Though nothing quite beats a brand new car fresh off the lot, there is a lot to be said about resurrecting something a with a few years under its belt and making it suit your current needs. It is hard to believe that 2003 was actually twenty years ago, but if you look inside of a 2003 Porsche, you will certainly see how much things have changed. Though a CD player was the height of musical technology in 2003, having nothing but a CD player in the used Porsche 996 you have your eye on may make you to reconsider the purchase. And though you can change out the CD player for an aftermarket head unit, you still want your Porsche to look like a Porsche—inside and out.
Luckily for you, you can get a Porsche Classic Communication Management Plus (PCCM Plus), an official Porsche replacement head unit, which will send your 2000s Porsche rocketing into the current century. This is is a system from Porsche, specifically designed fit in your 2000s Porsche in need of an upgrade. So, even though you may have to spill your Porsche’s guts to have Apple Car Play in your 20 year old 911, you will be installing Porsche branded parts that actually look good. Intrigued? A brave DIYer over at Jalopnik took the time to plunge into the dash of his own beloved 2003 996 911 and install the PCCM Plus on his own.
Plan Ahead Before You Start: Getting All of The Parts
When installing aftermarket parts—even if they are from the company that made the original car—things always tend to get interesting. Luckily we live in a world where people post to forums and upload YouTube videos that will help to walk you through the more delicate details of removing your old Porsche stereo and installing a shiny new one. One thing to note is that the PCCM Plus kit probably won’t include all of the things that you will need to install it completely. You will need to make sure you have all of the connectors that are specific to your model, as well as any different face plates that make it conform visually to what you have. Before you get started, do your research to make sure that you buy all of the parts that you need so you can complete your project in one go.
And if you start looking into the details of the installation, and decide it is slightly out of your wheelhouse, a Porsche technician that is also a car electrical specialist will certainly be able to help you out with a professional install. Or, if you get partway through and decide you have overestimated your abilities, make sure to have your favorite local auto repair shop on speed dial in case you need to call and say “Fix my Porsche!”
The Trials and Tribulations of Installing the PCCM Plus
If you have decided that you are going to tackle the project on your own, and you have all of the parts in order, getting into the dash of a 996 is surprisingly easy. Pop out some trim, take out some screws and you are already well on your way to removing the old head unit and putting in something that actually has Bluetooth capability.
The Jalopnik article details some things to think about before and during the install process, including placement of the GPS receiver, the USB box, and the microphone for hands-free calling.
A Modern Infotainment Screen For a 20 Year Old Porsche
Ultimately, the choice of which upgrades you decide to make on a two decade old Porsche is up to you. If you know what you are doing, it would probably be way cheaper to put a more generic aftermarket head unit in to get all of the bells and whistles that you want. It may not be the most attractive fix, though. If you want something that looks great and are willing to pay a bit extra for it, the PCCM Plus may be the best option. And whether you do it yourself, or have an experienced Porsche technician do the install, either is probably worth it so you can finally ditch that CD that you’ve been listening to on repeat since you bought the car.