New to forum - Carrera question

Hello everyone. I'm new to the forum and I had a few questions. I have never owned a Porsche before, but the wife and I have been talking about a 1999 or so Carrera hard top. I have been a Ford man forever and have my eye on a new GT500, but I can't justify $42,000 to $45,000 for a Ford that I know is going to depreciate drastically regardless of whether or not it says Shelby. or, I suppose I could have just said I don't think a Mustang is worth $45,000.00!!

That being said, I have been searching the web for performance parts for the Carrera, but I have been unable to find a Turbo kit or other type of supercharger. Is there anything available? If we buy the 996 (correct designation?), am I stuck with only the additional power I can gain from exhaust and other bolt on's?

Thanks for the help!!!!

We install superchargers on the 996's, in fact my last 3.6L kit left on friday, he drove it back nonstop from Kansas City to Chicago. Puts down about 470 on the 3.6's and about 420 on the 3.4's running 5-6psi boost. Kits run about $12,000, and i have installed about a dozen of them. We have cars that have 40k on the kits, with zero issues. A turbo would not be feasible pricewise.

B&M short throw shifter is the first mod you do to these cars, period. Then you can add exhaust (fabspeed), ECU flash (GIAC), Intake for some minor horsepower.

www.imagineauto.com

Thanks for the info. How well will the engines in these cars hold up to the added cylinder pressure? Are we talking about forged crankshafts & pistons? Strong internals? What kind of mileage is too much for adding the supercharger? Who's supercharger is it? Is it a procharger? Can smaller pullies be used to gain more boost?

Also, when looking at a 996, what should I look for. What would be a typical problem area that I should pay attention to?

Sorry for all the questions!

Thanks,

Randy

Porsche engines have pretty premium parts and a lot of margin from the factory, so if you take good care of the car and do not abuse it, even with a supercharger it should be pretty durable.

We run the 5-6psi which has been deemed to be a safe level for the internals. You could probably run a little more, but then you start taking chances. The twin turbo motors are good to about 650hp before needing rods and pistons. The 996 kit utilizes a vortec supercharger and was designed by evolution motorsports (evoms.com) and VF engineering. On the boxster supercharger kit that we put out ourselves, we utilize the procharger C1 blower. Mileage really shouldn't be an issue if the car has been well taken care of. We have cars out there with 80k miles on. I have supercharged everything from 4k miles on it, to 60k miles on it. No issues.

As far as 996's go, look for the rear main seal leak which tends to be an issue, and depending on mileage, then you are probably looking at a clutch as well. Seems the average clutch life on these cars is in the 60k mile range. Especially if you are going to start adding power, the clutch will need to be fresh. They have also had quite a few 2nd gear issues, i have an 03 996TT in the shop right now that we put our GT700hp kit on, and it will pop out of 2nd gear if you are using the engine to slow the car down.

More or less though, the cars are pretty bulletproof. They don't like to "not run" you could say. Turn the key and go.

I'm supprised you people still have your drivers licences. Ain't these cars fast enough (for the road) already? Here in the U.K., if you get caught speeding 4 times you can wave goodbye to your licence and if you get caught doing more than twice the speed limit (or more) it could be less than that! Also most of our good roads have speed cameras on them.

Thanks for the info guys. I will take that into account when shopping.

So, Doc, you wouldn't see a problem in putting a supercharger with 5-6 psi on a a 2002 3.6 with 75K? This assuming the clutch was fresh and no leaks were present and compression tests & leakdown tests checkout ok? Is the $12K an installed price, or out the door? How difficult is an installation? keep in mind I have a pretty good history of engine building and R&R with Mustangs and small block fords.

Tigger, c'mon now. I have ridden on one of your "Roman Roads" in a friend's AC Cobra replica at over 140mph. You guys do it just as bad as we do. You just want us to think you're too "refined" to do such things! And, yes, all Americans are crazy!

I would not be worried about adding a supercharger to a 996 with 75k on it if the motor checks out etc. The 3.6 kit runs 10.9k + install which is about a 17 hour job. The 3.4 runs just under 10k, + install which is about the same. I don't know that we have sold any kits to someone who wants to install it themselves, it is a fairly difficult install. You must remove the injectors and replace them with bigger injectors. Porsche says you must drop the motor to do so. Working on the cars enough, we have found out how to do them blindfolded (all by feel) and with one hand, which is basically what you have to do since it is so tight. The ecu would also have to be pulled and sent in for programing for the kit.

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Tigger, c'mon now. I have ridden on one of your "Roman Roads" in a friend's AC Cobra replica at over 140mph. You guys do it just as bad as we do. You just want us to think you're too "refined" to do such things! And, yes, all Americans are crazy!

Hey, I ain't saying that us Brits don't speed (The fastest I've been is 160mph) or modify cars to go faster, I'm just saying, Isn't a 174mph, 5.2 to 60mph, 300bhp 996 Carrera fast enough for ya that you have to make it go even faster?

My 149mph, 6.9 to 60mph, 211bhp 944 S2 is plenty fast enough for me. (I even scare myself sometimes!)

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ORIGINAL: CTiggerPigglet

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Tigger, c'mon now. I have ridden on one of your "Roman Roads" in a friend's AC Cobra replica at over 140mph. You guys do it just as bad as we do. You just want us to think you're too "refined" to do such things! And, yes, all Americans are crazy!

Hey, I ain't saying that us Brits don't speed (The fastest I've been is 160mph) or modify cars to go faster, I'm just saying, Isn't a 174mph, 5.2 to 60mph, 300bhp 996 Carrera fast enough for ya that you have to make it go even faster?

My 149mph, 6.9 to 60mph, 211bhp 944 S2 is plenty fast enough for me. (I even scare myself sometimes!)

Lol, the answer is no. Once you start to feel a little more power, you want more, period. Everytime I install a stage 4 kit on a TT (605hp), it feels fast for about 2 days (because you know there is still a lot of hp to get out there), then you want more. Around 800hp it starts to get a little scary, but still very controllabe. I guess I should say that after driving 800hp twins, 605 feels slow to me. For most customers, I tell them they will look for more after driving the car for about a year.

Yeah, what he said!! Once you have a taste of the horsepower, it doesn't go away. And, just like anything else that is habit forming, like cocaine and heroin, after a while, the status quo isn't enough. You will need more as your body gets used to the current dosage!

Thanks again for all the info Doc. I spoke with a friend of mine last night and he was telling me about some issues with the liquid cooled engines in the boxters. Apparently the water jackets are corroding through? he said also that the 996 engines are a similar configuration and it could become a problem with them as well. He has a 95 air cooled and said that if I was to get an air cooled that the 95 was the way to go. I guess the ODBII computer didn't work well with the air cooled cars? We may look at some 95 cars. Are there kits for these as well?

Let me know if I'm bothering you too much!

Thanks,

Randy

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ORIGINAL: PorscheDoc

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ORIGINAL: CTiggerPigglet

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Tigger, c'mon now. I have ridden on one of your "Roman Roads" in a friend's AC Cobra replica at over 140mph. You guys do it just as bad as we do. You just want us to think you're too "refined" to do such things! And, yes, all Americans are crazy!

Hey, I ain't saying that us Brits don't speed (The fastest I've been is 160mph) or modify cars to go faster, I'm just saying, Isn't a 174mph, 5.2 to 60mph, 300bhp 996 Carrera fast enough for ya that you have to make it go even faster?

My 149mph, 6.9 to 60mph, 211bhp 944 S2 is plenty fast enough for me. (I even scare myself sometimes!)

Lol, the answer is no. Once you start to feel a little more power, you want more, period. Everytime I install a stage 4 kit on a TT (605hp), it feels fast for about 2 days (because you know there is still a lot of hp to get out there), then you want more. Around 800hp it starts to get a little scary, but still very controllabe. I guess I should say that after driving 800hp twins, 605 feels slow to me. For most customers, I tell them they will look for more after driving the car for about a year.

Hey Doc: What's a stage 4 kit? I know I'll feel the need for speed after I get my TT.

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ORIGINAL: billythekid
Hey Doc: What's a stage 4 kit? I know I'll feel the need for speed after I get my TT.

Stage 4 consists of ECU flash, K24 turbos, headers, fabspeed muffler, billet diverter valves, and intake.

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Yeah, what he said!! Once you have a taste of the horsepower, it doesn't go away. And, just like anything else that is habit forming, like cocaine and heroin, after a while, the status quo isn't enough. You will need more as your body gets used to the current dosage!

Yeah lads, I understand where you are coming from. My S2 felt a lot faster when I first owned it, than it does now. But Jayhawk261 hasn't even brought his Carrera and he already wants it faster! So you can't tell me you are used to the current dosage already!

Well, it is true no Carrera yet, but I currently have a Mustang that has 255 hp at the wheels, which is roughly 305 at the crankshaft. I know it is comparing apples to oranges, or maybe even broccoli, but I am always looking for the extra power. The Mustang has 305 lb-ft of torque at the wheels as well which makes it really pull in the low end. The torque numbers on the Carreras are down a bit from that, but being that the car is significanltly less in weight, it may be a similar "seat of the pants" feel.

Besides, I can't help it. Power is really cool!

When I buy the Carrera, will there be a need for the supercharger? No, but it sure sounds like the thing to do!

I do have much to learn about the Porsche, especially being someone who has owned only muscle cars for toys. I guess maybe it's time I go for that more "grown up" look huh?

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I do have much to learn about the Porsche, especially being someone who has owned only muscle cars for toys. I guess maybe it's time I go for that more "grown up" look huh?

Yeah, or buy a superbike/dragster/jet plane!!!

A stock 996 will be quite a bit faster than your Mustang. First, it will have more power: I dynoed mine, and it put down 265 at the rear wheels: this is about the least powerful 996 there is, with the automatic. The 996 doesn't have the torque of a big displacement V8, but then it also does not have an overdrive transmission/axle ratio: the 6 speed winds out in 6th at top speed, giving you 6 gears that you can work::the 5-speed automatic tops out at the rev limit in 5th - its an auto with 5 gears to cover the car's speed range. By contrast in Mustangs you really have only 4 gears in the manual or 4 in the new 5-speed auto. So in these cars you let the gearbox do the work, ultimately you get more HP to the ground despite a lack of torque, and with the lower weight, it isn't that closea contest.

I would recommend that you do best to buy a good 996 and keep it stock for a while. Get to know it and know what you want. think aobut the mods and then move slowly. Realize mods to a Porsche cost a lot more than on Mustangs and etc. The SC kit for 996 costs about twice what fully installed kits for the Mustang or Camaro cost (and adds about the same margin over stock). Get to know the car and what you like (also learn to drive and use the stock capability first. ).

But if you are put off by the potential depreciation of the new Ford Shelby Cobra 500, you might consider this: you never get your money back spent for mods. My vette is a representative example: it was a $52,000 car new in '02, with a market value, if it was stock, today, or right around $30-$35K. I've put something close to $50,000 into the mods, doing everything "right" with the best parts, a famous engine builder, a pro shop, etc., all toward basically doubling the HP from stock, and adding all the stuff needed for it to be able to put that power on the ground and do so reliably and safely. So I have a $100,000 car that does the 1/4 in 10 seconds flat and is still streetable. What is is worth, if I wanted to sell it? MAYBE I could get $55,000 for it. Maybe. That is terrible depreciation. People don't buy used, heavily modified cars: one they don't trust that they are in good shape, and two, if they are into mods they want to have the fun of picking the mods and doing them - customizing the car to them, not buying someone else's dream, so to speak. So you won't get your money back.