Top 10 reasons to buy a 996

1. Value- This has to come first. If anyone can come up with a better sports car for the money speak now or forever hold your peace. Seriously- a modern, well maintained Porsche 911 from the upper teens to the low twenties? This is a used Toyota Camry price point for a car that had a sticker price from the 60s to the low 100s new. And at the time of it's release was the darling of the automotive world. People have lost their minds. 2. Aesthetics- I know most Porsche purists hate the lines of the 996. People call it ugly. They hate the headlights. Blah, Blah, Blah. I think part of the reason this has happened is that you don't see too many 996s on the road anymore. People are mainly commenting on photos. When I decided to buy one and finally saw one in person for the first time in years I was shocked at how good it looked. This car looks so much better in person than in photos. It has all of the classic 911 lines with some modern touches. It's truly a beautiful car. 3. Interior- Again most purists hate the interior of the 996. They say it looks cheap and plastic. And I admit Porsche did skimp somewhat on some of the materials. But the seats have fantastic leather quality. Again it has that old school Porsche feel with some modern touches. If you look at the interior of a 993 the 996 just looks like a logical progression. It's pretty spartan and basic just like every other 911 that came before it. Frankly I would rather have a car with a super basic interior than one with a goofy outdated navigation system. 4. Driving Dynamics- These cars are just straight up fantastic to drive. The handling, the clutch and shifter, the acceleration are all top notch. No one should talk **** about a 996 if they haven't driven one. 5. Air Conditioning- I live in Texas and I was not about to buy a Porsche with subpar AC. (see all Porsches prior to the 996) The 996 blows very cold and consistent AC. 6. Size- Every time I see a 991 in person I think it's a Panamera. Porsches are supposed to be small and when you see a 996 in person they still have that elfin characteristic of previous Porsche generations. 7. Reliability- IMS and RMS issues have given the 996 a bad rap in recent years. But the reality is that if these cars are well maintained they are extremely reliable. 8. Modifications- This is not really my cup of tea but the 996 definitely has the ability to be modified in a lot of cool ways. 9. A wide variety of choices- Because Porsche made so many 996s there are a wide variety of them available in different styles and colors. Carrera, Carrera 4, Carrera 4S, Targa, Cabrio, Turbo....ect.....You can find a well maintained example of your choice if you are willing to be patient and do your homework. 10. It's a 911- People say it's not a real 911. It's an ugly 911. It's not air cooled. Take one for a test drive. The 996 is as 911 as it gets.

Strong first post for de Ahhnuld couldn't agree more, enjoy! I sure as hell enjoy mine

Spot on Arnuld!

Thanks TonyTwoBags. As they say over at Petrolicious if you are going to drive-drive tastefully. And it doesn't get more tasteful than Stuttgart's finest

Great list.

Let's add a few more, here is mine: Reason #12: Design: the more I drive the car, the more I appreciate the design effort that went into this car, thoroughly supported by 30+ years of experience of building and refining the ultimate sportscar. This is THE designer car, even though some compromises had to be made due to financial constraints. Afterwards marketing took over IMHO. I love my early Mk.1 Carrera!

Here! Here! I second that.. Well said Arnuld and to include to the repertoire of items, the fun factor, the ease of some DIY fixes and mechanical items. Bravo good key points why we owners love the darn thing and in closing yes, at the end of the day it is a 911! (microphone drop)

Nailed it. I'd add that if you are seeking a raw connected driving experience in a responsive chassis and drivetrain couple with the delicious instant response of a normally aspirated engine AND a true sports car, the 996 in whatever form you choose will satisfy your desires. Not as raw as the air-cooled experience of course, but a great compromise between that and a more comfortable modern experience without unacceptable dilution. The new cars, being so refined and heavy are more GTs than sports cars. Brilliant GTs, but GTs none-the-less.

Great post and dead on.

As others have said, great post, i did a lot of research before buying my 03 C4S . 6 months into my ownership and i love driving this car !!

The most beautiful headlights ever made for the 911 series has to make the top ten list

LOL. 3- huge LOL. 5- Massive LOL. 7- Insane LOL. Ahnuld, posts like this only reinforce the 996 stigma. People with money, don't try to convince others that they have a lot of money. Same goes for cars. Cars that are spectacular, don't need to brag about how good they are. 996 was a good car for its time period. It was competitive and today has a great value due to 3-5-7 points (or LOL points) on your list. Good effort though.

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From a certain perspective you are right, but your criticism isn't fully justified because the 996 has received a massive, largely undeserved, rap from Porsche traditionalists, whose intolerance of change is legendary, and the motoring press along with social media. A summary as good as this from the OP is a useful balance. The market is waking at long last to the true value of these cars.

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Wow, that is harsh! Can't understand the comment about people with money being injected into a post about someone who is expressing his appreciation for a particular model car. This fella is happy with his car, no one needs to rain on his day. IMO

Poor 996 owners. Sad really. Good news is I now a guy that can help you replace all the parts that havent failed yet but are near failing.

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Because the 996, we all know, is the ONLY 911 ever needing expensive repairs. Smug sarcasm reflects badly.

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This is a fair point. The quality and appearance of the 996 interior varies widely based upon options. Full-leather and 3-spoke steering for me are hugely important. My first 996 (back when they were new) did not have full leather and it had the 4-spoke steering wheel and it looked and felt pretty cheap. My current 996 has full leather and 3-spoke, and it is a night and day difference in look and feel. There are also a huge number of interior trim options (carbon fiber, wood, etc.) and colors, some look better than others. All of this said, the 997 interiors look better to me, so does the 993, but it was quite dated. How is this an LOL, let alone a massive LOL? Are you suggesting that the AC on the air cooled cars is as good as it is on the 996? (it wasn't). Also not an LOL as stated ("other than IMS/RMS"). Take care of those, and 996's are very reliable. The IMS on pre-2009 997's can't even be proactively changed without completely disassembling the engine, The 997.1 IMS is very beefy, so it fails less than the 996, but I'd rather be able to replace it proactively every 50k miles as maintenance, so for me the 996 is the safer option than the 997.1. The 997.2 in 2009 got rid of IMS all together. People who aren't dicks don't think like this. They just buy the car they like and they couldn't care less what other people think. A car for you is apparently all about projecting an image, don't assume the rest of the world thinks like you. Depending on your priorities, the 996 is a great car to drive period. For driving fun, the 996 captures the perfect moment in time when it was still a lightweight car (2900 lbs) but was still modern with great performance, climate control, heated seats, relaibility, ... The 996, at 2900 lbs, weighs less than the 993 and the 964 models that came before it and weighs much less than the 997. A friend of mine has owned a long string of new Porsches, he just took delivery of a 2017 Turbo S and he also has a 458 Spyder among others. When I talk to him about his favorite car to drive, he said without hesitation that it was his 997 naturally aspirated. He regrets trading in that car and plans to buy another. He loves the turbos for the adrenaline rush, but his favorite car to blast around in was the 997 because it's so light and tossable. He never owned a 996, but the 996 is much lighter and much more tossable than the 997 and it's also about as fast as a 997. I think the body shape, build quality, and interior of the 997 is better than the 996, so I'm not trying to trash the 997 at all, but as far as driving goes, it's not even remotely uncommon that the 996 is preferred. Out of curiosity, which 911 models have you driven or owned and what are your impressions of them?

Couldn't have said it better (or as well). Some make a life habit of raining on other's parades. It's possible to put counterpoints without sneering - it's called mature discussion, which is why I came to Rennlist.

Many of my PCA buddies consider me to be a "Porsche purist" or traditionalist. I think my grey hair and previous ownership of air cooled 911s has shaped my reputation with them. But I now drive a terrific 996 cab...and that drives them crazy! Life is good. relinuca

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For all that we hear about reliability, the Porsche Boxster, which shares many of the problems as her bigger sister, is the second longest car kept by its owners at 9.9 years. The only car kept longer is the Toyota Land Cruiser. To me, the real issue with the 996 MKI is its headlights match the Boxster, making it easily confused with the Boxster from the front. Can't have your precious 911 looking like an inferior Boxster. From what I understand that is reason behind the headlight change of the MKII. Can't deny the snob factor, for at least some, with these cars.

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I think that my car's headlights are shared with one of the best cars ever made. So for me, it's the opposite problem, whereby I am thankful my car shares something in common with the Boxster. C&D also agreed, in part, evidenced by the Boxster making the top 10 list over and over again, not to mention that a variant (Spyder edition) won best handling sports car under $100,000 in America. The 996 and Boxster are both in the camp of "incredible value" at insanely low prices. There's a Boxster for sale in Chicagoland now for $6,600. Wow

Great post, Arnuld. Well said. There are two opinions here, neither of which is likely to ever be changed: 1) 996s are amazing examples of Porsche engineering and represent a great value 2) 996s are the Kardashians of cars and as such should be immediately exiled to Lower Slobvakia I have 2 996s, so I am clearly in Group #1 Drive what makes you happy but don't be d-bag and trash someone else's opinion, personal taste or point of view.

Clearly, these cars generate enormous passion, and that's a great thing. Enjoying your passion while respecting that of others is a sign of maturity. What's some dislike, others see as character.

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[Image-only post; no author-written text. Original image references:] https://rennlist.com/forums/images/smilies/beerchug.gif

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I own a 996. I was joking. Poking fun at the smug owners of other, more expensive P cars that often poke fun at us. My humor is not always understood.

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I wondered that, given your nick. I'll log that for future reference. Cheers.

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This is good. Drive what u like!!!

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I think I accidentally waived at an oncoming Boxster at least a half dozen times...

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You're souposed to throw out two fingers like you don't currr

MK2

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This is what always gets me. It's so easy to nit pick the nuances of almost any car, but what matters is how much enjoyment YOU get out of what you drive. Someone else's opinion on fried egg headlights doesn't mean **** now, and it won't mean **** when we're 6ft under, as long as YOU like them. I know I do. Same with any other 996 nanny. Good post Arnuld. All are solid points, enjoy your 996 in good health. Overall I've enjoyed my experience so far, sure the money spent on PM's hasn't been pleasant, but it's worth the smiles per miles.

Just cause they are great to drive

Reason #13: Fantastic 996 online support community.

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That's the truth. Thanks to all who have replied to my thread. So glad to have found rennlist

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#14: All the women that line up at your front door waiting for you to come home from work.

In any form, the 996 is a great car that is currently at approachable prices for many budgets. Pick one up and enjoy it.

I agree with an excellent post by the OP. I've had several 944/914/924 etc., a 993, a 348, a Hennessey Viper, and most iterations of the Corvette. I've had the British sports stuff. Now I have a warehouse full of street rods, classic American muscle, a few AMG/ MBZ and my '77 911 Targa. If I want to double stripe 100 yards of pavement, I have cars that'll do that. My S class MBZ is great for long trips, like sitting in your living room on the sofa. But for my money, nothing beats my early 996. The design and ergonomics are well sorted in my experience. The a/c, seating, handling, power to weight and overall driving experience make it a great choice for a daily use sports car. My .02!

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I usually side with the Russians, but in the case of the AC - my 996 has always blown ice-cold; even when putting though the desert at 100+ temps at speeds where the car has every right to puke up its coolant and die...it keeps on motoring away with the AC set to "meat locker." Vent temps on the center stack are lower than any other car I've tested (yes, I keep track of vent temps once or twice a year to ensure the AC is still working optimally); the crappy ducting under the dash makes the side vents suffer a little. I'm sure it sucks more in a cab (less insulation) or a Targa (more glass), but in my coupe, the AC has always been more than adequate. And I'm fat!

#15 I own two and misery loves company.

In a nutshell, I'm 48 with 3 kids, and my recent purchase of a 996 Turbo has given me the opportunity to fulfill a childhood fantasy of owning a true supercar that I could never have otherwise afforded. I'm just a regular guy with a regular job. Thankyou Porsche

The new 911s do catch my eye and if I won in a raffle I'd be oh so happy! But when I consider what I use the car for and the dollar to fun ratio my free-and-clear 996 looks like a keeper. Even with a new engine (if it came to that point) you've still got a performance bargain on your hands when compared to other 911s both older and newer.

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Here's what my center stack looked like during the drive in this AM - I didn't notice I left the AC on "blast chiller" mode with the windows down until my hand got wet when I reached for the radio controls... Buddy AND Darnell approve of my air conditioning.

Value for the Buck! A friend calls my 996 "The Pacifier", meaning it is keeping me in a Porsche until I get a "Proper" Porsche or into an R8. I may surprise them and move into a 996 Turbo. I have to argue the AC point. My 993 AC always kept me cool in Atlanta heat but Never blew crap out the vents like the 996 does. Ill be glad when the inside of the vent pipes is done shedding!

I bought my 996 C4S because it offered a reasonable cost of entry into Porsche sports cars, and I always wanted a 911. I was driving a Cayenne S as my daily driver when I bought the used C4S. I considered a new base Boxster, and then I began to pursue 996 cars. The two cars that I really considered were a MK I car with the aero kit, as well as a C4S. When I bought my car, all the "experts" at the time recommended staying away from MK I cars, especially the early examples. At that time, MK I cars had a higher rate of engine failure than the newer cars (some due to IMSB and some to engine block porosity issues), so I scratched that option off my list. That has apparently changed a bit as the 996 series has aged. I fell in love with the wide body of the C4S, and I bought one. I loved the car, and I never cared about the headlight design being different from other 911s. I sold it because it became too expensive to keep on the road. You all know what they say about adding up all your repair receipts.... I moved from a 996, to a 997, and then to a 991. I have loved them all, and they all have offered a great Porsche experience. I am pleased to have owned every one of them. Without the 996, I may not have gotten into a 911 as early as I did. I probably would have waited until my kids were out of college, and I would have missed the opportunity to drive a 911 as my daily driver for so long. The 996 is a "gateway Porsche".

It's a great starter Porsche. I think 987 might still be the best handling Porsche platform at that price point, but there's no denying the allure and relative practicality of a 911. 996 is honestly good enough that it feels like you need to spend dramatically more to justify upgrading. Going to an NA 997 isn't worth it unless you get a great deal, you need to move into the realm of a Turbo, GT3/4, or 991 to even bother.

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+1. I drove a 987 first but fell for the 996 based on the comparatively raw & practical nature of the 911. The ergonomics are top notch imo & interior material quality can be mitigated with some parts updates. "Fits like a glove" -young photojournalist that drove mine last year

my 996 is a car that I can use how I want and not worry about it - I have not put the top up since I took it out for the summer and have been driving it everyday

Great post! I gotta agree... Mike

The 996 is just a great car, its a great platform to mess around with and not worry about ruining its value (a problem with most older Porsches. It has all of the important safety features but isn't overloaded with stability crap. The manual keeps me very involved which I don't feel in my PDK/double clutch cars. Frankly, My 996 is my favorite car and I have a bunch of nice ones. So I would not even look at it as a starter car. Its just fun to play with on the track, in the shop, and with the right mods it looks fantastic...headlights and all. Here it is next to my newest car which is a technological wonder and a visceral rush...but it only lasts for a few seconds and then you have to deal with the constant attention (which is fun for awhile) but the 996, I can really drive, and enjoy and its me driving.

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This is exactly how I feel. I don't think about it as a starter car at all -- it's just a great car period. It's my favorite DD by far and I've owned 30+ cars. The new 911's are really nice, but they aren't lightweight sports cars like the 996.

Regarding the 996 headlights, I really disliked them when they first came out because they were such a radical departure from all of the models before. I also did not like that they were shared with the Boxter. Fast forward to today, and I actually like the headlights a lot. The 996 is a modern car and the headlights fit the car very well. It was a radical change when first introduced, but for me, time has proven they were right to design them as they did. I would not change the headlights at all even if I could and I actually prefer the 996.1 over the 996.2. I also did not love the body shape of the 996 when it first came out. I think they designed it too much by wind tunnel. Today, I am still not in love with the shape of the 996 versus other models. The 996 still looks great, but I like the overall body shape of most of the other 911 models better (except maybe the 964, which looks too bulky for my taste). That said, the 996 is the most fun to drive, so I never think about the body shape at all and I genuinely like the headlights.

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I would love to hear about and/or see your interior upgrades Tony if you care to share.

If I liked newer Porsches, I'd agree with the "starter Porsche" comment - but I hate the bigger/heavier interiors with dozens of switches and LEDs and touchscreens. The track-focused models have less crap, but I don't want to spend track-focused Porsche money to "upgrade" from something I'm completely satisfied with. The 996 has plenty of electronics, there's no denying it - but at least most of them are hidden away doing important car-type things like igniting the wiring in my dashboard... As for why I'm completely satisfied with a car that seems like it's been trying to kill me since June - well, I'm just too dense to catch on to such things.

Preferring more analog cars doesn't necessarily stop the 996 from being a great starter Porsche, I don't think those are mutually exclusive qualities. But yes, the only interesting upgrades from 996 are either marginal improvements at best, or $$$$.

I went from a '92 Corvette, mildly modified to a stock '99 996, low optioned car. On paper the performance of these two cars is similar. Very different driving experience. The Corvette felt heavy, you wondered where the limits were. Also, the Corvette probably started rattling on the assembly line. Don't get me wrong, I loved that car, but the 996 is a much more civilized driving experience, and you don't sacrifice performance to get there.

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I've shared them in some interior threads but here are a couple to give you an idea.. OEM(ish) cabin upgrades: - gauge cover in leather (eBay) - silver dash trim strip (Suncoast) - Center console (eBay - LA Dismantler) - horseshoe (eBay) - gauge backsplash (eBay) - 40th AE gauge cluster (eBay) - blue tachometer decal (whitegauges.net) - center console delete (Suncoast) I'm 6'1" so this is a great upgrade.. more room for the right leg to rest & not get sore resting on the console. The last Carrera with an open lower dash configuration! - 997 shifter (Suncoast) - charcoal Lloyd Ultimats (eBay) It's been a year+ mission to redo it to my liking, but it's done . I love the new interior, not too flashy and the gray is properly broken up with silver trim that matches the wheel finish & rear decal.

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Very nice. Thanks for sharing. As you saw in my other thread, I'm changing out my factory interior color gauge faces for black and I'm also changing a few other items at the same time as you have done. In my case, it was too much Savannah Beige -- even on the dials! -- it will be broken up a bit when I'm done. I will post before/after pics in the other thread.

Cool, have fun & good luck finding the right parts for reasonable $$. I tried to buy that 40th AE cluster last year and my offer was rejected. I sent another offer this summer at the same price and the guy accepted! Patience pays in these refreshes Search Tempest for aggregated Craigslist searches eBay is reliable Suncoast, AutoAtlanta, PelicanParts & others really help as well.