Looks like somebody's got the mod bug! Good luck with the car. Keep us posted as to how it comes out.

 

I cannot imagine taking a true Ruf VIN vehicle and doing anything to it but improving it with Ruf. It would likely be cheaper to sell your Ruf and purchase a low mileage pre-owned Turbo to modify. Considering the loss of value you are facing, why not just keep the Ruf as is and modify another Turbo? It would be a great baseline for comparison and it does not sound like money is the issue.

Good luck either way.

JJB

 

I'm with the others, it cretainly is your choice - but sell the Ruf - get an early car and then mod it !!! I'm sure the Ruf would sell quickly ... IMHO

 

Micheal I think we need a pic of those legs coming out of your TT in High Rez ASAP!

 

I have to agree, while i have nothing against Kevin's stuff this is a HUGE mistake IMO. But hey, this is your car, do what you wish with it and enjoy it!
Evan

 

DJ - I'm trying but she keeps smacking me (and that's a good thing) !!!

GT3 seats are not just for the track - and she wonders why I am such a gentleman opening the door - Dad learned me well - he had an MG TD at Auburn - those running boards were great - took ol' mom quite a few years to figure it out - of course the MG got sold when she did!!!

 

no worries you'll be fine.

 

if anyone can put it where you want...keven can!

 

Sell it like it is. Buy a regular turbo, and make it just as fast with $ left over.
Dont bastardize the Ruf.

Edit: Is bastardize a word?

 

Aren't the Ruf output numbers conservative anways?

 

There is no doubt that there are faster turbo's than the 550, but a Ruf is a special car...and you don't mess with a special car

 

hmmm..like DJ said, the only reason one would take a RUF Vin vehicle to a local tuner is if money grows on trees for you and you don't care about the loss in value. But as stated in your post, you wanted more power for 1/2 the price...which tells me money doesn't grow on trees for you. So why take a huge hit in value?? Doesn't make sense.

 

Looks like you're having something SWEET done to that RUF! Can't wait to see what it is!

Jason

 

You 're in good hand with Kevin. He'll take care of your precious Ruf...

 

Wow, wasn't expecting that response. Quite a purist crowd we have here...which I can ultimately respect however I must ask you all, are you telling me that if I ever want to sell the car (and the buyer wants it turned back to the stock RTurbo) that it won't retain some of its premium? Or is money not what it's all about? Does the fact that the Ruf brakes are really Brembos with a coat of paint on them bother you all? Did I need to call a Ruf technician in from Germany to come replace my power steering pump? When the suspension needs to be replaced, do I call Ruf or Bilstein? What if my turbos need to be replaced? Wouldn't you all accuse me of having a money tree if I went straight to Ruf for a replacement instead of getting the same exact snail from another vendor? At what point is it okay to start making the car your own? The car is well out of warranty, already depreciated almost 50% (the first owner took that hit) and is bound to go down a bit more. Although I'm the first one to tout the difference between my Ruf and a converted Ruf, I don't see how modding the car alters that difference in any way. My car will always have a Ruf VIN.

There are people who make targa Enzos, twin turbo ford GTs, nitrous Lambos, electric Atoms, and jet engined Beetles for cryin' out loud. Money may (or may not) grow on trees for them, but when has modding been about sensibility? I'm sure there are plenty of people on this board who have taken a bath on their cars (or their mods), but because mine is a Ruf, the potential for losing money is of the utmost concern? By the way, for all of you that think selling the Ruf is an easy proposition, you should know that it sat at RAC for about 4 months without any interest near the seller's asking price. Most people (and many on this board) would much rather spend less money for a converted car b/c they don't care about the rarity of the Ruf Vin. However, those same people may have, at one point, paid the same purchase price I did on my Ruf on their new 996TT. Again, is it all about money? Would I not be welcomed at the PCar gatherings? Oh wait, maybe I'll spend 2-3x more money, wait about 3 more months and ship my engine overseas so I can stay up until 2am to call Germany to get information on my car. Just because I bought a Ruf doesn't mean I like to pay someone else to put me through a lot of hassle.

Again, yes it's a bastardization..I opened myself up to it...and I accept the accusation. But, in my opinion, so are a lot of the mish-mash tuned cars in search of higher horsepower. I know that my car is already capable of performing up to my standards and I love the way it feels (at low speeds, high speeds, in corners, etc). Two questions for the board: 1) How could I ever know that another used Turbo out there could be made to feel exactly like my baseline and 2) unless all of the positivity that I've read in the last few months surrounding Kevin and his work is not representative of reality, how could I be making this car any worse?

Thanks for the love guys. We're still friends.