JM993

I'm a little embarassed to say that the stock belts on my car are 35K miles and 7 years old. They look perfect (no cracks) so I've left them.

I like to live dangerously........

NP993

I have no idea how many miles are on mine, but it looks fine so I'm not replacing it.

David Schiff

so what is the real answer to the conti./non porsche belt question?
does any one really know?
like crank pulse misfire vibration blah blah. What is the real skinny on this or is it a bobe mise?,a fufnik
i respect the ones that know when they speak[write] but whats the reason?
ive had conti belts in spite of my specifiying Porsche belts, ive got the yellow light, w black tape over it and it drives like a bomb w 137k on it so maybee the ubiquitious "they" are right... but why! whats the why?
thanks
ds

Allen

Why would you NOT use the factory belts...just curious?

NightFlyer

I should have told my mechanic to put in the Porsche belts. I just made the assumption that they would.

David Schiff

so no one knows why?
ds

Rinty

Don't know why, but my tech won't use aftermarket belts, either, saying that they're trouble. I just had mine replaced at 49,000 miles. One of them was cracked nearly all the way through. Replaced the tensioner too. And caps and rotors, and a blower fan resistor...Phew!

In any event, the belts are not expensive.

hutch

Now I'm interested, do the aftermarket belts have something in them that creates a magnetic field ?

NightFlyer

I spoke with a couple of the mechanics at Ruf today and they said the Conti-Tech belts are just fine. Continental actually makes a lot of the belts for Porsche.

Mike J

There are slight width differences between the Porsche belt and the Conti belts....that is all I know. However, there is enough evidence on the list that this list that differences can cause problems. This is from both members on the list, and shop owners. With that evidence, why would you not go this route? The belts are not expensive from Porsche.

Besides that, you get the proper "Porsche" label!!

vernon

I just change mine to weeks ago they were on for ten years an for 46 thousand miles I put on all three belts. I live in tahoe at 6,630 feet they hold up well up hear. This was on my 1989 964 my 1995 993 all the belts look great at this time but I look at them all the time just to be sure that everthing is fine. Vernon.

g_murray

When I got the blue-bomber the belts were OEM, 10 years old with 20,000 miles on the odometer... and they looked brand new.

I changed all three anyway -- and now, some 20,000 miles later on -- the new ones look spanking new too.

BTW, I routinely use 'belt dressing' on the p-car's belts and on the wife's daily driver -- they always seem to run very quiet on initial spray - then seem to 'bed in' and run flawlessly for thousands of miles after.

Gerry

freeman

Broke the original alternator belt last week after 76,000 miles and 14 years. Replaced all 3 at that time.

samba-lee

Since both the belts are pretty critical, I carry spares around with me, but would certainly change them every couple of years under normal driving.

They are cheap and easy to change, an overheated engine isn't.

Same issue on a VW beetle/bug, but even more important as there is only one belt for fan/generator.

Lee