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Most people who see my car love it. The people who think the 996 doesn't have the cache of the air cooled models don't know that the 996 will beat any air cooled car every day of the week.
The 996 also has the IMS issue that has been beaten to death on the internet and when somebody blows an engine the whole world knows about it. Ignorant people don't know that 997's also have IMS issues until model year 2009.
Hmmm... I may have to research the times of a 930, 993 vs 996.
I don't really see a lot of negative attention towards the 996 from the general public. I'll get your typical " ugh another Porsche" from Porsche haters at car shows.
I do however find the negative comments from other 911 owners, mostly the older 911 guys. As such I met a 993 targa owner, thought my car was a 997 until I brought up it was a 996... he was pretty much done with the conversation at that point.
A Porschephile will know which models and years are the best, the 2nd, 3rd and the worst. Take it for what it is but within the 911-series, be it a 911, T, S, 930, 964, 996, etc. the 996 "may" be classified as the model that did not outdo its predecessor. Even the 993s iirc are commanding more money than the 996
Personally, I don't love the earlier 996 lamps. There are update kits, although they appear to require replacing the bumpers +/- fenders. A bit pricey for the sake of headlamps.
The newer version, however? Suffice it to say that I chose to forego a 997 in favor of an '03 C4S when I returned to the fold. Love the look, and the current prices.
The Porsche you own is the right one. It's like spouses---OK, not THAT important, but what I mean to say is: There's a right one for everyone.
And, it's FAR less expensive to trade up Porsches than spouses...
The 996 specially the 2002-2004 models are probably the best bang for your buck when it comes to any sports car on the market! i love those cars- here was my first ever 911
Early 996's were flimsy-feeling cars that outhandled, outaccelerated, and outbraked the outgoing 993 while never feeling anything like as substantial as said air-cooled predecessor. The flimsy feeling came honestly — amazingly in this modern era, Porsche actually cut weight out of the car compared to the previous model.
Originally Posted by mhs525
Go for it...
Non-turbo or turbo, the 996 is faster than the air cooled cars.
Personally I adore the look of the 996 and where ever I go it attracts attention, sometimes good sometimes bad...
In terms of MK1 vs MK2 I opted for a MK2 because I love the aggressive headlights. Im not in total agreement of Porsche's decision to use the same headlights on the Boxster and the Mk1 996, I think the Boxster owners got the better end of that deal... That's just my opinion.
I waited until the MK2 came in reach rather than buying a MK1 and I wanted the 3.6 engine and a glove box. Why did the MK1 not have a glove box??
Price wise 996s MK1 and MK2 still fetch anywhere between 45 and 90k in Australia (for the C2 and 4S) so they have held their value excellently here.
The 996 is still a serious piece of engineering excellence and the amount of community knowledge/support on this form and others is what sealed the deal for me...
Btw, my first post since joining the Forum & after my first ever 911 (996) purchase recently. I feel compelled to reply because I'm passionate about this topic for another reason....
That is, I once owned a "pretend Porsche" (1975 914/1.8 Litre; wish I never sold) so suffered the inferiority complex for all the years I loved that little car. Fast-forward & the wifey & I recently bought a 2002 996 C4 with 27,000 original miles. My long-time independent Porsche dealer says it was the finest used car he has seen in a very long time; needed absolutely nothing during PPI (had IMS/RMS mods done, blah, blah, blah).
So, after enduring the 914 "pretend Porsche" sentiments for 15+ years, I don't accept the general disrespect for the 996 or its headlights just because it shares some bits with the Boxter. That's a ridiculous premise. Sure, there are "good" years & "bad" but, in the end, a 911 of any variety is a joyful car to own & drive. My '02 996 handles like no other car I've ever had so I'm a happy boy (age 62). I only wonder now what took me so long to do this! I figure as long as you drive a Porsche of any kind, you're doing the right thing.
So, no disrespect for the 996 or ANY other model (including the 914)....PLEASE?
Cab: I've never been one of the down-trodden or to hang my head, but only recently has the Porsche world itself come around to respect those once not so much. Back in my 914 days, this also included the 912, 924 &, among the purists, the 944 & even the 928.
My 914 was brought down to bare metal & the fuel injected 1.8 ran perfectly. So, it was a fabulous looker & outstanding runner. That said, my 996 feels like a serious steroid injection! Couple weeks ago, we hit 100mph on the freeway on-ramp before I realized & shut it down. I think we were still in 3rd gear. Niiiice!
Years ago, my Mom gave me a coin bank that said "Rob's 911 Heaven" to save up for a "real" Porsche. She's in heaven now &, driving the 996, so am I. So, since this is a 996 thread, HUGE kudos to this model & all other Porsches.!
I've learned no matter what you own people will always find something to say. The 03 996tt to me has a very timeless look despite what some will say about the headlights. I personally like them. They seem distingished and sometimes newer. I always get compliments and when asked what year my vehicle is I reply with " what year do you think?" The answer is always newer then it really is. Bottom line the 997 no doubt is a very nice car, but you cannot beat the 996tt in looks, performance, reliability and resale value. That was my deciding factor. Real car guys don't get caught up in headlights and what the next guy is saying.
OMG not another boring whiny a$$ thread about the headlights. We 996 owners don't give a hoot about what others think about our cars and especially about the headlights. Get a 997, 991 or and earlier air cooled-oil burner, if you can't live with the lights. I'm not changing anything about my headlights or even considering it. That's what makes the 996 so unique, the first water cooled and GT1 inspired race lights. Take a look at this 1996 GT1! Do you get it? Now lets move on people. The next time anyone says anything negative about your car, specifically about the headlights, look them dead in the eyes and ask them "where did you get that information about the 996?" Because if you visit the Porsche museum it's all there. Much love to the fried eggs and I love my pumpkins too!
Here's a 1996 GT1 Race Car. I bet he wasn't worried about the fried egg headlights while he was kicking some butt on the track !
Bottom line is that no one is gonna argue that the 996 is one of the best values in a sports car. It's just that some people can't get past the headlights or certain reliability paranoia due to their risk tolerance, ignorance, taste, or insecurities. I'm glad there are people like this or I might've not been able to either afford or felt like I got the steal of the century on this car. And for that reason, the 996 will always be a great car as it will be attainable to many enthusiasts, rather than collector snobs doing what it was meant to do: being driven and enjoyed.
Last edited by alpine003; May 1, 2015 at 07:17 AM.
Couldn't agree more. My commute to work includes almost 9 miles of ocean front driving on PCH. You better believe I drive my 996 with the windows down at least half the time to hear that beautiful flat 6 (now enhanced by Cargraphic). I've had it 5 years and probably lost less than $3-4k in depreciation in that time span.
It is computerized enough to be reliable, yet simple enough for a novice mechanic like me to work on. (Brakes, battery, oil changes, exhaust and fluid changes).
Definitely not selling it for a long time. A 991 is about 150% more money and is in no way 150% more car.
My prior rant was just my view of the negative narrative on the 996.
