The Porsche 996, when it first hit the streets, marked a major change from the platform that had preceeded it – the styling was different as were a number of other things. While the values of the 993 P-cars have shot through the roof, its successor, the Porsche 996 has become a surprisingly affordable, seriously capable performance car. Not to mention, being more affordable, it also means that it’s becoming a lot more mod-friendly.
As we’ve become more and more familiar with the platform as we’ve modded Co-Founder Ron Hay’s Porsche 996 Twin Turbo, we figured there was no better time to put together a tech piece on modding the 996.
In this piece we’ll be covering some of the best basic mods to make your 996 a bit more eye catching and more fun to drive. After all, you’ve got a Porsche that was made to be driven, not a one-off museum piece, so why not have fun with it like the good Dr. Porsche intended?
While most Porschephiles are well-versed trackrats that know the minutia of the car and aren’t afraid to get pedantic about it, there are also quite a few newcomers scene, so we’ll try and keep it interesting while also simple enough that everyone can understand.
From the outset, we’ve got a few basic tips regarding how to get the most performance gain out of the car, relative.
If you have a 996 Turbo, then the car will respond great to exhaust mods, intakes, tune etc and can lay down some serious horsepower – and we’ll get into that in detail later. If you have a non-turbo 996, most of the performance modifications aren’t going to give you a lot of horsepower, but instead you’ll get more out of the car with suspension mods, wheels and tires and weight savings.
With that, let’s get into the Best Mods for the Porsche 996.
#1 – Wheels
The tires and wheels for Porsche 996 have a huge impact on the car both stylistically and in terms of performance. The stock wheels are kinda bland, and switching to an aftermarket wheel can end up saving a good bit of weight. Believe it or not, the wheels of your car have a huge impact on how the car looks and no modded car looks complete on a set of stock wheels. So why keep driving around with what EVERYONE ELSE has? Porsche’s about exclusivity as much as anything else, and there’s nothing exclusive about having the same wheels as your Dentist.
See what we mean about the difference in look? Replacing the stock wheels with a set of handsome aftermarket wheels has a huge visual impact on the car.
What’s more, the tires that you equip play just as big a part if not moreso in the performance of your Porsche, after all, the car can only grip as well as the tires let it, so be sure to consider a fresh set of tires to go with whatever new rolling stock you end up selecting.
The Porsche 997 above is on HRE FF01s in Tarmac finish. Though this is the newer 997 platform, these wheels look great on either generation. HRE Performance Wheels has long been a favorite of Porsche enthusiasts, and their new Flow Form line of wheels are a great option.
Forgestar F14 wheels are a favorite of ours, because every set is unique – and the style looks good on damn near anything with the right color choice. Case in point the black 996 Twin Turbo Cabriolet seen here with a set of Piano Black Forgestar F14 Wheels.
Thanks to their lightweight and strong rotary form construction, Forgestar offers a lightweight wheel that’s strong enough for daily driver use and rugged enough for track duty, check out a set of Forgestar F14 wheels for Porsche, seen above in Matte Black on a road race 996.
Forgestar CF10 Gunmetal 19×9 / 19×12 Hankook RS3 235/35-19 / 305/30-19
Another great looking option are Forgestar CF10 wheels for Porsche 996, seen above on a Porsche 996 GT3. With its dynamic 10-spoke design, it evokes a LeMans racer kind of look that’s perfect for widebody 996s. The straight multispoke design goes especially well with Turbos, Carrera 4S Widebody and GT3 996 models.
Ruger M590 19×8.5 / 19×11 Brushed Grigio on Porsche 996 Turbo
If you’re after a classically euro kind of look with your wheels, check out a set of Ruger wheels for Porsche 996. These handsome wheels are available in a wide variety of custom finishes and the concave face creates a really great look, as seen on the 996TT above.
Ruger Mesh Wheels in Matte Black on Porsche 996
If you’re into the matte black look, Ruger Mesh wheels are available in matte black as well – black tends to disappear in most photos but can make an excellent contrast on a bright colored car – like Silver, White or Red.
If you love the GT2 look, check out a set of GT2 RS Style Wheels for Porsche. These offer that GT2 look at a fraction of the pricetag and these wheels look great on nearly any 996.
Whatever wheel is your style, with a rear engine car like a Porsche and with the unique 5×130 bolt pattern, don’t trust the local tire store, cos they’ll likely screw up the fitment and finish of your wheels – talk to our Mod Experts, give us a call at 714-582-3330 and get expert advice on the best fitment for your style, taste and budget.
#2 Suspension
Ron‘s Porsche 996 Turbo on Forgestar F14 Wheels with Airrex Air Suspension System
Even on a Porsche, there’s still some wheelgap that can keep the car’s stance from looking as good as it could, and the handling of your Porsche can be improved even further with the right suspension upgrades.
There are several different methods for lowering your Porsche 996 out there, so we’ll be doing a quick recap of what’s available.
The most common methods are Lowering Springs, Coilovers and Air Suspension. We’ll start with the simplest of the three – lowering springs for the Porsche 996 Suspension.
If you want to keep things on the closer-to-stock side, Sport Springs or Lowering Springs are a great way to do that. Vogtland Springs for Porsche 996 Carrera will lower your 996 1.2 inches both front and rear and lowers the center of gravity. Vogtland Springs are specifically tuned for comfort while also lowering the car and improving handling. If you’re looking for a conservative spring, Vogtland is just what you want.
Porsche 996 on Ruger 5 Satin Silver Wheels on Eibach Pro-Kit Springs for Porsche 996
Another great option for most daily drivers is a set of Eibach Pro-Kit Springs for Porsche 996, which drop the car and improve handling without significantly impacting ride quality, and also offers a slightly sportier feel than Vogtland. Eibach is a middle of the road compromise as sport springs go, balanced for comfort and handling. Available for Carrera and Turbo models, these springs drop the car .8in for most 996s and 1.2in for C2 models.
Eibach Springs are fairly comfortable, but don’t let that fool you, they’re still quite capable of trackday performance, as seen on the white GT3 below.
Now let’s say you want something sportier and firmer than the “goldilocks” feel of Eibachs.
Forgestar CF10 Gunmetal 19x85et45 19x11et52 on 02 Porsche Carrera 4S [996] on H&R Springs
If you’re looking for a sportier, firmer ride, check out a set of Sport Springs from H&R. H&R Sport Springs are the sportier option for Sport Springs, typically riding slightly stiffer than Eibachs and offer a 1.2in front and rear drop as well.
H&R Sport Springs for Porsche 996 are available for Carrera 2, Carrera 4, 4S and of course 911 Turbo, offering a drop of 1.25in front and rear on Carrera 2’s, and 1in drop on all Carrera 4 and 4S models as well as 911 Turbos.
While lowering springs do deliver the drop most drivers are after, you have to consider the fact that lowering springs don’t offer any sort of adjustment, and installing a set of coilovers takes the same amount of effort as installing a set of lowering springs.
That’s why if your 996 has more than 50,000 miles on it, the OEM shocks are donezo anyways, so swapping out to a set of coilovers to both lower the car and replace the shocks all at the same time becomes a surprisingly fiscally sound option. Check out some of the Coilovers available for the 996:
Coming in at just over $1150 USD (as of press time, prices subject to change), a set of BC Racing Coilovers for Porsche 996 is shockingly affordable and one of the few parts on the market exempt from the “Porsche Tax”. These 30 way adjustable coilovers offer a ton of bang for the buck at a fraction of what the next closest option costs.
A set of H&R Street Performance Coilovers for Porsche 996 are another popular option among Porsche enthusiasts. These offer fewer adjustments than the BC Coilovers but do come with the history and pedigree of the H&R name, you can trust these are high quality coilovers. However, we should caution you that H&R Coilovers tend to ride a bit stiffer than other coilovers on the market, so keep this in mind when making your coilover purchasing decision.
H &R Coilovers are available for every variant of the 996 platform, making them an excellent option.
Bilstein Coilovers are also a popular option, like the Bilstein PSS9s fitted to the 996 above. Bilsteins are a motorsports-oriented part, but reputedly the PSS9 offers outstanding handling without taking away from the ride quality.
Last but not least, if you want the most performance out of your suspension, look no further than a set of OHLINS Coilovers for Porsche 996. Ohlins Suspensions‘ Road And Track coilovers have all the features you want for a road race car, with full adjustments, dual flow valves and a variety of features only found on top-tier coilovers.
Last but not least, of course we offer KW Coilovers for Porsche 996 from fully adjustable V3s and to track-ready KW Clubsport Coilovers – the Clubsports are an especially great idea if you daily drive your 996 but still want to be ready for track day weekends.
Many Porsche Enthusiasts claim that KW V3s or OEM X73 coilovers offer the best ride quality of any of the coilovers on the market for the 996, but like anything related to “feel”, it’s subjective.
Whatever option you decide on, Lowering Springs or Coilovers are a solid choice for dropping your 996.
However, if you want to be able to raise and lower your 996 to look its best everywhere you go, ON DEMAND, there’s only one way to go: Air.
Air Suspension like AirRex Air Suspension Systems for Porsche is the only way you can change your ride height in real time, on the fly. While your author doesn’t have air suspension, now we’ll defer to someone who does.
Here’s what ModBargains Cofounder Ron had to say about his experience:
“The more I drive in Los Angeles, the more I realize how unfriendly the road and driveways are, no matter what angle or speed you take them at. The only way around it, was to have something I could adjust ride height wise on the fly.
I’ve enjoyed a lot of suspension systems over time, I recently wrote about BC’s on my C63, and my stock Porsche suspension was seriously lacking. I opted for anAirRex Air Suspension System. It was something of a controversial decision, but let me explain why I went this route:
First off, I wanted to be able to have that slammed lock when I was parked, but I also didn’t want to damage my vehicle especially if I change out the front bumper or front lip as I plan to do.”
“I’d figured out that AirRex would stand up to the ride height challenge of the streets of LA, but there was the big question of whether or not I would lose performance with Air Suspension on a Porsche. The common thinking is that air suspension doesn’t handle well, and that’s not necessarily the case. Airrex is actually a full coilover with their own air management system, if anything, it is one of the few- if not only- true complete Air Suspension kits out there, others are a hodge-podge mix of Frankensteined parts trying to work together.
You’ll never see those hodgepodge systems in racing applications for those reasons, yet AirRex was
the exact opposite, the encouraged it to be on a racing circuit. They encouraged the performance minded individual; performance is actually improved in dropping unsprung weight as less weight is needed in the suspension arm as there is no spring, just the air bag -which is extremely durable.”
Now about the installation, with an Air system, there’s a lot more plumbing and work that has to happen to get it installed, and that’s more labor than you’d see with a coilover or spring, though that’s to be expected.
How was the installation? Here’s what Ron had to say about that:
“Install wise, is one of the most straight forward, easiest air suspensions for a vehicle, about an approx. 1-1.5 day install, rather than 4-5 days for air suspension like it’d take with other brands.
I should mention that I did need new adjustable sway bar end links (especially with the movement I was going to allow for the coilovers), which the guys at Whiteline were able to supply for me, their Sway Bar Endlinks fit perfectly with no issues at all (looked pretty cool too).
Some things to note, based on lots of our experience here with air suspension, figuring out the normal ride height is critical in making the proper adjustment. Without a spring, you don’t want the air bag to be overly inflated; you want some play with it. Head tech Dave at our ModAuto is a master at figuring it all out. Once we dialed that in, at the normal drive height I wanted it. The rest was adjustment on the dampening. That required me to go out for a few drives with the car, to set it my preferences. So after a couple spirited driving, I found myself stiffening the rear a bit, and softening the front a bit, everyone will have their own choice, but to make the adjustment is simple, just turn of the knob and that’s it.
The other great thing about air suspension, is how quickly corner balancing could be done here at ModAuto, wasn’t a long process like it would be for the traditional coilover. I set up my 3 settings, very easy, setting 1 – Lowest to the ground for parking mode, 2 – Regular driving mode, & 3 – Raised Mode/Valet/Wife borrowing the car mode so that it doesn’t get messed up. Then after corner balance it was an alignment at
setting 2 (my regular driving mode). Car is ready to go.
So how does the car feel? Once I setup the suspension the way I wanted it, surprisingly well. It’s not as rough as some of the vehicles I’ve been in. I won’t say it’s in the area of high end coilovers like a 5-8K kit like Ohlins might offer, but it is pretty much in line with a coilover that runs 2-3K generally. Comfort is there but most importantly the convenience is amazing. Every time someone is in the car and I raise or lower it they are blown away, even the valet guys just go crazy, and ask me to always park it up front, and lowered to the ground which I’ll oblige with. So the extra features for me are really worth it, I really get the convenience of having it all and a suspension that is better than the stock one from Porsche.
So, where did Ron put the Air Management system and reservoir in the car, you might be wondering?
See, AirRex comes with a premade box for all vehicles, which is really awesome of them, but for the Porsche, unfortunately it won’t fit, since on rear engine Porsches, we have that tiny luggage bonnet (aka the FRUNK). What we ended up doing was the custom job option that they offer, and so we removed the unnecessary wheel donut area, and created our own location for it. Since Ron would be both displaying his 996 at shows as well as putting the car through daily driver use, we had to figure out some kind of solution to keep the car as usable as possible. Ron came up with the idea of a dual purpose enclosure for the Airrex system, a version for carrying luggage, and one with a illuminated window for show use. Ron went with an OEM luggage kind of look to suite the factory Porsche kind of personality the car still has.
Whatever you decide, any of these options are great options for your 996.
Have questions about how to best set up the suspension of your Porsche 996? Consult our Mod Experts for their advice at 714-582-3330, chat live at ModBargains.com or stop by the ModAuto showroom in La Habra, CA and talk to our experts in person.
After addressing the ride height, handling and wheels of your Porsche, now it’s time to discuss another critical factor: How it sounds.
Which brings us to #3.
#3 Exhaust
On a Porsche, your exhaust really creates the character of the car, helps give it that signature flat six sound – not just that, but upgrading your exhaust can mean significant weight reduction and significant increases in power. However, if you choose the wrong exhaust system, you can create a scenario where you don’t like driving your Porsche, you know, the activity the car was designed for.
The “Headache Maker” Exhaust
To drive this point home, here’s a little story from Co-Founder Ron about the exhaust of his personal Porsche 996 Turbo:
“I bought my 996TT already equipped with an aftermarket Exhaust. When I first got it, I thought it sounded great, and it did sound good… in small doses. It’s nice deep and loud, gives off that “German” sound that the Porsche has. However, there were some days when I got caught in traffic, and the drone that this particular aftermarket exhaust produced was just mind numbing. I’d get to work or get to my destination with a massive headache coming on, it was horrible.
Generally, my car is just a weekend car so I didn’t mind it too much, when I took anyone in the Porsche with that aftermarket exhaust, say, a date (or anyone for that matter), as soon as we were in the car, we’d end up yelling to hear each other inside the car. Couldn’t hold a conversation.
Eventually, my dates just said, “please don’t ever drive this car again, it’s giving me a headache.” ”
Yikes. As any gentleman does on a date, you hope to impress – and it’s hard to do that when the car itself is a headache inducer. That’s why it’s important you listen to sound clips and decide what sound level is right for you.
Velocity AP/Kline Innovation Catted X-Pipe Exhaust System for Porsche 996 Turbo before Install
So the right exhaust was a must, luckily Ron’s search lead him to a company we were working with. Velocity AP(also the makers of Kline Exhausts). They understood the requirements of what Ron wanted out of his next exhaust system.
“I needed a system that had the performance that I want, quality, but a lot less drone, and if I had my choice, a more exotic sound. VelocityAP sent me over the very first system, which we debuted the day after receiving it from the UK, at the California Speed Festival. My first drive in it was an hour that morning to get to the show. Getting into the car with no expectations, I set off for the hour-long drive out.”
“After just an hour, what a difference! The sound is still distinctly German, but it’s got that “Exotic Car” rasp you hear in today’s supercars, much less like a WWII-era Panzer Tank like it was with the old exhaust. Best of all, the inside cabin drone is kept to a minimum, meaning I could again listen to the radio and music and HEAR it. Drone was DRAMATICALLY reduced. (That was nice, since I had just updated the Audio on the aging 996TT right before the show.) While it’s not totally drone free, the little drone that occurs is MUCH more subdued and far less intrusive. Velocity AP made a great system, build quality is fantastic, as you’d expect, since Velocity AP is known for using latest build techniques from tig welding to Inconel exhausts, fitment was great didn’t take long for the install, and the sound was refined, tuned and most importantly without horrid drone. With the Velocity AP Exhaust, I can DRIVE my car again.” – Ron
The Velocity AP/Kline Exhaust for Porsche 996 is available catted or catless, Ron opted for the 100cpsi Catted version, since it’s daily driven and nobody is going to impress a date rolling up with the car stinking of unburnt fuel (…unless your date’s into that.)
As Ron can tell you, Drone can really ruin your 996.
One of the best sounding systems on the market comes from AWE Tuning. The AWE Tuning Performance Exhaust for Porsche 996 Turbo models is good for a whalloping gain of 30hp and 29tq, and with AWE’s attention to detail with tuning the sound, this exhaust system is going to be one that won’t give you a headache from the drone. As we said before, the exhausts have a huge impact on the visual appearance of your rear end, and the tips on the AWE system look great.
Delivering Max Gains of 30hp and 29tq, this system delivers a power gain you’ll definitely feel in the driver’s seat.
AWE Tuning backs up their claims with meticulously-detailed dyno graphs and data, verifying the net gain of 23hp and 12tq across the powerband.
If you’re after a louder, more race oriented tone, check out the Max-Flo Exhaust for Porsche 996 Turbo from Fabspeed. Good for a potent claimed +40hp gain on a stock 996TT (+55 on a modded 996TT), these bespoke systems from Fabspeed really alter the character – and the volume – of the car. With 200CPSI sport cats, this exhaust doesn’t stink and won’t trip your check engine light.
The lightweight construction of the Fabspeed Maxflo exhaust offers a whopping 25lb weight reduction over the stock system.
The Fabspeed Maxflo Exhaust for Carrera is no slouch either, offering a 12whp / 10tq gain and a 7lb weight reduction over stock.
If a quieter tone is more your thing, check out the Remus Exhaust with Race Cats for 996 Porsche 911 Turbo/GT2. Remus Exhaust is an OEM manufacturer for BMW and Audi for their exhaust components, so their systems tend to be conservative, but fit great and are built to last, like the OEM parts are.
With a deep throaty sound and a moderate 10-15WHP gain across the rev band, the Remus Exhaust for 996 Porsche 911 Turbo is a conservative way to get a bit more power without making the car much louder. Of the systems here, this is likely the quietest.
#4. Intake
Since we’ve addressed how the motor’s exhaling, it’s only natural that we’d look at how the motor’s breathing too – upgrading your Porsche 996 Intake can unlock another 10hp on non-turbo models and does wonders to sex up your engine bay. Not to mention the fact that a freer-breathing intake ALWAYS sounds better.
If you don’t have a turbo, say for instance a Porsche 996 GT3, this Fabspeed Carbon Fiber Cold Air Intake for Porsche 996 GT3, offering a 10hp / 7tq gain, it’s not that much power, but you get much more of that “Cup Car” sound with this intake and a huge aesthetic improvement.
Now let’s say you have a turbo model or GT2. The Fabspeed Performance Air Intake for Porsche 996 Turbo offers a much more potent gain of 20.5 horsepower and 21.7 ft. lbs of torque.
Like their intake for non turbo models, this airbox also features some carbon fiber to dress up the engine bay as well.
For non-turbo models, there’s the Fabspeed Carbon Fiber Intake for Porsche 996 Carrera, good for a whopping 22hp gain – which is unheard of for a non-turbo car, not to mention it looks really sharp.
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Though we’re not really huge fans of K&N Intakes here, for the non-turbo guys the K&N Cold Air Intake for Porsche 911 and Carrera [996] 3.4 and 3.6 models isn’t the sexiest thing in the world, but it does offer a richer engine note and a claimed 23hp/22tq gain, couple this with an IPD plenum and you have some of the cheapest horsepower to be had for the non-turbo 996.
As we were just starting to say, the airbox isn’t even the whole story with power gains on the 996 – ESPECIALLY turbo models, but both turbo and non turbo cars get HUGE power gains out of this single part. Surprisingly, one of the biggest gains for the car is to fit it with an IPD Plenum Intake.
This plenum replaces the inefficient T-shaped intake manifold with this Y-shaped plenum intake manifold, and despite its simplicity it offers amazing power gains. The T-shaped intake robs your car of a ton of power, that’s why JUST THIS PLENUM nets a gain of 30-40HP and 40-45TQ. That’s nothing to sneeze at. See for yourself on the dyno sheet below. That’s what makes the IPD Plenum Intake for Porsche 996 Turbo such a “must have” part.
Check out the results, verified by running the car on the same dyno 3 days apart. Those gains aren’t anything to scoff at.
If you have a non-turbo Porsche 996 like a Carrera, the plenum still nets you a massive gain of 24HP and 22TQ, making this single part one of the biggest power gains available to you, so if you have a non-turbo Porsche and want more power, at under a grand for another 24WHP, it’s a steal as far as Porsche Performance parts go, so grab an IPD Plenum Intake for Porsche 996 Carrera/Carrera S models.
Whether you’re turbo or non-turbo, with a performance intake and plenum upgrade for your Porsche 996 Intake, you’ll be bolting on the better part of 40HP or more. Talk to our Mod Experts to see what options are available for your car, call us at 714-582-3330 or chat live at ModBargains.com
#5 Performance & Power Mods
Now that we’ve handled the intake, exhaust, suspension and wheels, let’s talk about performance. As we said at the beginning, the biggest difference you’ll feel is weight reduction, as most of the power parts don’t offer that great of a return on investment for NON TURBO 996s, so simple mods like removing the tire and spare saves 20lbs, a lighter weight flywheel saves 15lbs, rear wiper delete saves another 5, you can save another 25-50lbs on exhaust components alone.
With the 996, there are a few things to be aware of that need attention, namely the IMS Bearing, which if hasn’t been done, needs to be for your peace of mind to know your motor’s not a ticking time bomb. Further “Get This From Porsche” mods are a GT2 clutch slave and the 997 shifter, which has a shorter throw than the 996.
While we’re on the topic of nagging things and your 996’s performance, believe it or not the best oil for the car really isn’t the Mobil 1 European Blend that the oil cap says…
Using a true synthetic oil like MOTUL that satisfies Porsche A40 standards is the best way to go. Motul is the name many race teams trust and Co-Founder Ron swears by it.
“I’ve been running Motul 300v, which I’ve covered in other blog articles (link), again I think it’s the best choice if you are tracking or driving a weekend vehicle, car continues to run very strong with Motul, and I won’t be using anything else.” – Co-Founder/President Ron
The right oil will let the motor perform its best, so it’s important to get that part right.
Now that we’ve addressed the small things, there’s an important part of every turbocharged car that should be upgraded if you want more power out of the car – the intercooler – or in the case of the 996TT, IntercoolerS, PLURAL. The OEM intercoolers are a bit undersized for the job they have to do, and can get overwhelmed and heat soaked at higher performance levels.
One of the great intercooler options on the market for the 996TT comes from Wagner Tuning, and this is the system Co-founder Ron has in his own 996.
“When I decided to upgrade my intercoolers, I went with Wagner Tuning’s Intercooler Kit, I am hugely impressed with the level of engineering and quality that these guys from Germany are producing. I am pretty sure they are by now the largest intercooler manufacturer, whom I know have the latest and greatest technology behind their products. Having met the owner and seen the fitment here on multiple different vehicles, I’ve come to realize they have the know-how and experience. Building for professional race cars to every day vehicles, again I went with their intercooler, which can easily support the car up to 800HP!” – Ron
As Ron said, WT’s intercoolers are rated to 800HP, and feature a minimal-pressure-drop end tank design, offer a total 7,029CM3 of core volume and are a direct-fit replacement for the OEM intercoolers, meaning that they bolt up just like stock.
Wagner’s not the only game in town for the 996 Turbo, though. AWE Tuning Performance Intercoolers for Porsche 996 Turbo offer similar fitment and performance, but from the trusted AWE Tuning Brand, and of course, this means it has hundreds of hours of testing, ensuring a maximum performance part.
Forge Motorsport also offers a higher performance intercooler set as well. The Forge Motorsport Intercooler Kit for Porsche 996TT isn’t as nicely finished as the other systems but delivers a 32*f reduction in air charge temps and a dyno-verified 15hp and whalloping 57TQ gain over stock.
Fabspeed Clubsport Intercoolers for the 996TT are another option as well.
Keeping the air charge cool will give you a bit more power right off the top but also ensure consistent performance pull after pull or for the duration of the drive on your favorite backroad.
After figuring out the intercoolers, it’s important to think about tuning the car’s ECU to match the go-fast parts fitted. Our friends at Cobb Tuning have turned their attention to the 996 and have released the Cobb AccessPORT V3 for Porsche 996 Turbo, which at $895 MSRP is the single least expensive tuning option for the Porsche 996, and its handheld tuner also makes it the best option available.
All of this is why we’ve bundled the AccessPORT with performance parts to create ModBargains Stage II Power Packages for Porsche 996 Turbo as well as ModBargains Stage III Power Packages for Porsche 996 Turbo to give you the greatest bang-for-the-buck for your Porsche-modding dollar.
The AccessPORT looks great mounted in the cabin and its extremely fast screen can show you all kinds of information from Boost Pressure to AFR and dozens of other sensors on its screen in real time.
Another option comes from across the pond from Velocity AP. Their Velocity AP Porsche 996 ECU Tuner, good for a 75HP / 74TQ Gain when used with a performance exhaust system. Each customer receives a handheld programmer device to install the tune, and each customer receives an individually custom-written ECU tune file, delivered via email from Velocity AP.
Fabspeed’s ECU Tune for the Porsche 996 Turbo increases power by 78 whp and 90 ft-lbs of torque. This one’s more of a pain in that you must remove your ECU and mail it to Fabspeed, but is the “old guy on the block” and a reliable tune many people have been using for years.
Beyond the ECM, then there’s the recirc valves/blow-off valves on your 996. The OEM Valves can leak boost, especially at higher performance levels, so replacing them will allow for better response and consistent, fast-hitting boost. The Forge Motorsport Recirculation Valve for Porsche 911 is made from billet aluminum, and contains uprated springs that can withstand higher pressures and temperatures compared to stock, resulting in the elimination of boost leaks and spikes, improving performance and increasing horsepower and torque. A replacement silicone hose is also included to compliment the Forge Motorsport Recirculation Valve that is also capable of withstand a larger range of temperatures and pressures than the stock part.
With just a few simple bolt on Mods for Porsche 996, you can turn it from “just a 911” to a real supercar killer, allowing you to enjoy your Porsche to its full potential.
If you have questions about modifying your Cayman or Boxster, or aren’t sure how to best upgrade, we invite you to call our friendly, knowledgeable and enthusiastic Modification Experts at 714-582-3330 or chat live at www.modbargains.com, or you can even ask Co-Founder Ron himself about the mods he’s done to his 996.
Story & Select Photos by Nicholas Gregson
Special Thanks: PURIST Group