1schoir

Tell me when to stop...

Seafeye:

Excellent photos. Thanks for sharing.

Here is a photo of an aluminum bodied, "continuation" of the original Shelby Cobras for Djomlas and Rick3000.

Owner told me he was into it for a little over $150K so far, and that he had to wait 15 months for delivery of the aluminum body and kit from Shelby. The color is called "Viking Blue."

I have more photos if you want to see them, let me know.

Regards, Maurice.

Anyone out there have a fix for this? Quite recently my drivers window has started contacting the surrounding convertible top frame, at the rearward side. This causes the window to not seal, leaving a 1/8 inch gap at the top/front. When standing outside the car you can see the window try to "lift" the top itself. It's almost as if the entire top has shifted to the passenger side of the car.

I recently had the car in the body shop to have paint damage repaired. There should have been no reason to mess with the top...and I've only noticed this since picking up the car.

Thanks

Rich

Rich:

There are adjustments that can be made both to get the window to up a little further (or a little less) and to get the window to end up a little further forward to have its front edge end up closer to the front of the car or a little further back to have its rear edge end up closer to the rear of the car when the window is closed.

The up down adjustment is relatively uninvolved and the forward to back adjustment is more involved and requires removal of the inner door panel.

A few questions:

How severe was the damage repaired by the body shop, and did it involve handling/removing/adjusting the convertible top?

What position does the window end up in when it is completely raised with the door completely closed in terms of centimeters or fractions of an inch at the forwardmost top edge of the window, and at the rearmost top edge of the window?

Is the space even all the way across the top edge of the window, where it meets the rubber of the convertible top frame?

Has the passenger's side window been affected at all, or is it even and snug all around on the passenger's side?

Also, is your Boxster a 2001 (986) or a 987?

Post answers to these questions, or pics and we will go through the proper adjustments, step by step.

Regards, Maurice.

Maurice, I apologize for the delay in responding, spending time with my daughter. It's a 986 and the damage was purely cosmetic, the result of a sandstorm and other than having to feather the new paint into the doors there was no reason to get near the top. I purchased the car used 14 months ago.

The space is not even, the window is actually contacting the hard drip edge of the convertible top at the rear of the drivers door and being restrained from further movement. The passenger window seals fine.

The drivers window is chipped along the rear edge, and has been since I purchased the vehicle. I often wondered how that damage might have occurred but now with this present problem I'm thinking this might have happened before. The window catching on the hard drip surface?

I'll get some pics posted, just need to grab my digital from my estranged spouse. I'm of the opinion the top has somehow shifted.....

Rich:

No problem. Spending quality time with your daughter should never be put off. The car can always get fixed later.

Pics would definitely be helpful, but in the meantime, some thoughts.

Since there was no major bodywork, and since the passenger's side seals fine, it is very unlikely that the top has somehow shifted. If it had shifted, there would likely be some effect showing up on the passenger's side, in the form of some different gap, etc.

First, take a look from the inside of the canvas top (should be easy if your Boxster is an early enough year to not have a liner [pre-2000 or 2001, I think]) and look at the two joints (one left and one right) that are on the bow almost directly above the roll bar. The joints are located just before the bow section starts to slope/angle downwards from the horizontal. If the joints aren't tight, you should see some white/beige powdered adhesive residue, as opposed to a tight joint that will be just black and snug. Aside from that, the entire convertible top frame cannot shift unless the three bolts on each side that hold the frame to the top are loose or missing.

Rather than looking for those bolts, take a look at how the top lines up side to side by inspecting it at two specific spots:

Measure (or eyeball) the distance between where the outside of the base of the B-pillar part of the convertible top and the inside edge of the small parrallelogram-shaped piece of the body meet (just forward of the each forward point of the clamshell, body paint colored with a flat black piece of trim on its innermost edge). Do that on each side and see if the space is the same on the driver's side as on the passenger's side. The B-pillar part of the convertible top that I am referring to is the (flat black) part that ends up mating up with the rear edge of the window when the window is fully raised. At its widest part, near the body of the car is where you measure.

Then, look where the front edge of the convertible top meets the windshield frame and measure (or eyeball) how the "drip edge" (flat black) on each side of the convertible top canvas meets up with the slanted (not quite vertical) rubber gasket that runs up from each side of the base of the windshield frame to the top of the windshield frame. If those two pieces (the drip edge and the rubber gasket) are lined up (i.e., on the same plane along the side of the window) AND the passenger's side and driver's side have the same spacing, then your top has again not likely shifted.

It is more likely that the glass part of the window may have shifted in the two clamping pieces of the window regulator that hold the glass in place.

Do you know if the window regulator has ever been replaced in the driver's side door? How much mileage on the car?

The reason I ask is because you mentioned the window is chipped along the rear edge. That may have happened if someone replaced the window regulator (which requires removal of the glass from the clamping pieces of the old regulator) and did not insure that the glass was exactly relocated on the new regulator's clamping pieces.

Take a look at the six spots mentioned above (joint on bow above the roll bar, space at base of B-pillar, alignment where the side of the canvas top meets the windshield frame

OK,

thanks to Djomlas and his skills at photoshop, I am going with black with an arena red stripe. It looks too nice to pass up. If you look at the picture he is a wizard, as he seemed to have waxed my car and tinted my tail lights. In another picture he actually lowered my car! I was going to show that picture as well but I am angry he left the bags of sand in my car.

Camores :renntech:

Camores:

Nice choice of colors for the wheels. The photo with that color combination gives the car a more "updated" look. The trend in rims lately seems to be towards black or body-color painted rims.

On the other topic, there is nothing like a 2002 for zipping around and throwing into corners.

Regards, Maurice.

Hey All,

I have an arena red MY99 996 and I was thinking of repainting my rims as there are a couple of areas of flaking. I was going to repaint in the original color but I not adverse to other colors. I would like to make my ride subtly unique. I am not the type to make the sharp contrast like the combinations that are available with the GT3 RS. But being that it is painted and I can redo a color job, I would consider it. The Silver and Orange GT3 RS is one of the most beautiful cars I have ever seen.

So let me know your imput. Rigth now I am leaning on a Gun metal color and having the interior and the back of my sport seats done in Gun metal as well.

:renntech:

Camores:

Found a couple of painted rims photos. Check them out.

Most are a little too garish for my taste, but I note that in the photo with the multiple wheels, the bottom right corner wheel is similar to stock rims I saw on a red Cayenne S last week.

Regards, Maurice.

For a few months now my passenger window would periodically roll all the way down upon opening that door instead of stopping at the 1/2" or so point. There would then be some very quiet noise from that window as if it was trying to figure out what to do for approx. 5-10 seconds. During this time, input through the window control switch will go without response. After this time the window would function properly.

Two days ago, I noticed that the window no longer drops the 1/2" upon opening, when it does stop as it is supposed to instead of going all the way down. It will make a sound as if it is dropping properly however only move an unappreciable amount.

I know that this is confusing as I am having a difficult time describing the problematic behavior.

After reading other threads, I am thinking that it may be the window regulator. Does this sound correct? Any other considerations?

i am having almost the same exact problem. however, my window made a grinding noise as it was being raised and lowered. i had to try about six times to get it to close. kind of disappointing with only 6k miles on the clock. taking it to the shop today. i'll let you know what they say.

typhon

Typhon:

In your case, it sounds like your regulator cable fraying, rather that the outer sheath crumpling. Kind of surprising with only 6K miles, though. Keep us posted.

Regards, Maurice.

got it back today. regulator was toast. new one cost me $198 labor $259.67 for the regulator. works like a champ.

typhon

Typhon:

Thanks for the update.

Regards, Maurice.

Just pop out the panel, unplug old, push out the old lighter and ring and input new. Done! There are more detailed instructions in the archives here if you search for lighter.

Got the parts from Sunset today. Just to be clear, the lighter/switch panel simply pulls out from the dash? I've got plastic pry tools but sure don't feel like breaking anything.

Thanks.

TAH:

The lighter/switch panel simply pulls straight out. It just takes some force.

Try to put one of the plastic pry tools in from just below the top left corner of the the lighter/switch panel and complete the pull with your fingers once you get some daylight there. When I did it that way, I then pulled the top right side out and then wiggled the whole bottom part (where the lighter is) off by rocking it a little back and forth.

There are no tricky tabs on this one, like the one in the inner door handle surround.

Regards, Maurice.

Maurice,

If I paint, I will most definately post pictures to see what people think. Though ultimately the decision rests on my shoulders I like to hear what people think.

Does anyone know if their is some history behind Arena Red?

Maurice, my first Porsche was a 944 Turbo a gift from a fantastic father (he is still that generous today). The 944 was gold and had gold BBS rims with polished lips (a nice deep lip in the back) a sweet combination picked out by my father. This time however I am mostly considering a contrasting color like black, Gun Metal Grey or any other color. I wish their was some history behind Arena Red and those cars had some hideous rim color that I could try for a while or justify. I would like my car to pay homage to Ferdinand and the lineage, if at all possible.

White987S,

Thanks for the suggestion, I will try and hit him up and see if he has the time to do it. Djomlas has rims that he has painted. He has supplied me with some of the inspiration to do my paint job.

Camores:

Nice father!

I still have a set of the basket weave gold BBS rims with a polished lip on my '71 BMW 2002. It's the only car I ever bought new, and I still have it. The car is Agave Green (sort of a not too dark green with a bluish tinge) and the contrast between the green of the car and the gold on the wheels looks excellent.

Don't know anything about the history behind Arena Red, but someone else here probably does.

Let me know if Djomlas does anything with his photoshop, I'd like to see the results. I don't want to bombard him with requests.

Regards, Maurice.

Anyone out there have a fix for this? Quite recently my drivers window has started contacting the surrounding convertible top frame, at the rearward side. This causes the window to not seal, leaving a 1/8 inch gap at the top/front. When standing outside the car you can see the window try to "lift" the top itself. It's almost as if the entire top has shifted to the passenger side of the car.

I recently had the car in the body shop to have paint damage repaired. There should have been no reason to mess with the top...and I've only noticed this since picking up the car.

Thanks

Rich

Rich:

There are adjustments that can be made both to get the window to up a little further (or a little less) and to get the window to end up a little further forward to have its front edge end up closer to the front of the car or a little further back to have its rear edge end up closer to the rear of the car when the window is closed.

The up down adjustment is relatively uninvolved and the forward to back adjustment is more involved and requires removal of the inner door panel.

A few questions:

How severe was the damage repaired by the body shop, and did it involve handling/removing/adjusting the convertible top?

What position does the window end up in when it is completely raised with the door completely closed in terms of centimeters or fractions of an inch at the forwardmost top edge of the window, and at the rearmost top edge of the window?

Is the space even all the way across the top edge of the window, where it meets the rubber of the convertible top frame?

Has the passenger's side window been affected at all, or is it even and snug all around on the passenger's side?

Also, is your Boxster a 2001 (986) or a 987?

Post answers to these questions, or pics and we will go through the proper adjustments, step by step.

Regards, Maurice.

You guys should ask someone to Photoshop your color wheel ideas onto your car's photo.

White987S:

That is precisely what I have been wishing for, but I'm not "with it" when it comes to these programs.

Anymore details on Photoshop? Is the program expensive or difficult to learn to use?

Regards, Maurice.

Hey All,

I have an arena red MY99 996 and I was thinking of repainting my rims as there are a couple of areas of flaking. I was going to repaint in the original color but I not adverse to other colors. I would like to make my ride subtly unique. I am not the type to make the sharp contrast like the combinations that are available with the GT3 RS. But being that it is painted and I can redo a color job, I would consider it. The Silver and Orange GT3 RS is one of the most beautiful cars I have ever seen.

So let me know your imput. Rigth now I am leaning on a Gun metal color and having the interior and the back of my sport seats done in Gun metal as well.

:renntech:

Camores:

I have the same rims on my MY97 Ocean Blue Metallic Boxster, and I have had the same thoughts about re-painting my wheels, which have some scuffs and scratches on the original finish.

I have been tossing around the idea of painting the center of the rims in Ocean Blue, and making the outer lip (about 1" wide) in the original silver, or doing the center in blue and "fading" to the silver lip. Can't decide between that and redoing the rims as they were originally, but I am leaning on the color solution. I might try one rim with the two different schemes and see which one appeals to me more but won't get to it for a while.

If you paint yours first, please post photos and details on materials.

Regards, Maurice.

Hello,

I did my searches and found a bunch of stuff on this topic, I just wanted to know if anybody has the HOW-TO or factory manual telling me how to remove and re-install the rear window on a 996 cab.

I have the new part from Porsche, and just need to install it. Thanks

Flat6:

Forum member "juniinc" replaced his vinyl window on his 986 without removing the canvas top and now sells "kits" to replace the windows in Boxsters and 991's. The kit apparently contains instructions. Maybe you can get a hold of one of those instruction sheets to put in your factory vinyl replacement window. Here is his link: http://www.renntech.org/forums/index.php?s...c=16778&hl=

There has also been a lot of discussion on the ease (10-15mins and about 6 bolts) of removing the entire top, with the mechanism, to do the vinyl window install. I recall that the discussions revolved around a Boxster top, not 911, so it may be a different story there.

I think they (the kits) are also available on eBay from juniinc and from another seller.

Regards, Maurice.

it was harder to find a deep e6 torx socket than it was to fix the problem!

thanks Maurice!

Stump:

Way to go!

Regards, Maurice.

I just talked to the adjuster on the phone and he recommended what you just said, to take it to a shop i want or one they have on a list and let them estimate it and then go from there.

Carlos:

For what it's worth, legally they have an obligation to tell you that you can choose your shop, although they try to steer you to the shops they have on their list.

Generally, if you know and trust a good body shop, you are much better off going there. The ones that are on their "approved" list have to be in bed with the insurance company to some degree, or they risk being taken off the list and thereby losing a source of cars to be repaired.

PM me and I will give you more info if you need it.

Regards, Maurice.

Rant time for me, So i wake up this morning, feeling tired. Walk to my car at 545am that i had to park 1 block away from my apt cause the street was full of parked cars on my block. Drive to work and dont notice anything out of the ordinary UNTIL i pull into the underground parking garage at work and notice that i do not see my headlights against the walls or floor. I think to myself "GREAT! **** headlight switch is fried" so i park in a space and start to turn the headlight switch on and off rapidly to see if i can get the lamps on at all, and it didnt work....

So i get out and im already thinking about what terms i should use in my search for headlight switch replacement on 986forum.com but then i notice something... my sidemarker is missing and the wire and bulb are dangling then i walk to the front of the car and notice both of my headlights are stolen !and! the edge of the hood, front bumper and fender are scratched!

That is the moment i realized my headlight were stolen today... WTF!!!!! why would someone one yellow egg yolk headlights! venting... venting... venting...

I called my insurance claims department to notify them, I have full coverage Progressive Insurance with $250 deductible, does anyone know what i am to expect from the Porgressive as far as repair and or compensation? For instance, will they buy me NEW headlights or try to locate some cheap used ones from a salvage yard? As far as my paint damage, should i expect them to repaint the entire panel due to the scratches on the hood fenders and bumper or will they want to patch paint it?

Carlos:

What a bummer!

The one piece of advice I can give you is as follows. Do not try to adjust the claim directly with the insurance company yourself. The biggest favor that you can do yourself is to take your car to a body shop that you trust (not the one the insurance company might try to recommend) and make sure that the insurance company sees the car AT THE BODY SHOP. Not at your house or at their claims center!

Most reputable body shops have relationships that they cultivate with the individual claims adjusters that come to their shops on a regular basis. Having the adjuster see the car at the body shop and deal directly with the body shop guy will get you the best result. Tell the body shop guy the type of repair you hope to get and let him go to bat for you. Especially in this kind of repair, the body shop stands to earn more from a job that is properly done, rather than just touched up, and that will be to your ultimate benefit.

It's a little more inconvenient to take the car to the body shop and leave it there for the adjuster to see, but it's well worth the inconvenience. Don't forget, you (more than anyone else) will be looking at the repaired area with a critical eye every time you approach your car or are working on something in that area. It will be a constant annoyance to you if you don't get it done right.

Regards, Maurice.

I worked on my girlfriend's Boxster S seat height adjustment lever - the spring had come loose from the handle mechanism and was not activating the strut that allows for seat adjustment higher/lower. Thanks to everyone for their help earlier this month!

Now, the issue is that the strut holds the desired seat height when adjusted, but you can PRESS the seat down all the way! As if the piston is always engaged. It seems to me that the issue is the piston is simply worn out and I saw that I can order this part to repair the seat.

Any tips before I pull the seat out again? Thanks guys!

Spen

Spen:

Do not pull the seat out until AFTER you have pulled the key out of the iginition and disconnected the battery. Wait at least one minute and then proceed.

If you don't disconnect the battery and then disconnect the 8 pin connector under the seat, you will get the dreaded airbag light. Then it can only be reset with a Durametric, PST2 or PIWIS.

Regards, Maurice.

I need some help, I bought adjustible rear control arms sometime ago and i want my alignment to be as close to stock spec as possible. Could someone measure in centimeters the distance between the CENTER of the nut and bolt illustrated in the picture attached below???

Thanks in advance!

Carlos:

Just measured 61.3 cm from center of bolt to center of nut. Same on left and right. Mine's a 1997 Boxster, all stock.

Regards, Maurice.

THANK YOU SO MUCH!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

You dont know how much this helps me! BTY when you measured, was the car jacked up from the side with the rear wheel in the air or were the wheels on the ground when you measured?

Reason i ask is cause the pivoting action of the arm could mean that if you measured while the wheel was suspended in the air, the distance of 61.3 cm will increase maybe .2 or .7 more cm from when wheel is on the ground cause the bear cartridge will pivot away slightly from the rear bolt when grounded.

Carlos:

Sorry, I should have specified it more clearly. Each rear wheel was in the air in turn when I measured. I first jacked up at the rear jacking point, as high as my floor jack would go and measured the left (drivers' side) rear ontrol arm. I did see what you are talking about the pivoting, but that was at the front bolt point. I then lowered the car and did the same on the right (passenger's side).

If you need measurements with both rear wheels rolled up onto ramps, let me know.

Regards, Maurice.

Great tip! A couple of "relay whacks" got it working again. Fixed for good or should I just go an get a new relay?

Thanks again for the timely info!

Hard to predict. Sometimes it will stay fixed, other times you may have to whack it again, and at other times no amount of whacking will get it to work again.

New one is about $75 at Sunset. Part # is 986-618-111-02.

Regards, Maurice.

Got the switch from Sunset (as well as a few other items), great outfit to deal with.

Followed the door disassembly linked to earlier in this thread, and amazingly enough didn't break anything. Pulled the foam off from behind the handle area and found my switch wires were dangling freely. The new switch wire had two snap in retainers so I had to figure out where they went. Figured it out by finding the old broken ones. A small flat blade screwdriver easily popped the old switch loose and the new one simply snaps into two mount holes. Routed the wiring correctly, plugged into the harness, reassembled the door and done!

I suspect the window going up and down was rubbing on the unattached wiring and introduced an intermittent state.

Anyway, if you're handy at all this is a cheap fix when compared to letting the dealer do the whole assembly. Kind of tight in there, but real easy on the wallet!

TAH:

Excellent work! Thanks for giving us the update.

Regards, Maurice.

top problem with my 01 box. It's fully up, open the latch and windows come down. Brake light is on. Roof light is lit. But won't come down. I did mulitple presses of the roof button, and thought I heard a noise in the back (slight click), but normally nothing. Are we looking at the relay or the roof button being the problem? I've kicking around getting the smartTop relay for this, would that solve the problem?

Thanks for any advice.

PS - the whole engine was replaced literally a week ago (don't even ask...). Possibly related???

SmartTop relay is not likely to fix this problem, unless the underlying problem is wholly due to a defective convertible top control module (top relay, located in the driver's side kick panel, in the relay tray above the fuse panel).

The roof button is a possibility, but not likely if you are hearing a slight click in the back and, the roof light ("top open" idiot light in dashboard) is the first sign that the button has been pressed. That light goes on simultaneously with your pressing of the button.

Start by checking your two fuses, located in the fuse panel (again, left footwell) at positions B6 and D3.

Also, pull out the convertible top control module (it's the only double relay in the location described above, third row from the bottom [bottom row is empty of relays] second from the right). Tap the relay on a flat, hard surface a couple of times (like people used to tap their packs of cigarettes in the old days) and re-install it.

Aslos, pull the relay on and off a couple of times, that sometimes cleans off enough corrosion on the connecting spades to make a connection. See if that yields any results.

Since your windows come down when you open the latch, the microswitch contained in the latch assembly is most likely okay also.

If your two fuses are okay, look at the V-levers (behind and lower than the base of the B-pillars to see if you have any movement at all(clockwise or counterclockwise) when you press the button.

Once you have checked the above, report back and we will go to the next steps, which will involve the cables, the convertible top motor and the transmissions.

(BTW, as far as engine replacement being connected with this problem, the only connection that would be logically related would involve fuses or corrosion of terminals, depending on how long the car was laid up, and in what environment).

Regards, Maurice.

I need some help, I bought adjustible rear control arms sometime ago and i want my alignment to be as close to stock spec as possible. Could someone measure in centimeters the distance between the CENTER of the nut and bolt illustrated in the picture attached below???

Thanks in advance!

Carlos:

Just measured 61.3 cm from center of bolt to center of nut. Same on left and right. Mine's a 1997 Boxster, all stock.

Regards, Maurice.

Lastly or finally....

Replace the wheel, use your tool in the factory supplied kit.

Lower the car, torque the wheel bolts to 96 foot pounds.

And tighen the wheel hub bolt to 360 foot pounds. WHAT you don't have a torque wrench that goes that high? I don't either.

And i am not going to spend $250 to buy one either. So what i did was tightened the bolt as tight as i could with my 4 foot bar and then on my road test i stopped by the sears auto center and got them to do all 4 for me. I just gave the guy $10 to do it.

Enjoy your savings....I wonder what you will buy with the money you saved? I already spent mine on what else...tools!

Seafeye:

Excellent write up and great photos. Thanks for going to the trouble of writing it all up. It will give lots of us the extra little push to do the DYI.

Regards, Maurice.

awesome, thanks a ton!

that picture makes it look like it will be a piece of cake, I thought I'd have to take off the door panel!

Stump:

It is relatively easy. Just make sure you pull out the correct access plugs. Here's a photo of the foot of the forwardmost leg which shows the correct (OUTBOARD) plug that will give you access to the forwardmost adjustment screw (green arrow).

The other plug (which is used to remove the nut that fastens the leg of the window regulator) is a little further inboard towards the car and has a red arrow pointing to the edge of it. If you can't see it clearly in this size photo, double click on the photo and you'll get the full size with all the detail.

If you are patient, you can make your Boxster waterproof again and very quiet.

Good luck!

Regards, Maurice.

Thanks Maurice,

I will check these out...I was however thinking about dedicated winter tires rather than all-season ones. I don't want to go all the way to the pure snow ones, because of the poor handling in dry conditions and noise...

Thanks,

Gustavo

Gustavo:

I meant that you can use the Falken All-Season tires for the winter, whenever the temperature falls below 45 to 50 degrees. Below 45 degrees, summer tires are dangerous. In the early spring, go back to your favorite summer high performance tires.

When the weather gets warm enough again in NY, I go back to the summer tires (currently Michelin Pilot Sport Ribs, but may try Bridgestone RE050A Pole Positions next). The most hassle-free way to do this (and to not delay switching over) is to have two sets of rims. One for all season and one for summers. Saves $$ and wear and tear from the installers beating up the rims.

Regards, Maurice.

my driver's side window has always worked, there had been some wind noise occasionally but never enough to be bothersome

rarely if using a pressure washer I'd see some water dribble in where the roof and windshield frame come together and form the window seal

well, this weekend I was caught in a torrential downpour and water was gushing in where the window, roof, and windshield frame meet... ugh

looking at the two windows it seems the driver's side is about 1/8 of an inch lower than the passenger's side, this leaves a gap right where the three parts meet and it would seem I was just really unlucky with the rain angle coming directly at that gap

I'd like to adjust the window upward a little so this doesn't happen again but I've got no idea how to do it (I searched, I swear!)

Stump:

There is an adjustment that will vertically "raise" the final upper position of the window.

You can do a height adjustment on the windows themselves, by means of the adjustment screws that are accessible through the two OUTBOARD rubber plugged holes on the bottom surface of each door. The screws are E36 Torx screws and they give you close to 15mm of adjustment. There are two for each window, one at the front edge, and one at the rear edge, and both are on a slant or angle and not vertical.

I've attached a photo that shows the window height adjustment screw (green arrow) and one of the correct rubber plugs to access same (red arrow). Note that the photo shows the drivers' side rearmost of the two legs of the regulator assembly. The forwardmost leg is very similar and is similarly accessible by pulling out the correct (OUTBOARD) rubber plug.

The photo also gives you an idea of the angle of attack. When the window is all the way down, the head of the adjustment screw is about 3 inches away from the bottom of the door.

If you do the adjusments incrementally, you should be able to get your window to seal completely.

Regards, Maurice.

Hi guys,

I am choosing the winter tires for my 986 with 16'' wheels and my options seems very limited. I had settled on the Dunlop M3s, but apparently Dunlop no longer carries the 205/55/16 size, accordingly to a TireRack representative. The choices I now have at tire rack are all 'low performance' ice and snow tires, namely: Bridgestone Blizzak WS-60, Dunlop Graspic DS-2 and Michelin X-Ice.

I also came across to what seems to be very nice specs on Hankook tires and very good value, but I am not sure if anyone has had experience with these - DiscountTires. Please, note these are rated V and match perfectly the factory specs....

I am hesitant, since I have never thought of Hankooks as an option for my cars before, but again I have never owned dedicated winter tires.

Any opinion would be helpful,

Thanks,

Gustavo

Gustavo:

If you are looking a for a good all-season tire (i.e., not necessarily a winter ice and snow tire), check out Falken Ziex ZE-912 tires. I bought mine about two weeks ago at Discount Tire Zone. http://www.discounttirezone.com/Falken-Zie...12_c_336-1.html

This link shows that Falken makes the 205/55-16 size and DTZ sells them for $74 each.

They arrived in two days, even though I chose the least expensive form of shipping. My experience so far is limited to the two weeks I have been driving around on them. They are relatively quiet, and they are excellent in the wet. So far, no snow or ice here on Long Island (hope it stays that way) but I don't plan on doing much driving in snow or ice anyway. Also, a good value for the money.

Regards, Maurice.