RatboneRanch

Thanks for the advice. I have the same feeling about the condition. It seems in northern CA such cars are asking premium.

Another '02 cab with 47k miles and Tiptronic in a better condition is asking for $30k by the owner. Guess I have to be patient.

FWIW, my 02 cab with 27000 miles was $30K when I got it in late 2009. It was a gift to me, so I didn't actually pay for it...I actually feel I could have done a bit better if I had shopped it myself. I'm in Ohio, which is a different market, of course.

Actually, I read that the compressor stays on unless ambient is below 35 degrees. It has to do with removing humidity from the air so the windows wouldn't fog up and the cabin doesn't become too sticky. It then adds heat to keep the temperature comfortable. But the compressor stays on. I'm pretty sure, but I'm no mechanic. Maybe earlier models are different, but mine is a 996.

+1. Practically every car made in the last 10-15 years with auto climate control seems to keep its AC on all the time unless you override it manually.

If it were me, I'd avoid the 997 look. Once they bring out the 997 replacement, it'll be outdated anyway. And back in the 70s the thing was to update your early (long-hood) 911 to look like a midyear (mid-70s) 911. Guess which cars sell for more -- lots more -- these days. It ain't the midyears. A 996 GT3 bumper would be a sweet upgrade, and you'd be keeping it within the same generation.

FINALLY, some real data on 996 reliability. You can't get much closer to original data than the German Technical Inspection Association.

Thanks for finding this!!!

You'll get a lot of crap for this from some people, but not from me. :clapping:

And to do this on your vacay? Sweet. What kind of ground clearance do you have under that LS1?

Low, and dubious........... "Had" two failures, or "only honored the warranty" for two failures? Not to cast aspersions, but I have absolutely no respect for aftermarket warranty firms, as most are renown for not paying out...............

I generally agree, but I did contact an warranty company before buying an Audi Allroad, and the advice they gave me dissuaded me from buying the car. They could have said "Sure, buy it, we'll be happy to cover it." But they were honest that the cars were money pits and best stayed away from.

I've been a member of the "park it with a battery tender and forget it all winter" crowd, but last spring when I started my 996 it had sat so long it took a good 5-10 minutes of idling for the lifters to quiet down.

So I've always wondered, what's the more effective way to cool the engine compartment when parked?

Let the fan do what it's designed to, or open the engine lid and let the hot air escape?

Don't forget crush washers!!

Sometimes in hot weather I open my engine lid to let the engine compartment cool more quickly. When I do, the engine compartment light shuts off after a while. So does the trunk light if I leave it open. So I would bet the door lights are supposed to shut down too.

Hi all:

I plan to drive my 911 through the winter months. For the first time this year, Seattle will be using (presumably on rare occasions) salt on the roads. Apart from not driving, what is the best way to limit or prevent the harmful effects of grim and salt deposits? Should I power wash the under the car periodically?

thanks.

Dave

Power washing might not go far enough. I always take the time in the spring to manually hose out underneath, especially the wheel wells and other areas. Even so, salty mist can get into areas you'd never think of, and you'll never know it. If you want to pass your car on to your kid, I wouldn't drive it in the winter. If it's just a transportation appliance, go forth and don't worry about it.

I have a set of these tires, which replaced Continental Sport Contacts. The sticker shock for more Contis, as well as the positive reviews for the Hankooks, convinced me. This was the review that did it for me:

http://tinyurl.com/koal9l

I haven't done a DE with these tires because I have other cars I prefer to DE in. I also can't speak to wet traction because I don't expose the car to wet weather. However, I've been pleased with the dry traction and their performance on twisty roads.

I just bought a used New Beetle for my mom after she rolled her Infiniti. The deal I worked out with the dealer was that I put a deposit (basically a promise to buy) on the car, contingent on the results of a PPI. I took to car to a trusted mechanic and it checked out OK, so I completed the deal. Not all dealers will work with you this way, but it doesn't hurt to ask. Anyone trying to sell a Porsche should understand. I would agree that you shouldn't buy a car based on a promise that the dealer will make things right afterward.

Or have a lift installed. If only my garage was tall enough and my wallet was fat enough....

You don't need a very tall ceiling or a very fat wallet for this one...

Max Jax

And I'm putting one in next spring. Can't wait.

Truedelta has just released some new reliability ratings: Trudelta.org. They don't have enough data on 996s, but there are plenty of Boxsters in there, including a few owners claiming IMS failure, on cars as late as 2005. I think you might have to sign up to see the results.

If the Boxster is like my 996, those issues are all normal when you use the key manually. My 996 manual says if you use the key in the lock, the alarm will sound within 10 seconds of unlocking. It also says the central locking switch won't work if you used the key in the lock. As for the fuel door, you can use the manual release (behind the passenger door) and save a little embarrassment.

That's awesome ...I want pictures :P

I got distracted when I got to "ladies fun item." :huh:

Hey guys

just put a hardtop on my 99 C2 Cab,i was told there are no wires for the rear defogger and that the contacts were built in the 2 rear bolts that hold the top,i do have the button on the dash and it does light up when i put it on but it doesnt seem like the defogger is working,any ideas

Thanks

Albert

Do you know how to use a multitester? (circuit tester?) Check whether there's current reaching the defroster grid.

What's everyone's opinion on the auto-dimming mirrors? I have one in my BMW and absolutely hate it. It dims too dark and at the wrong times. If I get a car coming up quick on my behind at night, it dims and I can't see anything else behind me. I know the solution is to stomp on the gas so this doesn't happen :P but I actually would prefer a manual switch.

I have one in my 2003 Toyota 4Runner that works great and I love it. The one in my wife's 2005 Infiniti G35x is a piece of crap, works terrible. So I conclude that it is completely dependent on the quality of the manufacturer. My Boxster has the old style manual mirror, which can't be beat in terms of price and reliability. I wouldn't buy an auto-dimming mirror unless I had tested it myself in a previous vehicle.

+1. I installed one (Mito brand, an OEM supplier) in a previous vehicle and hated it because it dimmed too slowly and never got dark enough. Sometimes high technology isn't better, just more complicated.

Unless you're in a hurry I think you're better off to trickle charge the dead battery. Charging a dead battery by running the car is hard on the alternator. (Letting the battery die isn't so good for the battery, either).

Do a search here. This subject has been disscussed to nauseum. B)

Discussed ad nauseum but not to a clear conclusion, I'm afraid.

I wouldn't. Lots of threads about K&N issues here on this very site.

(BTW, 1st post, not counting my radio code request. :renntech: )

Loren:

Thanks a million for this service. My Becker CD-220:

Type: 4362

S/N: 25007969

24/99

Again, thanks!

Mark