dstrimbu

I love my Sport Designs, but yes - they are tedious to clean. They aren't hard to clean - that title goes to the BMW basketweaves from the '90s... but they are a pain. I hit them with a coat of Rejex last week, we'll see if the dust comes off easier next wash. If Rejex doesn't do it, maybe Wheel Wax? -don

How many miles? Did you follow the break-in procedure? Does the oil pressure run in the normal range? Of course, the oil level is correct - right? Let us know! -ds

Where did you guys buy your RX65s? BEL's website says Radio Shack, but I've searched the local stores and can't find one in stock... need it asap, or I'd order it online. Any help appreciated, -don

Hi Guys: Thanks so much for your feedback - I made the decision to buy a car that is already on the ground at Sunflower Porsche in Topeka, KS. It's a Carrera 4S, Arctic Silver with Black full leather, options: 640 - Sport Chrono + 670 - Navigation 680 - Bose XLF - Sport Exhaust (!!! - had to have this - !!!) 407 - 19" Sport Design Wheels (not the lightest stock wheels but they look great!) 446 - Colored Crests in Wheel Caps P15 - Standard Power Seats M6A - Black mats Yeah, it would have been nice to have heated seats and autodimming mirrors, but as I stated this car was on the ground and available. Eric Jepson and team at Sunflower have been awesome. I definitely did better than expected on the price - which was very important to my CFO (read: wife)... I'm giddy like a schoolgirl <g>... headed to Kansas City Monday night, one way drop off on the rental in Topeka. Hope to be on the way home by 10am Tuesday. Weather looks clear - but I'm prepared to hole up along the route if things get nasty. AWD or not, I know that the summer Pilot Sports will not take lightly to snow or ice. ;-( I will send photos! So glad to be finally joining the P-Club, it's been a dream for soooo long... Thanks again, Gents! -don

Thanks to everyone for their replies! So, the plan has changed - I'm headed to the dealer tomorrow to begin negotiations on an '06 C4S coupe - this car is one of the launch cars (PAG code 762). It's black over sand beige (unfortunately not the black/sand beige two tone interior which looks SPECTACULAR IMHO...). Here's the options list: A1 - Black exterior TG - Sand Beige Full Leather XLF - Sport Exhaust System (!) 482 - TPMS 342 - Heated Front Seats 267 - Self Dimming Mirrors P15 - Power Seat Package 670 - Navigation for PCM 680 - Bose System 640 - Sport Chrono Plus XSC - Porsche Crest in Headrest M6A - Black Mats - Porsche lettering 692 - Remote CD Changer The dealer rep (whom I have an existing relationship with...) has informed me that his sales manager is ready to deal aggressively on this car. That made more sense to me than waiting until summer for the delivery of a special order vehicle, and I'm sure that I'll get a better deal on an "on-ground" car vs. a special order... and while it's not everything I wanted, it's a totally beautiful vehicle that I can be very happy with... That being said: I spent a couple of hours on www.porschedealer.com last Sunday night. I checked every US dealer's inventory (except for the two who don't have websites <g>) - and I'm shocked at what I've found... As of Sunday 01-09-06, there were 64 PAG Code 762 C4S Coupes on the ground in the US. Sixty four cars! Excellence Mag stated that one of these cars (and one silver/black C4 coupe) were built for each US reseller... dunno if they had the option to take one or leave it, but several resellers have more than one (Porsche Exchange in IL has 3, Park Place in Dallas has 2, "The Collection" in Coral Gables FL has 4!). So, gang - what the H#ll is up with the C4S? I've heard several things: 1.) Since the 997 C4 / C4S is not a full "turbo-look" car, buyers aren't that excited about it 2.) The C2 / C2S is _so_ good that most people are reluctant to spend the extra $$$ on a "4". It seems that this can only be good for me, right? :thumbup: Question #1 of 2: any guesses on what I can expect in terms of a discount? If the dealer's sales manager was willing to drop $4,500-5,000 on a $94k list C2S, am I a fool to expect 9-10% on this "special" car? BTW - I'm willing to walk if they don't meet my needs. I have promised this dealership first shot at selling me the car, and they will be doing all of my service regardless of where I buy it. I'm not looking for a "fair" deal - I'm looking for the absolute lowest price. January in the Midwest is not a popular 911 sales period. Question #2 of 2: any idea on holdbacks (if any) on these cars? PCNA is pretty tight with that data, as you might imagine... Any input from the board members would be much appreciated! -don

Dave, I'm assuming you'll need new lugs with those spacers? Saw your posts and your site - fantastic! Thank you! -don

19 - would you consider using spacers with the 18s? The TireRack package is 265mm rear width - 17mm spacers would make it look right... Thoughts?

Hi Gang: I'm real close to buying a 2006 C4S. Stock tires are 235/35-19 front, 305/30-19 rear. Rims are 19x8 front, 19x11 rear. Is there an 18" rim fitment that will work for winter tires on this car? Brake clearance is issue #1, proper offset is issue #2. The 18" solution is much more cost effective - but I'm not going to kludge it under any circumstances! I defer to the experts... recommendations? Thanks in advance for any help! -don

Don, as an owner of a 2000 MY C4, I can only say that it is a wonderful car...with some quirks. Of course, I have the 996 version, but conceptually, same car. My experience with Edmunds is this...the TMV is not very good for lower volume cars. It's useful for high volume vehicles only. Further, as a guy that knows a bit about vehicle configurators you should know this...they are all wrong to some degree, even the OEM configurators! Use them at your peril...we saw frequent errors even on manufacturer sites. Also, I have heard that the C4 is not "moving" well right now...but that could just be seasonal variation and a slow launch. Or...it could be that the C4 and C4S pricepoints are just a tad too aggressive for returning C4/C4s owners. It's a major "step-up." Only time will tell. I'd tell you to call a "friend" at Champion Porsche to see how they are "moving" but that sounds just a little bit too salesman like... :D But, if I were looking at a C4 right now, I'd call Champion (in Pompano Beach, FL) and ask them about a C4...they are the largest dealer in the world and could give you a feel for the market (south florida is the #1 luxury car market in the US) Good luck to you. :beer: Thanks, Wazoo. Yeah, I'm in the software industry and can tell you all about incomplete feature implementations, incorrectly loaded databases, and the like. Silly me for thinking that the an option missing from the Porsche configurator (XLF) would be in Edmund's! :P I really appreciate your insights. I have read the same re:slow launch on the C4 & C4S. The guys at AutoSpies seem to have some insights in the same vein as yours ; mainly in terms of the fact that existing C4 customers don't see the value of the 997 C4 & C4S because: a.) the C2S is so darned good, b.) the front valance and rear bumper of the C2(S) and C4(S) are the same, and c.) the price point is higher than expected. (Link to 'Spies article) I truly favor the widebody look, but in the 997 it's not nearly as dramatic a difference as it is between a 996 C2 and a C4 (like yours). It's evident when you have a 997 C2 and C4 sitting next to each other, but how often does that happen in real life? I think that this might work to my advantage... <g> and I will give Champion a call. Thanks for the heads-up! You sig says that you're from Michigan? Do you drive your car year-around? I'm in Novi a lot, we have a development center there... In closing, do you want to expound on any of the quirks you mentioned? Thanks again man, have a great New Year! -don

Happy New Year to everyone, hope that you're all having an enjoyable holiday season! I visited my local dealer yesterday to check out a C4S coupe that I've had my eye on. The car is black over sand beige full leather; after perusing the www.porschedealer.com site (and searching the on-line inventories of 20-30 resellers in the Central US), I believe that this car is the coupe spec car for the 4S launch. It includes PAG launch code 762 on the options list. I have found about 8 identical vehicles in the inventories of the resellers I searched (IL, MN, WI, IN, OH). So, why a C4S coupe instead of a C2S? (in priority order): 1.) Widebody. OMG, it's WIDE. It looks fantastic; reminds me of the 993 C4S - my favorite 911 ever - yet totally up to date. 2.) It's my driver. Okay, not daily - my E32 735i is my daily-regardless-of-the-weather driver, but I won't shy from anything but the worst weather. I fully intend to purchase a second set of rims and equip them with dedicated snows. The stock N1 tires will probably turn to stone and stop working at 35 degrees F, let alone in ice or snow... Yeah, when it's sloppy and nasty and salty - the old Bimmer will be the transport of choice; but I'll de darned if I'm going to let the Porsche sit all winter. And I can't see me parking the Porsche at O'Hare, either. Those are my only exceptions, though. There are plenty of 20-30 degree days here in Chicago with dry roads and sun, and I plan to take advantage of them! 3.) I'm not planning to track this car. I love the concept of throttle-induced oversteer, but I'll take the safety of AWD considering my newbie status with rear-engine Porsches. Comments? The options list is pretty rich without a lot of (useless, IMHO) expensive trim options: XLF - Sport Exhaust System 482 - TPMS 342 - Heated Front Seats 267 - Self Dimming Mirrors P15 - Power Seat Package 670 - Navigation for PCM 680 - BOSE High End Sound Package 640 - Sport Chrono Package Plus XSC - Porsche Crest in Headrest M6A - Black Mats - Porsche Lettering 692 - Remote CD Changer (6 Disc) I'm especially in love with the sport exhaust on the C4S; the staggered pipes look very nice, and the sound is... well, I won't go there on a family website. :thumbup: I could do without TPMS or Navi; I check the tires on all of our cars bi-weekly in the summer and weekly in the winter. I haven't experienced the Porsche navi system, but I've read that others are more intuitive and have better coverage. These things being said, it's a spec car so I don't have a lot of choice, if any. I can simply let my dealer know that I don't favor these options, and see what he'll do on the price. I would have traded both TPMS and Navi for Adaptive Sport Seats. Just my opinion. So, here's the deal. MSRP == $102,080. Edmunds says the invoice price with the listed options is approx. $88, 936 - and I say approximately, because I could not find the XLF Sport Exhaust System on the options list (funny, it's not on the porsche.com configurator, either) - but I know that it's $2400 MSRP and I've calculated the general invoice/MSRP spread to be 12.5% for base cars and 15% for options... Comments? BTW, Edmunds states that the "True Market Value:What Others Are Paying" is equal to the MSRP. Maybe in a perfect California spring, yes - but not in a Chicago winter. In fact, Motorwerks actually 'migrated' their 911 and Boxster inventory to the back of the lot for winter. The Cayennes are still up front, of course, with the Benzes... <g> This all being said - my wife said to offer them $94k. I think they'll probably balk at that - but I don't think that she's too far off... Comments? Finally - the sand beige leather. Guys, am I being too sensitive, or is this color waaay yellow? I'm trying to be stealthy here - note, I didn't order a Speed Yellow car (although I'm tempted!). In my world, a slate grey exterior with a stone grey interior would be closest to asphalt in color - and therefore my primary choice. But I don't have that option unless I order, and US deliveries are into May; euro deliveries will take that out until late June / early July in my driveway. I've waited 47 years, I'm not waiting any longer if I don't have to... A positive regarding the light interior - and I noticed this immediately when I got into the cars - it's much more visible in terms of the detailing, especially with full leather. In the black and even dark grey interiors, the footwells and bottoms of the doors seem to disappear into darkness. A black exterior is a pain - my Bimmer is black - but when it's clean and detailed, nothing will beat it. I can live with black. <g> So, what do I do? The other 4S coupes I've found don't have XLF, and they seem to have a lot more glitzy options - carbon, et al. This car seems to be a beautiful vehicle without too much glitzy stuff. My reservations are slight to non-existant. My dealer tells me that there aren't many (if any) C4S coupes in the pipeline for spec, and that Porsche has throttled back on C4S coupe production until the launch cars are absorbed. He's been very honest with me so far, I have no reason to doubt him. Comments? Well, if you're read this far (and if you're anything like me), you might have noticed that I've used this forum to answer my own questions and address my own concerns <g>- but I'd love to hear for all of you in terms of your experiences. Being able to afford a $100k car is a pretty heady experience for me, and I realize that it's not something that I can talk about with too many people - most of them will immediately assume that I'm flaunting it, and nothing can be further from the truth. I've worked my @ss off for over 20 years for this car. My first ride in my cousin's new '72 911T back in the spring of 1973 marked the day that I decided that I'd own a Porsche... and I want it to be right! (and the 2.4 in the "T" put out what... 140hp? And now I'm looking at 355... :eek: ) Thanks for reading, and thanks in advance for your replies. Have a great New Year's, and be careful tonight! -don

Thanks Eric, I figured that it would make a noticeable difference to a Porsche Nut <g> - 5mm isn't much, but my thoughts centered around the fact that it would help "fill out" the wheelwells (as though a C2S needs any "filling out")... Now, I'd give $$$ to trade PASM for the -20mm Euro Sport suspension. I'm assuming that it isn't offered in the states due to bumper height regulations. It's retrofittable (as I read here) - but out of my price league, I think. It would be really nice if Porsche would offer a steel suspension option for the S models, even for the same price. PASM is a great concept, but the base Carrera's standard suspension is simple, direct, and time-tested. I've read more and more about the short shifter being nasty when the trans is cold, and issues engaging 1st and 2nd gears. You have to give up mechanical advantage to shorten the throws - and it may be just a bit too much for a car I intend to drive daily; well, at least in spring, summer and fall. I've considered a 4S with a set of dedicated snow tires, but galvanized or not - I just can't subject a 997 to our salty roads! Thanks for your input! Looking forward to swapping more info when I take the plunge. -don

Thanks for your input, Mike. My dealer just found a Slate Grey car; it's pretty loaded (more than what I want / need) but I'm going to try to work with him - if I can get 5K off, I'll do it... it has regular seats, but powered, heated and full leather. Also, the XLF sport exhaust. I can't stop grinning. Yes, the driving phase is what I'm looking forward to, my friend. <g> I think I'll rig up a set of condenser mics and record a 30 minute high-rate MP3 of me just driving around town, saying nothing... letting the boxer-6 carry the "conversation"... "That's OK Honey, I don't need sex anymore... I have my 911 now." "Fairly intelligent men reduced to blithering children..." - thanks Dr. Porsche! -don

Well said, Loren. Thanks. The $ spent on the spacers (which can be retrofitted) might make more sense to be spent on self-dimming mirrors (thanks gota911)... that's probably an EXPENSIVE swapout later. Perusing several Porsche boards on the web (roadfly, et al) - I was afraid that I would not be able to match the (quality of the people and the) technical information on the roadfly BMW E32 board in regards to Porsche cars. I was wrong. RennTech is excellent. I will contribute asap. Thanks again! Looking fwd to sharing with all of you as I move fwd in this endeavour. -don

Hello all: I'm spec'ing out a 2006 Carrera S - my first Porsche, and the culmination of a dream that I've had for nearly 40 years. I can't believe that I'm finally going to own one. I've saved for twenty years for this car, and I intend to keep it for a long while. My question concerns the XRP option - the 5mm wheel spacers. Has anyone added these spacers to their car, and do they make a noticable difference in tracking / handling? Is there any downside to the spacers? Other options I'm considering include: Slate Grey Metallic Paint - 59 Stone Grey Sport Seats - DD Adaptive Sports Seats - P01 19" Carrera S Wheels - 403 Wheel Caps with Colored Crests - 446 Sport Chrono Plus - 640 Sport Shifter - XCZ BOSE System - 680 A simple options list; I know that I could spend thousands (or tens of thousands more!) on leather, carbon fiber, aluminum and wood - but those things won't make it a better driver! My wife is already breathing down my neck at the current price point... <g> Any comments welcomed, -Don Strimbu Bartlett, IL USA 1990 BMW 735i (perfect - 83k original miles - "My Limosine") 2003 Saab 9-5 and soon... 2006 Porsche Carrerra S - finally!