Scott.

I respect Dock's mentality since he bought the car new and has a ton invested in the stock car, but at some point, you have to let others have fun with a reasonably priced supercar. I know the hideous modifications will still strike a nerve but that will happen to almost any car as it gets older and the F&F generation isn't helping either.

To the OP.. Nice work on improving the stock lights with the cheap fix! This is not a F&F mod, so don't sweat the feedback

Carlo_Carrera

If you don't understand that, then I can't help you.

Dock

I appreciate the first comment, but regarding the second I have to say that I have always attempted, where appropriate, to establish that I believe owners should do whatever the heck they want to do with their cars. After all, it is their money. I said this earlier in this thread. My posts are only an attempt to encourage those on the fence to consider what they are about to do. Those who approach their 996 Turbos like I do don't need convincing, and those who have surfed into the car and look at it as a "modify and toss" commodity probably can't be convinced to do otherwise. So I'm targeting the fence sitters.

Just because some 996 Turbos have fallen enough in price to allow people to buy one and treat it like a WRX doesn't mean that I have to agree with what they do. I'd also hate to see a Ferrari or Lamborghini treated that way.

A couple of days ago I saw a 996 Turbo parked at a Starbucks here in the hinterland of Atlanta where I live. I RARELY see another 996 Turbo around here. I mean rarely! This Arctic Silver 996 Turbo had bright amber headlights (stock units that must have had film applied to them), and orangeish/redish wheels; it was IMO butt ugly. My wife was with me and was the first to speak saying "Wow, that's really bad". I agreed with her. Don't misunderstand though, I fully understand people can (obviously) have completely different takes on things, and that it's that owner's right to do as he pleases with the car.

In the end, the more these cars are modified in ways that are IMO not really tasteful, the more my car stands out as a very nice example of a 996 Turbo. I get thumbs up from people all of the time, and many times people will verbally comment to me in positive ways (and these aren't the modified VW GTI owners...but that's my point in all of this).

Carlo_Carrera

Exactly.

Carlo_Carrera

jeanmarcboilard

That seemed like the most heart felt post I've read from you, and can now understand a little more your reasoning for holding on to your convictions so tight.
You are probably the only original owner here and it's understandable that you want to keep everything on your car oem. Except.... your steering wheel? Haha, just bugging.

Dock

Oh, not everything is stock on my 996 Turbo.

I've never been against all mods, just ones that IMO don't do the car justice, and of course "justice" is a personal opinion. Modifications that I (or others) can't see, if done with style points and quality, are IMO just fine. I have a custom FVD steering wheel; looks pretty good IMO. I don't normally see this quality in a WRX or VW GTI (or Mustang). I have EVOMS tuning, but it's quality and you can't see it. I have a B&M shifter. Again, a quality piece that you can't see. And it's not that I'm trying to hide anything from myself or other people. My litmus test on modifications that I can actually see is "is it tasteful, does it go with the quality look of the OEM car, can I find similar on a WRX/GTI/Mustang/Vette, and is it a "look at me" add-on just to get people to look at my car?". If the answers are "Yes, Yes, No, No", then I consider it. Take for example LED taillights. Right up front, I can tell you that I really dislike how bright LED taillights are. I think manufacturers are getting away with murder installing lights that are so bright. The brightness is a deal breaker for me; I would never install LEDs on my 996 Turbo. I also think the units themselves are visually too far away from the OEM look (all the LED reflectors and such). I don't want my car to look like every other car out there that has LED taillights. I will also always stay away from MacGyver fixes because I just don't treat my 996 Turbo like that. My 996 Turbo is not a project car and I don't do hacks. Yes, that's a personal decision, but one I can easily live with. Again, people who elect to band aid up and do multiple hacks to their cars are certainly free to do so.

I really try to take care of my cars/truck. I still have the first car I ever bought, and I own a Volvo I bought new in 1983...it has almost 500,000 miles on it. I trade my wife's car every two or three years. I'll probably still own my truck 30 years from now. I'll never sell my 996 Turbo. So although I've owned lots of cars, I don't think I qualify as a guy who flips cars. I've been on this forum quite awhile. I've seen lots of people and cars come and go here. In another 15 years I'll still be here on this forum (if it still exist and I'm still alive and can type).

rmc1148

Very well put Dock and I couldn't agree more. European cars for the most part are about style and sophistication and when things are done on the cheap or in poor taste it really stands out.

88mmm

Ha just about every tangable (parts you can feel and touch) part on my vw Golf R is nicer and higher quality than my 996 turbo. After market parts are of equal quality to those made for the 996 tt and often by the same tuners. OEM replacement parts on a modern GTI or Golf R are pretty much the same price as 996 parts. The 996 is an awesome drivers car and will run circles around the golf in most cases. I lan on keeping mine forever. I'm sorry you old timers are so offended by the new comers to the 996 tt community and our thriftiness and ingenuity. It's nice you can afford OEM replacements for eveything but it makes you no more of an enthusiast than the guy that creates a simple fix for a common 996 tt weekness.

911mhawk

I agree on some of the new cars being annoying bright when behind in busy traffic/following close. Same for some new car headlights that should be better aimed on the road with less stray light to blind oncoming. WTF, new cars should be better than old European h4/h1 set-ups I've run on lots of cars and loved.

rmc1148

Engineerboy100 I can say with complete honesty I am not referring to you or your product. Your product looks as good as something of this nature could and the thought and integrity in the product is evident by your concern for materials used and input requests from owners. Its not something I would use personally though.

Dock

I'm not trying to "out enthusiast" anyone.

SteveMFr

Taste is subjective. For me, the deciding factors are the quality of the work and a modicum of restraint in the "outlandishness" of modifications. This is why I said:
I have absolutely no problem with a 996tt turned into a 997 RSR turbo for the street - if it looks like Porsche did it. Porsche built several 935's for the street in the 80's, and eventually offered a slantnose option on 911's. But a large majority of slantnose/935 conversions were atrocious (and I never even liked slantnose conversions - but I did like the 934, 993 GT2, and I love the 997 RSR. As street cars as well as race cars. But that's just me).

And IMO a Porsche needs to be driven. I have seen way too many garage queens in my life. On the other hand, does it make sense to drive a 7GT2 RS the way it was meant to be driven? A car that originally sold for a little over 200k but is now pushing the half-million mark? Even if I could afford it I would have serious qualms every time I started the engine, and more qualms if I put miles on the car, and many many more if I were to drift it through a corner, do a DE, etc. But I adore the GT2 RS and lust for one. And I enjoy building cars almost as much as driving them (possibly even more). So my solution? Build one: https://rennlist.com/forums/996-turb...d-odyssey.html And when I am done, it will look just as if Porsche had built it. Even when you open panels, remove body parts, etc.

And as far as originality for its own sake goes, IMO that is silly. Yes, I'd love to have one of the first 901's, or a '73 RS, or any other Porsche collectible. But I would treat it as an investment, not as a toy.

This is my take on modifications.

An as for the taillight reinforcements that were originally the subject of this thread: billet aluminum would def stand out as not factory. This would not be my first choice. Black plastic mounts that look OEM - great. Replacing a taillight because of a cracked plastic mount (to me) is akin to replacing the car because the ashtray is full. There are a million ways to repair something like that so it is nearly invisible - and they do not involve zip ties or super glue.

I have to disagree with you here, rmc. A humorous comment or an occasional back-and-forth is entertaining - if it is lighthearted. This stuff generally ain't. It's like watching a barroom brawl or, at times, the bullying of a nerdy kid in elementary school. Or it is just silly - like the preceding 2 pages (sorry Dock, Carlo. But this is MO). I know there are plenty of people who get off on that but it is not my thing (the popcorn guys, when not sarcastic, are the guys virtually going: fight, fight, fight, fight...). And without the anonymity of the internet, 99% of these "discussions" would not take place.

There is a lot more to talk about than oil, tires, and car prices. Translated, the name of this place is Racelist. Let's talk making Porsches fast/driving them fast. Or how to best polish your Porsche (not really my thing either, but I did enjoy reading a multiple page thread by a guy from the UK who bought a 996 GT3 and owns a detailing shop. Learned a couple of things too).

This has been a bit of a rant. Sorry. But I feel better. I vented

Berra

I'm with dock on this one, and I'm just 29 years old, his opinion has nothing to do with age.

My car is as new, literally, but if I ever have this issue, I'll buy new tail lights.

Carlo_Carrera

You are missing the point. These brackets can work in two ways. One as a repair for broken mounts, the other as a preservation tool.

Over time due to heat, aging and vibration the mounting points on 996 taillights crack and then break.

These brackets will prevent the mounting tabs on your factory original pristine lights from breaking by spreading the mounting force across the entire rear edge of the housing without marring the housing in any way. They can be considered a protection device, like a clear bra.