996 Turbo Stiff Brakes and Heavy Steering - Really?

Im looking to buy a 996 Turbo and test drove my first one recently. Having owned a 2013 991 and a 2015 981 Boxster previously I knew how good the brakes and steering were on a modern porsche. I found a very nice example of a 996 Turbo with low klms and in pristine condition and got behind the wheel keen to have run - but was underwhelmed. This car is in storage and doesn’t get a lot of drives but the steering was very heavy - to the point I wondered if it had power steering. Then when I braked I had to really lean on the pedal to stop the thing. It was only a short run in a built up area so no time to warm it up properly. The guy selling it suggested it might need air in the tyres and maybe a wheel alignment. Also said the brakes need to warm up - and he would check the fluid. Does this sound correct for a 996 ? It was a disappointing run and I wouldn’t consider this car for a daily drive - a real beast to manage. This differs with what I have read about the 996 - a expected a real handling machine with a light touch. Appreciate any feedback on your experience.

Doesn’t sound correct at all. Mine doesn’t feel dissimilar to any other car with both weight and effort. Seems like something is amiss there.

I’ve only spent a day driving one but that was not my impression at all.

Quotes source post: 401478

Sounds like the car just needs some TLC. Shouldn't be any issues with steering or brakes in any 996. Might also be worth checking for any previous front end damage (just to rule it out!)

Flat tires and its been asleep for a few months.

Probably flat tyres.  996 turbo is under-braked and benefits from upgrading from the 997 parts bin...

Quotes source post: 401479

What a great initial post  to which I can blow off some steam and go on an informed rant /opinion  that not all 996 turbo's are alike and theres very little difference between those apparent low 100k manuals out there ( low price point)  vs pristine ones purely accessed by external looks  and  low km's  ( I'll coin them show ponies  with an asterisk with all good looks but don't compare with a well sorted one if driving is secondary to show boating) @Joz haven't driven a lot of cars, but have access to a  2014 Sq5 with a tune, 996 turbo manual  tweaked( k's closer to 50 than 100) golf gti mk5 and a tweaked bmw  e90m3. I understand you have the inferior 2 pedal version, but I can't reconcile with your comment having recently backed to back all  4 cars.  My 996 turbo in weight and effort in steering is double any of those 3 other cars and no, I don't have a basket case example. That's pre ( factory)  and post doing a fair bit of suspension work.  The difference in the m3 reduces down to about 1.33 when I  hit the m button and dialed up the suspension and steering up @ waverly. I find it a  bit amusing that some posts on this  forum think that there is a narrow gap between a low 100k manual asking example , a low km example one and a well sorted one when  behind the wheel.   Equally, I  also find it amusing that from a drivers view point, assuming  low km and impeccable external looks and visual condition means pristine.    Examples running with the same factory installed  rubber bits is far from pristine when behind the wheel in my experience.   The problem is many don't appreciate the difference of changing out aged rubber bits that look pristine and has low load usage and the noticeable difference it makes when behind the wheel when those parts are replaced.  From a visual condition perspective, sure low km example  they command the premium, however my experience with twin turbo VAG boosted 6 cycllnders is you need to spend dollars on preventative maintenance and aged rubber bits irrespective of load   have a noticeable impact   when behind the wheel and that's irrespective of whether your cruising and seeing  0.0  bar on your boost guage or seeing 1.0 bar plus ( those in the know who would not buy one without a few mandatory tweaks that allows you to see a 1 on your boost gauge.) I do not consider having 20 year old aged rubber bits means a pristine driving experience.  Just a view but  pristine low kilometer examples need circa 10k replacing rubbers bits and suspension and brakes , and hoses to get that pristine driving experience. I had someone with a well setup 996 turbo drive theres and mine back to back and the km's traveled was a 2 multiplier between the cars. First impression from them was a noticeable  difference in steering feel. Lower km car much tighter and more effort. The comment was this car has hardly been driven. I am not surprised with that comment of heavy steering if coming off a 991 and 2015 boxster for a low km example. Your's and my view of pristine condition may be different. My view of pristine is put it it on a hoist and have lots of rubber bits replaced fairly recently with genuine factory p stamped parts.  Pristine means aged rubber bits are pristine in looks and pristine in age ( recently changed) My view is low km's and coming straight out of storage, not all 996 turbo's  are alike. Go drive another one (around 100k's) as a reference point. Theses cars are in the circa 20 to 25 year mark. Condition of cars varies.  Irrespective of km's, a well sorted example in my mind ticks the following  boxes below What tyres . If not pirelli or michi's and at right tyre pressures, noticeable difference behind the wheel.    whats the date stamp on the pristine tyres. Brakes.  When were  the brake lines replaced with factory part no's.  Not all brakes lines are equal. . When were fluids replaced.     I would run something above stock porsche 4 dot..How old are the discs. Handling.  When was power steering fluid fully replaced. When was diff and gear box oil fully replaced.  Is the car running on the original pristine 20 year old engine and tranny mounts. If so, if you changed out those mounts and fluids, the feel behind the wheel is not un noticeable Suspension.   When where the top mounts replaced and shocks/ springs.  If never changed , wouldn't  categorise 20 years old stocks deliver a  pristine driving experience Boost hoses.  Perhaps you aren't / wont be beating on the car, but wouldn't categorize 20 year old rubber lines seeing little flow in recent times is pristine and ideal if your frequently going into to be on it and seeing a bit of max boost.. If manual, when was the shifter mechanism replaced.  Not convinced 20 year old plastic bits in a low km 996 turbo  shifter mechanism is my ideal of pristine  compared to say an example with a new 997 replacement mechasim in recent times. Low km's and all the above changed out in the last couple of years is what I would rate as a good starting point to being classied as pristine from both in looks and when behind the wheel Just a view, but if you are talking pristine and bring drivers car in the same sentence,  not spending circa 2k on a tune ( limited to only a few niche Offshore tuners) and an exhaust,  leaves   a huge amount of  performance left on the table  Forget this rubbish of a stock one is  enough hp.  The area under a dyno curve vs no tune is massive across the rev range  and a night and day difference from behind the wheel of drivability on and off full boost May I suggest you part the pristine bias and test drive a none pristine one purely for a  compare the pair onsite. I'm biased and reckon I have well sorted one that's a long term keeper that I have taken from stock to being a great drivers car If you were Perth based, I would be happy to throw you over my keys for a comparison of what you drove vs mine for an informed comparative.

Quotes source post: 401500

Can only vouch for the 997 discs only and coupled with  996gt3/gt2 calipers. Put more km's on the car in one afternoon recently than last 6 months.  Textstar/ factory pads dusted a bit more than I liked after seeing more boost than usual.  May need addressing.  Any recommendation

Quotes source post: 401514

I've really missed you @smit2100 😋 , welcome back.

Thanks for the note. Still log on most days, just been silent.  Been sidetracked lurking in another marks forum and  and lusting over another drivers car with 3 pedals and a few more cylinders with a   rear end that would compliment the 996 turbo and appears to have a  gearbox that's made from the best in business going back in the day from all accounts.  Same model being applied to my 996 turbo.     Strict budget set with limit price, have no interest in driving  one before purchasing,  and the tweaking spreadsheet is fully priced ( cut and paste from the 996 turbo file as a starting point),  but the seller is more stubborn than me and set his min price. Ha ha. That said, my  996 turbo in recent time has seen the polishing to driving ratio being in  excess of  10.  But  thoroughly enjoyed a spin in the Perth Hills following a few cars that were prominent in a supercar Sunday cars and coffee show in Perth a couple of weeks ago.  The 996 turbo with fried egg headlights wouldn't warrant super car status ( did see a minty 993 turbo and a very clean 997 turbo parked up near a circa 1100hp alpha tweaked  Lambo )    Besides the heavy brake dust, didn't feel the 20 plus year old 996 turbo wasn't out of its depth  running behind the  supercars that price wise would be a 3 to 5 multiplier,   especially in the few limited twisty sections. Thoroughly enjoyed rowing through gears instead of daily paddle shifters  and reckon besides being shy on  a bit of extra   boost  for the straight runs, the main deficiency observed  when running   with the super cars is the lack of engine note.  Pretty impressive being in the Graham Farmer tunnel with symphony of McClaren,  lambo's and ferrari engine notes bouncing of the walls whilst   maintaining legal speed limits.  Something to be said about mid engined cars sporting a few more cylinders than 6.   Back on topic, fully aligned  with @ flamingporsche, and not convinced driving an untouched low km 996 turbo and punting around twisties trailing behind supercars and being able to maintain  gaps both front and behind  on my stock  4 pots out front would be possible.  My UMW all genuine p part number brake update kit certainly makes  a difference and a bit of yellow with the sport techno rims at a non factory ride height  is a bit of look change from the standard turbo twists  with red calipers with only 4 pots out front with a 4x4 ride height for a sports car. https://vt.tiktok.com/ZSFsubdJY/

Thanks very much for your very detailed response. Ive booked the car in at Porsche for a pre- purchase inspection…. So lets hope they can review the mechanical side. Ive checked the air con and cup holders.