NASA racer

enjoy!

It’s Lapis Blue with Metropol Blue interior (though lit by a sunset it the interior doesn’t appear blue).

996 Photos

Ahmet

The photos don't do these cars justice. Don't get me wrong, it's a beautifull car... However they look so much better in person.

Even more so with the 996 tt, they're downright ugly in the pics, but quite nice in person.

Nice car (like the color combo specially).
Ahmet

Ran

NASA racer,
Congrats. Enjoy the car. Options? M030 or sport seats by any chance? How about writing about the feel and what you like about it. Thanks in advance. Best of luck.

NASA racer

Not the sports seats, these are the standard “old man” power seats with “supple leather” inserts.

I got the car a week ago last Thursday and am struggling to keep in under the 4200rpm break-in. I usually lapse about once a drive and of course will use revs instead of lugging since I live on a hill. I have to admit I bounced it off the limiter once ;-)

Car is fantastic, the exhaust note is amazing, this car (non PSM) throttle-steers like it was designed to hehehehe. I mean, you want to hang the tail out...no problem. You want to get it back, comes back IMMEDIATELY with the application of throttle. I haven’t done anything wild with it but I’ve purposely crossed it up a couple of times and it hasn’t given the slightest hint of a “tank slapper”. This car was designed with respect for someone who knows how to drive it and I appreciate the car being set up with the idea that I can do what I want with it up to the limits of my ability without any interference from an artificial system.

I love the gearing...nothing like clicking off shifts with only a couple of hundred RPM loss. The car just FEELS so special to drive. I haven’t been this excited about a car since my first new car which was a 1987 Black Honda CRXSi...I was crazy about that car and everything I’ve owned since didn’t have the same “magic”. Exhaust note is probably 1/3 of that and what the heck is that constant whine the engine makes? I LOVE THAT...heheheh the mechanical sounds on the car ROCK. It’s also possibly the smoothest engine I have ever owned. There is no “rough” spot anywhere and the fact that its peaky isn’t irritating (like a VTEC is) because the engine smoothly and willingly will sit there at 3 or 4000rpm not making a fuss or urging you to get on with it...VERY nice, especially considering I’m coming off an Audi S4 which is a torque monster. Torque is fun but the 996 manages to make peaky fun too...wasn’t sure that would be possible.

Not the fastest car in the world, but that’s probably a good thing. One of the concerns I had was the horrible Porsche stigma (especially in So. Cal. where I live) but so far I’ve had only compliments. Didn’t buy the car to get attention but the reaction of a group of kids who had a lemonade stand I drove by was priceless...have to admit it was an ego boost that I didn’t expect. I live on a pretty twisty road and I was stuck behind an SUV yesterday who was going so slow I actually had to shift into 1st a couple of times. While I wasn’t tailgating...there is only SO slow you can go. The road finally opened up and he stayed left and I waited a second and he was still staying left so I signaled, went right and then he moseyed over right in front of me...so I went back left and passed him. At the bottom of the street there was a light and he was turning right and I looked over and damn if he didn’t give me a thumbs up! That was NOT the finger I was expecting hehehehe.

Only negatives in 500 miles are that the car tramlines on the freeway and is fairly squeaky. I chalk it up to being LIGHT but I’ll have the dealer look at it when it’s in for service.

The Lapis blue is a bit purple...not EXACTLY the blue tint I would have made it but it’s growing on me.

After getting familiar with the voluptuous curves of the 996, all other cars (sans certain products of Maranello and a few others) looks boxy and dull. The M3 looks positively grotesque to me now...guess it’s all in what pleases your eye but my photos endeavored to capture how I see my car.

Ran

Great. Looks like you are indeed enjoying your car. I read your initial posts sometime back on another board I think btw.

I test drove the 996 as I researched the facts that I needed to make a decision. It is indeed a well done car. (your comments re smoothness/peakiness etc. etc. familiar).

Tramlining.. normal in my opinion. Almost all sports cars or semi sports cars I have had do it with fatter tyres.

Squeaks.. I dont usually go unless I suspect that it truly has a "wear" element to it and if I am unsure I ask about it but it does not mean I go to get it fixed. I dont like service guys go exploring and possibly messing up factory fit and finish or affecting other things in the process. Less is more. Just IMHO. I'd suggest making a list and when you run into a couple of real issues go the dealer and mention the minor squeaks but only if they are still an issue for you.

Best of luck.

Dave S

NASA racer, good luck with your new baby. Did you go with the m030 suspension or just stock?

NASA racer

No, just the stock suspension. This is my daily driver...I have a race car and wanted a GT, not a street-racer and I’d never track my street car.

styx

Hi NASA racer,

i get my 996 in 3 weeks and
i was told that you don't need to break-in
the new 996.

cu

styx

NASA racer

I know...you’ll be TOLD all sorts of things.

It clearly states in the manual not to exceed 4200rpm for the first 1000 miles but also not to lug the engine (load is more important than revs).

It also has the usual stuff about varying load/rpm which is important also.

I think there is some confusion about this because Porsche DOES do some bench running of the engine and supposedly drives the car a little too...this doesn’t constitute a full break-in though.

I know it’s not going to blow up the engine hitting 7000rpm once in a while during break-in but sustained high-load and/or rpm on an engine which the rough-edges haven’t been “polished” off by sufficient running isn’t a good idea. There is a line of thinking which says “break it in like you’re going to drive it” but I’m the one making the payments hehehehe

pig4bill

Are you the guy that had an Audi, then got rid of it and got another Audi? Trouble making up your mind? :-)

dtsp

NASA racer

I am the guy who had two Audi S4s...my first one was a 2000 S4 tiptronic which had no problems and I put a GIAC ECU and tiptronic chip and ran 13.8 at Carlbad for fun...that car was great in traffic etc but after a while, I didn’t have a commute anymore and wanted a 6-speed because I was getting rusty between races with heel & toe and a deal came up where I could go from the tip to the 6-speed with almost nothing upside-down.

Well the 6-speed turned out to be a lemon and I DID lemon it after 4000 miles and got the 996. 3 cars in two years is FAR more than even I would ever want to do again :-/