help me with 996 decision

Well I sold my 928 a couple of weeks ago and am regretting it. I'm going back and fourth on getting another 928 or a 996. I'm leaning toward a 996 but am having a hard time deciding between a C2, C4, Coupe, and Cabriolet. the only thing I know I want is a manual. What are some of the likes and dislikes of owners of each? Is the clutch replacement/IMS/RMS on a C4 much more effort than a C2? Do there tend to be more maintenance issues with the front drive system of a C4? Thanks, James

You'll get as many opinions as there are people on this one I'm sure. I wanted the lightest, simplest car I could get, which is a C2 coupe. To me this is also just the most classic form of what a 911 is. All things being equal, the C4 and Cabrio are going to be slower due to the additional weight, and more failure-prone due to the additional moving parts. It's just a matter of whether the moving roof or extra drive wheels offer you benefits or enjoyment that are worth the additional complexity and weight.

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IMS/RMS - no additional effort - same engine/transmission on C2 and C4 Front drive system - not aware of any issues

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To clarify, the C4 is slower during acceleration (because of weight), but compared to the C2 the C4S is faster for racing. And of course any C4 is a much safer car since the handling is more stable with the AWD. The Cab has the extra weight up high in the body, so it has a higher center of gravity, affecting handling. There is a "rumor", based on testimony, that the 996.2 C4/C4S with Tiptronic is more expensive to access the IMS/RMS because the engine and trans have to be removed together and then split -- the Tip can't be removed independent of the engine. I think I read this on the forum, and that is what my Indy told me, but others here on the forum claim it is possible to remove the trans without the engine. Sure wish I new the final word on that. Can't recall the details, but I seem to remember the reason is the 996.2 has a different Tiptronic than the 996.1.

To me this is like asking should I buy a pickup truck or a sedan(apples and oranges). The 928 might be a nice cruiser, but the 911 is a race car. C2 is the purest form. My 99C2 is available if interested, you can pm me.

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I seem to remember reading that too...but he said he was looking for a manual.

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Got any data to prove this? Perhaps on a wet track the C4S would inspire more confidence and allow an average driver to run faster, but on dry track I think it's going to have a hard time keeping up with the lighter car. The only advantage I see the C4S having on a dry track is a slightly wider track width and wider tire contact patch, but you can achieve the same thing by putting wider tires on a C2. I believe the C4S also has larger brakes, but I feel like that's probably a wash since they have to cope with higher rotating and non-rotating mass, and the C2 brakes are perfectly capable of locking up street tires all day long anyway. This whole discussion could be moot if OP doesn't want to track the car anyway

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Here in Excellence Magazine, about factory testing on the Nurburgring, see page 81. https://rennlist.com/forums/996-foru...l#post14125769

Fair enough! Still, less than a 1% difference in lap time on a single lap of the 'Ring. I wouldn't be surprised if more testing revealed different results. For most American racetracks the difference would be measured in tenths of seconds, which is in the noise compared to driver talent, tire selection, chassis setup, etc.

I don�t have any intentions on tracking the car. But that�s not to say I wouldn�t go to a track day at some point. It�s just not a deciding factor. this wouldn�t be my DD but I won�t be afraid to drive it in the rain, probably not snow though. So the C4 appeals to me for this reason. but I feel a C2 coupe is just the fun pure 911. And a cabriolet because I think I�d like to drop the top at times and cruise around on spring and fall days. Summers in Oklahoma can get kinda hot. But I have never been in a cabriolet and not sure how loud it is with the top up. Is there much wind noise? The last convertible I had was a 90 mustang. honestly I haven�t been in any 996�s and I don�t know anyone locally that has one. Most of my driving would be locally in the OKC metro area with trips to the lake house about 2 hours away. i did most of the maintenance and repairs to my 928, and would most likely do the same to the 996. Any input anyone has is greatly appreciated. And if any of you in the OKC metro area would like to take me for a ride and show me your car that would be appreciated as well. im not in a big rush to buy, but am keeping an eye out for what I want, when I figure out what I want. thanks, James

If you like the idea of a Cab, the Cab noise with the top up on the expressway is surprisingly quiet for a convertible. Porsche 911 Cabs, although aren�t as fast and lite as coupes, are still pretty darn lite. My �99 is around 3,074 lbs, and it kept up with a more powerful E46 M3 running PSS4s on the track. Downside of the Cab is that the rear seats are more vertical and less comfortable, and the space behind the seats is not usable compared to a coupe or Targa. And the top ain�t cheap to replace. I would test drive as many as you can and pick the one that�s in the best shape with the lowest reasonable mileage that�s been maintained well. Although I didn�t want a C4, and I have a C2, I regret limiting myself to C2s thinking they were less complex and more pure. The additional weight of the front drivetrain is completely offset by the added power, the front drive doesn�t detract from the pure driving bliss, and I don�t think many folks have problems with their C4s. In the rain, I can barely break my rear tires loose, this car has so much traction. I don�t see the need for AWD, even in the snow around these parts (we accumulate no more than 4� before someone plows in Chicago), and yes, my C2 RWD barrels through snow just fine. That said, the benefits of AWD are more than equalized with the more powerful engine... Now 996.1 vs. 996.2 is more of a debate. I don�t have a real glass window, I don�t have cup holders, I don�t have a more powerful engine, but I do have a double-row IMS. Pick your poison, but remember that a really clean and maintained example is going to be the wisest choice.

GT cars have roofs. Sports cars have tops that go down. And a cab is plenty capable IMO. As said though, everyone will have a different opinion. I find the my cab to be remarkably quiet in the cabin with the top up.

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My $0.02 I bought a C2 Cab, C2 because I don't drive in the snow, I don't want the extra weight or numbness in the steering and less stuff to go wrong. Cab because nobody buys a cab to go autocross or track racing, so less odds of a really worn or about to explode motor. Cab is also nice to have here in Norcal, has hardtop. So far all good, my motor uses no oil at all between changes and sheds no stuff in the oil filter

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Twice you mention more power in the C4...to be clear the C4 has no extra power. The difference in power is between 996.1 (3.4L) and 996.2 (3.6L), not between C2 and C4, which share engines within a given model year.

C2 Cabrio with the removable hard top....best of both worlds. Can install a roll bar and can autocross if you want to. Leave the hard to on if you want...still creaks and groans a bit and is not as quiet as a coupe. Can drop the top and listen to the wind and the exhaust note on a beautiful summer night. To me a classic 911 is a cab or a targa.

Get a 996 C2 and don't look back.

Drive em all. Whichever one you like best, buy it.

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+1

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+996. Pay for an inspection when you find "the one" and report back to us. We'll help you figure out if you should walk away or buy it. See what I'm getting at is; you're buying a 996.

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Definitely don't half *** the PPI you're getting for that 996 c2 coupe you're buying. Ask me how I know.

C2 and C4 you have to try it yourself. My experience test driving it probably didnt push as hard for C4 to get the front to grip, it felt like a RWD but with a heavier front end than the C2. It felt a bit better balanced but on the street I didn't really feel any difference between a C2 and C4 when test driving. Cab, Targa or Coupe. Pick the one you like but not really about performance unless you are doing track a lot than pick the coupe. Cab contrary to what people were saying does not add weight to the top if you have the top down. It weight a bit more but it rattle and creak more than the coupe. Targa is the one with weight up top but closer to a coupe. Personally, the performance difference between the 3 is negligible to me and I picked the Cab because when the weather is good, it feels good to have the open air.

If you are driving it all year as a DD get a 4S coup if it is a second car get the Cab

A c2 with all seasons or snow tires does perfectly fine too.

Had a lot of coupes so,got a cab this time for the addL fun of top down driving. Weather where I live allows top down 300 days a year. Great heater for cool days, great a/c for warm days with the top down. Couple hundred extra pounds for the roof mechanism but not real noticible, since I don't track the car much. C4 has a little heavier steering feel due to extra weight and driven wheels up front. i think the frunk is also a little smaller. 996.2 seems to have more IMS issues but has some newer creature comforts and a little larger engine. See if you can fine one with the IMS Solution, then it's not a problem. PPI, PPI, PPI, oh and have a PPI done.

In order to be happy you'll have to buy the same spec I bought.

No one mentioned the esthetic of the wide body of the c4s????? It made a big diff to me and so did the headlights and displacement of 996.2.

I was fortunate enough to be able to keep my 928 prior to getting my 996. Having both, this would be a really difficult decision to make if someone said "pick one". You really need to spend some time in a 996 to make the call My 928 was my daily driver for 8 years before getting the 996. Now, having the 996 for about a year, I drive the 928 about 2 or 3 days a week, splitting the balance of time with the 996. They are night and day different. Both are very good cars and it just depends on what you are looking for. When I drive to PCA events, or the 24 hours of Daytona or Petit Le Mans I always take the 928. There will be a sea of 996s/997s/991s/Boxsters/Caymans and only one or two 928s in a whole field of Porsches. The 928 generates wonderful conversations that usually starts with the phrase "back in the 80s...". People love to reminisce over that car. I can also haul a ton of stuff in the hatchback - much more than in the front of the 996. I have twin daughters and have taken plenty of weekend trips in the 928 with soft-sided luggage for the whole family packed in. And the V8 sound is just plain better than the M96 flat 6. But the 996 is a great driver. The steering is lighter, clutch is not as heavy, its a bit smaller and easier to maneuver, the AC is better. And having driven plenty of friends newer Euro cars (Audi S4/S5/A3 Etron, various BMWs) other than the stereo, the 996 "feels" every bit as modern as anything else I've driven. The 928 was built by hand, by craftsman. The 996 just wasn't - at least not int he same way. Its the same feeling as climbing into a 1980s S Class Mercedes vs. a newer E Class. The newer model will feel "nicer" but the craftsmanship in the old S Class is evident in every surface you touch. There is a great photo-album posted somewhere in the 928 Rennlist forum of one of the guys touring the Porsche factory in the 80s and took tons of pictures of the 928 production process. In summary, I really like my 996. I plan to keep it a few years and will likely move into a 997 when they drop into the lower $20K range. I love my 928 and plan to keep it forever.

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^^^^ +1... oh yeah

Z Driver, I did like driving the 928 on longer drives. And you are right when you go to a cars and coffee or something similar I tend to be the only one. people liked to talk about the old days when they see this. Im sure I'll get another 928 eventually, I just want to try my hand at a 996. I have at least leaned more toward the Cab side of decision. And i'm leaning more toward the C4 but not counting out a C2 yet. Thanks for the input guys James

As a '99 996 cab owner, I would say that the cab tops can develop a lot of issues. If you are ok with this, then definitely get one. I did many fixes to mine and it still rattles a bunch. The cabs are a bit slower/heaver (300lbs?) than the coupe but its a ton of fun to drive twisties with the top down.

Like some others here I too have had a 928S in my past. It is definitely a cruiser. But the newest 928 is getting real to to "classic car" plates, at least here in MO - 25 years old. I currently have a C4S cab as my "toy car". It is a totally different ride. It is a fun ride and has the wide hips that I just had to have, basically a TT without the Turbos. Very planted on the road, of course tires make the difference there. If you want another cruiser I would suggest a Panamera or MB E350 Cab. Never driven the Panamera but reviews seem positive. Have had both a CLK350 Cab and an E350 Cab. While not "sports cars" the MB are great cruisers. As you are well aware, any German car costs more to maintain, just a fact of life. All my p-cars after the 928 have been cabs except for my 964 Targa. I just have to have the wind in my hair as I got off my Harley when I caught the Porsche bug. Honestly, I was looking for a supercharged 968 Cab but ended up with the C4S. If you need an RMS, IMSB or AOS replaced I too have been told tips need the whole shebang needs dropped to get to the rear of the engine, so it does cost a bit more to have the work performed. Then there is the while you're in there expenses since a chunk of the cost is the labor to get there. Some RLer's have done the IMSB themselves but I don't have the cajones to even try it. Let alone a lift. But definitely drop the cash for a PPI for anything you are considering. I walked away from a couple of cars after the PPI. Carfaxes are helpful but not always accurate. I was recently told y C4S had the engine replaced in 2007 by Porsche and neither the Carfax or P-car dealer had record of it.