Peedster

Just sold my 2004 4S and looking for something cheaper and more track focused.

Searching for Boxster S or early 996.

I've found one car that has a list of nice options such as:

014 Sport Pack?
030 Sports Chassis
220 Locking differential (40%)
222 Traction Control
224 Active Brake Differential
375 Sport seats

Are these options worth some extra if I want an auto cross/light track car?
I guess the M030 isn't good enough for track and the sport seats are too kind for those activities as well but for a start they make this 98 C2 really nice. Miles is aprox 70000mls on this one.

So, how attractive is this car and is it only the LSD that makes it a good example to start with?

How good is the LSD on the 996?

Thanks!

Hardback

Interesting to hear that you parted with your 4S to find something more track worthy and inexpensive. I track mine frequently and it's pretty damn capable. None of those options will matter if your building a more focused track car. Oh and the old stock LSD is probably useless. Get a guard LSD rebuild if u do find a car with that option. Of course 996 GT3 would satify your request but $$$. Since your sticking with Porsche I would look for a coxster. I've seen properly driven coxsters absolutely fly thru corners. The midengine balance and grip are hard to beat. Outfit the car with proper safety equipment, good rubber and you will have a really fun dual purpose machine.

Peedster

Carey,
More track focused is of course wrong to label a 98 C2, but I mean something that I can turn into more track focused.
My 4S was awesome, great handling and nice power but it was too nice for me to start tracking and abusing.
Therefor a cheaper not mint C2 for half the money could be a good starting point.

I stumbled across this one for a good price and nice factory options. And you are completely correct because its only the LSD that really matters all the rest will be changed into better suitable options as well.

Do you mean that a regular C2 without LSD can't be upgraded with Guards? Is the tranny different inside except for the LSD gear?

Boxsters (coxster, gayster and so on) are also good candidates but I like the coupe feeling more and they are down on power but are also hard to diet a lot.

A MK1 GT3 would be the dream club sport car but they simply cost to much for what I'm after right now.

If I change my question to this:
The sports pack option, is this much more attractive against regular C2s? I imagine it would fetch higher prices because many people want to retrofit their cars with M030, sports seats and so on.

Thanks!

Hardback

I mentioned rebuilding the LSD instead of buying one only for cost savings. GT3 owners complain all the time the factory LSD is useless after seeing prolonged track time. I am planning on removing the front drivetrain completely from my 4S and then replacing the open differential. I prefer rear wheel drive but I was intrigued by the widebody and options on the 4S. Any 996 owner can add an LSD. A new Guard LSD for our cars costs $2500 plus labor. I havnt been able to hypnotize myself into this purchase just yet.

I hear you loud and clear on the cayman. I suppose you would need a rather new S to have the 285 HP. I rebored my motor last year to 3.8L. The new powerplant is really strong. Im keeping my car for a while and I enjoy tracking it eventhough it gets expensive at times. Good luck with your hunt and keep us posted. We love strippers around here so post pictures when you find the right car.

Peedster

Correct, with track use the LSD will probably don't hold up very long.
What does a Guards install usually cost?

How long does the guard keep in shape compared to the original?

Can't argue about 4S being the most beautiful 996! Nice mod to delete front axles. This would actually give you a 996 2S... Just like the good old days of 993.
I'm badly gonna miss the looks...

Yeah, she'll be a stripper for sure. :-)

Thanks for info!

Thundertub

My first 996 was a 1999 C2 coupe which I ordered new (and with sunroof delete - the last model year in the US that you could do that) and had it delivered with exactly those options and nothing more.

It was an absolutely GREAT track car configured that way. How great was it? I was approached when the car was delivered to the US Distributor and offered an immediate $10,000 discount off of my (already discounted) purchase price if I would simply let them "borrow" the car for about 30 days. I was assured I would receive my car back in brand new condition, with less than a thousand miles on it. In the back of my mind I new what they wanted it for, so I immediately agreed.

They wanted it for the Pro Am support race for the Miami Grand Prix (not the F1, but the Indy Car series at that time). They used 12 similarly equipped cars for the series, and mine was needed to fill a spot on the grid.

I watched the race live but they did not show the support race on TV. A week later there was a special showing of the support race, which I sadly missed.

A week later, my Guards Red 996 C2 arrived late one Friday night and it still had all of the sponsor stickers and racing equipment installed. I begged the dealer to leave all of that just exactly like it was, but he said they could not. All of the stickers and safety gear had to be removed and shipped back to PCNA for the next race.

The only problem with the car was it really did not want to go into 3rd gear from either direction, so a new transmission was ordered (no spares yet for the 996 in the US at that time). It arrived in two days (shipped air) from Germany. I got a new transmission and clutch assembly.

Over the next few months I ordered and installed all of the exact same equipment that was removed. The roll bar holes and 6 point harness bolt holes were still there (filled with rubber grommets) so nothing new needed to be drilled.

I tracked that car hard and often for about two years, and then sold it to a track junkie. The limited slip worked fine while I had it, but HardBack is correct in saying that they don't last long and really need to be replaced with the aftermarket unit.

Peedster

Nice story and history on that car!

So you mean they drilled your car for a cage? Well ok for 10k$ I guess it was ok.

Sounds like some nice factory options to start with atleast. Could even try it in its original state on the first track day and auto crosses.

Thanks!

Gator996

Thundertub has all the luck! See ya next weekend Mark!

Hardback

Great history on your car Mark. One question... Which model is next on your list and why? Ok 2 questions...

gnat

We ordered our 01 C4 without the sunroof and it was delivered as requested. Was that just a limitation they made in the C2?

Thundertub

Gnat,
Are you in North America? If so, I am surprised, but not entirely, that you have a sunroof delete. PCNA continued to allow a few sunroof deletes for a few years after 1999, but it was not specifically on the general option list, TTBOMK. You had to ask, and you had to follow that up with a beg. LOL!

If you live outside North America, then I am totally NOT surprised. 996 and 997 cars in other countries did not necessarily come standard with sunroofs. It was usually an option. PCNA makes a TON of "Options" standard equipment here in the US. They decide what you HAVE to pay for above and beyond the basic car with engine. If you look at the "extended" option list designators on any given car, you will wonder at what is considered standard here and an option elsewhere.

Do a search on "sunroof delete" and you will find a bunch of threads and a bunch of discussion. Also, there are a few older threads on "options" where guys posted their complete build sheet of options, and things as simple as power windows are actually options in most other countries.

Thundertub

Hardback,
2007 GT3 RS - white with red graphics - well tracked, but also concours prepped. I get to drive it about once a year at DE. He will be at my next event next weekend at Roebling Road. The owner and I have a deal. I'm next. No hurry, though. He is waiting for his next Porsche to become available - 2012 GT3 RS 4.0 - also currently being well tracked right now, mostly at Palm Beach and Sebring. And, yes, I will be the third owner of that one, eventually.

But the chain stops here. I will keep my 1999 C2 as well for my daily driver - which it is now.

gnat

Thundertub,
Yeap we are in NA (bought from Rockville MD) and as far as I know it was in the book that we went through. It was our first Porsche so we wouldn't have known anything about asking for stuff not listed.

Where there many be a discrepancy is that we had to wait over a year for our build slot (small dealer with limited allocations at the time) and in that time Porsche went from the ala-cart option list to some pretty restrictive packages and we missed out on a bunch of options we wanted (a deviated interior was the most frustrating and more so because they went back to ala-cart shortly after delivery). Not having the sunroof was important to us so it could have been that we remembered it and added it to the final list even if it wasn't in the list anymore.

Regardless, it was a March 01 delivery and has a wonderfully solid roof

Thundertub

GNAT,
I had to beg and give a $10,000 non-refundable deposit on my 3rd 996 because the dealer (at that time) was not wanting to order ANY Porsche that did not have a sunroof and then end up getting stuck with it if I backed out for any reason. And by then you could get a GT3, so that was their default position. LOL!

I imagine that it was a real culture shock for them when the Cayman came out and a sunroof was not even an option.
And I LOVE that the 991 sunroof is an option. About time they made folks pay for their sunshine. LOL!