Is a 996 really that good?
- Thread starter tirfor
- Start date
barrysmith
PCGB Member
Reading your post, just show's that with mileage things move.
please check your tyre pressure.
Chris franklin has done Five 911s for me , 2 ,930 turbo's 2 ,993 tt and a 996 tt , all I can say is the man is fantastic, the car when finished is as new and better its on rails,
Its not cheap, but you smile all the way home.
please check your tyre pressure.
Chris franklin has done Five 911s for me , 2 ,930 turbo's 2 ,993 tt and a 996 tt , all I can say is the man is fantastic, the car when finished is as new and better its on rails,
Its not cheap, but you smile all the way home.
Michael996
New member
My brother and I today changed the front and rear drop links on his 911 C2 and it transformed the road manners of his car.
The parts were cheap as chips and did not take long to do, could be worth a try on your car.
The parts were cheap as chips and did not take long to do, could be worth a try on your car.
sawood12
New member
Well the 911 has a great reputation amongst very good drivers (Tiff Needel for one) so it is clearly a very good and very capable sportscar. I think that different cars do require slight adjustments your driving style. I've had to radically change my driving style since moving from FWD cars to the RWD 944. The way I approach corners is completely different, what I do mid-corner is completely different, the way I handle the throttle is different so on and so forth. I can easily get the rear end out if I wanted to at relatively low speeds with a bit of careless use of the throttle mid corner (no traction control in a 944!).
with your cars properly set up, you feel 100% safe when driving at around 70-80mph
yep!!
the faster i drove the c4 the better it seemed to hunker down and grip ferociously-esp around bends-my best memory was going up the alps from switz to france at 100-120 feeling like on rails surprised i was flying past everything and feeling very confident!!!and my driving skills are nothing special(trust me!!)
yep!!
the faster i drove the c4 the better it seemed to hunker down and grip ferociously-esp around bends-my best memory was going up the alps from switz to france at 100-120 feeling like on rails surprised i was flying past everything and feeling very confident!!!and my driving skills are nothing special(trust me!!)
I normally ensure that tyre pressures are kept at the recommend levels that are stated in the owner's manual. The tyres do seem to have worn evenly across the tread. Front drop links were changed on the last service and no report back on the rears condition. So I believe that in theory the car should be driving ok.[8|] Thanks for the offer of test driving it for me, but I'm going to wait and see what CG thinks about the car first. If they can't find any problems then I will take you up on your offer.[
] I do admit that my driving style isn't the best in a Porsche. I am used to driving front and rear wheel drive cars with the engine in the front but not with the engine way at the back. Although some of my concern with my car is mainly driving straight on a motorway and low speeds at roundabouts in the wet so driving style shouldn't be a issue. I'm glad that some of you guys have said that your cars drive fine, just like on rails, because that is what I expected from Porsche and now I really believe that my car just needs proper set up. Tiff is my idol when it comes to driving cars and I would love to spend a day getting pointers from him. How do you guys drive your cars different compared to front and rear wheel drive cars when approaching bends and roundabouts especially in the wet?
] I do admit that my driving style isn't the best in a Porsche. I am used to driving front and rear wheel drive cars with the engine in the front but not with the engine way at the back. Although some of my concern with my car is mainly driving straight on a motorway and low speeds at roundabouts in the wet so driving style shouldn't be a issue. I'm glad that some of you guys have said that your cars drive fine, just like on rails, because that is what I expected from Porsche and now I really believe that my car just needs proper set up. Tiff is my idol when it comes to driving cars and I would love to spend a day getting pointers from him. How do you guys drive your cars different compared to front and rear wheel drive cars when approaching bends and roundabouts especially in the wet?
38F3E1
PCGB Member
A couple of comments.
First motorways and cross winds. The wear on motorways where the lorry tires have worn grooves can cause the 911 to feel a bit nervous. Also cross winds do have that effect as the light front end gets buffeted. You just need to relax and get used to it. Gripping the steering wheel can make it feel worse. Generally you should hold the steering wheel lightly as it does twitch due to the increased feedback you get from 911 steering. I literally hold mine lightly between my fingertips. This includes low and high speed maneuvers. You can see the wheel twitching but if you try and grip it and stop it doing so you'll make the car feel really nervous in your hands.
Wet roundabouts. The 911 is not a go-cart and will never go around a wet roundabout like it's on rails. Particularly if you are on the throttle too early. The key on a 911 is to learn how to turn the car in. Once the front end has gripped you can get on the power. However if you are consistently on the power too early you'll think the car steers like sh*t.
The best thing you can do IMO is spend a couple of hours on a track day with an instructor who knows how to drive a 911. Not all track day instructors do. You'll either come away with a new love for the car or a decision that you just don't like it.
Ian.
PS any wear in the suspension can also make a car nervous but I would expect a decent mechanic to be able to pick this up on a test drive.
First motorways and cross winds. The wear on motorways where the lorry tires have worn grooves can cause the 911 to feel a bit nervous. Also cross winds do have that effect as the light front end gets buffeted. You just need to relax and get used to it. Gripping the steering wheel can make it feel worse. Generally you should hold the steering wheel lightly as it does twitch due to the increased feedback you get from 911 steering. I literally hold mine lightly between my fingertips. This includes low and high speed maneuvers. You can see the wheel twitching but if you try and grip it and stop it doing so you'll make the car feel really nervous in your hands.
Wet roundabouts. The 911 is not a go-cart and will never go around a wet roundabout like it's on rails. Particularly if you are on the throttle too early. The key on a 911 is to learn how to turn the car in. Once the front end has gripped you can get on the power. However if you are consistently on the power too early you'll think the car steers like sh*t.
The best thing you can do IMO is spend a couple of hours on a track day with an instructor who knows how to drive a 911. Not all track day instructors do. You'll either come away with a new love for the car or a decision that you just don't like it.
Ian.
PS any wear in the suspension can also make a car nervous but I would expect a decent mechanic to be able to pick this up on a test drive.
Had my car done by CG last year and was very pleased with the work. What I found interesting was that all the settings for toe, camber etc have a significant +/- tollerance so a setting can be inside tolerance and still be a way off the ideal number. I asked for a setup to factory settings as I had uneven wear on the rear tyres and CG will look to reach the perfect set up rather than just inside the tolerances. He must be confident as he will slam on the brakes from high speed with hand off the wheel.....interesting !
i had a boxster 2004 plate then a 2006 new shape and now since november finally a c4 cab 996 and i can say i would never want any other car than mine or a newer one !! mind you i have test driven a new 997 and cant find much in it other than newness !!! so im afraid either something aint right with your car or you should be in a vauxhall[] im interested to know how many people with any 911 would want to give them up by choice !
] im interested to know how many people with any 911 would want to give them up by choice !
So does my Boxster (although I usually chicken out at 150 - roof down... [8D])
My C2 with hood down at 165 on the autobahn was steady as a rock and with the wind deflector in place, not too turbulent either!
Paul James
New member
I remember doing 140mph with my BMW 330Ci, top down on the erm... err... Autobahn... kind of (lol)! It was really soft, a bit like a boat really. Do that again in the 996 C4 and its more like a train pounding away.
A really awesome car at high speeds.
A really awesome car at high speeds.
I'm glad to hear more good news on how a Porsche should handle on a motorway. Hopefully I will get mine sorted with a few adjustments.[] Ian, in other cars I do hold the steering wheel lightly and trust the car to just keep driving straight, but in my C4s I just feel that if I don't hold the steering hard the car feels like the wind wants to blow it straight into another lane. Before anyone thinks that I must be driving to fast when it is windy, I don't and do see lots of other cars driving past me at faster speeds and steadier.[]
The way I approach bends and roundabout is to brake hard before I have to turn the steering wheel, then apply very gentle, even pressure on the accelerator whilst driving through the bend then accelerate when car is straight. Does this sound ok or should I be adopting a different driving style?
] Ian, in other cars I do hold the steering wheel lightly and trust the car to just keep driving straight, but in my C4s I just feel that if I don't hold the steering hard the car feels like the wind wants to blow it straight into another lane. Before anyone thinks that I must be driving to fast when it is windy, I don't and do see lots of other cars driving past me at faster speeds and steadier.[]The way I approach bends and roundabout is to brake hard before I have to turn the steering wheel, then apply very gentle, even pressure on the accelerator whilst driving through the bend then accelerate when car is straight. Does this sound ok or should I be adopting a different driving style?
garyw
Moderator
Sounds about right, [
] I sometimes overbrake prior and find myself on the gas gently going into the bend, seems to lift the car and aid in grip throughout the bend and out.Remember the piece of string on the steering wheel and that is the flow to the loud pedal as you turn off the lock.- unless your showboating [
]I think this goes for all cars and not just 996/911.
Trying to get the front steady is my usual aim, I think we're all aware how they can be a little light and bobby at times.
garyw
topgear253
New member
Just my four penneth worth, the same as other guys are saying. After I bought my 996, I drove it home on the motorway and it was all over the place the same as you describe. Like you, I was surprised and disappointed. Then my Dad suggested the tracking, after some research I went to Chris Franklin at Centre Gravity and he tracked it back to standard Porsche settings and the difference was amazing. It sat perfectly on the road and the feeling of twitchyness had gone completely. I would do what someone else suggested and either get someone like Chris to drive it, or try to drive someone elses for comparison. For the record my car runs on Michelin Pilot Sports which are great, nice grip and quiet.
Hi tirfor, I have a 2003 C4S and my car is fitted with Conti tyres. I have found that my car is sensitive to tread depth, particularly at the front end. A few months ago, my car started to run wide on slow wet bends, sometimes disconcertingly so. The front tyres were still well above the legal limit but I was advised on this forum to change the tyres, which I did, and the front end grip improved significantly. Having said this, as everyone has already said, the 911 is a car with unique handling characteristics. You cannot throw it into a bend in the hope you can sort it out mid-bend if it goes wrong; smooth in and power out unless you're a driving god which most of us aren't. The floaty/twitchy feeling at the front end at speed in cross wind conditions is something you learn not to fight. This may be heresy on this forum but the 911 is not the best handling car on the block. If you want a car to go round corners at lunatic speeds with minimum effort, go buy an Evo. The 911 is a car that satisfies on a different level
bobafett
New member
Ill add my bit hear, i think i know where you are comming from, and it stems from "feel"
When i first started out on the Porsche path, i have had many cars before, all great cars. Most of the cars have not got the feel of the Porsche, they have numb steering and far less sharp, which keeps you cosetted from the road. Yes the front does Bob and feel light and somtimes makes you wonder, but keeps gripping the faster you go, try it!!!
The steering is constantly talking to you, and is not to everyones liking, certanly not to my wife's who states its hard work and does not feel safe and secure!!!
Its taken me a bit of time to like the Porsche experience and at the end of the day if you want a car that isolates you from the tarmac, they may not be for you. I do know what you mean, i have other cars that just get you from A to B with no drama, but i like drama!! BMW's, Merc's and Lexus's belt up the motorway with the driver having 1 finger on the wheel to steer, over-asisted and numb i say, but my wife likes that!!!
Its really hard to put into words, i have tryed, but i do know what you mean. Yes a geometry set up makes a big difference though I am not sure tyres will, as some are saying, its just the Porsche thingy really.
When i first started out on the Porsche path, i have had many cars before, all great cars. Most of the cars have not got the feel of the Porsche, they have numb steering and far less sharp, which keeps you cosetted from the road. Yes the front does Bob and feel light and somtimes makes you wonder, but keeps gripping the faster you go, try it!!!
The steering is constantly talking to you, and is not to everyones liking, certanly not to my wife's who states its hard work and does not feel safe and secure!!!
Its taken me a bit of time to like the Porsche experience and at the end of the day if you want a car that isolates you from the tarmac, they may not be for you. I do know what you mean, i have other cars that just get you from A to B with no drama, but i like drama!! BMW's, Merc's and Lexus's belt up the motorway with the driver having 1 finger on the wheel to steer, over-asisted and numb i say, but my wife likes that!!!
Its really hard to put into words, i have tryed, but i do know what you mean. Yes a geometry set up makes a big difference though I am not sure tyres will, as some are saying, its just the Porsche thingy really.
I agree with Bobafett. I would not say i am the worlds best driver, however i have every bit of confidence in my 996 C4, I use to have a Caterham 7 which handled well, no traction control etc, it was like a Go Kart however the Porsche i feel i can really drive hard and is best round twisty roads, somtimes you think it is not handling well and notice that the speed you are doing is far higher than you thought, normaly you can tell when you have some idoit in a boy racer Saxo, Clio etc trying to race you and you notice how you can enter and exit bends worlds apart from even the keenly driven Chavs.
Get it checked out if no better do a track day with instruction, these are great cars handling machines.
Phil
Get it checked out if no better do a track day with instruction, these are great cars handling machines.
Phil
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