Short Shifter

[tgibson1]

Just bought new Porsche after not driving one in 20 years. Purchased 06 CarreraS Cab and am looking to change stock shifter. Have heard good things about both the Porshe and B&M options. Have not driven with either one. Looking for some good advice. Open to other manufacturers as well.

Thanks

[Loren]

The Porsche (in car) short shifter and the B&M short shifter are the same shifter. B&M is painted blue and the Porsche is painted black - which you don't see anyway.

I think Tool Pants posted a side by side photo somewhere here...

[jcnesq]

One thing to consider is the possibility that a non-OEM shifter might be used to deny warranty service - maybe unlikely, but I don't think you can completely dismiss that.

With the 996, the OEM shifter was expensive ($500+), versus $200 or so for the B&M shifter. But I just put an OEM short shifter on my 997S; they can be bought from Brandywine Porsche (usually they have it on ebay) for $329. It also comes with the housing and a plastic tool that holds the cables, so I think it is easier to install than B&M. My theory is that, for a hundred bucks, I would rather play it safe with OEM (even though I doubt there is any real functional difference).

[maryokaan]

One thing to consider is the possibility that a non-OEM shifter might be used to deny warranty service - maybe unlikely, but I don't think you can completely dismiss that.

With the 996, the OEM shifter was expensive ($500+), versus $200 or so for the B&M shifter.  But I just put an OEM short shifter on my 997S; they can be bought from Brandywine Porsche (usually they have it on ebay) for $329.  It also comes with the housing and a plastic tool that holds the cables, so I think it is easier to install than B&M.  My theory is that, for a hundred bucks, I would rather play it safe with OEM (even though I doubt there is any real functional difference).

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

get the porsche one without hesitating. but be sure that they will make a precise installation. otherwise it becomes sometimes impossible to use reverse gear :D (like by my)

[Orient Express]

Since the B&M and the Porsche shifter piece are the exact same unit, take your pick. The B&M unit reuses the shifter housing, while the Porsche unit gives you a shifter pre-installed in a new shifter housing. Both units take under an hour to install. Both are DIY exercises that are on a 3 level of difficulty.

IMHO the price delta between the B&M and the Porsche piece is not worth buying the Porsche piece, especially since the shifter housing can be had at the parts counter for under $35 (COGS to Porsche on this piece is $4). What you are paying for in the Porsche piece is the overhead involved in repackaging the B&M shifter as a Porsche product.

Warranty concerns are only for those who also believe that they can get pregnant by sitting on a public toilet seat.

Take the B&M shifter and use the money you save on something else you want.

[BennyGca]

Does anyone know of a good place to order the OEM kit that will ship to Canada?

Thanks!

[BennyGca]

Nevermind... I just ordered one off of eBay, $339.95 including shipping for the factory kit.

Before ordering I drove down to my dealer to throw a sport shift kit through a few gears... WOW... What a difference!

I can't wait to get mine in...

[Tool Pants]

Looks like you guys are mxing 996s and 997s together. The factory short shifters are not the same and I do not know if they interchange.

[chef_jmr]

Warranty concerns are only for those who also believe that they can get pregnant by sitting on a public toilet seat.

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

I wish I had found this forum last year...now I have a screaming baby girl! My wife better go before leaving the house next time...

:oops:

[ar38070]

IMHO the price delta between the B&M and the Porsche piece is not worth buying the Porsche piece, especially since the shifter housing can be had at the parts counter for under $35 (COGS to Porsche on this piece is $4).  What you are paying for in the Porsche piece is the overhead involved in repackaging the B&M shifter as a Porsche product.

Take the B&M shifter and use the money you save on something else you want.

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

Where can you get the housing for $35? The price quote that I got from Sunset for part number 986-424-010-03 is $178.

In a related question my understanding is that when you install a B&M that you have to break something (bushing?) during the install. If you wanted to reverse the install and put the stock shifter back can you get the parts to do so or do you have to buy another complete housing?

[johnj]

Have a B&M shifter in my 997S. No issues. The dealer likes it.