Love for the 996

I love driving, maintaining and looking after my first Porsche 911. A 996 C2 Coupe 2004. I’ve always loved 1990’s 911’s, the 964 – 993’s. Great shapes and I recall when they went for £10k - £15k and not without their problems back in the day (1995ish onward). Today circa 2017, I still love the 964 – 993 911’s but I find something strange happening. Apart from the cost going through the roof of these and earlier 911’s now becoming unaffordable for a common enthusiast. They seem to be void of previous problems and teething issues, but now an apparent fault free model – to the online purists. The more I want to see encouragement for a 996 online, the more I seem to see the 996 dislike / haters (not all but a majority). How this 911 is ugly, unreliable, design faulted, unconventional! (what 911 has not had teething problems yet nothing than can’t be fixed). I don’t want a 911 on it’s worth or rarity. I want a 911 on how it makes me feel and drives. I find my 996 turns heads, is reliable, is fast, is efficient, is easy to work on, it’s beautiful in my eyes. I had a stranger ask me if my 911 was a 993. I noted no, it’s a 996. I was advised you don’t want that, no good, you want an air cooled 911, yours is not a good car! I also noted in the Porsche Post Magazine, a Q&A article to the rear from Hexagon. Who have a stunning collection of rare high end cars that I appreciate. Jonathan Franklin, rightly or wrongly has a negative view of the 996. He, Hexagon and everyone are allowed an opinion. All cars can have issue’s. But fundamentally I think the 996 is a ground breaker, is revolutionary. It’s fast, efficient, user friendly, easy to work on, a drivers car and daily driver. I love my 996 and I feel the need to stick up for it. I look online and there seems to be so many negative people and comments about it. In life nothing is prefect, it’s what you make of it and how your fix it… On a final note. I recall when the 924, 944, 968 and 928 models, all watercooled and seen as not worthy some years ago. But are now seen as appreciated classics with rising values. My watercooled 996 is not about value or investment, but about enjoyment regardless of worth, rising value or investment – it puts a smile on my face – priceless..…

I second everything you say, and nearly three years down the line and hassle free I'm still very much in love with my 996 ??????and just to add nearly 95000 and still spinning on the original ims bearing ,and it never uses a drop of oil !!! #porscheperfection

Morning , just to add to this , I bought my 996 C4S a couple of mouths ago and I "LOVE" it too. its been 20 years since I last owned a 911 , my last car was an SC coupe and I've regretted selling it ever since. I've been looking at buying another 911 for around 2 years now And I was torn between either 996 C4S or a 997 S , after looking at both models in detail and looks I found for me that the 996 Gen2 was a unique and beautiful looking car. This car will hold up against any 911 and stand the test of time, it's an amazing machine.

Welcome Simon! Great first post!!!!

Echo what others have said. This is my second 996, and both were faultless. Great drivers car, reliable comfortable, and look fantastic in my opinion. Prices for good 996s can only go one way. Anybody that is interested in a drivers car, rather than headlight shape, will love this modern classic.

99% of whom have never owned or driven a 996. Try to find any owner who hates / hated their 996. High end dealers are only interested in one thing ‘large Profit margins’ IMHO. Buying the most expensive Porsche will not get you the best Porsche.

996 is great. Pedal = SMILE.

I've had my 2002 c2 for 3 months now and have done 3,200 miles in it and love it so I agree with everything you say [ ]

The 10 year anniversary of my ownership of my C4S Cab is coming up next month - during that time it has been round the Nurburgring, driven the isle of Man TT route, done the North Coast 500, driven the Antrim coast route in N.I. , driven on the Porsche experience track at Silverstone, and been round Knockhill circuit Scotland - as well as some more 'ordinary' trips ! Still only done 32,000 miles - what a brilliant car ! Chris

I used to have a 3.0 carrera, and now I have my 996. The 996 is fantastic. Everyone has there own opinions but I love mine. There great and when the rest of the world catches on so to speak, no doubt like all the others before,prices will climb.

Had a 986 Boxster S for 7 years, and 3 years ago, as it approached 100,000 miles, decided to go for a 996. I wasn't looking for a C4 cabriolet, but stumbled on mine and it was love at first sight. Thanks to the ill-informed who badmouth the 996, the price was low enough to make mine affordable. I couldn't be happier. Every drive (top down, always) is a joy.

I'd second everything you said, if I wasn't the 11th person doing so [ ] I've had my 996.2 C2 for about 2 years now and it's a great car, every drive is fun and rewarding - even when I drove from Berkshire to York in torrential rain and limited visibility the other week. It's not a high miler - still just under 50k, but I've put about 20% of those miles on in the time I've had the car. Yes, there are a lot of negative comments out there, but as with most things those who have something negative or ill-informed to say tend to be the ones who shout loudest. It's always better to be in a well-informed minority!

Welcome to the club! Totally agree with all you've said too. It annoys me the level of negativity out there on the Internet, that it should slightly dull someone's happiness. EVERYONE's an expert apparently. They merely re-post what they have read and spouting nasty comments somehow makes them feel better, with little or no basis in knowledge or experience. You'd never buy any car if you listened to everything out there. All cars have faults. End of my rant. Good on you that you enjoy a great car to the full. Wish you many happy years of ownership to come sir. Pinky would be proud. David.

I agree entirely on everyone who has said what a great car the 996 is . My C4 is a lovely car to drive with a huge grin on my face every time i start her up she fires into life , lovely to drive & most people look on & guess think i wish i had one of those to look good in driving about , so this is my opinion a great looking car that i love to drive makes me feel as tho i am privileged to own her , like to look @ her from all angles & you know what always think what a beautiful car she looks so glad she is mine .

It’s so wonderful to note the positive and really great response to my post, thank you. It’s great to hear the pleasure of ownership and it’s not just me that gets a bit frustrated at the negativity to the 996. I recently noted this online article regarding the 996. http://www.roadandtrack.com/car-culture/buying-maintenance/a9982953/why-the-996-generation-porsche-911-will-never-be-collectible/ This bit of online journalism seems to be by someone who has never owned or driven a 996 (I may be wrong), but by someone who basis an opinion on collectability, rising values, 911 prospecting and rarity! Not driving pleasure or enjoyment, as noted by every single person who commented to my post. Before I bought my 996, I reviewed as much as I could. I felt the wind taken out my sails with these online articles, You Tube posts etc that I started to question if I should actually buy a 996. I used the negative as a positive to educate myself and went for it, glad I did as mentioned. On a final note: A nice article on this variant of the 996 – this 996 is one of the smallest series production batch Porsche ever made!! https://www.vierenzestig.nl/porsche-996-gt3-rs-road-challenge-registry/ Thanks Simon R1 - 2004 C2 996

The day I start listening to Americans about how to build a sports car, it'll be a cold day in hell.

Looks very clean and looked after. I've had mine 3 years and still look at it every morning with a huge smile.

I gave up reading that first attached article. More of a hate fuelled rant. He got it wrong about the 914 but has learnt nothing. Furthermore he seems to like the GT3 and Turbo, but aren't their interiors and headlights and paint the same?! But as they're faster they're acceptable... Articles like this just mean that prices will remain low enough for a period of time whilst more people can buy their dream car and in time they'll of course rise and he will be wrong again, whilst in his well built mustang! On a last note, someone should really tell that journalist to research the engine failure rates of the 3.8L fitted to the 997 he recommends. Don't get me wrong, I'd buy one in a heartbeat, but he is giving more advice to his followers...

Again i agree whole Heartedly all i can say is their are so many missing out on a opportunity of owning such a beautiful car as the 996 . In time these cars will without doubt come into their own, maybe 6 months, maybe 6 years who knows but i know is this for certain it will be a sort after car in time when people stop knocking it for all the wrong reasons, also may i add this is prob just my opinion these people may never have drove one either which is more of a laugh,anyway i love my 996 & am always itching to start her up lovely & drive her lol

Totally agree. I have had my 996 facelift cabriolet for three months now and put about 1500 miles on it, every one of them enjoyable. I love the interior, the way she handles and the way she looks. I particularly like the headlamps and how they do that clever little dip when you start the car with them switched on. The smooth snarl of that flat six echoing in the garage when I start her up always puts a smile on my face. She has in fact added about a minute or so to my commute time - I cycle to the station and whereas before I'd grab the bike out the garage, jump on and go, now I open the garage, gaze fondly at the car, grab the bike, admire the car some more, then jump on the bike.

O.k. The Porsche 996. You either want to own one or you don't - its that simple. If you want to own one then you are indeed a very lucky boy (or girl) as there are many to chose from so go out and get one.[ ] If you do want to own one then be prepared to put up with its short comings and to spend some money on it if it needs fixing. If you don't want to spend any money on it when it needs attention push it into a (dry) corner somewhere and leave it there until you do. When it is running well take it out and drive it as much as you can - take it on long trips the longer the better and don't be concerned about racking up the miles - it will cover plenty. Don't worry about getting it dirty - muck will wash off. Keep it use it and enjoy it for a very long time. If you want to make a financial investment at any point speak to an advisor. When you get old and have surrendered your driving licence think back and recall how much fun you had with your 996 and smile. Remember to leave it in your will to someone who will appreciate it. Die happy. Best regards to all 996 fans everywhere. Zeusy.

Previously owned 2000 986 Boxster and then a 2009 997 PDK. Now looking to get back into Porsche ownership after a 3 year sabbatical. The Boxster was my first Porsche and it was great fun. I liked the 997 but it was too good, too new, too perfect... but I just didn't love it. Avoiding every loose stone, supermarket trolley, narrow parking spaces and then washing and polishing after every run just became a burden of ownership. Looked great in the garage though! So, now my thoughts are turning to a 996 - something sensibly priced, that I can enjoy and without worry of the aforementioned day-to-day obstacles. Naturally it will be babied but not to the extent of obsession, nor out of fear of significant monetary devaluation. There appears to be plenty out there to choose from and I'll pitch myself in the sub £15k bracket. I actually like the early headlights (the ones with the 'egg yolk') so a 1998/99 model and I do have a preference for an automatic. My question is - is it correct that this model year had the dual row IMS bearing fitted and therefore less likely to be affected by failure? I am aware that failures of this nature have been blown out of proportion but for some peace of mind I felt it would be beneficial to get feedback from those who know best.

3 weeks ago I replaced the Boxster 986 S with a 1998 996 3.4 manual cab Have done a couple of hundred miles and love the car. The previous owner had replaced the IMS bearing about 6 months ago at 116000 miles, the old bearing was in the box of bits that came with the car. The old bearing rotated quietly with no slack and looked fine.

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Really great post and agree with you all. I have had mine for now 15 years this November. I was after a 993 which was the same money at the time. I looked at a couple of 993c2 but they were not he condition i was looking for. i then was going to look at a 993C4s but it was in the dark brown colour that put me off. You could say what a mistake but I have loved owning my 996 gen 1. I also went through the same disappointment when I read all the reports on engine failure, I had put the deposit down on my car and then discovered all the posts on negative comments on these cars, so made the build up of the collection of the car not exciting. I had waited years for that day after being driven around in my father SC, and loving the brand from then on. Now I ignore all these negative posts, after all the 996 were part of what saved Porsche how bad can they be? I had a guy visit my office to do an inspection on our forklift truck for the insurance company, he came into my office and noticed a Porsche poster on my wall. He then said Porsche 911 man are we? I answered yes 100% then he said you will get over it. My next comment was have you ever owned one? His answer was no. I then responded by saying, then that is why you have just made such a stupid comment as its always the people that have never had one that say such stupid things. I also went to an event in East London OPC Magnus Walker was the guest, you may know who he is? A big Porsche collector of air cooled cars, not your typical Porsche guy. When doing the book signing i met him and he asked me what do you drive? Sadly i felt my answer would be not so well received, however he said that's cool i am looking for a good one for my dailiy driver they are great cars, i said yes not everyone thinks that? he then said i bet everyone in this room would agree, all Porsche are great cars. Anyway my rant over as well. Cheers Phil

Well said!

Had a Boxster for a while but just bought my first 911, a 2002 996 Cab and it's great to read such an encouraging thread as this. Nice one !

Here, here. I don’t have a 996 but they are fantastic like all Porsche! This thread is currently one of the most positive subjects on the Club forum - long may it continue [8D]

You’ve been in mine Paul[ ]. If anyone wants more proof watch the following. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=w6jCiB9dt0A Enjoy

Yes, Andy and it felt very similar in lots of ways (as a passenger) to my 993. Sometime I’ll take you for a proper drive in the 993 to give you a comparison too [ ][8D]

I have had my 996 cab now for three years and it still puts a smile on my face every time I drive it. I think much of the negativity was exacerbated by when the car was launched, coinciding with the internet and use of forums. Suddenly anybody who had an opinion or a problem could hose it worldwide in a matter of moments. Problems became wider known and repeated to the point where it seemed every 996 either had an exploding IMS or was about to. Every model had its issues, and Porsche Club of America once did an article on previous models' common faults and how they compared with the IMS. Adjusted for inflation most were more expensive faults to fix and about as rare as the IMS. But at the time, late 80s, early 90s, if your air-cooled 911 blew a gasket or had some other major issue it was a matter between you, your garage and maybe a couple of mates. With the arrival of the internet you could post your tale of woe on as many forums as you liked. Interestingly though, the motoring press loved the 996 - theres a scratchy youtube video of Tiff Needell enthusiastically reviewing one of the early examples and ending up thoroughly impressed. All told they are great cars, and i love mine.

I call it "grin factor". Some cars give this and some don't. My first Porsche was a Cayman S and this made me grin every time I went in the garage and especially when I fired her up. I went from that to a brand new BMW M140 - and the grin was gone. I upgraded the exhaust and still no grin - smiles, but no GRIN. So after some careful investigations, I purchased a 996 C4 cab. And the grin was back. Love the car - and all the challenges of owning an older car - but most of all, I love the "grin factor".[ ]

Similar experience but it was going from a 997s to a 996 c4 cab. Previously owned a 1998 C2 manual and held on to that for 3 years, she wasn't perfect mechanically or bodywork wise but I also had that smile factor. I then made the mistake of selling her and purchasing the 997s and yes it was a better built car but did not give me the satisfaction that the 996 gave me. After a year the 997 was gone and the 996 is back, again the car has many issues but that comes with the territory but most of all the smile factor is back.