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[Tonecontroller]

'Morning all!

First time here as we just recently chopped in my Saab 9-3 convertible and her MX5 for a very well-kept, all-original 2001 986, and loving it so far - apart from...

The feeble headlights (I'm used to HIDs, so thinking about Nightbreakers)
The stereo (a Pioneer BT/USB unit is on its way...)
The pointless ash-tray.

Now some people have said they keep their change and trolley tokens in the ashtray, but, as well as causing an irritating rattle, this seems to provoke cries of anguish from those who have had to retrieve coins from inside the centre console, so here is the suggestion.
I don't know if anyone else may have tried this, but, get hold of the coin holder insert from a Saab 9-3 2003-on (SAAB PART NO: 12790322).
Cut the rubbery edges and underside ribs away  - easliy done with a craft knife - to make it a snug fit in the bottom of the ash-tray. Voila - a coin tray that will actually hold your change in place.

More cheap tweaks likely as I discover which Saab creature comforts I miss most!

[Menoporsche]

Thanks and welcome!

Consider starting a thread in Running Reports, a great place to keep track of all your changes.

Headlights are sadly notorious. Don't expect a big difference with nightbreakers; they are placebo brighter and your bulbs will die every year. Unfortunately the govt closed the retrofit HID loophole last year. Various experiments here with projector/reflector lenses, HIDs and LEDs, and how much do you want to swap them every year at MoT time.

The lo-fi is also a popular target for upgrades.

[Tonecontroller]

Thanks, Menoporsche!
Well, maybe just some +20% bulbs then...
I fitted some PIAA +20s to SWMBO's MX5, and they were a definite improvement and lasted until the car was sold (last Saturday).

Much as I would like to have a stereo with a "period" look, unfortunately they are either horrid cheap Chinese tins with old brand names on, or insanely expensive.

I'm going for a fairly sedate-looking Pioneer unit with Android linking, Bluetooth and USB and may add a flat active sub in the footwell to augment the low-end, as the car was fitted with the poverty-spec dash speakers. Previous owner had the CDR22's bass and treble both maxed-out...it was...a bit harsh. I stuck a £15 Chinese HU in it (plug & play apart from the aerial connector) as a short-term measure to give me MP3 music and even THAT was an improvement!

[Menoporsche]

Porsche spent all money on suspension and brakes, and looked down the back of the sofa to fund the ICE. If you don’t want double DIN or navi, Continental look correct; don’t know if they are in your budget. 
If you found good bulbs, certainly try them again!

[jonogt6]

49 minutes ago, Tonecontroller said:

Thanks, Menoporsche!
Well, maybe just some +20% bulbs then...
I fitted some PIAA +20s to SWMBO's MX5, and they were a definite improvement and lasted until the car was sold (last Saturday).

Much as I would like to have a stereo with a "period" look, unfortunately they are either horrid cheap Chinese tins with old brand names on, or insanely expensive.

I'm going for a fairly sedate-looking Pioneer unit with Android linking, Bluetooth and USB and may add a flat active sub in the footwell to augment the low-end, as the car was fitted with the poverty-spec dash speakers. Previous owner had the CDR22's bass and treble both maxed-out...it was...a bit harsh. I stuck a £15 Chinese HU in it (plug & play apart from the aerial connector) as a short-term measure to give me MP3 music and even THAT was an improvement!

Hi there. Sounds like you may have already purchased a new stereo but if not, Continental do a good range that suit the rest of the interior-

Edited May 11, 2022 by jonogt6

[letsmile]

I just fitted a very nice pioneer Pioneer ts-wx130da sub in my car, and after reco’s here, decided to fit it behind the passenger seat to avoid risk of any potential water damage. Works wonderfully, and makes so much difference to the sound experience👍 Very pleased 👍

[Tonecontroller]

Porsche's sofa must be a bit like ours, then. Just cat fluff and biscuit crumbs.
I did see the Continental-branded stuff, they look OK but I'm pretty sure that they are like the Blaupunkt units - low-end Chinese with a respectable badge on the fascia.

Mind you...Continental? No history of audio there. I feel the same about Calvin Klein or Hugo Boss badging watches. I'll stick with my Omegas, because they don't make pants and socks on the side.

 

[Tonecontroller]

3 minutes ago, letsmile said:

I just fitted a very nice pioneer Pioneer ts-wx130da sub in my car, and after reco’s here, decided to fit it behind the passenger seat to avoid risk of any potential water damage. Works wonderfully, and makes so much difference to the sound experience👍 Very pleased 👍

Yes - looking at a Pioneer sub, probably an earler version of that one (110 or 120), but in the passenger footwell - someone on another forum said it fitted easily there, and obviously makes cabling a lot simpler. No idea how they mounted it but I have a lot of gaffer tape and zip-ties in the garage, and sheets of DPC film if water ingress is an issue.

I have the seat as far back as it will go - not sure if that will allow a sub behind it. How the blazes do tall people manage??

[letsmile]

I fitted a Becker Indianapolis with the orange light and fits in perfectly, given the original head units were also Becker.

[Tonecontroller]

Ah - I see that apparently Continentals are rebadged VDO with different colour schemes.

I might have gone that way but I'm a skinflint and am buying s/h audio where poss, so I'm hoping to get a HU and a sub for the price of a Continental HU only.
Anyway, Pioneer has some trick features for phone connectivity which I rather like so I don't have to use a TomTom any more.

New cars are always a voyage of discobery even when standing still!

[Tonecontroller]

Discobery...?

Must get these fingers rearranged.

[½cwt]

@Tonecontroller welcome.

There is a coin holder in the storage bin at the back of the console and also this tray conversion to remove the ashtray 996 552 096 01 A03 (in all black):

 

[deanmr2]

1 hour ago, ½cwt said:

@Tonecontroller welcome.

There is a coin holder in the storage bin at the back of the console and also this tray conversion to remove the ashtray 996 552 096 01 A03 (in all black):

 

Every day is a school day just checked in my storage bin and there is indeed a coin holder only had my Boxster for 4 years 😂😂

[charlieboy2608]

6 hours ago, Menoporsche said:

Porsche spent all money on suspension and brakes, and looked down the back of the sofa to fund the ICE

Said very tongue in cheek but maybe Porsche used the back of the sofa to also fund the suspension bolts 😉

[½cwt]

41 minutes ago, charlieboy2608 said:

Said very tongue in cheek but maybe Porsche used the back of the sofa to also fund the suspension bolts 😉

The bolts aren't the problem (good hard high shear strength steel, as you'll know if you've ever had to cut one...), it is the lightweight alloy bushes or holes they fit through that corrode around them...

[Tonecontroller]

Re: 1/2CWT's revelation of the position of the standard coin holder....I'm getting old and I never was very flexible, so putting anything effectively behind my elbow is rubbing salt in. I nearly put my shoulder out when I foolishly tried to get the document wallet out of the rear cubby from a sitting position.

Anyway, what the blazes can you do with that ashtray if you don't smoke or collect paperclips?

I did consider the tray conversion, but it got pushed into a distant second place behind the audio changes.

[EXY]

23 hours ago, Tonecontroller said:

I have the seat as far back as it will go - not sure if that will allow a sub behind it. How the blazes do tall people manage??

Centre Console delete is an option for more leg room.

More info on here somewhere.

Alternative solution for more space for taller folk is a 987 

 

[½cwt]

5 hours ago, EXY said:

Centre Console delete is an option for more leg room.

More info on here somewhere.

Alternative solution for more space for taller folk is a 987 

 

Or at least 987 seats in a 986...  direct swap.

[letsmile]

On 5/11/2022 at 4:54 PM, ½cwt said:

@Tonecontroller welcome.

There is a coin holder in the storage bin at the back of the console and also this tray conversion to remove the ashtray 996 552 096 01 A03 (in all black):

 

Just seeing your top storage box, I'd be interested to know if that's a specific unit for the 986 or if it's more universal, as may look at changing my cd holder which I most probably wont use, whereas the storage box could be useful - thanks

[½cwt]

46 minutes ago, letsmile said:

Just seeing your top storage box, I'd be interested to know if that's a specific unit for the 986 or if it's more universal, as may look at changing my cd holder which I most probably wont use, whereas the storage box could be useful - thanks

It is a standard/option part when no CD or cassette storage was fitted. 996 522 253 01. I got mine as anew part from 9apart in the UK for about £45 back in 2018.

[Tonecontroller]

On 5/13/2022 at 10:35 AM, ½cwt said:

It is a standard/option part when no CD or cassette storage was fitted. 996 522 253 01. I got mine as anew part from 9apart in the UK for about £45 back in 2018.

The genuine part goes for about £60 now...aaargh!
I have taken the CD storage out and used 1.5mm black styrene plasticard to build a box the exact size of the C-Box insert, so that it clips in to the CD storage.
It'll do until a more sensibly-priced factory item turns up.