996 turbo driving experience

Hi everyone I'm going to post something here that might be seen as controversial but I need to gather other peoples views. After owning my 996 turbo for 3 months and driving it today I am wondering if it's just a bit too good and a bit too sanitised to be genuinely exciting. It's the fastest car I've ever owned for sure, the four wheel drive allows you to put the power down ludicrously early from corners, the suspension is great etc etc. BUT you need to be driving it at 70+ before it really comes alive and you can get some heat into the brakes and use the turbo fully. This makes using it on the highway a really annoying, frustrating experience where your eyes are on stalks all the time. It's very capable but honestly do i love it? Not really. I can honestly say out of all of my second cars I've run the lotus Elise series1 I had was the most enjoyable of them all. Am I missing something with the Porsche or have I been spoilt before with the lotus? I can't consider selling the turbo yet as my wife really would kill me this time. I bought the turbo for its 4 seats so we can take our dog with us when we go out but at the moment I tend to find I take my bimmer and she's never been in the turbo. I do wonder if should have bought a CSL instead... Sorry, negative post I know but if anyone has any tips or ideas to help me love it I'm all ears!!

I think the mistake you made was buying a Turbo as your second car :thumb: It is the most capable daily-driver out there, so why would you drive some boring old reps car during the week instead? IMO absolutely the wrong choice for a 'high days and holidays' / track car. Why not lose the Beemer and get something hardcore instead and use the Turbo every day?

The previous owner of my 993 had this problem. He had a 996TT and like you found it only really came 'alive' at illegal speeds and at the risk of losing his licence he swapped it for a 993 - :thumb:

I'll be honest; I have similar thoughts about mine, and it's only a C2! It only really comes alive at silly speeds (three figures), but to be honest I don't mind because it still feels special to drive around at any speed; it's a Porsche 911. FWIW I still think the 'best' car I've had in many ways (one that I could push to close to 100% on the road, and also use for trackdays) was a DC2 Integra Type-R almost 10 years ago now. A lot of modern cars are almost too capable for their own good, you just can't use them to anywhere near the limit on public roads...

I know where you are coming from mate. i came from owning a noble for over three years. It was LOUD, BRASH and a hoot to drive. But I wanted something i could use more often and that's when i turned to the 996 Turbo. I knew what i was getting into and actually wanted something that was a little more subtle and usable. Your right you do have to be doing big numbers or pushing it hard for it to feel alive, but as mentioned above it's great owning a 911 turbo. Oh and it's solid as a rock, touch wood!!! If you want excitement I'd go for something like an exige or similar for the money. Jim

Same thoughts here as well, the TT is by far the quickest point to point car I have owned, I'd open that up to the 996/7 Turbo being one of the quickest point to point cars you can buy. It feels sure footed on most roads in most conditions, goes and stops quickly but do I miss my 993? Yes, sometimes I miss driving on the throttle knowing that two much and the rear will pendulum. Pushing the TT on normal roads to incite that type of reaction would be at least double the speed limit and is a danger to other users As a daily drive the TT is involving, urging me to go quicker and brake later but can become wearing when eating miles. The everyday car has now become my spirited drives and A road car, mile eating left to the more relaxing if less involving 5 series. Maybe a GT2 is the answer?

nonsense soup up the power and put a cargraphics loud/race exhaust on. I can have fun from 0 to 60 - apart from the devasting acceleration, just need to look in the mirror at the chaos a full throttle burst causes - grannies and admirers in awe at the sound / heart attacks and car alarms going off.... pure mayhem !!! :grin:

ITGuy, I'm following Wattie's advice. Getting a 996 Turbo S as the everyday car, keeping my S1 Elise as the fun-at-50mph car. Dave

dave747400, Wattie is right. I have 996 Turbo S as my daily (only) drive and I have lots of fun, slow, fast, inbetween. Sometimes I dont do anything scary because I can. I live in Southend and there are plenty of chaps who want to joust with me in various forms of transport, Skylines, Scoobs, Corsa with waste paper bin, ST Focus etc etc. Being of a certain age, I abstain. Go out there and have fun! PS I recommend the new A130 if you want to have real fun, late in the day if you are ever in the area.

996 I have a 9934S + a Turbo S cabriolet The 9934S is by far a more involving car but the Turbo S has a different feel . Perhaps I am lucky that I have the best of both worlds Also just bought a Mk2 16v Golf GTI in Oak Green for £3500 ( my fourth one of these!) Now thats a fun car