996 turbo

i'm thinking about buying a 996 turbo, and would welcome comments whether it should be a coupe or cabrio. my preference is the ragtop, but i'm not sure how solid the car will feel, and whether there are other considerations. i've had a variety of Porsches, but never a convertible. many thanks

Personaly although softtops look nice, I think you suffer greatly from the loss of the roof. I tried and noticed a huge difference I would definetly try before you buy!

The hardtop is pretty noisy (and I generally don't mind noise) and the cab (with roof up) is very noisy on the motorway. If you're only going to use it in the summer with the roof down, no probs though.

If you think the 996 Turbo Coupe is fast, try driving at the same speed with the roof down in the Cabriolet! The open top makes it feel twice as fast!! Get a wind deflector though and go for the heated seat option if you can find one. With those two accessories you can drive topless any time of year.

During my search I drove all body types and decided on a coupe because they felt tighter. I found that Targas were prone to rattles and cabriolets were much less predictable in handling. The first 996 I drove was a Turbo Cab and while it felt good, I quickly realised it didn't feel as good as a car with a proper roof. Regards

I agree with the comments re handling and scuttle movement/rattle, rear seats are compromised too. Whilst I like open top motoring the Turbo coupe feels much more of a driver's car to me and I don't think the roof lines of the cab (up or down) are as nice but looks are subjective.

Although there is a bit of body flex with the cabrio, and the backrest of the rear seats are vertical rather than slightly reclined, it isn't so significant that that should stop you from getting a cabriolet. If you value driving purity more than open top motoring then go for the coupe. If you're not that bothered the cab is really nice to have.

Drive them both and make your decision. Simples

Plus 1......

thanks. anyone tried the cab with the hard top fitted? is that more rigid/quieter? also, any views on cost difference between the two.

It's significantly quieter, with a lot bigger glass area for better visibility. I wouldn't say it was any more rigid.

Unfortunately not. The rigidity or stiffness of the Coupe body shell is due to the monocoque construction where the roof is an integral part, effectively forming a rigid cage. Cutting the roof off causes a significant loss to rigidity with the body effectively becoming a ladder chassis. Ladder chassis are poor at controlling twist, eg if you jack up single wheel on an MGB you cannot open/close the doors. Welding in more metal to strengthen the chassis improves the situation but this is never quite as good as a monocoque and adds more weight. Hence the cab being heavier than the coupe, Fitting a hard top does not add significantly to stiffness as it is only clipped on rather than being a integral part of the shell. In fact driving in a cab with a hard top you are most likely to notice scuttle shake. Look for movement between the body and the hard top on bumpy twisty roads. This is why there is a clearance fit between the two in vulnerable areas to prevent rub damage. Personally I think a cab with a removable hard top doesn't look as good as just having the soft top, the lines are awkward and disjointed. Of course IMO the coupe has the best lines of all but then I am rather biased....

comments appreciated. obviously i need to try both, although that might be a little tricky. lots of coupes about, fewer cabs. the price of both seems to be dropping, or at least cars are not selling if they seem at all expensive. i doubt if that will change in the forseeable future as there's not much cash around. any views on the specialists like JZM or RSJ?

I bought mine from Joel at RSJ. I found that the prices matched the service I received. The car was not cheap, I paid top book for it but it is a very nice car and the post-sale service was the best I have experienced. I posted an initial thoughts thread on the forum with a three month followup, try searching for RSJ; they should come up. Good luck and keep us informed!

Found them: [link=http://www.porscheclubgbforum.com/tm.asp?m=645623&mpage=1&key=rsj%F2%9D%AF%BD]Initial thoughts[/link] [link=http://www.porscheclubgbforum.com/tm.asp?m=667594&mpage=1&key=RSJ򢿊]Follow up[/link] IIRC RSJ do not allow potential customer test drives but will allow a Peter Morgan inspection with test drive. I suggest you drive a few private cars, even try hiring; there used to be a company who hire 996 cars on eBay. HTH

I agree with Boggie and I too prefer coupes to cabriolets (in any type of car). However, if you want a cabriolet then buy one. Its still a great car and I suspect that you could forgive a good one almost anything.

^WHS^