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NINEAUTO Porsche Service

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Tel: 03 9090 7522
Tel: 0407 325 878
19 Wannan Street
Highett 3190
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Sticky Climate Control Switches in your Porsche?

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Sticky and worn climate control switches can compromise the everyday enjoyment of your Porsche and really date a car. Overtime, sweaty, oily hands and constant use can leave switches sticky to the touch with faded often illegible markings. This is a common problem that can make the interior of your Porsche look a little rough, and negatively impact a vehicles resale value.

If you want to refresh your climate control switches we can organise the unit fascia to be restored to look like new!

Attached are photos of a recently restored fascia, refurbishing the switches and laser etching of switch markings makes a noticeable improvement to the look of the unit and your car’s interior, and will eliminate those sticky switches.

Items for Sale

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Based on an idea generated by one of our customers… we now have an ongoing ‘Items Wanted and Items for Sale’ Post.

If you have any items that you would like to buy or sell, drop us an email detailing the item you’re on the hunt for, or any items you’d like to sell. We’ll then post the items on the NINEAUTO website, and at the end of the month we’ll also proactively inform all our NINEAUTO subscribers via our Monthly Mailer.

Items for Sale

 

 

 

 

996 Hard Top Roof with stand $1,000. Call Stuart on 0439 538 708

 

964 Series 911 Second hand rear brake lights and central reflector (please note one of the lights has a small crack, and the central reflector is a little discoloured), $800 for the lot  – Contact Val Nigol: 0411 768 250 or email vnigol@finfree.com.au

15 Inch Cookie Cutter Wheels – Second Hand and in good condition, $500 for all 4 Wheels. Contact Tim Rout: 0407 325 878

Various Porsche Memorabilia contact  Ray Haylbut: 0412178777 or raymond@baysidedevelopments.com.au

1956 Olympic Auto Badge in Box – $420

Bosch Fog Lamp – New still in box $75

2004 Historic Calendar Book $650

Porsche Book – Mike McCarthy – $50 

Custom Number Plate – I ‘love heart’ PORSH $10,000 ONO – contact Bruce Emblin: 0410 555 813 or email: kewlhunter@me.com

At NINEAUTO we have relatively small but fast growing community… so if you’d like to broaden your search, or sales audience we would recommend you also check out PFA (Porsche Forum Australia) and PCV (Porsche Club of Victoria) who both run Market Place Forums, and have vast subscription numbers.

Lowering Springs

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How good does this lowered Boxster S look!

We recently lowered a 2016 – 718 Boxster S using Vogtland Sport Lowering Springs. These powder coated high quality springs use specially hardened Chrome-Silicon and Chrome-Silicon-Vanadium alloys so they stay strong and sag resistant for much longer. There’s no denying the visual appeal of a lowered car; but lowering your vehicle can also improve the handling of your ride.

There are two main drivers of ride improvement. Firstly, lowering leads to a vehicle having a lower centre of gravity, now sitting closer to the ground you’re likely to experience a reduction in body roll and more stability as you go through turns. As a result, the less the car leans over, the more contact and weight the tyres maintain on the road, potentially delivering more grip.
In addition, with the car sitting closer to the ground you may also see improved aerodynamics as there is less air going underneath the vehicle creating drag. This could result in improved fuel efficient and less risk of high-speed lift.

With any suspension decisions there is always compromise and lowering your car undoubtedly increases its visual appeal, however there are some downside that should be considering before making the move.

Reductions in car roll and improvements in grip may be offset by a ‘bouncier’ ride quality, but this does depend on how well your shocks and struts match your lowering springs. The main downside of lowering is the ease with which you may find yourself ‘bottoming out’, contact with the ground can cause damage ranging from wear marks on the front or rear bumpers, through to damage to the exhaust system or the underside of the engine.

Weighing up the pros and cons, many can’t resist the visual appeal of a lowered Porsche. If you’re tempted, the price tag associated with lowering this 2016 – 718 Boxster S was $2,150 which included lowering springs, wheels spacers, wheel bolts and labour.

Unregistered Vehicle Permit

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If your Porsche is unregistered, and you wish to prepare it for registration in Victoria you may need an Unregistered Vehicle Permit. This enables you to move your vehicle from its current location to other premises for repairs and assessments, and is far cheaper than the cost of multiple Tow Trucks!

An unregistered vehicle permit can be attained online at the vicroads website, and can be taken out for up to 28 days. The cost involved for a coupe car varies depending on the number of days – 1 day costs $45.00, 14 days $64.80 and the maximum 28 days $84.60. Our recommendation is that you have a chat to the suppliers who are assisting you in preparing your vehicle for registration and get them to help work out how long you’re likely to need a permit for.

In applying on line for your permit you’ll need your credit card and the following vehicle information handy, vehicle model, colour, year of manufacture and one of the following 2 vehicle identification numbers, VIN Number or Engine Number. If you’re not sure where to locate any of these numbers please give us a call or drop us an email and we’ll be happy to talk you through locating the number on your car.

When you apply for an Unregistered Vehicle Permit, you must declare that the vehicle is safe to use on a road or highway and:
the registration is not current or suspended due to an unrepaired safety related issue;
is not recorded as a statutory write-off;
is not recorded as stolen;
is not subject to a Sheriff’s Office sanction.

Once you’ve completed the declaration, filled in the vehicle information and paid for the permit they will email it to you immediately. You then just need to display the permit on the passenger side of your unregistered Porsche, and the vehicle is all good to drive!

GiroDisc Rotors Upgrade

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Over the last month we have seen a couple of our regular ‘tracksters’ moving from the standard Porsche Brake Discs to GiroDiscs. At almost 4 times the cost of Genuine Porsche brake rotors, these slotted discs have a number of benefits that should bring better track times and a more responsive driving experience. GiroDiscs can be fitted to the following Porsche models – 987, 981, 993, 996, 997, 991 & Cup Cars.

I’ve stolen with pride from the GiroDisc website, and detailed below is the rationale for the improved performance expected by upgrading.

I’m hoping that one of the drivers that have made the move to GiroDiscs might be able to give a first hand review of what performance improvements they’ve noticed in making the change.

Source – Technical Section of the GiroDisc website

Girodisc Rotor Construction
The primary purpose of the Girodisc system is to reduce unsprung and overall vehicle weight. The secondary purpose is to increase the ventilation and cooling capacity of the brake disc while retaining it’s original dimensions. This is accomplished by using two-piece disc construction. The central “hat” section of the disc is made from 6061-T6 aircraft specification aluminum.

The disc is made from cast iron, to the same specification and material as used by professional racing organizations. It is a curved vane design, developed in racing to act as a centrifugal pump to force cooling air through the disc. The rotor and hat have a floating mount system, which utilizes high strength alloy steel drive pins, manufactured by Girodisc to our own specifications and cadmium plated for a long lasting corrosion resistance. These pins take the load from braking actions while maintaining the axial and radial float between the hat and disc. The pins are secured by grade 12 cap screws with hardened washers. In order to keep the rotors from making noise when cold, the pins are mounted with anti-noise spring clips on the rotor side which allow the rotor to grow with heat expansion but eliminate the rattle and noise associated with floating rotors. This float also allows the rotor to self center between the pads.

Important Questions Answered
Q: What is required to install the Girodisc system?
A: The Girodisc system is a direct replacement for the OE disc.
No modifications are necessary. The disc will bolt directly to the car and work with OE calipers and pads perfectly. Once the Girodisc system is in place, simply replace the cast iron rotor when needed. Some discs are larger in diameter and come with caliper spacers. If longer bolts are required, they are also supplied.

Q: How does reducing weight of the braking system benefit the vehicle?
A: The Girodisc will generally weigh between 4 – 8 lbs less than the oe disc it will replace. This is due to the heavy cast iron hat section being replaced with lightweight, high strength aluminum. The mass of any vehicle requires energy to accelerate or decelerate. Reducing the vehicle mass improves acceleration, and requires less energy to be dissipated during deceleration. Rotating mass requires additional energy in order to increase or decrease its speed of rotation. Decreasing the mass of the disc has a great benefit due to reduction in rotational inertia. This will allow more of the braking force to be available to decelerate the vehicle, not the disc.
Additionally, the mass of the brake system is also unsprung mass. Reducing the unsprung mass has the additional benefit of improved suspension performance, resulting in enhanced ride and handling. Rotating masses require additional energy to vary the plane on which they turn. The lighter the disc, the quicker the response of the vehicle steering due to the reduction in gyroscopic effect/rotational inertia of the disc. As an example, compare the weight of the Ferrari 360 OE disc at 18.2 lbs, and the Girodisc at 14 lbs. The Girodisc is 4.2 lbs lighter per disc. Replacing all four discs will save 16.8 lbs of rotating, unsprung mass.

Q: Why slotted discs?
A: The edges of the slots continuously clean and refresh the pad surface. This will allow the pads to have a maximized friction surface always available. Additionally, they prevent containments from collecting between the pad and disc interface.
The disc is lightened, decreasing its rotational inertia.
Slots prevent the formation of a water film on the disc in wet weather, maintaining the best brake response.

Try the Porsche Track Experience

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Ever been tempted to track your Porsche but never seem to get around to it… Here’s a great way to get a taste for the track, without any outlay whatsoever! O.K. so you’re not behind the wheel, but it’s free and you can get a real insight into how a Porsche similar in vintage and power to yours might perform in the hand of an experienced driver.

The Porsche Club of Victoria (PCV) last track session of the year is always President’s Day at Sandown. This event is about sharing the thrill of the track with friends, family and other Porsche enthusiasts. Drivers are only allowed on the track if they have a passenger on board!

To be a passenger at this event you just need to turn up wearing long pants, a long sleeved top, closed in shoes and be at least 12 years old! If you have a helmet bring it along, but don’t worry most drivers have a spare you can borrow. You’ll also need to sign the necessary paperwork and then find yourself a ride. Here’s a link to the PCV website with more information on Presidents Day on November 17th 2019.

At NINEAUTO we normally offer track support to around 10 drivers at this event, so come and find our garages on the day and we’ll assist you to find a ride. My top tip is to get to Sandown early to maximise your passenger time, as the day progresses more ‘would be’ passengers turn up, and securing a spot becomes more competitive.

If you are seriously considering tracking your Porsche here are some links to previous NINEAUTO website posts that could be informative, and make taking that first step a little less daunting.

Evolve Driver Training

Pre Race Check

Track Day Checklist

Race Brake Pads – Worth the Expense

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When it comes to track days many of our regular ‘tracksters’ are choosing to fit race brake pads. By far the most popular choice, and our recommended track day brake pads are Project Mu’s. These race pads are significantly more expensive than your regular road pads, but do offer great benefits when used on the track. They are specifically designed for the much higher temperature associated with sprint work and track days.

Project Mu pads have been produced in Japan since 1988 and have earnt a great reputation for precision engineering, excellent durability and delivering much more responsive braking. In Australia, Project Mu pads are used as the Control Brake Pad for the Australian V8 Supercar Championship Series and often used in the Bathurst 12-hour race.

With a range of size and specification options, there is a Project Mu pad to fit your Porsche and track day needs. Depending on the Project Mu pad that is right for your requirements, costs can vary from $400 – $900 for a set of Pads. Stuart our Cheif Technician would recommend that where possible you run Project Mu pads on both the front and rear. However, if budget doesn’t allow investing in both fronts and rears, moving to race brake pads just in the front is still worthwhile and should improve your on track performance.

In conjunction with moving to a race brake pad, we would also recommend the use of a high temperature race brake fluid to avoid the fluid overheating. At NINEAUTO we recommend using Castrol React SRF Brake Fluid for club and track days. This product has a very high boiling point of over 300°C which makes it ideal for use under more arduous braking conditions. For more information on race brake fluid, click on this link which will take you to a previous post, “How often should I change my brake fluid?”

944 S2 For Sale

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1989 944 S2 with 270,839 km on the clock, would suit first time club racer, or could be returned to standard.

  • Recently rebuilt engine
  • Drivers race seat and harness
  • Half roll cage
  • Limited Slip Diff
  • Coil over adjustable front Koni struts
  • Koni rear shockers
  • Larger torsion bars

$32,500 ONO. Call Stuart on 0439 538 708

Cayenne out of Warranty

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Launched back in 2002, there are now many older Cayenne’s still on the road providing a great driving experience, but no longer under manufacturer’s warranty. As a result, we are getting more and more calls and web inquiries from Cayenne owners who are exploring for the first time servicing options outside of the Porsche Dealerships network.

Although not common knowledge, you are able to take your car to an independent mechanic and still maintain your warranty, but conditions do apply. (This Consumer Affairs Victoria link highlights the key stipulations if you choose to go Independent.) Understandable for many, dealership servicing is the preferred and an easy option whilst your car is under warranty. However, once your warranty expires, the flexibility of choosing cheaper aftermarket parts over Genuine Porsche parts (where appropriate and available), combined with a lower hourly labour rate can make moving to an Independent Specialist an attractive option. To highlight the magnitude of potential saving, this link takes you to a previous NINEAUTO post ‘OEM Parts offer great savings on Cayenne Brakes’.

With the latest Australian figures showing the Macan outselling the Cayenne 2 to 1, it’s likely the current trend we’re witnessing of Cayenne owners moving toward Independent Specialist will be followed in the future by savvy Macan owner too. At least we hope so…

Need a spare key for your Porsche?

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I wrote this post back in 2017 and have noticed some changes in pricing so have given the post a refresh. The hefty and ever increasing cost of replacing a Porsche key is likely to make you more conscientious about where you store your key between drives. It also shows the dollar value of having a working spare key when buying or selling a Porsche. 

Since opening we’ve helped a number of customers source a spare key, and been surprised by the variation in both price and lead time depending on the Porsche model. Unfortunately for more modern cars, it’s no longer as convenient and simple as taking your key down to the local key cutter and having a copy made.

Here’s an indicative summary by Porsche Model of what’s involved in obtaining a spare key…

Key Requirements by Model

Indicative costs and parts availability have been supplied by Porsche.

911, 1970 – 1977 Key head $73 & Blank blade $57 currently in stock – plus cost of key cutting

911, 1978 – 1989 Key head $73 & Blank blade $57 currently in stock – plus cost of key cutting

964, 1989 – 1993 Key head $73 & Blank blade $57 currently in stock – plus cost of key cutting

993, 1994 -1998 Blank blade $57, flip key $433 both currently in stock, plus coding $230 – $660! (Coding these flip keys can be problematic and result in a huge labour charge… A way around this may be use a 964 key for the ignition, and buy a transponder for car entry)

996, 1999 -2004 Blank blade $61, key head $386, plus coding $230 and cost of key cutting. (Cost applies to Boxster and Cayman of the same vintage.)
All components in stock – Approximate total cost including blade cutting $700

997, 2005 – 2012  Ex Germany Pre Cut Blade & Key heads $735, plus coding $230. (Cost applies to Boxster and Cayman of the same vintage.)
2 week lead time from Germany – Approximate total cost $1000

991 & 992 2013 onwards Key $733-$812, 2 week lead time from Germany plus coding $230 – Approximate total cost $1000

Cayenne & Macan Key $550-$740 – 2 week lead time from Germany plus coding $230.
Approximate total cost $800- $1000 depending on model.