Six-year Porsche 996 modifications review: money well spent?

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I've owned my Porsche 911 996.1 Carrera for six years and driven nearly 100,000 miles in that time. The car has also been extensively modified during that period, so how are the various maintenance and modification parts holding up? Here's a comprehensive review of all the new parts I've fitted to Little Irish during my ownership. Which parts were worth it, and which were not?
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[@MrCarrera28]

What about the bigger brake booster?

[@9WERKSTV]

Totally forgot about that! A great mod, absolutely love it and entirely worth while. Brakes are better on Little Irish than my 40th Anniversary, excellent pedal feel and stopping power.

[@yankee_911_guy]

It's wonderful someone like Lee loving his car for what it is and not wishing it was the next new model that everyone says you "must have"! Everyone that says the "Best Porsche" is the newest one you can afford is completely missing the point of being a car lover.

[@9WERKSTV]

Thank you, that's very nice of you to say. The best Porsche is the one with your name on the owner book.

[@richardsholl5977]

As per Lee, the best Porsche is the one you own.

[@stephennicholas4996]

Inspirational, I’ve done some of the same mods, the 997 seats are a game changer, built by basil gear knob and Dansk exhaust along with a single din PCCM Apple car play are all my fav things I have done so fat. Keep the vids coming. I’ve done 200k miles still going strong

[@Kenya_agron]

Really appreciate these videos discussing the maintenance and upkeep Lee. For guys like myself who like to work on our cars but are very novice mechanics, its great to learn and get ideas. Keep them coming!

[@9WERKSTV]

Thank you, and I will do!

[@christianpratt]

All very pleasing Lee - that car really is >your< car now… 😃

[@kevinneary2283]

Great video .As you always say these cars should be daily driven I have a old car that I drive daily and care little about and it never misses a beat ! My other cars don’t go far and have constant issues. Time to change my garage 👍

[@brentpowell7889]

Great video, just shows how robust these cars when maintained well 👍

[@kaifengwu6565]

One of the most tasteful 996s out there.

[@9WERKSTV]

That's most kind, thank you.

[@brianhimmelman420]

the mods are fantastic and make it special to you …. kudos

[@9WERKSTV]

Thanks Brian.

[@TobyD]

Love this video Lee. As you say, no one else does long term reviews on mods. Making me wish I’d kept my 996.1 with similar mods now! Top for me were those 997 seats, gundo mod exhaust, decent suspension, RSS engine mounts, lightweight wheels, and shorter shifter (with new OEM cables). Great cars to mod 😊

[@9WERKSTV]

Thank you Toby. 996s get stick for (among other things) always needing fettling, but the reality is all Porsches need feeding money to be run properly. Mods only add to the fun, and your 996.1 was a beauty!

[@marcusslade9804]

Terrific informational video, Lee. Having had my 01 C2 since new, I'm now less than 12 months away from it being eligible for "collector car" status here in British Columbia, the major benefit of which is to seriously drop your annual insurance premium. Cars have to be in excellent condition and also, vitally, original so no ducktail or Momo steering wheel for me. Love Little Irish.

[@9WERKSTV]

Thanks Marcus! Very cool to hear you've had your 996 from new. I bet there aren't many with a 20-year ownership story!

[@warrenlucier5796]

I've been using K&N air filters for decades in 4 vehicles, including the 2010 gen 2 Cayman S, and haven't had a problem with the mass air sensor and oil, as I don't over oil the filter and some must be doing that to have a problem or the failure was related to a different issue. Little Irish is looking good and hope you get many more smiles with her.

[@9WERKSTV]

Thank you for providing some consumer feedback, for the benefit of the community.

[@danb2145]

Recommendation is to get black textile woven phone cables, looks much more tidy! 😊

[@9WERKSTV]

Good idea

[@pbodensteiner]

@@9WERKSTV I have the 987 PCCM+ version and black woven cables with 90-degree ends do help clean it up a little bit, plus your hand doesn't hit the USB connector that is plugged into the head unit anymore (LHD car)

[@herme99]

I've had ppf on cars, I even had windscreen protection on my Exige, and it did save me from a replacement (dashboard out) windscreen. I find you get what you pay for. These days, my cars are not super valuable and I just roll with the stones. (2 windscreens last year, in 18,000 miles)

[@Aearonjer]

Love the steering wheel. Owned my car for five years, haven't used the radio once.

[@johnwilliams727]

Great vid, this type is so rare. Well done.

[@9WERKSTV]

Thank you.

[@enginharman8594]

Great video Lee. 👍

[@9WERKSTV]

Thank you.

[@saquibramday]

Fantastic car and well judged modifications Lee. Excited for the next 100K miles.

[@9WERKSTV]

Thanks mate!

[@lukejarvis1803]

Saw little Irish on the m25 the other day! Lovely car dude

[@9WERKSTV]

Thank you!

[@melbguy1]

Nice car. Personally I wouldn't mind a 997.2 911 Turbo manual. I'd do the following mods to that car...Kline Inconel exhaust, BMC Sports air filters, a mild dyno tune, MCS suspension, Surface Transforms rotors, Hel braided brake lines, Pagid brake pads, N-rated Michelin Pilot Sport S5 tyres, and a car audio upgrade incl: Kenwood SatNav (incl: rear camera).

[@dwarfyh32]

Mods are a personal thing but the car looks great and good to see everything holding up well to the age and mileage. The Mahle arms are clearly great quality and that will be of interest to most 996 owners.

[@9WERKSTV]

Thanks, the arms are MEYLE not Mahle, it's great to see these holding up well as they're much cheaper than via Porsche.

[@dwarfyh32]

@@9WERKSTV ​ah yes that is the brand. I did watch the original video but these days I cant remember what happened yesterday 🤣

[@Lou-f]

Done well 👍

[@jeremy56560]

Such a cool car.

[@Tonyip83]

Another Great vieo Lee! Keep up the good work. I absolutely love the look of little Irish. Can I ask Which brand /version of Fuchs did you go for? Im look at a set, and there are multiple versions out there?

[@9WERKSTV]

Thank you Tony. My wheels are genuine Fuchs, I got them via Paragon Porsche (approved UK dealer) but you can go to Fuchs direct. There are many imitation wheels out there but the look isn’t quite right in my opinion.

[@Tonyip83]

@9WERKSTV I thought so. They look spot on mate. Thanks for the swift reply. Looking forward to your next vid.

[@andygtv]

Great video and I am not even a Porsche fan👍

[@9WERKSTV]

Most kind, thank you.

[@porschenut9]

Very well executed Lee. What are the total miles on Little Irish today?

[@9WERKSTV]

Thank you, 168k and counting.

[@Thepowerofpurple]

My 996 is 227k 💪

[@gregm3023]

Good to see M96/97 cars with miles. GF’s 997.1S has 45K miles and my 996T 136K. Running gear is great in both cars. Its the minor stuff radiators, radiator fans, water pumps, window micro switches, suspension wear, etc that gets tiring/ expensive

[@JohnBaxendale]

172k on mine… ok, it’s KM’s rather than miles but it still counts, right? 😂

[@uk4pyc]

Best mod for your money - 30$ short shifter from aliexpress 👌

[@JohnBaxendale]

Curious what size those Michelin PS5’s are, 285/30 ZR18? I looked for a pair the other day and couldn’t find them! Great tip on the coilovers too, had been looking at Bilstein but looks like KW might be a better option 👍🏻

[@9WERKSTV]

265/35 on the rear and 225/40 up front. 285 is too much tire IMO.

[@Vonstroke]

Still waiting for the PCCM for the .2 gen.

[@JohnBaxendale]

For the 996.2? The current version works with that already, there’s a MOST adapter included with the kit.

[@Vonstroke]

@@JohnBaxendale No, I meant 997.

[@mattb4353]

I'd like to see this Ice blasted, I bet it would come up a treat.

[@9WERKSTV]

Me too!

[@NorwegianCarGuy]

Did you have rust problem on the B16 coils? Never heard about that?

[@9WERKSTV]

Yep! After one winter (PSS9s).

[@NorwegianCarGuy]

@9WERKSTV very surprised. Probably the most common option here in Norway. But I guess most people store the car in the winter salt

[@RealOlawo]

Why not washing the car before filming?