Newb Porsche owner..
#1
12-23-2011, 12:53 PM
Join Date: Sep 2011
Location: Cerritos, CA
Posts: 4
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Newb Porsche owner..
Hi i'm new to the Porsche world.. just introducing myself. I have a black 2003 carrera. It's my first one and I don't know much about them since im used to driving hondas and toyotas. 
#3
12-23-2011, 03:34 PM
Registered User
Join Date: May 2011
Location: Rounding the Apex
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Enjoy your ride and drive it like you stole it
#5
12-23-2011, 06:44 PM
Suggest looking up your local PCA club.
http://pcasdr.net/pca-sdr-activities
Went to an autocross event with ours many years ago, both my wife and I are still hooked. Great way to learn your capabilities and that of your car in a safe environment.
http://pcasdr.net/pca-sdr-activities
Went to an autocross event with ours many years ago, both my wife and I are still hooked. Great way to learn your capabilities and that of your car in a safe environment.
#6
12-23-2011, 06:53 PM
Join Date: Sep 2011
Location: Cerritos, CA
Posts: 4
Rep Power: 0
thanks everyone!.. i'll post pics asap.. only thing is that there was a dent on the passenger side that recently got patched up. It just needs to be painted over so the passenger side looks a little tacky.
#7
12-23-2011, 08:05 PM
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Join Date: Sep 2003
Location: Park City, Utah
Posts: 2,085
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#12
12-27-2011, 09:08 AM
Welcome, I have an 03 too. I would be happy to answer any questions for you regarding my experience. Love my car, but dont get much time to drive it and living on the east coast we loose about 3 months of driving over the winter.
#13
12-29-2011, 04:08 PM
I have owned my MY03 Cab, 47k miles when I got it, for all of 5 months now, so as a very new owner, I thought I would save you some time and share some things I have learned from the awesome experience of owning my first 996. By the way...99% of this came from these great Porsche Forums!
Please feel free to add on.
1. They smell funny. Whether it is bits of burning tire on the exhaust or cosmoline (look it up), they smell like burning oil/rubber even after a short drive. The consensus is this is perfectly normal (some even call it "Porsche Perfume") so you can quit worrying. Your engine is not about to blow up.
2. After a few weeks you will begin to think something is wrong with your car. It is not as quick as it used to be. Is it a major engine problem? Do I already need to replace the plugs, coils, throttle body etc? Probably not. You are just getting used to the car. It only feels slower. You will now start thinking about getting that turbo.
3. IMS, RMS. You will no doubt read all about these two common failures. Without jinxing myself, it can happen anytime. But...it doesn't appear to be as prolific as you would be led to believe. There are things you can do to add peace of mind (replace the IMS bearing, install the new IMS Guardian) etc., but remember, all cars have been known to have engines blow up. Ours are just more expensive to replace.
4. If you have a 6-spd (mine does...so no tips on tips here), you will up shift at a much higher rpm than that old Honda you used to drive. Shifting at 3000rpm will spoil your P-car experience.
5. Tires are expensive and don't last as long as the tires on your old car. 10k-15k appears to be the average life. Remember that when you are buying a new set.
6. There appear to be a lot of great, dedicated and fastidious Indy shops out there. I have an extended warranty and took my car to the local dealer to get some non covered items taken care of. The estimate was almost $3k. My Indy fixed everything that actually need to get fixed for under $500.
7. Speaking of money, everywhere you go to get something done for your car, from the paint and body shop to the audio installer, they will attempt to charge you more since "after all, it is a 911".
8. A lot of Porsche enthusiasts don't like the 996. They have their reasons, but you now own one. Love it like its one of your kids.
9. If you drive around town with your spoiler up, most P-car owners will call you a poser. Best to let it do its own thing at 75mph. And yes, it is very cool to look at your reflection in that panel van you just passed to make sure your tail is actually up.
10. Your friends and relatives think you paid a lot more $$$ for your car than you really did.
__________________
MY03 996 Carrera Cabriolet
6-spd
Guards Red, Black On, Black In
Please feel free to add on.
1. They smell funny. Whether it is bits of burning tire on the exhaust or cosmoline (look it up), they smell like burning oil/rubber even after a short drive. The consensus is this is perfectly normal (some even call it "Porsche Perfume") so you can quit worrying. Your engine is not about to blow up.
2. After a few weeks you will begin to think something is wrong with your car. It is not as quick as it used to be. Is it a major engine problem? Do I already need to replace the plugs, coils, throttle body etc? Probably not. You are just getting used to the car. It only feels slower. You will now start thinking about getting that turbo.
3. IMS, RMS. You will no doubt read all about these two common failures. Without jinxing myself, it can happen anytime. But...it doesn't appear to be as prolific as you would be led to believe. There are things you can do to add peace of mind (replace the IMS bearing, install the new IMS Guardian) etc., but remember, all cars have been known to have engines blow up. Ours are just more expensive to replace.
4. If you have a 6-spd (mine does...so no tips on tips here), you will up shift at a much higher rpm than that old Honda you used to drive. Shifting at 3000rpm will spoil your P-car experience.
5. Tires are expensive and don't last as long as the tires on your old car. 10k-15k appears to be the average life. Remember that when you are buying a new set.
6. There appear to be a lot of great, dedicated and fastidious Indy shops out there. I have an extended warranty and took my car to the local dealer to get some non covered items taken care of. The estimate was almost $3k. My Indy fixed everything that actually need to get fixed for under $500.
7. Speaking of money, everywhere you go to get something done for your car, from the paint and body shop to the audio installer, they will attempt to charge you more since "after all, it is a 911".
8. A lot of Porsche enthusiasts don't like the 996. They have their reasons, but you now own one. Love it like its one of your kids.
9. If you drive around town with your spoiler up, most P-car owners will call you a poser. Best to let it do its own thing at 75mph. And yes, it is very cool to look at your reflection in that panel van you just passed to make sure your tail is actually up.
10. Your friends and relatives think you paid a lot more $$$ for your car than you really did.
__________________
MY03 996 Carrera Cabriolet
6-spd
Guards Red, Black On, Black In
#14
12-29-2011, 04:43 PM
Registered User
Please feel free to add on.
9. If you drive around town with your spoiler up, most P-car owners will call you a poser. Best to let it do its own thing at 75mph. And yes, it is very cool to look at your reflection in that panel van you just passed to make sure your tail is actually up.
Well, mine apparently has a mind of its own because mine always goes up at 45mph. So whenever I get on one of the main roads and hit 45 it pops up like an 18 year old in a strip club. Does anyone know if there is a way to change the MPH at which it raises and lowers (not the manual over ride switch).
#15
12-29-2011, 10:22 PM
The term "poser" gets tossed around far too frequently on these boards. Calling someone a poser for deploying his oem spoiler is ludicrous. No one calls people with aero kits or other body mods posers, so why would that qualify? People need to relax and enjoy their own cars.