W8MM

I just received a 2-page fax from my Porsche dealer, dated 5-3-05:

Vehicle Type: Carrera GT (980)

Model Year: As of 2004

Concern: Raising vehicle ride height

Information: To reduce the risk of the vehicle underside bottoming out and/or getting high centered on uneven roads, speed bumps, steep angle driveways or parking garage entrances, the chassis on the Carrera GT can be raised.

Front axle: 10 mm / rear axle 9 mm

This is done by installing longer push rods on front and rear and increasing the spring preload (on rear only). The spring preload is modified by turning the concave washer clockwise by three turns. Raising the chassis does not affect driving behavior in normal driving conditions.

Parts Information:

Part Number 000.044.500.40 - Push rod set

Set includes:

980.343.257.04 (1) Front axle push rod, left
980.343.258.04 (1) Front axle push rod, right
980.333.257.04 (1) Rear axle push rod, left
980.333.258.04 (1) Rear axle push rod, right
900.817.003.02 (4) Lock nut (M10), upper push rod
999.084.016.02 (2) Lock nut (M10), lower front push rod
900.380.008.09 (2) Hexagon nut (M10), lower rear push rod

(now comes a tool list and some work procedures which I am too lazy to transcribe)

Vehicle height, DIN empty (mm)

Raised Ride Height / Standard Ride Height

Without underbody panels:

Front 141 mm / 131 mm
Rear 168 mm / 159 mm

With underbody panels:

Front 102 mm / 92 mm
Rear 119 mm /110 mm

Working Time:

Labor Operation - 44 95 31 00

Description - Vehicle modified front and rear

This includes: Removing and installing 4 wheels, Removing and installing 4 push rods, Adjusting rear vehicle height. Without: Performing suspension alignment and adjusting vehicle.

Time Units - 250 TU

hyroller

Mike ,I presume that this modification is not driver ajustable. I was hoping for an active suspension solution from Porsche as in the Enzo. Cockpit control just to get you over the tall obstructions. Seems to me that maybe they could adapt the ajustable air suspension off the Cay TT to effect a driver ajustable ride hight on the CGT. Thanks for heads up .

ben in lj

this is terrific news, however, not just any dealer can handle this operation. i don't even think either of our dealers can align a CGT. if there was a dealer relatively close that was capable of performing this, i'd do it in a second.

themarsman

I think any dealer should be able to do this modification, his last line of the description states:
This includes: Removing and installing 4 wheels, Removing and installing 4 push rods, Adjusting rear vehicle height. Without: Performing suspension alignment and adjusting vehicle.

So I don't think any type of alignment is required.

I am going to call my dealer and see if they are able to do this while I am gone on business next week.

ben in lj

my read was that the "without: performing suspension alignment and adjusting vehicle" referred strictly to the labor listed. iow, the labor listed doesn't include that stuff which while still necessary is not included in the estimate. you can't raise a car 10 mm without realigning it can you? neither of our porsche "premier" dealers here can align a CGT.

themarsman

The way you interpeted it makes sense also, I am not sure if an alignment is required or not. I think it might be possible to raise a car .4" without realigning the car but I am not sure with the CGT. It is scary to think that your premiere dealers can't even do an alignment of the car if necessary.

I have a call into my dealer, the Carrera GT guy is supposed to be back any time and give me a call back so I will let you know what they hear.

themarsman

Well my dealer was about useless, they don't have any additional information whatsoever and just said they would call when they received more info.

W8MM

Ben is correct.

In my original copy, the layout makes clear that the "without" part is intended to mean that the time to align and adjust the car is above and beyond the 250 time units required to install the hard parts.

I wouldn't dare get this sort of thing done to my car without an alignment!

ben in lj

yeah, it sucks but one of them says that should change soon and they'll be able to corner balance it too.

btw mike, how much time is 250 units? tia

hyroller

Ben,250 units is 2.5 hours according to my P dealer.

ben in lj

nice, that's cheap! my dealer (whom i've referred 5 who bought CGTs from them) charged me 3 hours just to change tires - and another 1 1/2 to change front brake pads when the car was already on the lift with the wheels off! even though the 5 CGTs were sold at cost, i'm fairly certain they got a permanent 4 extra annual pcar allocation for each one sold. they likely make $7 to $10k per those extra cars so that's a minimum of $140k and max of $200k extra/yr.

btw, very nice color combo selection on your CGT

hyroller

Thanks Ben. I guess that we're kindred spirits when it comes to color choice. Just waiting for its arrival sometime in late July

ben in lj

yep, yours will be only the 2nd of which i'm aware (including mine) in the US. there might be others, but i sure haven't seen or heard about them. it's pretty surprising to me though because the combo is just beautiful in the flesh.

hyroller

I agree Ben, cant wait to see it "in the flesh" !!!

JS

If one cant use the car at standard ride height, then they are buying the wrong car, just my opinion, my main concern about driving a CGT would be damaging the Carbon, not a cheap fix.