A while back, I was thinking of selling my leased slate grey '03 996 coupe. despite the naysayers on this forum, I actually got an offer from someone to take over the lease. However, also at that time, I started to really drive the car a bit harder (I was in the mode of "whatthehell, if I'm gonna get rid of it, I might as well let the rpms git past 5000 every once in a while"). Needless to say, I LOVE this car way too much to get rid of it! Convinced the wife to get a bigger car for the future kiddies, and I'm keeping my p-car for years to come.

Now of course, I'm back in mod-mode, and I'm thinkin' about a 'lil ole suspension upgrade. Probably best to go with the ROW 030 since (i) this'll be primarily street with very limited DE (going to Willow Springs for the first time in October, and I'll probably only do this once a year), (ii) LA streets are TERRIBLE, (iii) cost. Given these considerations, is it a mistake to change the suspension at all? If not, would you agree that the ROW 030 is the right move here?

Last, does anyone have a used ROW 030 kit or coilover (Bilstein or H&R) kit that they are looking to sell that would fit my '03 coupe?

Thanks for the advice, etc.

 

I can't speak about the coilovers, but I just had the RoW M030 put on my car and I'm in 7th heaven.

 

Rob - did you really feel a difference day-to-day in street driving? Any real difference felt on rough, pot-holed roads or on jointed freeways, etc?

 

Suspension mod is probably one of the best performance enhancement you can do to the 996. It's one of the things I've been mulling on since I started going to the track with my C4S. Here are some thoughts on the choices.

1. Leave it as is. This is a bit easier for me as the C4S comes standard with it's own version of the sport suspension. But i've been running on the track with several C2's on std suspension, and they do very well. The C2 std suspension can certainly handle any spirited driving on the street. The std suspension is already better than most other "sport" cars. There is certainly no rush to upgrade. I don't think it is a mistake at all to leave it as is. You can try it on the track and see for yourself.

2. ROW 030. Lowers the car and stiffens the ride. Looks better, performs better. There is a definite difference in ride stiffness, which a few people do not like but most Porschephiles just love. You will probably like it despite the bad roads due to the increased sense of confidence it will give you on the track. Good idea to get it if you get hooked on track driving, which will probably happen, and you start doing 5 to 8 track events a year.

3. Coilovers/X74. This would be the next step for me. Further lowers and stiffens the suspension. Significant improvememt on the track with significant impact on daily driving. You would definitely have to adapt your street driving and parking habits. For the true track junkie who moslty uses the car for track with only the occasional stree use. Right now I don't think it's worth it for me, as I can still keep up with the faster dedicated track cars in the "RED" group. Anyway, I'm not so sure I want to go any faster. .

These are thoughts based on performance and what you can do with it. Some people do it for looks, in which case all bets are off. Since you now intend to keep the P-car for a long time, I would say take your time and enjoy the car as is. The appropriate mod will declare itself at the right time.

 

Palting

What kind of car you considered as faster dedicated track cars in the "RED" group?

 

"3. Coilovers/X74. This would be the next step for me. Further lowers and stiffens the suspension. Significant improvememt on the track with significant impact on daily driving. You would definitely have to adapt your street driving and parking habits."

imo, there is very little to no difference is firmness of ride between the stock turbo/c4s suspension and the coilovers. my car (with coilovers) is not firmer IMO than those cars and i have ridden and driven in several.

parking is also a non-issue because the highest setting on my H&R coilovers is equal to the ride height of the non-hieght adjustable euro 030.

 

There are a multitude. One recent encounter was a 360 Modena on track tires. The owner was a DE instructor with many more years of track experience than I , and he said he was fine tuning the Modena suspension for specific track use. I passed and pulled away, surprising the both of us. I've been in runs where I saw a 996 turbo in the line up, a Lotus Elise, 911's decked out with roll bars and harnesses , and a Z06, but was never passed by them all day, and I take it as meaning I was able to keep up with them. OTOH, I've been surprised by an RX7 turbo and a Celica. Then there are cars that you just give the passing signal when you see them as dots in the rear view mirror because they will be on you in no time, like a factory race prepped viper and a GT3 RS in another recent DE. The point is, I've driven in the "RED" group in my stock C4S and the car was able to hold it's own despite the presence of track modified and track use only cars.

Ben, I know that the coilovers are adjustable, but I thought they would also be firmer. Maybe it's an H&R trait vs, say, the PSS9?

 

"but I thought they would also be firmer."

they are less compliant than the stock 996 suspension but are about the same as the 030, c4s, and tt. and oh what a handling difference they make!