Buying '02 996, questions

[ftn37064]

1) Car needs a passenger-side window regulator. Window is malfunctioning. Dealer says $150-ish part and "not much" labor ($150?), PPI shop says total repair part/labor more toward 500-600 due to 2 or 2.5 hrs. labor cost. Thoughts?
2) Car has water inside. Could see fog on inside of window and smell dampness immediately. Carpet wet under driver's mat, didn't check pass. side. Dealer says this is due to malfunctioning window which has caused their detail people to accidentally let water get in...no big deal. Perhaps this is true. However PPI shop sees clogged drains in the battery box that definitely need to be cleared, and says this is possibly the source of interior dampness. Dealer says no, those drains go to bottom of car and would not cause interior moisture. Thoughts?
3) Is it normal that this car has almost no engine sound while driving? I drove it for over an hour. I kept the radio off and fan very low. I wanted some engine sound, something that excited me! Not much. I'm comparing to my '88 3.2 911 where you always had that Porsche engine sound while driving. When standing outside the 996, it has a nice sound (with stock exhaust) at startup and idle. I'm wondering if this 996 is going to disappoint me with a too-sterile driving experience. Any thoughts would be appreciated.

[jwetering]

1) I would think a competent tech who has done the job before could whip a window regulator in and out in an hour, but for a guy who isn't in a hurry and maybe hasn't done the job before it would take a couple of hours.

2) If the window malfunction prevented the window from rolling all the way up and a guy shot water from a hose at the window, then yeah....that would let water in. I could also see how clogged drains might let water in, but not from a car wash. Has it been raining a lot ?

3) My 996 is definitely quieter than my old 911, but I wouldn't call it quiet. Have you tried romping on it hard ? Also look up the "orange cap mod" basically blocking off a harmonic dampening chamber in the air box. No performance gain, but more induction noise. I wouldn't consider the 996 as being too sterile to drive. Mine has semi solid motor mounts, coilovers, sway bars, lightweight flywheel and the aforementioned airbox mod and it is difficult to carry on a conversation. Plus the 996 has way too much jam to be considered sterile......once again...jump on the loud pedal long and hard and things get septic in a hurry.

[vitaminC]

Window regulator is a pretty painless DIY. There is an article on this very site detailing how to do it...

Yes, they are very quiet from the factory. The 'Fister' exhaust mod will make it sound like it a proper sports car without being annoying while cruising the highway.

[yelcab1]

My 996 GT3 is pretty loud from inside or outside the car. But, it is a different engine.

[FPB111]

If there is water under the seats there is a real chance that the immobilizer controller has been wet. If that is the case electricle gremlins will drive you crazy as it corrodes.
Yes blocked drains will allow enough water to collect in the area under the battery and leak into the interior.
Does this car have a sunroof? If so those drains must be checked also.
There is ~1" of foam under the rugs that will hold water forever if you don't aggressively work on drying it out.