- 5,545
- Druids Bend
- Z4E_Midnight85
What have you done to your car today?
- Thread starter Perfect Balance
- 6,673 comments
- 390,803 views
- 8,642
- London
- GTP_Stotty
Just had 2 pairs of wheel spacers and a Design Tek induction kit delivered.
Hoping the induction kit adds a bit more volume at higher revs now the new exhaust is on.
It's a pretty simple kit - silicone hose to replace the stock rubber connector between the airbox and the engine, and an aluminium plug to blank the helmholtz resonator (which is there to quieten induction noise at 4k plus on WOT).
Also shows what you can pay for branding - Designtek <£100, Sharkwerks >£200, for exactly the same thing
Looking forward to getting them fitted over the bank holiday weekend.
Hoping the induction kit adds a bit more volume at higher revs now the new exhaust is on.
It's a pretty simple kit - silicone hose to replace the stock rubber connector between the airbox and the engine, and an aluminium plug to blank the helmholtz resonator (which is there to quieten induction noise at 4k plus on WOT).
Also shows what you can pay for branding - Designtek <£100, Sharkwerks >£200, for exactly the same thing
Looking forward to getting them fitted over the bank holiday weekend.
- 5,545
- Druids Bend
- Z4E_Midnight85
Quite interested in seeing this beast you've got. Have you got a thread in the Members Rides forum?Just had 2 pairs of wheel spacers and a Design Tek induction kit delivered.
Hoping the induction kit adds a bit more volume at higher revs now the new exhaust is on.
It's a pretty simple kit - silicone hose to replace the stock rubber connector between the airbox and the engine, and an aluminium plug to blank the helmholtz resonator (which is there to quieten induction noise at 4k plus on WOT).
Also shows what you can pay for branding - Designtek <£100, Sharkwerks >£200, for exactly the same thing
Looking forward to getting them fitted over the bank holiday weekend.
- 8,642
- London
- GTP_Stotty
I wouldn't call it a beast... but I would call it the perfect everyday sports car
It's a 17 year old Porsche 996 C2, manual, arctic silver, metropole blue interior, in just about the most basic spec available - no sunroof, no electric seats, no fancy headlights... it does have PSM (which is rare on early C2's), a CD changer (not used) and aircon (which hasn't worked for >5 years).
Bought 10 years ago with 56k miles. Now on 163k. Daily driver for me or my wife across that time. 996's are fabulous to drive, but maintaining one is a labor of love as they get older (ie; they can empty your bank account in the blink of an eye
).No thread in members rides, but I'll pop a few pictures on here after the weekend (assuming I can find the time to give it a good wash).
- 5,545
- Druids Bend
- Z4E_Midnight85
Sounds like a great car to me! My E46 is a 325 Sport, but without all the fancy "luxury" extras, which means it's more for driving and less for replacing broken down gadgets. In saying that, I'm replacing stuff all the time (this weekend it's a driver's wing as there's some rust bubbling up on the arch, bonnet because there's been a ding in it since I bought it, wing mirror covers which have lacquer peel, CCV, and a short shift kit - okay that one's for fun...) so I understand the labour of love statement there!I wouldn't call it a beast... but I would call it the perfect everyday sports car
It's a 17 year old Porsche 996 C2, manual, arctic silver, metropole blue interior, in just about the most basic spec available - no sunroof, no electric seats, no fancy headlights... it does have PSM (which is rare on early C2's), a CD changer (not used) and aircon (which hasn't worked for >5 years).
Bought 10 years ago with 56k miles. Now on 163k. Daily driver for me or my wife across that time. 996's are fabulous to drive, but maintaining one is a labor of love as they get older (ie; they can empty your bank account in the blink of an eye
No thread in members rides, but I'll pop a few pictures on here after the weekend (assuming I can find the time to give it a good wash).
I've always wanted a 911. If only the "good" models weren't going the wrong way in price! Ultimate for me would be a 993 Turbo or Targa S...
- 8,642
- London
- GTP_Stotty
Fortunately, 911’s from 993 vintage onwards are very resistant to rust (fully galvanised). So body work is not really an issue.
It’s more mechanical stuff that’s wear and tear linked to age and mileage. As well as annual servicing and MOT, my cars had…
Gearbox and diff rebuild
Radiators (x2)
Suspension overhaul – top mounts, coffin arms, tie rods, bushes (still on original springs and dampers)
Fuel pump
Air oil separator
Alternator
New keys
New central locking module
Window regulators
Overhaul of electrics – coil packs/leads/plugs/etc
Wheel refurb (x2)
More rear tyres than I can count (they last 6-8k miles, and it only gets N rated MPS2’s)
3 sets of front tyres (they last 25-30k, but are only hot hatch sized 225/40/18’s)
More sets of discs and pads than I can remember (a set last c.2years max)
Several 4 wheel alignments
Full exhaust system
Fortunately, my engine is a good one – it’s high miles, but I have the early IMS bearing, mechanical throttle, and the bores were clean as a whistle when I had it scoped 2 years ago. An engine failure would be the end of the love affair for sure – no way am I paying £10k plus for a full rebuild. If it goes, I’ll break it for spares.
996’s are still cheap enough to buy (you can pick a decent one up for c.£14k, but they are starting to go up quickly), but they are still a £70k car to maintain. Even using a good indy for servicing/repairs, they are expensive to maintain. A couple of examples… 1) It’s rare my annual service and MOT costs less than £1k, 2) if you need an exhaust on a ‘normal’ car you go to Kwikfit and moan because it’s cost you £300. The bill for the exhaust system I had fitted last week came to £3k
I kind of get the love for 993’s (the wide body cars can look lovely), but the 996 is a much, much better drivers car.
- 5,545
- Druids Bend
- Z4E_Midnight85
Wow! That's a LOT of bits to replace! And I can imagine probably much more expensive than what's in my bank account as a deposit on a house...
You go through a lot of tyres. I have the same size fronts, and I've done about 8k miles on mine, barely even lost any tread on them. Same with rears.
I have no doubt the 996 is the better car, but the 993 just looks so lovely. It's the last of the genuinely good looking 911's in my opinion. Not that there's anything particularly ugly about a 996.
My car is on the Members Rides threads, link in my signature.
- 8,642
- London
- GTP_Stotty
Ah, that's yours... I saw it on a thread somewhere on here earlier and thought it looked good... nice wheels.
Many years ago, my wife had a 316 compact briefly as a pool car whilst her company car was being replaced (I wrote off her 406 coupe, and she had the 316 whilst waiting for her new TT to be delivered)... I don't remember much about it, only that it was VERY tail happy in the wet... only a lowly 316, but it would hang the back end out hilariously (not with her driving it)
Personally, I think the early long nose 911's are the best looking. A 964 coupe, backdated to a long nose front end, with Fuchs alloys, uprated brakes, supsension and a big engine would be my dream (ie; a Singer!).
- 5,545
- Druids Bend
- Z4E_Midnight85
Wow. Now you're talking! The Singer's are pretty damn cool. If only I had a couple hundred grand set aside for a new car........Ah, that's yours... I saw it on a thread somewhere on here earlier and thought it looked good... nice wheels.
Many years ago, my wife had a 316 compact briefly as a pool car whilst her company car was being replaced (I wrote off her 406 coupe, and she had the 316 whilst waiting for her new TT to be delivered)... I don't remember much about it, only that it was VERY tail happy in the wet... only a lowly 316, but it would hang the back end out hilariously (not with her driving it)
Personally, I think the early long nose 911's are the best looking. A 964 coupe, backdated to a long nose front end, with Fuchs alloys, uprated brakes, supsension and a big engine would be my dream (ie; a Singer!).
Mine's actually really planted in the rear end. It's got big sticky 255's in the back, so you can thrash it around and it never lets go (unless you pop the clutch in the wet), which is perfect for the 2.5L engine.
- 8,642
- London
- GTP_Stotty
Wow. Now you're talking! The Singer's are pretty damn cool. If only I had a couple hundred grand set aside for a new car........
Mine's actually really planted in the rear end. It's got big sticky 255's in the back, so you can thrash it around and it never lets go (unless you pop the clutch in the wet), which is perfect for the 2.5L engine.
Couple of hundred grand isn't even in the ball park for a Singer. A loaded 4.0l Singer is £700k!
Is yours running standard suspension (spring/dampers/bars)?
- 5,545
- Druids Bend
- Z4E_Midnight85
It came with M Sport suspension, but I've fitted an H&R Sport Cupkit suspension kit, which is a slightly stiffer spring rate than the M Sport stuff, and slightly lower. I've also swapped a lot of the rear bushes out for poly bushes, which has firmed up the rear end massively. I'm considering an anti-roll bar upgrade at some stage, but when finances allow.
- 8,642
- London
- GTP_Stotty
Makes sense... IIRC, the Compact has the trailing arm suspension from the previous generation 3 series, rather than the multi link (though I may be wrong on this!). Stiffening the bushes and lowering the car would certainly help keep the geometry right under load
- 5,545
- Druids Bend
- Z4E_Midnight85
I think that was the case for the 4-pot compacts. The 320td and 325ti use the bits from the 325 coupe/convertible I believe.Makes sense... IIRC, the Compact has the trailing arm suspension from the previous generation 3 series, rather than the multi link (though I may be wrong on this!). Stiffening the bushes and lowering the car would certainly help keep the geometry right under load
- 8,642
- London
- GTP_Stotty
Ah, that's probably why yours is tied down properly!
- 5,545
- Druids Bend
- Z4E_Midnight85
- 8,642
- London
- GTP_Stotty
- 5,545
- Druids Bend
- Z4E_Midnight85
I think that's why most people do it. Low budget skidders. I'd prefer a 3.0L Z3 as a low budget skidder, but hey that's my preference!
I would imagine a 316 with a 3.0l in it would be mostly travelling sideways!
I've just done a bit of research, and I think you're thinking of the E36 rear end - it's from the E30. Hence why they're a fairly sloppy car to drive. E46 compacts used E46 bits only.
- 27,213
- United Kingdom
I think all the E46 Compacts were multi-link - it was the E36 Compact that still used the E30's trailing arms, even though the E36 coupe/saloon/Touring had moved to multi-link. The E46 Compact really is a compact E46, where the E36 Compact was more like a modernised E30.Makes sense... IIRC, the Compact has the trailing arm suspension from the previous generation 3 series, rather than the multi link (though I may be wrong on this!). Stiffening the bushes and lowering the car would certainly help keep the geometry right under load
I still like the E36 Compact though. The interior was a curious mix of E30 and E36 too, but it gave it a bit of character. 316 was pretty slow but the 318tis had a bit of pep.
ND4SPD
Premium
- 8,479
- Guelph ON
- JeffZ28
- Jeff C6R
Trackspec motorsports hood louvers installed. My car had an issue with hot air not being able to properly escape from under the hood. These were my fastest and cheapest option to solve that before completely replacing the cooling system. Benefits are it actually produces front downforce by reducing low pressure zones under the hood and another bonus is that the supercharger is twice as loud now.
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- 2,833
- Colorado
- GTP_Cyborg
I don't like the look, but you have to respect the function 👍
Me, I installed genuine Mugen front strut bar and rear "mid bar" on the RSX. They're solid, too, not that pointless hinged/bolted junk. I won't know if I actually feel any difference for a couple weeks until I get new 45-profile tires for my summer wheels; the old ones are so bald that I'm currently driving on 55-profile snows
.There are couple little things I still want to grab, but this pretty much finishes up my handling mods, after sway bars, coilovers, and urethane bushings.
Does it matter how these are installed? For the front, I jacked the car up via a middle point in the subframe, thinking the chassis would be as straight, or as "unloaded," as possible before torquing the tower bolts to spec.
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MedigoFlame
Premium
- 6,218
- Maine
- MedigoFlameX
Sold it. Well...the winter beater I should say.
- 5,762
- USA
- TPC_Raccooon23
- CRaccoon23
Did a monthly under the hood check up. Other than a little bit of corrosion by the positive battery terminal that I got rid of, everything is fine. I do need more power steering fluid though.
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