Performance Add-ons

I am considering a peformance package from a reputable shop for my '02 twin turbo. It is about 20 grand and will increase horsepower to approx 550. Includes headers, new exhaust, sway bars, etc.

My question is, does this type of work devalue the car? I have driven the same car with these mods and the handling etc is greatly improved - definately faster too.

 

devalue? probably not, unless it is really poorly done.

it will a) be a sunk cost, meaning you're not likely to get the money back, and b) limit the marketability of the car when you do go to sell it.

 

Spot on.

 

Too much money for too little gain IMHO.

You should be pushing over 600 HP for that kind of cake. Done about 6-7 engines like this for customers in the past.

If I were you I'd stay with about a 100 HP increase to start with. All you'll need for that is an ECU flash, a BMC air filter, a new air box, new hoses, a sport exhaust system and diverter valves, no suspension work required IMHO......about $8K +/- installed. The difference will blow you away with 500 HP. The 600 HP cars are stupid fast (and dangerous IMHO if you've never been there before) and best experienced after you've had some time at the 500 HP level. And if this advice is coming from a guy like me who's seen and driven it all 1,000 times over you can believe it. I am not judging your driving abliity.......just sayin'......my first few hours with one spooked even me.

Devalue the car ??? No........get your money back ???.....maybe 1/4 to 1/3 of it. Is it worth it.......oh yeah !!!!

 

kds speaks the truth...$20k on a 996 tt should buy you closer to 650 hp on race gas. you are getting ready to pay too much for too little.

 

The OP lists suspension mods in his number, and I can't see adding 50% more power to a car without also modifying the suspension and brakes...

 

your car will be as fast as these!!!
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZRRIgjteLTE&feature=player_embedded

 

Well, I get asked question like yours all the time, first thing I ask is why are you doing it? Do you race, do you own a runway, or do you just want to be able to say my car has xxxhp and I have a bigger xxxx than you do. Sorry no offence meant but after 35 plus years doing mods I have found other ways to get my thrills, but I still own the last two (a gallardo and 997S) that I did work on, but they spend more time on charger these days than on the road. First of all I owned a couple cars like yours and yes it was done up, first thing I did was turn it to RWD (it beacame a real car sports car then), second thing change suspension, and then turn of the traction control. I changed the turbos and chipped the car and then did what at that time was be called piggyback to over boost to 1.2 It was a monster but 95% of what it could do was never used. If you just do a couple things i mentioned (like RWD and Suspension) you will find the car feels and srives much better and it might give you what you need without spending 20k (which you will never ger back and is insane on a car worth 40) which is way too much to spend on that car. I have lost 100's of thousads over the years on cars and I suggest you listen to what has been said here, it is good advise. Good luck whatever you decide

 

Morrie:

I AM listening..that is why I asked the questions in the first place. I have owned a lot of cars. I have ALWAYS been disappointed in their performance. I just wanted to build one that was so crazy fast that it scared the living hell out of me. I just had no idea if I would be ruining this car - which is absolutely pristine right now. Now, you admit that you have pursued the same thing in the past...........I am not searching for bragging rights. Maybe I ought to choose a different car for my project. I see that the shop was overcharging me from your posts, but they were including suspension alterations, coil overs, sway bars, headers, fabspeed exhaust, kkk24's, ecu upgrade, short shifterkit, DME control unit....by the way, they say that the new turbos are same as the X50 package on the GT2

 

FWIW......we never upgraded the suspensions on the 600 HP cars we did and they were just fine for street use.

 

ok ref suspension upgrades...anyone know if the kkk 24's are equal to or the same as the x50 package from Porsche??

 

Okay, keep in mind my current 997S was apart for 11 months had every bit of the chasis rebuilt in lightweight materials, and everything (all nannys are gone no traction controls, seats, steering wheel, shifter, body parts etc all replaced. Then the engine was worked and then supercharged, what to have is a car that does a under 11 sec 1/4 on street tires, that cost almost 250K to build, and is worthless to anyone but me. It will scare to crap out of 99% of the drivers out there and 95% would probably kill themselves in it. It was my 39th Porsche and my last and I wanted it special (it even has a 6" hand painted Grateful Dead symbol from the movie on the back) for me and me only. It is and it is close to impossible to keep on the road in anything but perfect weather. I have been lucky to have been able to own build and drive some great machines, but the fever has finnaly left me and as much as I still enjoy my cars at times, my 6 year old twins and the amazing (and very beautiful) women who came into my life and far more important. My advise buy a vette that someone has already done up, they are fast and can scare the crap out of you since you never know when they are at the limit. Have fun, but stay safe, I have learned the hard way it is not that big a leap from scary to insanity.

 

Those irresponsible lunatics should have taken that activity to a real drag strip rather than spray paint a start line onto a public road and go racing with bus stops, trees, and bystanders to hit.

Bad video.

Sincerely,
Andrew.

 

Hey 50hdmc, make sure to check out Fabspeed.com for all of our performance packages available that can make 609+ HP and 667+ Ft Lbs of Torque increase, all with bolt on upgrades. We have some great products that will comply with emissions, warranty and are covered by our Lifetime warranty. It will really wake the car up and just make it feel like a totally different machine, like your looking for. PM or email me at [email protected] if you have any questions. Check out our 996TT page for more info. http://www.fabspeed.com/996TT_X50_GT2.html

thanks,

 

550 hp is not going to be very scary in a 996 turbo. If it is RWHP you are starting to get there, but you'll get used to it faster than you can imagine. And I agree, a bump to 550 should be way cheaper than $20K in a car that is already turbocharged.

I have about 550 rwhp in my 2001 Viper GTS and you have to be careful, but I'd gladly take more power.

Look at as spent money, no matter how you slice it, as the mods will devalue the car to all but a few people, and the few who are interested will know that mods reduce relibility and make service an issue, as many mechanics throw their hands in the air when asked to work on a hotrodded car.

bottom line, I'd do it incrementally - a few items that can be added to later, such as ECU reflash and exhaust

 

first things first the single most desirable thing about the 996tt is that it's the perfect car to modify and get stupid, usable power cheaply; the metzer engine block is overbuilt and the car came came from factory detuned and people are discovering that. it's become the platform of choice of all those guys that had supras (and now many vipers and corvettes) that want to modify their cars. before you spend a dime, a single dime, you should sign onto 6speedonline and read the last 100 pages of threads posted on the 996tt. all the themes repeat themselves and you don't need to read further. here are some thoughts:

1. no disrespect to carnut but i wouldn't buy a corvette and i wouldn't switch the car to a 2 wheel drive. if you make the power modifications and then make it into a 2 wheel drive the car will scare you and the power won't be as usable. for sure if it rains you won't want to drive it fast. my suggestion is that keep it all-wheel drive first and then switch it to rear wheel (it's not difficult and no extra parts needed and you'll shed 125 lbs) if you decide you want the car to handle differently.

2. don't buy the package the shop is selling you: anyone trying to sell you headers for a 996tt doesn't know what they're doing. don't buy the k24 turbos they're selling you -- they're dated, don't buy new sway bars -- the turbo sway bars are stout enough. you get the idea.

3. this is the sequence i would take in modifying the car: find some other shop than the one you're dealing with, coilovers (3k) first, then intake filter and DV's (500 dollars) , exhaust (1.5k) and tune (1k), then new turbos and 5bar fpr (3k) and clutch (2k) and then last inter-coolers (1k).

you're welcome to pm me. i did what you're thinking about doing one year ago and researched this thing to death.