i installed a b&m short shifter in my car a few years ago , shortly after the word was (i think) the new 997 eom short shifter was way better is that still the best over b&m

 

the 997 ssk is the "best" oem plug n play option available still for this car needing no weird cable manipulations.

no one i've ever heard of keeps a b&m.

 

the b&m is a little notchy but way better than the stock shifter guess its time for another up grade

 

I swapped out the B&M that came with my car for a Numeric - no weird gyrations with the cables required and it's SOLID! It's got the slightest of slop but is silent and works great. I don't think this little bit could be removed!

 

I had the B&M, 997SSK, 997GT3, and now the OEM Cup shifter. Cup shifter is the most bulletproof rifle bolt shifter of the lot by far. I have the Cup cables which complete the package. Hard to believe but those engineers at Porsche Motorsport know a thing or two...

With that said, the 997SSK is a very good shifter and much much better than the B&M..

 

Would you consider the CAE shifter?

 

My B&M is fine, positive, direct, short, never miss, never guess, a good balance of effort and lever distance. I know, cable shifting will never feel as direct and effortless in the 996 as lever action on some cars.

I'm a keeper with my 996 SSK by B&M, way better than stock OE. Not worth the disassembly to R&R another shifter even if a slight bit better. I'd have to try a 997 and compare to what I have. Can't believe it would be more than a subtle difference. I've been wrong before.

 

I just swapped out the B&M for a 997SSK and there definitely is a difference. The B&M is far more notchy to the point where I didn't feel like I could shift as quickly as I should be able to. The 997SSK is probably the best shifter I've ever used in a cable shifted vehicle. It's got some notch, but just enough to give you positive gear engagement feeling. I can also shift very quickly with it.

The B&M isn't bad and it's a vast improvement from stock, but the 997SSK is noticeably better IMO.

 

Cae..................

 

Agree with this statement.


I have this same setup in my 997. You will hear slightly more gear noise but, you will know when you are in actual gear you need to be in.


I wouldn't choose a 3rd party aftermarket part interpretation in this situation. Make that decision with your car wax.

 

I think the CAE is very nice looking and certainly a high quality German made product but I don't believe I would like having the shifter so high up, but that's just me. It seem to me having the shifter so high up would be a bit fatiguing but I could be wrong. With that said, it is a very cool looking blingy shifter with all it's guts exposed and in your face. It will undoubtedly draw a log of attention at cars and coffee which is in and of itself is a big selling point for some.

I like to keep things simple and after getting burned countless times before, I try to stay away from aftermarket parts to the greatest extent possible. They usually come with a downside. As such I will always go with a factory Porsche Motorsport part if that is an option. The PMNA Cup shifters have been proven and tested in countless hours under the harshest race conditions for over 15 years now. The shifter just plain works and to me feels absolutely perfect. It is a direct bolt on as it uses the same frame like all the OEM Porsche shifter. Granted, I use the shifter in conjunction with Cup cables and a Cup gear selector lever both of which play a part in the overall feel. Elite1 above runs the exact same set up that I have. The difference between it and the 997SSK I used before is profound. I would not change a thing and have yet to hear of a single Cup shifter falling apart, unlike another aftermarket shifter that has had numerous failures of both the shifter lever and shifter bearings. A number of guys installed those in their GT3s and I've already seem a few of them being removed and put up for sale.

As far as the Cae, I'd love to drive a car with one but have yet to see anyone run one in their Cup car or GT3 which is very telling to me. For anyone spending $2000+ per hour operating a Cup car, adding a $1300 Cae shifter would be peanuts in the scheme of things, especially if it provided an improvement over the OEM cup shifter. However, you just don't see them which is very telling in an of itself.. Generally, if there is a better mousetrap, word spreads quickly and you will have guys running it at the track. Just my $0.02....

 

I have got burned many times.

However, CAE shifter is the real deal (I don't have one...yet). Too bad the black version costs more and is often out of stock!

The reason you don't see these in 996 Cup cars often is that Cup cars have already the good Cup shifter, and it's also located higher than in street cars, so you don't really have need to change it.

In many classes around here you could not even modify the 996 Cup car to keep it in class regulations.

And about the CAE shifter being too high, in very beginning when I saw it I thought similarly for a moment, but then remembered how high all sequential shifters stand, like in 997 Cup, which is often used in 24 hour races with no shifting fatigue. I've driven the 997 Cup myself and love it...

997 Cup shifter seem to be higher:


Some nice CAE action from E92 M3 street legal race car: https://www.youtube.com/user/lukecustoms/videos

 

Related question - I can't do this swap myself. Every indy I've asked for an estimate to install a SS have quoted 3 hours - when most of the folks on here say it should take an hour. The dealer is even worse - more time and a higher labor charge.


What should they really be charging for this? Every kit seems to indicate it would be an hour's worth of labor - why would the pros take so much longer?

 

I did mine and and it took a bit over an hour. I also broke a small plastic inexpensive part that related to the console lock electronics and alarm as I recall. The part was on back order with none in the country so I put everything back together. The part arrived, I took the console apart again and replaced it. R&R twice.

I'm a tech by trade so I can imagine doing a perfect job the first time could be quite a task for an individual who just works on stuff occasionally. Also the cable transfer is a bit tricky. I measured with a dial caliper and made templates before disassembly of the original.

I certainly would not do the install and assume a perfect outcome for 1 hour labor. If shifting was not as it should be on your first try, some disassembly and adjustment will have to be made.

 

it takes FIFTEEN minutes to swap an oem 996 shifter to a 997ssk for one who has done it many times. unless you have the work done at dewey, cheatem, and how.