Should I buy a 996 or 964?

I'm totally torn! can't afford a 993 with the over-inflated price. And the 964 and 996 are comparable in price. Love the classic looks of the 964 but the performance of the 996 blows the 964 and 993 away! I've driven all three models and there is just no comparison in performance. Please help me out. Perfromance of the 996 vs. the styling and old-school feel of the 964?

None of us can tell you what you want.... With the exception of ivangene, we're all 996 guys Seriously, you have to do your soul searching and decide if you want the performance and modern amenities (e.g. defroster and AC) that the 996 offers, or the classic "vintage" feel of the 964. Personally, I drive a 996 every day. But I also have a 914 when I want to go all "primitive-like".

To me, choosing the 996 is a no-brainer, but they'll give you a different answer in the 964 forum. Neither group is wrong.

Get a 964 and modify it to make it faster! I too love the 964 lines, more so than the 993 and 996.

I think you will get more people inclined to 996s here

I did the switch from 964 to 996 november last year and all can say is that they are completely different animals. The 964 is a far more involving car but I would say that the standard 996 is a better car in every other aspect, as a daily driver there is no comparison. If I had more garage-space (and more money) I would have kept the 964 as a weekend toy and the 996 as a daily driver.

I've had both and sold the 964 to get another 9X6 car. It's (964) a great car but it's no 996.

The perfect car is probably a 996/7 in a 964s body. I've heard this rule of thumb before and realize that not everyone agrees with it: Unless you are looking at the car as an investment, buy the newest 911 you can afford. The technology and reliability just gets better every year. Can't say that about the styling, alas. Love my car. Hate the fried eggs.

get a 996 for daily and a 3.2 for fun, but i'm biased....

Both are great cars, but they are very different. I enjoy both and pick which one to drive based upon my mood that day. Generally I drive used the 964 as my DD as I can't enjoy the 996 all that much on the short drive to the bus. Drive both, think about how you want to use it and pick one, you won't go wrong with either car.

go to the chebby board and ask. You will get a less slanted opinion.... Why dont you go to milk.com and ask them if you should drink Ice tea or milk. LOL... By the way.. Im not the ******* this post make me look.. But really. do you see my point Go 996 if you can affford it.. if not you can follow us in the 964.. We'd be glad to have you along

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there is your answer.... 964 is the best bargin air cooled right now, as 996 is the best water cooled bargin. There are not even close to the same car. I would suggest driving one of each. The 996 is really nice and when I went "backwards" I thought I would be giving up ALOT - turned out (for me) I was getting way more....but that is not to say you would enjoy it...hell I dont even have carpet, power steering, hydrolic clutch, coil over suspension, 6th gear, AC, remote lock, and many other things.... my car is getting a new set of parts in it right now and I can tell you there is no shortage of "things to do" - but some of us do the same thing to our 996's (its a sickness) If it were me I would find a 964 C2 coupe. Until I have played with one of those I wont be back in a 996....but for as first P-Car the 996 offers a hell of a lot of car and a lot more "get in and drive" days. Pretty damn good car. Maybe one of the best for the money. Keep aside some coin for preventative maintenance and learn to do some work yourself they are pretty cheap to own... (hence the reason we spend money modding....there IS money to spend)

Tough choice. Keep in mind that the early 964s had cylinder sealing ring issues. Many cars were fixed on a TSB, but I have seen a bunch of them that were not. There was an update in '92 IIRC. For a DD, the 996 is unbeatable. For a fun car, it depends on what you want. I am a dedicated 993 guy, so if money weren't an object, I would go that route- they are simply the pinnacle of the air-cooled cars... Either way, do your homework and then enjoy your decision! Cheers, Tom

I've owned two of each in the past and they are very different cars. It all comes down to what you are looking for. If it's going to be an occasional weekend driver, I'd get the 964. If you are going to make it a daily driver, I'd get the 996. However, I used to drive my 964's daily (only car I had for awhile) from 1999-2004.

I also read and heard that the 964s were more expensive to maintain?

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It depends on what you call expensive. With the 964 you have dual plugs, dual caps, distributor belt failures, DM flywheel failures, cylinder head leakage... etc.... each generation has its own set of issues and costs. The parts for the earlier cars are getting more expensive, not less, as there is less demand for them. In terms of costs, it really is apples to oranges- the cars simply have too many different systems. With the 996, you have RMS, IMS and AOS issues, spark plug tubes, coils, intermix, etc... the difference in my mind is the risk of a catastrophic failure. With the 964, the chance of major failure that results in a destroyed engine is probably less. On the other hand, a 996 engine appears to be a lot less expensive to source than a comparable 964 or 993 engine.

I feel your pain . I have both a 1990 C2 targa 964 and a 2004 996. Both are great cars and very different. Both have been very dependable. That being said I need to sell one of them. I have the 964 for sale for 17,800 on the rennlist or 20,500 on Craigslist. But if it came down to it I would sell the 996 for 30,000. David

I kind of like them both, though I've never been interested in the 964 personally. That car seems like more of a toy and I couldn't look past the bang for buck that the 996 represents in today's market. David nice 996, probably my favorite color for the MKII body cars.

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In addition to what TomF said, you have to remember that the youngest 964 is getting close to 20 years old, so even on a well-maintained car some of the parts will be past the expiration date... ...and when things like the steering-rack or on a 964 c4, the awd stuff fails it will quickly get expensive unless you are skilled at DIY...

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You didn't mention your use in the post. Is this going to be a DD or weekend toy? Got any track plans for the car or will it just be a street car?

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Nice rides... however, I'd never sell my targa.. the 996 is really just a used car....

I think the 996 performs better than a 993, but not sure if it "blows it away" I'm not a huge fan of the 964 nor 99-01 911s. 02-04 911 are the best value out there right now. Nice motor, attrative car, pefect daily driver.

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It does on a race track. It literally performs a whole level beyond the capability of the 993 and it comes down to more than just horsepower. The 996 is also significantly lighter and has a much more advanced and rigid chassis. You may not agree, but there is a reason the PCA classes the 993 in "G" with base boxsters and caymans, while the 996 sits in "H" and "I".

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I didn't know that, but it makes sense. My 996 cab is WAY stiffer than my 87 cab... each generation benefits from new technology. (Well, three generations in this case...) Since I am relatively new to the 996 fold, how would you describe the improvements in the 996 chassis over the 993? Thanks!

I've owned both. Out of the two options, daily driver = 996 and fun toy = 964. Other than the $, you seem to really want a 993. If this is indeed the case, I would recommend saving for the 993 especially if you are keeping it as a fun toy.

For a thorough assessment of the 993 vs. the 996, read the 996 road test in the August 1998 issue of Excellence magazine. Additional contributions to the article came from Hurley Haywood. Here are some points in the article that identify some of the major improvements made by Porsche in the new model as well as impressions of the testers. "The 993 lacks the poise and balance of the new 996. And it's a lot less comfortable to drive. My head feels pressed against the glass of the old upright windshield, and the floor-mounted clutch and brake pedals preclude heel and toeing." "The longer wheelbase (up 3") and widened track (up 2") of the 996 optimize the rear-engined platform. The quantum improvement from 993 to 996 far exceeds the wampum leap Porsche made from the Carrera 2 to the 993." "The laden ground clearance of the 996 is 1" less than that of the 993, effectively lowering the new 911's center of gravity." "The gearchange is so much better than anything Porsche has done before...." "Significantly, the new 3.4 liter motor is not only 26 hp more powerful than the old one (despite being 200 cc smaller) but it is also 110 pounds lighter than the old lump." I do agree that you should drive a 964, a 993 and a 996. They are very different in many ways, and you should choose the one you like best. As far as "mass produced" or "which one is better made," you'll likely be rewarded by the ownership experience no matter which one you buy. Good luck.

I have an answer for you...fill a coin, heads=996, tails =964.They're different, but they're still 911 Porsches.

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This will be strictly a weekend toy. But that really isn't the deciding factor. I've driven both 996s and 964s and they both would be great daily drivers. I asked Adrian Crawford about the build quality of each and he could not help emphasizing that the 964 is a hand-crafted, more solid built car that does not share cheap, mass produced parts with all the other models. I've also heard that the 996 engine was produced by Subaru.

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If it's a weekend toy and you're not taking it to the track go with the 964. It'll give you more of the "traditional" Porsche experience. If you use it daily though, the 996 is the way to go. I've personally never heard of Subaru producing 996 engines...

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As a weekend toy both models would work fine, but I'm not so sure that the 964 would make a great DD. Those cars are 20 years old now and stuff starts to break and wear on even the best produced mechanical devices over time. As for the Suburu engine bit, that is just plain misinformation. The M96 motor in the 986, 987, 996, and first gen 997 was designed by and has always been build by Porsche. The motor certainly has its detractors, but they have been out for over a decade now and contrary to internet lore they don't all explode. They have had some weak areas (as has every motor Porsche has ever produced), but improved seals and bearings are readily available for anyone who wants additional peace of mind. In the end this really isn't about what people here tell you they like, but rather what stirs your soul. Both are fantastic models in their own right, but offer a different set or positives and negatives. Good luck...

I vote get one of each! They both are a blast to drive in their own way. It is strange when you get out of the 964 and right into the 996 how big the 996 feels !

There are some good things about the 964s and some good things about the 996s. Daily driver duty only? Climate cool? You never have to run coolant in a 964...

Don't be afraid, the 996's are great!

I just went through this decision over the last two months. It came down to a choice between a sterling 964 cab with 32k miles. And a 996 turbo cab with 44k miles. Guess which one I bought? Think Tim Taylor. Seriously, I don't think you can go wrong with either. Good luck.