There is no car that’s quite like a Porsche. When Tony Montana walked into Lopez Motors and purchased his first silver Porsche 928, he knew he was the man. In general, German sports cars age like fine wine, but this rule particularly applies to a classic Porsche.

If they are well cared for or they are properly restored, they can perform just as good today as they did thirty years earlier. There is something exhilarating about whipping the small 1969 Porsche 911 around tight mountain roads, and it’s something that most modern cars can only hope to aspire to.

Today, we’re going to be looking at all of the Porsche restoration tips that you need to know to become the proud driver of a classic sports car that will never go out of style.

Know What Your Getting Into

One of the first mistakes that first-time classic Porsche owners run into is that they aren’t adequately prepared for what’s in store. They see an old car and they immediately fall in love. The warning voice that says, “check the mechanical records” quickly turns into, “this looks like a simple and fun restoration project to do this summer.”

Hint: You should always pay attention to the first voice.

Unless it’s a car that’s been in your family for a long time and that you know the ins and outs of, you should ask for a mechanical record and at the very least get it properly inspected by an authorized Porsche mechanic.

Although you can’t learn everything that you need to know based off of a preliminary inspection, you’ll get a good idea of some of the work that you’ll have to put in, and how much money it will cost you.

Mechanical Porsche Restoration Tips

The most expensive part of your restoration is usually going to be your mechanical and drive train work. Many older vehicles will be in need of a complete engine rebuild for starters. While you could attempt an engine swap with a newer model, that will more than likely lead you to further complications down the road, and is much more expensive.

A lot of the time, you’ll have to find parts that are off older models themselves or you’ll have to rig newer parts to work with the older vehicle. Take care of the big things first (engine, transmission, exhaust) and then get into the smaller details as they appear.

Exterior Porsche Restoration Tips

Your exterior restoration will probably be the easiest and most fun part of the journey, and will be the part least likely to have you throwing tools at the wall in anger. You’ll be doing a lot of polishing, painting, sanding, and Bondo work.

The best place to start is to check for rust holes. Take note of problematic spots and sand them down. If there are holes, you’ll need to take out the Bondo and get to work. Plan on sanding down your entire car and giving it a fresh paint job when you’re finished.

Interior Porsche Restoration Tips

Porsches are famous for their luxurious leather interiors and simple, yet elegant design. Depending on the quality of the car, your restoration job can either be very simple or very tedious.

Your seats will likely need to be removed, re-stuffed, and reupholstered. The carpet can usually be cleaned with a bit of Oxi-Clean and some shampoo. The ceiling fabric may be dangling or torn, so you will likely need to remove it completely and cut new fabric to be glued.

Interior restoration may also involve a bit of electrical work. You’ll want to get your lights fixed, speakers and radio working properly, and may need to replace a few fuses.

Final Thoughts

We hope that you’ll be able to make use of some of these Porsche restoration tips. If you’ve got the money saved up, and you’re prepared to spend a good bit of time running into problems and fixing them, then you’ll be rewarded with one of the best classic cars that you could ever own. Before you know it, you’ll be cruising through your town or city with one of the most iconic cars on the block.

Known for its off-roading abilities and reliability, Porsche Cayenne offers an unparalleled driving experience. But that does not end there. This pickup truck also gives many options for modifications that many truck enthusiasts would like to do. One of them is lifting the suspension of their vehicles. Choosing the best lift kit for your Porsche Cayenne can go a long way in making off-road driving experience all the more appealing and exciting.

What does a lift kit do?

A lift kit puts more space between your truck’s suspension and its frame. This accessory raises ground clearance and suspension travel. It consists of lifted spindles, leaf springs, blocks, coil spring spacers, brackets, and control arms. Available in square or round U bolts, blocks can add 1 to 5 inches of extra space between the suspension and the frame. Blocks also act as insulators between the leaf spring and the axle housing. Leaf springs, applied on the front or rear axles, are used for moderate lifts.

Lift kits provide the extra clearance needed to avoid huge rocks and other road elements so that the undercarriage does not incur any damage. That makes adding a lift kit a wise idea for off-road vehicles like Porsche Cayenne. When its suspension is lifted, the truck can traverse difficult road situations any time. Lifting the suspension also makes it possible for bigger tires and wheels to fit into the Cayenne, thus improving the pickup’s handling and braking.

Aside from functional purposes, lift kits add style to any vehicle. Lifting the suspension of your Cayenne complements its solid and rugged body style. A high clearance for your pickup looks great, not to mention that it sets your vehicle apart from others. The extra clearance also makes it easy for you and others to see the pickup’s undercarriage, as well as the shocks and other parts added to it. Having your truck’s suspension lifted gives you a good reason to brag your vehicle to others. Observe its tougher, more muscular, and more rugged look compared to those vehicles parked next to your Cayenne, and you will know the difference between ordinary and extraordinary.

What to look for in a lift kit

Thus, it pays a lot to look for a lift kit that does not get in the way of smooth and worry-free driving. What factors should you consider when choosing the best lift kits for your Porsche Cayenne? Whether you want a lift kit for style, performance, or both, you should choose the one that suits your vehicle’s specifications.

The best lift kits should be able not only to add ground clearance, but also to reduce jarring due to irregular off-road conditions. It is better to get suspension lift kits than body lift kits because the former enables vehicles to drive through dirt, large rocks, mud, and water. Also, a well-lifted vehicle should still be good at steering.

After searching and deciding on the best lift kits for Porsche Cayenne, you now have to choose where to buy them. When shopping for lift kits, look for stores that offer high-quality products, affordable prices, fast delivery, and of course, great deals. Being a wise shopper involves carefully choosing the best Porsche parts for your most treasured ride and getting the best value from your hard-earned money.

Take full advantage of GPS-enabled devices and Bluetooth accessories for a safer, more convenient driving experience and easy navigation with your Porsche.

GPS-enabled mobile phones

Turning cell phones into handheld navigation devices has become a trend in the automotive industry today. And the good thing is that cell phone manufacturers have created phones integrated with GPS technology.

If both your classic Porsche and phone have no GPS receivers, then you can do some ways to make your cell phone your personal navigation device. You can either add software to your phone or subscribe to as GPS navigation service. For both methods, you will need an additional GPS receiver module that is placed on your car’s dashboard. GPS receivers are either wireless or connected by wire to the cell phone.

To obtain driving directions, you will need to buy a software package for particular mobile phone models. The package comes with a memory card in which all maps and programs are stored. With a software package, you don’t have to pay for a monthly data service because everything you need is installed locally in the package.

The second method of getting driving instructions with a GPS cell phone is subscribing to a GPS service. The GPS service can send driving instructions to your phone. Some GPS service providers also offer location-based services that allow you to choose locations such as hotels, restaurants, or theaters. Once you have chosen a hotel, for example, the service identifies your location and sends search results to your cell phone. Unlike the software method, subscription to a GPS service requires monthly payment for data plan.

Bluetooth-enabled devices

Wireless connectivity provided by Bluetooth technology enables a driver to put the GPS device in an area that has a clear view of the satellites such as a vehicle’s windshield. Thus, a strong signal reception for your device is guaranteed. At the same time, the PDA or other handheld device is mounted on a certain spot for maximized screen view and convenient access to the menu screens. These capabilities only show how well Bluetooth technology works in the present times.

Some GPS receivers come with advanced features such as a points-of-interest (POI) database, route recalculation, and software that includes maps of the United States. Other receivers are loaded with features that ensure stronger signal reception.

In addition, Bluetooth allows connecting your GPS receiver with a Bluetooth-enabled mobile phone so that you can make hands-free calls using the speaker of your GPS device.

Another advantage of Bluetooth GPS devices is energy efficiency. Because these devices are wireless, they get power from their own batteries.

You don’t have to suffer paying extremely high interest rates and additional charges on your auto loan. A number of bad credit auto loan lenders and auto dealerships charge exorbitant interest rates and hidden fees on the loans that they offer. Pressured by their need for financing their car, a lot of people rush into getting these loans and eventually fall prey to high interest rates and hidden charges.

Refinancing auto loan

Although you have a bad credit history, you can get yourself out of this mess by refinancing your auto loan. This involves applying for a loan that you can use to repay your outstanding loan (the amount you haven’t paid yet) at an earlier time. Because the new auto loan charges low interest rates, you can save a lot of money.

Why do many people resort to auto refinancing? Usually, they can’t repay their loans that charge very high monthly payments. To begin with, how come they agreed to those loan terms? It’s because car salesmen and dealers lure their customers into getting auto loans with interest rates they can’t afford. Some dealers tend to conceal additional fees and the true interest rates from their customers. As a result, unsuspecting customers sign loan contracts that may spell doom to their financial health in the coming years.

Loan refinancing programs

It’s advised that you inform your auto refinance loan lender the exact amount you can pay for your auto loan. You won’t have any problem repaying your loan as long as you set an amount that you can afford. A reasonable amount means a maximum of 40 percent of the remainder of your income after all your expenses have been deducted from it.

Based on the amount that you set, the lender will make a schedule of your monthly payments. The lender will also decide on the interest rate, amount of monthly payment, and duration of the loan according to the amount that you set.

Extending the duration of your loan can lower your monthly payments when refinancing your auto loan. Doing so will also decrease the interest rate you have to pay, even though you have a bad credit history. The competition among many auto loan lenders and the improvement of loan market conditions caused the substantial drop of interest rates for auto loans. To get a reduced interest rate, it’s best to compare various offers from lenders.

The best way to get a good deal on auto loans is simple: don’t readily accept the first offer presented to you. You need to consider your options first. Ask for loan terms from various lenders and compare them. Only then can you negotiate with them to get the best deal.

It’s a great idea to ask lenders whether they can beat a good offer from another lender. Chances are they’re going to reduce their interest rates for you. As a result, you can seal the best deal for refinancing your auto loan. Negotiating with many lenders can ease your financial situation by getting the one that offers the lowest interest rate.