, but I searched and couldn't find anything. I had the famous "red clip" for my Boxster, a little plastic doo-dah that fits in the recess for the convertible top latch when the top is down, enabling the interior ultrasonic alarm system. I upgraded to a 2004 996 C4S Cab earlier this year, and now that summer has belatedly started in the Pacific Northwest, I've got the top down for extended periods. I tried my old 986 red clip, but it doesn't fit, and I cannot find an equivalent for the 996. Any ideas where I can get one? I've googled until my fingers are sore, but can't find one.

All of the above. Or, to put it another way, I don't know if anyone specifically deserves to be a Porsche owner or enthusiast, but as the owner of two vintage 356s, and (serially) two modern Porsches, I love the look of the car but don't own them to be flashy, and I love how they drive, but am not really interested in racing. However, I don't look down on those who customize their cars, who race them, or who like to tinker. (OK, I look down a little bit at those who try to make standard 911s look like GT3s and whatnot). A modern Porsche is generally a high-reliability car, very safe (if driven responsibly), and (as you've seen) they hold their value pretty well. I recently went shopping for a new car, and I found that modern Mercedes had too many gizmos and gadgets and whatnot for me -- I love my Porsche for its simplicity. I recently bought a 2004 996 C4S with 45k miles for $40k, which I thought was a reasonable price. I sourced the car on eBay, but ended up buying it directly from a non-Porsche dealer in another state. The thing I did right was have the seller take it to the nearest Porsche dealership for a complete PPI, which I paid for directly. I got a very complete appraisal of the vehicle. What I did wrong was buying a car in another state, sight unseen. But I really wanted the C4S, it was the color I wanted, had the removable hardtop, and was in excellent condition, so I fell in love with it. I should have either flown there or waited for a car that was closer, as I had trouble with shipping and getting the title. But that is all worked out and I love the C4S. Use eBay (completed listings only), and other sources to get a good idea of price, then get a certified pre-owned car from a dealer in your area. I'm happy with my car and have an excellent independent Porsche mechanic, so I don't rely on the local dealer, but the "certified" label and the warranty that comes with it are probably worth it.

If you have a DC voltmeter, you can measure the voltage at the door speakers. Normal speaker voltage is between 5-15 volts. Put on some music and the meter should dance like a VU meter. Most likely you've got a bad speaker coil and need to replace the speaker. It's unusual (but not impossible) for a single channel to go out on a multi-channel amp.

Obie - pics or it didn't happen! :rolleyes: Seriously - congrats, sounds good.

Whall is correct -- if you have a CDR23, you have MOST. If you don't have MOST, you probably have a CDR-220. On a CDR-23, the CD goes through the front panel, while on a CDR-220, the removeable front panel flips down to admit the CD. If you want to install a new unit, you'll need a double-DIN frame for the dash (part number listed elsewhere in the forum), you'll need to move the HVAC panel to the lower console, and (unless you want to install a PCM-2), and you'll need to wire around the MOST bus. This guy did it, and didn't seem to have any problems, so you probably could too. Depending on what you want to accomplish, however, a Dension or MoBridge or a Becker hack to your CDR23 might do what you want with much less expense. P.s. this thread discusses swapping out the head unit from a MOST system.

Moving that panel looks like a PITA. However, what unit did you add in? Thanks, but already bought one.

If what you are looking for is a complete list of options, a Porsche dealer can print that out for you from the VIN number. There are also VIN decoders on the Internet, like this one, though I cannot vouch for their completeness or accuracy.

I have a 2004 C4S Cab that I'm installing a Dension Gateway in to hook up my iPod, as the Becker CDR23 completely stinks at playing actual CDs on the roads I drive on, constantly skipping. The question is: this makes the CD-tray in the center console pretty redundant. I can apparently get a shelf-like thing (pretty much like the shelf below it, but a slightly different shape) to fit that spot, but does anyone have any better ideas? Having two little half-height shelves, one above the other, seems a bit odd. I can say with certainty, however, that I'm not going to the trouble to move the HVAC console down there from its place above.

I did something very similar. After my beloved '01 seal grey 986 S (44k mi) met its end at the front of an SUV, I upgraded (after much agonizing thought) to an '04 seal grey 996 C4S Cab. The Boxster had a removable hardtop, so it took some doing to find a moderate-miles (48k mi) '04 C4S Cab with a hardtop in my price range. Of course, it's an outdoor car, as its (newly restored but much older) cousin lives in the garage.

Are you asking about the trim piece or the internal support frame? In any case, yes, there are part numbers for every one of those pieces. See Illustration 809-02 in the parts catalog "Dashboard lining with retaining frame". The support frames are as above, 996.552.231.xx, where xx = 11 for standard, 13 for M662 option, and 12 for M665 option. The switch trim is 996.552.967.xx, with a bunch of options for color/material.

Or buy the PCM double-din bracket. Probably 996.552.231.12 or something like that. Appears to be available for about $55.

If it were my son, I'd buy a Boxster, for the following reasons: 1) Very easy to drive, much more so than a 996. Even better if it has PSM (and clip the wire on the diabling switch); 2) Much cheaper than a 996, for lower miles, etc; 3) Only one passenger. For a teenager, this might involve less getting into trouble; 4) Just as safe as a 996 -- side air bags, etc; 5) Possibly lower insurance costs, though that will still kill you -- $2k/year or more, and I would recommend supplemental PI. For $25k, you can get a pretty low mileage 986. Whatever you buy him, get him a day at a professional driving school.