All cars require improvements and replacement parts from time to time, whether because a vehicle has driven over a certain number of miles or requires upgrades to essential components such as brake pads and tyres once they reach a particular age.

Owners of premium vehicles also consider upgrades and performance parts to augment the way their cars handle, maneuver, and feel – with a huge number of solutions from entertainment consoles to enhanced suspension, new fuel injectors, and bodywork panels.

Design911, the next day Porsche parts supplier, has summarized some of the key components that are most likely to need replacing, including those favored by restorers, Porsche enthusiasts and collectors who source their OEM, aftermarket and performance upgrade parts from the specialist supplier.

Tips on Upgrading or Replacing Porsche Components

A good first suggestion is to ensure that any part or component you select for your Porsche is designed to the highest quality and compatibility standards. There are some widely used parts that tend to need replacing periodically – Porsche brake pads are a good example, and normally need replacing every 25,000 to 65,000 miles.

However, professionally manufactured components that are identical to the original manufacturer part or offer optimized performance are highly advisable. These parts will last significantly longer, show signs of wear and tear slowly, and contribute to that luxurious driving feel you expect.

Porsche cars are fairly easy to upgrade, and there are myriad ways to improve the functionality or speed of your vehicle, customize the appearance of your car, or ensure that functions like steering, braking and handling remain perfect at any speed.

Much may also depend on your driving style, and whether you tend to take your Porsche for a few laps of your local race track, use your car purely for commuting and leisure trips, or keep your car in a weatherproof garage, and use it during the warmer months – more driving inevitably means more maintenance, and more regular servicing and parts replacements.

Likewise, the speed and conditions in which you drive will influence the regularity with which you’ll need to replace your parts – faster and more rugged driving conditions naturally mean components work much harder for each mile you cover and will start to wear faster.

Common Functional Parts Replacements for Porsche

Let’s start with some of the parts that need replacing for safety reasons, either because the vehicle requires a new part to comply with regulatory standards, such as minimum tire tread, or because your mechanic or Porsche service provider has advised that a component has reached the end of its usable life.

Replacing Porsche Tyres and Wheels

Once Porsche tires start to age, they begin to develop shallower treads that are less able to grip the surface of the road, especially during tight turns or wet weather. Upgraded tires can reduce your fuel consumption, improve the handling performance of your Porsche, and ensure you can drive with confidence at any time of the year. Porsche enthusiasts also often look at custom wheels and tires, which add to the visual aesthetic of their cars and provide additional performance improvements in terms of stopping power and grip.

Changing a Porsche Battery

Your car battery should last up to around five years, although in some cases, batteries stop working properly due to other maintenance services – in which case it may be another component that requires replacing. Batteries can also wear down faster than expected due to corrosion, where salt water impacts the pace at which the battery recharges and holds that charge.

As always, we’d suggest purchasing a good quality battery that meets the recommendations for your Porsche – you’ll be reliant on the battery for powering all the electrical components and must choose a battery that can keep pace with those demands.

Updating Your Porsche Brakes

Although all cars will require replacement brake components over time, an older air-cooled vehicle can also be modified with more advanced modern braking technology – using larger brake calipers or higher performance rotors, all of which lead to more responsive braking.

Upgrading your spark plugs and cables is also beneficial if you have a classic Porsche that consumes fuel at an accelerated rate or commonly misfires. A new set of spark plugs with excellent conductivity can eliminate those common problems.

If you’ve noticed that your engine stalls, rather than misfires, we’d suggest you turn your attention to your catalytic converter since when clogged this can cause stalling and reduced power. High-flow converters relieve unnecessary strain on the engine and will restore your Porsche to full power.

Replacing a Porsche Air Filter

Air filters are there to ensure the air flowing into your engine is free from debris or dust that can limit its lifespan. Most mechanics recommend an air filter change every 15,000 to 30,000 miles, but again, that might depend on your vehicle usage.

Should you have any doubts about which parts are failing to perform or why your vehicle isn’t driving or handling as it should, it’s worth consulting an experienced Porsche specialist or mechanic to diagnose the problem and the part that needs replacing.

Optional Porsche Parts Upgrades and Improvements

One of the popular upgrades to a modern or classic Porsche is to opt for a paint protection film – either a vinyl wrap applied by a professional, or a ceramic coating that protects the paintwork from road spray, sand and grit. These bodywork films retain the quality of the original bodywork underneath and are available in a wide array of finishes and effects.

Porsche owners with air-cooled vehicles also tend to go for engine modifications, where an air-cooled engine offers several opportunities to add new performance parts that deliver higher horsepower. Examples include a larger displacement engine, a bigger carburetor or a fuel injection upgrade.

Air-cooled models were produced until 1998 and ended with the Porsche 996 series, but these older cars can be modified to boost handling performance without impacting the appearance or outer style of the vehicle.

Another option is to look at an exhaust upgrade, where high-performance exhaust systems have a distinctive rough growl, backed up by improved torque and horsepower – enhancing the power output of the Porsche without adding excess weight.

You’ll find all these parts, components and systems – among countless other upgrade kits and parts – within the Design911 catalog. Alternatively, if you’d like further advice about the upgrades most suited to your Porsche, contact Design911 today!

Published By: Aize Perez