So help me out here...

So I have been in the market for a 996 for a while now and cannot seem to find the "right" one. I have read all the information and buyers guides ad nauseum. At first I was going to look at a 2006-08 car but now have my heart set on a 1999 early build. I know that can be a hard task but now I am wondering if I am missing out not considering other iterations and years. I love the Targas and am considering going in that direction but can any of you offer some opinions? Is the 3.4 more or less problematic than the 3.6? I will be using the car as a daily driver-and I drive a lot, I do most of the preventative maintenance myself and have a savings account for the bigger stuff I dont feel like doing..clutches etc.. Most of my driving is freeway, but I like a spirited zippy car which is why I was thinking the 3.4 Should I also be considering 2000-2004 cars? Thanks in advance A

Yes. For daily driving the torque difference with the 3.6 cars is very noticeable.

Buy the next well cared for example you come across that passes due diligence regardless of year. And start smiling! Then, take your time to find the '99 that checks every box.

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Was that even his question? I've owned both the 3.8 997.2 and the 3.4 996.1, and I don't think you will be missing much from a daily driver aspect by going with the lower displacement/HP 3.4 engine. It's more than enough unless you are a HP junkie. While they aren't 100% the same, they are pretty similar. The 3.4 feels more powerful than you'd expect. Set up the suspension on these cars and you will see how great they are. Supposedly, the 3.4 is less prone to bore scoring and if equipped with a dual row bearing, less chance of IMSB issues as well.

Depending how long a while is, yes, you're definitely missing out. I would just buy one. If you don't like it, sell it and buy another one.

As a Gen 2 996 owner, I can say it's awesome. I have owned my 2002 for 19 years and it's durable, fast, agile and a blast to drive around town and on the track. Most importantly, I don't wake up wishing that I owned something else. You will find that there are more Gen 1 cars available for sale than Gen 2 because Porsche produced more Gen 1 cars. The extra HP/TQ in the Gen 2 is noticeable on the track. Maybe not as much on the street. Get yourself a copy of "Porsche 996: The Essential Companion " by Streather. It will tell you everything you need to know about the 996 3.4 and 3.6, including differences, things to be aware of and solutions. It was readily available on Amazon 2 months ago but now in short supply due to the holidays. Keep looking for it at a reasonable price. It is a must have. What you get on RL is a lot of "home team bias" from either Gen 1 or Gen 2 owners which is understandable. Bottom line is that both gens have their own issues like any car, both gens have solutions, and both gens are incredible cars. It comes down to your own personal preferences. Visually they both look like 996s, but if you look close, they certainly look different. Headlights, front bumper, aero kits. Mechanically you have a 3.4 with a throttle cable or a 3.6 without a cable. The 3.4 is more prone to D chunking with potentially less bore scoring; the 3.6 is less prone to D chunking with potentially more bore scoring. However, bore scoring is a byproduct of the change in materials used in coating the bores due to changing environmental requirements/laws coupled with Porsche in their infinite wisdom telling owners that they only have to change their Oil every 15k miles. To help prevent bore scoring you need to change your oil frequently and often. Fresh oil means great lubrication. Obviously there are many other variables that facilitate the conditions for bore scoring, but it's a widespread issue beyond just Porsche's since all manufactures have to follow the environmental regulations. IMSB failure is an issue in both, but less in early Gen 1 due to design. This is easily fixed with proven IMS Retro kits and solutions from many providers. Bottom Line is for you to figure out if you like the Gen 1 or Gen 2 car better visually as well as mechanically. My preference is for the Gen 2. Doesn't mean that I don't like the Gen 1, I love it. But I like the looks of the the Gen 2 just a little more and the extra performance that comes from the 3.6. But that is my preference, it may or may not be yours. There is no right or wrong answer here. Go with your preference. Both generations are incredibly awesome and both generations have more than enough after market solutions available to solve any of the problems.

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While this is generally true because Gen 1 cars were (fortuitously) manufactured for five years, and Gen 2 only three, there are actually less early-build MY1999 C2's (built months 11/97-08/98 only) than any other Gen 1 or 2 variant (including Turbo or GT); and this disparity is even sharper U.S. than ROW. GT1 is excepted from this statistic as there are approximately only 20 examples, and none imported by PCNA Additionally the MY1999 benefits from the original robust dual-row IMSB design (although most diligent owners will have likely replaced IMSB by now) IE, the utter rarity of early-build '99 has not yet been seriously discussed, or even acknowledged by the market. But it will be

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Athos, great opportunity for you to connect with bdronsick. He is not only a 996 nut like many of us, but he also has a 99 for sale from his collection.

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It occurred to me last month that there are more 996 GT's than 996 Turbo manual coupes, which precipitated the listing of my early '99 (instead of Turbo) But it only occurred to me five minutes ago that there are more 996 Turbo manual coupes than early-build '99 manual coupes Edit: Approx only 6,600 996 Turbo manual coupe exist worldwide. Anyone anywhere anytime ever hear how many 996 C2 manual coupes were manufactured "early-build" on the 993 assembly line from that pre-producution run between 11/97 - 08/98?? Also would be good to know how many of those were imported by PCNA (assumed to be only a fraction, as most were diverted ROW as MY1998 VIN) This is a most burning question

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​​​​​​Don't know, but I bet you do... 😊

I wish I knew! I assume we can "ballpark" overall early-production from VIN number of the latest 08/98 builds; but that won't at all help zero in on the C2 manual-coupe variant; presumably the rarest, or at least the most desirable This number will likely remain an indeterminate mystery Edit: I've posted this question over on the MY1999 thread hopefully we'll get some intelligent guesstimates soon... https://rennlist.com/forums/996-foru...ispreloading=1

No wrong answer here. My only advice is to get the one you think will require the least amount of $$ in upkeep as you are going to be putting A LOT of miles on it.

I bought a well maintained 99 911 in April 21 I’m already at $4k in routine maintenance and $6k in add ons And counting just buy the next best maintained car you see because hesitation will play with your head Mike

If you buy any Variocam 911 without recent clutch/IMSB and/or outside factory cam deviation spec, then be prepared to $pend big & $oon Nobody is looking at cam deviation, and this is primary on the Variocam

Now is the time to say this. There are a lot of Gen 1 and Gen 2 996s for sale. As well as more on the way. So you have time to find the right one. After you figured out what you want, and you find a few targets, make sure you get a thorough PPI performed by a Porsche Indy that knows what they are doing. Also make sure that you get a borescope done. Most of the battle is finding a 996 that has good bores. After that it's much smoother sailing with preventative medicine such as replacing parts (IMS, AOS, Water Pump, etc.) and general service such as frequent oil changes, sensors, etc.). This is not like buying a 2 year old Honda Accord. This is a classic 20 year old sports car that you have to take car of. But you will own a great car that will get you fired up about life. ​​​​​​

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This is the way.

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Thank you so much! This is exactly the kind of information I was looking for. I am patient and know that I will find a 996 eventually! PS I looked up the book you mentioned and it is selling for $256.00! Ha ha

Crazy price for a book. 2 months ago you could get it for under 160 bucks on Amazon. Good luck with your search and keep us posted!

I will keep you updated. I am scouring the internet as we speak. There are two Targas and one 1999 Cab that I am eyeing! PS All of those 912 books I paid like $20.00 bucks for are now over $150.00!

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Get involved with your local PCA region. You can attend most events without being a member. Plenty of events and plenty of people to network with. You would be surprised to what comes out of the woodwork once you let it be known that you are looking for a 996. Do the same with your local Porsche Indies. These guys servi CE the cars and know who is looking to sell.

Events are scarce in Ohio where I am but it looks like the neighboring states have plenty of activities!

FWIW... Just saw the 996 Essential Companion for $150.00 on quarto.com. They are advertising 30% off with code DRIVES30. Don't know if the price is before or after any discount.