d56tuye

Email us with your Porsche opinions and the star
correspondence will receive a complimentary Wax
& Liquid Sample Box from detailers Angelwax,
featuring three different types of wax along with
a variety of cleaning liquids, wax applicators,
microfibre cloths and an air freshener.
Comfort spec?
Dear Sir,
I am almost embarrassed to ask this question. How
do I make my 996 Carrera 4S more comfortable?
I love the car’s looks, cobalt blue looks stunning,
but after two hours my hip hurts, my back aches
and my ears hurt from my wife complaining how
uncomfortable it is… help!
Alex Francis
I really do empathise with your sentiments
on the 996’s seats being extremely
uncomfortable. I too suffer in my hip and
lower back at the wheel of a 996 after around
90 minutes driving… it’s far from ideal.
Unfortunately I believe the 996 offers the
worst seats of any 911 in terms of comfort
and support. The 996’s Sports seats are a
little better for lateral hold over Comfort-spec
but that’s about it. I’d therefore recommend
swapping out for an aftermarket seat. I
appreciate that might not be the answer you’re
looking for, but it’s an option I’m certainly
looking at. As we’ve said previously in the
magazine, seat choice is crucial when buying/
speccing a 911. With the 996, it seems Porsche
uniformly got it wrong.
Should I get a warranty?
Dear Sir,
What’s your opinion on getting an extended
warranty on a 911 from an independent 911
specialist, for a 997.2 (4 GTS to be exact) with
about 36k miles on the clock? Are
there any known issues related
to a 997.2?
Adebanji Alabi
If it’s PDK, sometimes
the engine can suffer from
‘coking’ at the spark plugs
if the car has only been used
around the city (as the PDK in
normal mode changes up very
early). Although the 9A1 engine
doesn’t have the IMS bearing of
the 997.1’s M97 flat six, there
are still known issues, and as
it’s still a high-value car, we’d say
the warranty might be worth it for
extra peace of mind. Check what’s
included, and what isn’t.
WIN!
An Angelwax
Wax & Liquid
Sample Box
worth
£49.95
Ask the expert
Got a question for our
Porsche technician? Email
us editorial@total911.com
Scott
Gardner
Job title
Workshop manager
Place of work
Porsche Centre
Bournemouth, UK
Time at Porsche
13 years
Dear Sir,
I’m looking to buy a 997.1 and have read
a lot about over-revs (split down into
categories 1-6, with 4-6 being the most
extreme). From the outset I believe that
these cars are built to be driven hard so
I don’t mind some over-revs, but what’s
honestly the worst that could happen if a
reading of the ECU shows lots of category
4 and above over-revs? And what’s the
worst you’ve seen as a direct result of
constant over-revs?
Joe Lewis
These engines are designed to be driven
and enjoyed like you said, however they
are only designed to operate at maximum
permitted speeds and when driven
correctly/normally, these engine speeds
are not exceeded. Over-rev entries are
logged from operating error, for example
incorrect gear changes or modification/
tuning to the DME mapping.
I have seen a varied array of issues with
the M97 engines in 997s, but it is difficult
for me to correlate this against rev ranges.
If a car has been over-revved but is
running fine, no debris in the oil filter
and passes a compression and cylinder
leak-down test, then the engine has not
suffered as a result from being over-revved.
However, I have seen a few engines that
have been over-revved and metal swarf
has been found in the oil filter housing,
although as mentioned it’s difficult to
determine if this is a result from over-revs
or just a failed component.
A car with 100 rev ranges in range 6 may
go on and be absolutely fine… yet a car
that has ten rev ranges in range 4 may have
metal particulates in the oil, prematurely
wearing away its internals. It’s a difficult
one for me to say when asking what the
consequences are as a direct result from
constant over-revs.
15