Why We Bought 996s

Many individuals talk negatively about 996s, claiming the lights aren't liked, the engines are weak and incorrectly placed in the back and ultimately that's why they are affordable 911s. Most comments come from owners who had high inaccurate expectations and somehow feel the car under delivered. Let's be honest, for those of us who truly love the 996 it's not because we wanted the fastest car on the street or because it was cheap; we simply wanted the car which we saw at the dealership at a younger age and now we can own it. If you buy a brand new 911 today, next year some thread will be talking about how the new one is some much better than the 2014 911. I like working on my car, learning about the engineering and learning to drive it better and better. I would truly appreciate feedback from those who love their 996s!

As a state employee, I cannot afford the new 2014 Targa. Nevertheless, I love the one I own. Oh yeah, my wife is alright too.. lol

I feel guilty everyday I get in mine and drive it Guilty because I'm one of only a handful of people who get to experience the pure driving bliss that is the 996 It is truely the everyday supercar and it brings a huge grin to my face every chance I get to enjoy that wonderful steering, the wonderful shift action, that sublime chassis and that unique spine tingling exhaust note I say 😜 to all the nay Sayers Let them bash away on the forums it just means only the lucky few and the true enthusiasts get to know the truth and enjoy a wonderful automobile

I bought the 996 because (a) it was a 911 in my price range, and (b) the reviews of the car when it was new were nothing short of glowing. I owned a Boxster previously and loved it, but the 911 is the car many of us had on our bedroom walls as kids. The specs are available on the Internet, as are the reviews. It's not difficult to know what you're getting with this car, and it's a difficult car not to love for what it is. In many ways, the 996, even with the "evil" of antifreeze and problems specific to the M96 platform, is a nod to simplicity. Sure my car has PSM and ABS, but I can turn 'em off. I can row through the gears manually. When I open the rear deck lid, I see an engine with parts, not a plastic cover stamped "No user serviceable parts inside." It's not SO different from the MGA I loved as a kid... a steering wheel and three pedals that, when used properly, make the things you're worried about go away for a while. The ONLY people I've ever seen say anything negative about the 996 are other Porsche owners. I've never had someone at a car meet or a gas station walk up and say, "eew, that's a 996." Most of the time, people just do their thing, but every so often, I get "the look" from someone else who has the bug. Maybe it's a fellow Porsche driver. Maybe it's a guy with a TR-6 or an old 'Vette, but those folks get it and understand why we love the 996 for what it is, and that we don't sit around wishing it was something else.

^^^^ Well said. I drove a 996 this past weekend. Great car with a fabspeed exhaust. If we didn't already have a boxster I would love to have one.

Because I was in love with the MK1 GT3 and could not get one so I built the next closest thing :-)

Like Schnelly says, the ONLY 996 bashing I have ever seen is from other Porsche owners, most of whom have never even owned/driven one. Thankfully, however, this bashing has made the 996 to be the best deal in the sports car world. So you are saying a 996 is equivalent to a Boxster?

Bah.... worthless thread. I remember when the 964 was bashed just as bad. Now they are classics. and the 2.7's sucked and 914's are not real Porsches ...etc...etc..blah..blah..blah Had mine for about 8 years, it's been a great car and still holds my interest,

Just like the 964, good ones are slowly getting rarer and bad ones are slowly dying. With more electrics on cars 996's will be heralded as drivers cars one day, the looks probably won't be raved about but will be accepted as the definition of an era. Never a truer word said that the haters are Porsche owners. I love my 40th, it was between that and an early 997, thought the 40th had better spec, drove just as well and was a $10k cheaper. Must say I liked the 997 interior and look over the 996, but not enough to spend more for lower spec car.

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I agree with your opinion. For me I have owned more cars than I may even remember over the past 35+ years including a 1972 911 when I was living in LA as a young man. Since then I have bought many performance oriented cars of all types; euro, Japanese and American. I have had new cars that were second, third or fourth cars, and sparingly driven, but always well cared for. After determining that I wasn't driving them enough I would sell them in pristine shape and suffer the depreciation hit. Well that gets old, so a few years ago I went looking for another fun car while my old Stingray was off the road for a restoration. I wanted something that represented a solid sports car driving experience but had already depreciated, and my 996 4S fit the bill perfectly. Wonderfully balanced, great looking, wife actually enjoys driving it, paid less than 1/3 of its original price,etc. Couldn't be happier with the car, which is a fourth car for me at this time. I am at a point where I could go down and buy a new 991, but feel I have 90%+ of the driving experience for about $100k less. And for a car that I have only driven 3,000 miles in the last 3 years that works for me. In the end I really don't care what somebody else thinks, I own and drive cars for my own pleasure, not theirs. Enjoy your 996, whatever version you have. They are truly great cars for today's money.

I started contemplating about getting a 911 back in 1970. They were well beyond my means so I checked out used 912's. Still too much. Then it became the bang for the buck issue. While I could afford a used one, the price they commanded drove me to other alternatives.(such as 3 different 944's) They IMSB issue is the best thing that ever happened to me. It made the 996 an undervalued car. Remember the Ferrari (FIAT) Dino? dissed by Ferrari fanatics for decades, now commanding prices approaching $500k. The 912 and 914 Porsche were scorned by Porsche fans as well. Good 912's are getting $60k these days. It may take 20 years but the day will come when Porsches evolution to water cooled engines will be hailed as the companies savior. While some of the quaint idiosyncrasies of the air cooled 911 were lost, overall the 996 marked a new era and a much better car.

Actually I meant garage space... wait, so you ragging on my boxster? Another porsche hater. I'd be offended, but you drive a tiptronic! It will be great when 996s are remembered as the last of the true 911s!

With two kids I knew I was getting out of racing. Some of my racing buddies had 996s and showed me it is possible to lug around kids in the back seat. Knowing I could do majority of the work on the car myself also helped. I sold the race trailer and SpecE30 and found a nice high mileage 996. I love driving it everyday. I really have no desire to own a newer 991+ this car does everything I need/want it to.

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This cannot be overstated. While the 996 is no supercar in today's automotive climate, that word was tossed around in reviews at the time. Sure, you might find a $25K Ferrari, but it'll be a salvage title and will have more issues than Michael Jackson's kids. I paid $30K for my 996, as the IMS hysteria hadn't reached full fever pitch when I bought - and I don't regret spending the money. I hope the 996 runs forever - it's a fantastic car, an incarnation of an icon, and the conduit between Porsche of old and the modern Porsche. The 986/996 models, between the water cooling and the part sharing, are probably the most important cars in Porsche's history, at least in terms of ensuring the marque's survival. I never have, and never will, purchased a "luxury" car new. It's just not rational to pay an extra $50-80K in depreciation. I could absolutely afford to do so - once - but I'd rather have that money in the bank. At approx. the same time I purchased my 996, a good friend purchased a new 911 for just over $100K. I don't think he loves his 911 $75K more than I do, and I don't think he has $75K more fun when he drives it. Plus, my GT3-look 996 just looks cooler than his targa. Would it be fun to have another 100 HP? Of course. If I decide I just can't live without 400HP, I'll bolt a used 100-shot to my Corvette for $300. The 996 is more than enough car for me.

My wife wanted a Porsche for Christmas...(truth) AND, every time I consider dropping $60-70-80k or more for a car common sense kicks in and saves me tens of thousands of dollars. I've never been one to eat the depreciation nut, I let others' do it for me. At the current price point of 996's, one can get one and properly baseline the mechanicals and still be all-in for less than $40-50k. For me, it boils down to economics, and ROI. My wife loves her car, and her co-workers' all think it's brand new...as said: only other Porsche people do the bashing of the 996.

Ummm.... ain't that Boxster a tip??? Seems to me I didn't see any stick poking up from the floorboards. Anyway, please realize that I have a 996 mk 2, so I can always snub my nose at owners of 996 mk1. Which leaves me sittin' mighty pretty. Another reason I love my 996.

lol

I actually did not like the new look of the slab side 996 when it arrived in the US. I thought the air cooled cars looked so much better, but after a track day with my 964 C4, I thought that's it, next year I'm getting something faster. Started looking at what I could afford, checked out a C4S at a used car lot and thought, man those wide hips on a 996 look awesome....then the hunt was on. A test drive of 2 different C4S's (one tip, one 6 speed) and I locked in on finding a manual. The speed or shall I say acceleration of the C4S over the C4 was scary, both with a 3.6 to boot! So one never knows, tastes change... 2003 Carrera 4S Speed Yellow / 1955 356 Continental 1500 Rust Red

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Ya know you misspelled BoxSter in your sig

Doh!! I always want to do that. Just feels like that s is extraneous.

"The speed or shall I say acceleration of the C4S over the C4 was scary, both with a 3.6 to boot! So one never knows, tastes change..." Sorry, perhaps I'm missing something, but is the engine/hp in the C4 vs. C4S not the same? As for why I bought a 996... The looks, the drive, and yes, the Porsche name. More prestige than, for example, a Corvette (a car I considered), and more economical and user friendly than all of the other Euro Super cars.

^^ That's what I read as well - that parts of the running gear are from the Turbo, but the motor was the same as the normal 996.

I believe he was comparing a 964 C4 to a 996 C4S

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Which would feel a whole lot different. Heck a 964 C2 feels and pulls more like a 996 C4S then the 964 C4.

Yes, of course.

loved my c4s was so dissapointed that the engine let go and all the far fetched issues became mine. I would buy another in a heartbeat if it were not for all the known issues (not IMS). Beautiful car, otherwise great quality and performance. On the hunt for a turbo or gt3 as i think the 996 look the most modern less beatle ish.

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sorry if it wasn't clear, I was comparing my 964 to the 996. The 964 had 247 HP at 3252 lb, while the C4S has 320 HP at 3234 lb, with a much wider torque band, however both are 3.6 liter. 2003 Carrera 4S Speed Yellow / 1955 356 Continental 1500 Rust Red

It's what I could afford. But I'm hoping that sometime down the road, Porsche will build another "dog" so I can pick it up for the price of a GTI. ETA: A friend has a 335i and he notes that his 0-60 time is within .1 sec. of the 996. That's nice. Who gets looked at when we both drive in the parking lot? I rest my case... TC

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Gotta love negative press...(ssshhhhhh) lol

Why the 996??? Because IMHO, the 993 and older 911s feel too old(although I do love the pre-996 911s, especially the 3.2s) and the 997 and newer 911s feel too Mercedes-Benzish.

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996 Interior 997 Interior Yeah that looks totally different and like a Mercedes-Benz... The reason we have 996s is because we don't see the value in the 997. For some, we simply can't afford it, for most we can afford it but can't justify it, but there really is no category where a 996 beats a 997. The 991 is a different animal entirely and I could see why one could "prefer" a 997 to a 991 - no centre console from a Panamera, "mid" engine, electric steering, etc. I don't think anybody could rationally say they would truly drive a 996 over a 997 were the price the same, while I think there are many that would chose a 997 GT3 RS over a 991 GT3 RS at the same price - this speaks volumes to me. Mark

I drive my M3 and my 996 interchangeably. The 996 is a more raw connection to the road than even my M3. While a great car, the M3 feels in control, yet somehow detached when compared to the 996. Did I mention my wife wanted one for Christmas? lol ( I find it funny that folks are willing to argue over which Porsche to buy...just as a gut check)

I saw the ad, I took the checkbook on Sunday to see the car, I drove the car, I wrote the check, I went home with the car. Why, because I wanted the car?

why a 996? because its a real Porsche, no other car looks like it,smells like it, sounds like it or drives like it. yes its affordable, relatively mines a 99, its not in perfect condition but I don't want a perfect car, i want to drive it and not to worry about rock chips, shopping carts etc.. Contrary to other opinions, i love the styling of the 996 i think its sexy beautiful head lights and all

Because this for $30K.

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LOL ...****in' A bubba

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Um, where did I say anything about the interiors? My comments were directed more towards the driving characteristics of the various cars...who buys a high performance car based solely on the interior design?

LOL Cadillac drivers do...

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Exactly.

Ya and this for 19$ CND

Well, the main reason I didn't get a 996 was probably the IMS. I know there's a fix but for the 996s that I was interested in (relatively low mileage - under 45k C4Ss and Turbos), it was still in the low $40s (high $40s low $50s for a good turbo). Because of that I just decided to go up a bit more and got the 997.2. No IMS issues to think about. I did seriously consider the 996s. The 996 C4S still looks amazing in my view, and I would still consider to get into a 996 turbo someday (just for that engine). In terms of interior quality, my 997.2 might be slightly better but I really don't see much difference, or maybe I just don't care as much. I don't see how people think the 997.2 is more refined, it seems just as loud from the inside as the 996s I test drove. I also think the 996 has better seats somehow, the leather seems more durable than the 997s....call me crazy

In five years or so, a well maintained 996 might not be so much cheaper than a 997. Condition will trump everything once both models are 10+ years old. I don't mean to say the 997 will ever be cheaper than a 996, just that the difference will probably shrink quite a bit.

A nice by-product of the 996 being cheap and plentiful is the accelerated demise of many cars. Younger kids will get into them, which will result in popped airbags and thus total losses. A cost-effective solution for a blown M96 is to find a donor car - or just sell yours to the scrap yard and drive the new one. It will take a while, but this will eat into inventory and EVENTUALLY make the price flatten out, and maybe even perk up a little. By younger drivers, incidentally, I mean late teens. Before you start getting wound up, I recognize that there are good, responsible kids out there. I figure there are also some like me who wrecked several cars during that time of life due to questionable judgement and inadequate car control.

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I meant this in all seriousness, by the way. Assuming price would now be $25K if I purchased the car today...what can you possibly get for $25K that looks/performs like this? Maybe a BRZ/FRS for that kind of money, and those are nice little cars, but even with the known issues, the 996 is the car deal of the decade. Whenever I'm parking in a larger lot, I try to notice other cars and ask myself which of them I'd rather have than my 996. There are damn few cars that meet that criterion...

1. I can't yet afford a 997.2 GT3. 2. I spent a lot of time in G-body 911's as a good friend of mine is in a cool group of air-cooled guys here in the tri-state area. Spending time with them is where I got bit by the bug, but I was looking for a daily driver so water-cooled and modern were appealing. I decided to dip my toes in financially instead of diving head-first. In hindsight, I'm really glad I went that route instead of trying to get an early 997 C2. Someday I'll consider making the jump (maybe to a 997 GT3), but the 996 in any form is really darn good. And for the money, it's unbeatable IMHO.

Of all the trials life has to offer, we are fortunate to concern ourselves with such

Wanted a 993 or 964 to replace my 944 S2 but needed something with a working air conditioner because I drive it daily. Started reading up on A/C issues and the cost to maintain a 993 so even though I told myself I would never want a water-cooled 911, I decided to take the "Camry" for a drive. I was shocked when, contrary to popular opinion, the car did in fact drive like a Porsche and had everything except that burnt oil smell - but with a working air conditioner! So I made the leap and know I made the right choice.

It never dawned on me at the time. I was looking for a 911 (didn't know a 996 from a 99*) and it was all about price, so the only 911's for me to consider was the 996. Shopped for months. Drove close to 30. I was looking for a C2 cab, black or white were my top choices, preferably with a black interior. Then one day my wife is searching the internet and she finds this 03 Cab in Guards Red. We make an appointment. I drive the car for 5 minutes, she drives it for 20. PPI good. We do the deal. Flashback many, many years ago and I am working at a drugstore in Florida. I am outside smoking a cigarette on my break (gave it up a long time ago) and up pulls this guy in a beautiful Guards Red 911 cab. Top down. Could have been a doctor, maybe a lawyer, golf clubs in the back and he is asking me for directions to some golf course. I had no idea where the golf course was, but I told him I really liked his car. I had forgotten about that moment until I got my car home and was doing the first detail and I suddenly remember that day as clear as can be. Back then, me walking on the moon or owning a Porsche were equally improbable. I can't say I had my sights set on a 996, but like everyone here, my dream was to own a 911. Its great when dreams come true.

I have owned too many Porsches to remember In 1998 I was porscheless and starting to look Again , I started reading about the new 1999 That was coming out and was completely impressed with the articles I read I thought the Porsche engineers where really on to something with the liquid cooled engines (I live in south Florida and have spent my entire Porsche life wanting a Porsche which did not overheat and had great A/C) I wanted this car so much I just can't tell you. I could not swing the 95K they cost new I pined for a Zanzibar Red C2 I taped a brochure on my garage wall and dreamed In 2005 my ship came in and I could then afford a new 996 and started looking for a stripper car by contacting almost every dealer in the USA there were No Base Model Cars at any dealer I then turned to eBay to search and on the first pass I found a Zanzibar Red c2 with cinnamon Interior it had 7,000 miles i flew to Pennsylvania with my mechanic and bought a perfect car (Still is) Why a 996 ? Fast Easy to work on They can go 200,000 miles if maintained The a/c really works The best road trip 911 ever Did I mention I love this car ??? image-1505727279.jpg

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maybe you bought that exact same Porsche!? How funny and amazing would that be.

Thank god for that AC. Only AC I have found better are in full size trucks.

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+1 for the A/C. My 964 had a lousy A/C. I understand all 911 models before that were worse. My '74 Targa had a compressor sitting in a box... 2003 Carrera 4S Speed Yellow / 1955 356 Continental 1500 Rust Red

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Lets stick with the A/C talk I was stuck on the causeway to Hilton head SC Saturday morn August , 100 degrees, I just sat there and enjoyed my sirus and stayed cooled for 2.5 hours I live in south Florida and this is the best Of the best Porsche ac's

I just picked up a 99 Silver 996. For me it was the price, but also the fact that they are really good cars. I wanted a reliable daily driver in addition to my 944S that's currently not running. And the 996 was the most modern 911 that I wanted to spend money on. But I really enjoy it and I'm glad I went with it.

964s have ac?

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Very amazing, but impossible. That happened in the early 80's!

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No kidding. Dear single mom working three jobs, I need to discuss a pressing issue with you -- is my Porsche sufficiently Porsche-esque? Specifically, can we discuss the engine design and reliability. Also, the headlights are sometimes deemed suboptimal. Thoughts?

^^^^ LOL!

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Indeed. If that is the worst problem we have, we're doing pretty damn good. Amazing the little stuff that we like to pick and argue over.

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I still have my 964 and it has kept me cool in Las Vegas at 115 degrees. It started leaking oil so I retired it to weekend use. Bought a 996 because I loved the looks and the comfort. Amazing steering. I bought an clk55 amg Mercedes but sold it because it just didn't have the porsche feel. It is my 15th porsche since 1967.

lvc2 are those painted headlight covers? or just tinted?

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I had it tinted at a local tint shop and then I sprayed the tint with night shades spray.

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Another pic. Excuse the poor setting.

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As you see, I did not spray the area where the turn signal is located.

That's interesting. But my car is silver so that wouldn't really work...

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Look in Craigslist Las Vegas under porsche cars. There is a silver 996 with painted lights that looks very good. Maybe you could find out what he did.

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Here is the 996 in LV. Not sure how he has turn signal.

found it, looks off to me. i think i'll keep them stock. maybe just try to polish out the slight yellowing. but every now and then i find a pic of those ebay led lights that look really good installed. but sometimes they dont. so we'll see but they work for your black.

First time test drove 996 few days ago, what a great toy car! I've been looking for 996 for sometime now, it will be our 3rd vehicle dedicated to myself. Unfortunately, the seller was asking way too much money for the car that needs tons of work, ex/interior + engine + tranny. Bet ya there are much better used 996 available for me. I've been thinking about 996 since that day, really want one ASAP!

It was there and i had the cash!

My wife doesn't drive but she needed a car!

I bought my MY05 C4S less than a year ago. It's a low mileage Porsche serviced midnight blue with tan interior, very well specced. I also have, among other cars, an F10 BMW M5, bought it brand new, and truth is I feel as excited driving my Porsche. I have a feeling these cars will definitely be worth much more in the future for the exact same reasons they were criticized. Especially C4S, Turbo S and GT3 RS. They will be the only 911s ever not to have round headlights. I actually think the car is really sexy with the wide body and the Turbo bits. For the money I could have bought a 997, but IMO those are aging really bad, especially the 997.1 models. Buying a 996 C4S is a decision I didn't regret at all for even a second after 1 year of ownership. I've installed Porsche Sports Exhaust, OEM Porsche wheel spacers, and next week it will go back to install OEM short shifter. And I am seriously considering the Power Kit. Most people would say I'm just throwing money away, but I enjoy every single mile in it.

It was the newest I could afford!

993 NA cars are not fast enough for me. 996 motors had that extra pop which made it fun until the right 993TT came along.

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gotta test drive the 3.2... maybe going slow, but it just feels scary fast. Why the 996, this was the reason... the Carrera was the next best thing.

^ Hmmm Taco. It is the best looking aerokit from Porsche IMHO..

^^ I certainly think so but of course I'm a bit biased. Taco wing and Turbo Twist wheels are the kind of design traits that are somewhat unique to Porsche as not too many other cars have designs like this. Just like the optional Tequipment double oval tips, you don't see those coming from other manufacturers(yet).

simply the most beautiful, fabulous, fastest, best all round exotic car for the momo a person can own, work on, look at, clean, and oh yeah, drive; slow, fast, in the rain, in the snow, everyday...period. fecking period.

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Yup just fcking gorgeous with her big C4S sexy *** I'm in love I tell you. A hot knife though traffic butter, the perfect gorgeous MILF of a car. A car that is so great as a DD it's like getting a reach around every day !

I agree, the 996 is my favorite, although I may be preaching to the quire. I was considering a 997.2, but decided to get a 996TT as I liked the interior better and well its a TT. My two Porsches, although I really miss my Boxster.