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also, no point overpaying ben another $100 for essentially the same thing with a non-upgrade. the bearings that come with the b&m rep shifter already has 0 play. you'll find that the biggest source of play in the whole set up is actually the stock shifter cable.
I agree that the stock cables suck, but I disagree that the bearings are a non-upgrade. Are they essential? No. But they do feel nice. And the bearings are on both axes, and he actually goes through and does some QC which you'd have to do on the one direct from China (like adding washers as you suggested). And even at $140, that shifter is a *lot* cheaper than most of the other options available.
I agree that the stock cables suck, but I disagree that the bearings are a non-upgrade. Are they essential? No. But they do feel nice. And the bearings are on both axes, and he actually goes through and does some QC which you'd have to do on the one direct from China (like adding washers as you suggested). And even at $140, that shifter is a *lot* cheaper than most of the other options available.
the bearings are actually a red herring. there's very little play even on the factory 996 plastic bearings. most of the improvement you are gonna get from either b&m or rep or ben's is actually in the stalk that goes into the yoke. stock is a metal ball on the end of the stalk going into a plastic slider, which is known to deform from use. you can test this yourself if you still have a stock 996 shifter lying around. hold onto the stalk and try to wiggle the shifter base (this isolates bearing play). you'll find very little play if at all. now hold onto the yoke, and try to wiggle the shifter base. you'll see how much gap there is around the plastic slider.
ultimately, spending an extra $100 to go from a b&m rep to a ben's piece is very marginal improvement. to really tighten up the whole assembly, shift-right has a metal yoke that will give you laser precision. now, some might argue that shift-right is another $150 on top of ben's. but i'd say shift-right actually gets you more bang for the buck.
After I purchased the OEM shifter # 000-044-700-26 my mechanic told me that Porsche discontinued using that particular model # and installing it was not as easy as you think due to the fact that the cables need to be adjusted and it's a hit or miss job, meaning that if you don't get it right the first time you can be taking the whole thing apart again to make the correct adjustment. (possibly more than once) He suggested I purchase a # 997.424.983.00, more money but "Plug and Play" So I did what I was told, it should be here this week. BTW.... porschepartsnow.com has the best prices.
After I purchased the OEM shifter # 000-044-700-26 my mechanic told me that Porsche discontinued using that particular model # and installing it was not as easy as you think due to the fact that the cables need to be adjusted and it's a hit or miss job, meaning that if you don't get it right the first time you can be taking the whole thing apart again to make the correct adjustment. (possibly more than once) He suggested I purchase a # 997.424.983.00, more money but "Plug and Play" So I did what I was told, it should be here this week. BTW.... porschepartsnow.com has the best prices.
It's a bit fiddly, but honestly it's very easy to adjust and it's pretty easy to tell if the cables are in the right spot before you fully reassemble it. If you don't mind my asking, how much is your mechanic quoting on labor? This is a really simple DIY.
My mechanic told me I could DIY it but spooked me with the original adjustment possibilities hence recommending the new part number (He told me I wouldn't want to pay him to repeatedly adjust if needed) so to answer your question, I don't know how much he would have or will charge? I imagine it's a $100+ $$ and hour. But he is very honest and only charges for exactly the amount of time he performs the work. Not like the dealer who quotes you 5 hours labor, completes the job in 2 and still charges you the full 5.
If you mark the cable with a sharpie before removing the spring loaded ends, it is almost impossible to screw it up. Just install the replacement in exactly the same spot. It feels a bit like fear mongering to make it more complicated.
Once you do it once, you'll be able to remove the center console in minutes. Swapping out the shifter itself is a piece of cake, and involves removing four 10mm nuts and removing the two spring loaded cable ends.
I installed a cheap eBay shifter about 3 years ago in my Boxster. It works a treat. It is a very short throw, so some may find it too heavy, but I love it. If you purchase through Aliexpress, you can get them even cheaper: https://www.aliexpress.com/item/EPMA...7b142e0e08wdUX
Thanks. I ordered the Aliexpress short shifter. I plan to do the mod on my stock 996 shifter. I figure that if I do not like it, I can return to the 997 shifter. I love the 997, so I am curious to see how it changes with the 996 rack with the short shifter kit.
OMG...I got the shifter installed this afternoon and it is amazing, It shifts just like it came off the showroom floor except better. Zero adjustment, it took about 20 minutes start to finish, You can go cheap and try the aftermarkets or the old style B&M, but why? this is perfect. Every 996 should have this. (IMHO) OEM Part # 997.424.983.00 $426.00 @ porschepartsnow.com
Lucky you, I searched all across the US, $426 was the cheapest I could find it anywhere. Pelican want $517, Suncoast $429, why don't you let the folks here know your dealer, 50% off is hard to beat plus I bet the dealer would appreciate the business.
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