milligan

So, on my way home from work today, I hit a mattress on the freeway at about 50mph that someone had conveniently left in the middle of the road about 500ft before my exit. I have a '00 C2 and the front bump took the worst of it. I haven't jacked up the car to see what damage was done to the undertray, but I know for sure the front bumper cover is cracked in several places.

So, this leads to my question. Should I file an insurance claim and have a body shop replace it stock, or should I use this as an opportunity to buy an aftermarket front bumper cover that might address some of the lift issues that the MK1 996s suffer from? I'm leaning towards the latter, but I have no idea where to start. Any suggestions?

Thundertub

Well, most of the crowd here will tell you to replace the bumper with an original Mark 1 Aero Kit front bumper cover to address the front end lift issue. But that would also require a corresponding factory-style "taco" rear spoiler for originality and proper aerodynamics (never install spoilers on the front or rear without also doing the same for the other end - it has always been thus for virtually all Porsches).
You will quickly find out that this is not an inexpensive thing to do.

And whereas having a good factory Mark 1 Aerokit front, side, and rear installed is expensive, it may also improve your resale value to some degree. However, most aftermarket designs may actually decrease your resale value, will garner negative points at a Porsche concours, and will require a next owner with tastes similar to yours. However, a percentage of folks here have gone aftermarket (I am one) and are perfectly please with their choice.

I cannot advise you on whether to use the insurance company to repair your car, but they will only pay for "like" parts (thus eliminating anything that is not an original style part that was actually on YOUR car.).

Dharn55

I have run a MkI aero bumper for years without a rear wing without any problems. Now I don't go full speed and it might be unstable at extremely high speeds but in I have not had a problem. I don't run a wing as I really don't like the way they look, way to ostentatious for my taste.

Ubermensch

I'd need to go back to the manual to confirm but I believe the recommendation is to never run the rear without the front. The front can be run without the rear (and many people do it). If you do go with the front I'd definitely do the sideskirts at the same time. The lines of the car will definitely be a little odd with the front and no sides to continue the flow of the line.

milligan

Yeah, that's what I was thinking. It seems that most of the aftermarket bumpers are lower to combat the lift, but then it's lower than the side of the car so it kind of requires side skirts. I'm not really a fan of the look of side skirts nor a rear wing, so I guess I might be better off just going stock.

Does anyone know of a front bumper replacement that might be a little more vertical in the front to help push more air over the car, but not necessarily lower than stock? With so much weight in the back, I think it'd be fine to have aero only on the front so long as it wouldn't look silly. I just don't want to end up like one of those kids with a dangling body kit on a honda crx

Doug, do you have side skirts on yours? What kind of aero kit do you have?

Marc Gelefsky

Unlike the older Porsche's I think you are OK with just an Aero Front bumper and no wing but I agree the Aero bumper looks kind of "off" without the skirts.

tarzancoe

Nothing is as high as the mk1 bumper. Anything else, includig the mk2, is a bit lower. The ones that are somewhat subtle are the Techart type I front add-ons, skirts which are very subtle and they enhance the looks of the stock rear bumper, and small winglet (but functional). Subtle.

For the front, you can have also the Techart Type II front for 99's. Not to be confused with the aggressive techart front that everybody likes with the big holes.

tarzancoe

PM Sent.

ivangene

my concern is your comment about "lift" - you might have a suspension issue...

Marc Gelefsky

^^^^^

Point and case

ivangene

point taken.....

It's OK I sold it
(and I have sugar scoops)

Marc Gelefsky

Sugar scoops on both side?

ivangene

sugar scoops (not H4's)

yea BOTH of them

C4CRNA

Do you have a deductible? I would avoid the insurance co if possible.
They will try to put on a repaired bumper cover or repair yours if it is just cracks.
Good luck glad you wern't hurt,but that musta scared the **** out of you.

Any Pictures?

ivangene

and add

"accident"

to your carfax reducing the likelihood of an easy sale when the day comes