Stephen Porter

I've sold my super-nice 928 S4 and have my '89 944 NA daily driver/mild auto-xer for sale. I just turned 70 and am on the hunt for my "last" Porsche--not that I don't intend to hang around as long as possible! But I'd like to get a single car that will keep me smiling whenever I have to drive anywhere, will be reliable, won't break the bank to buy or maintain.

I started looking at Boxsters, 951's and 968's or 944 S2's since I want to keep the purchase price under $20K. I have a buddy who has a nice '99 996 and I did have a chance to drive that for an afternoon a few years back. My memories of that are all positive--it seemed like a really fun car with power to match the 928, but a lot more agility--but those are just hazy impressions.

So 996's have entered in the mix. My local mechanic is probably the best Porsche guy out here in the desert and has an extensive collection of cars. When I explained my quest to him, he offered to let me take one of his cars: a 2001 Carrera 4 cabriolet (hardtop included) for a day of test driving. It's a tiptronic and has a great sounding Porsche sports exhaust system.

Mechanic assures me that EVERYTHING, including an LN IMSB replacement is done and up-to-date on the car. He's a maniac for keeping cars properly running and I believe him. So, in some ways this is an ideal candidate as far as 996's go and as far as I know.

Car has a 45K miles and is in very good cosmetic condition. My very first impression was "Wow this feels just like a new car!" And I was ready to start negotiating. An hour or two behind the wheel, however, my enthusiasm started to ebb some. My main complaint is that, to me, the car seems heavy and a little bit ponderous. Perhaps not quite as heavy as the S4 but heavier than I expexted. It seems to be a bit more agile than the 928, but again, it's nothing like my 944 which is much lighter and has a Koni adjustable suspension and some 951 suspension bits and is a lot of fun to toss around. The power also seems to be close to the S4, which was dyno'd at 320 HP a couple years back. I'm wondering whether the fact of it being an AWD model and having the tip contribute are making it a bit heavier than an C2?

Sounds: all kinds of new and unfamiliar sounds including some rattles on rougher pavement--first impression/guess is related to it's being a cab--hardtop installed? On smooth pavement it's quiet and drives very quietly.

On deceleration there is a background whine which I'm pretty sure is just par for the course. I bought a 968 cab once that had a bad pinion bearing and ever since any kind of transmission noise makes me nervous/paranoid!

I actually kind of like the tip, which surprised me. It's very responsive. The exhaust sound when you get on it is just great.

After 15 minutes of driving the PSM Off and ABS lights go on--but I'm sure that seller would fix. Also the rear spoiler warning light (?) is sometimes on at start up. Probably minor also.

The car is going back this afternoon and while I'm pretty impressed, I'm not "in love" and unless there's some kind of no-brainer deal, I'll probably keep on searching.

I realize this post is a bit all over the place, but hoping that some things might ring a bell with the more experienced 996 owners here and I can start building a better frame of reference for judging these cars.

STP

PS--uploaded some pix of the car in driveway after I had it washed as a thanks to the seller.

morganabowen

Stephen,
About five years ago, I sold my '91 S4 that I really loved. I bought a 2000 Carrera 4 and I have never looked back. I love the all wheel drive and the way the car handles. I added some upgrades and aftermarket wheels I was reluctant to sell my 928 but I drove a 996 belonging to a friend and made the move to the 996. NO REGRETS

Stephen Porter

Hi Larry,

I may have met you in LA??? Did you work at Disney??

There's a lot I like about the 996. My problem is I may be addicted to the quick-handling, go-kart aspects of my 944 ;-). We'll see how it shakes out.

Agent Jester

"Also the rear spoiler warning light (?) is sometimes on at start up. Probably minor also."

Totally normal, it's supposed to be on for a few seconds at startup. Keep shopping around and take a C2 out as a comparison.

KrazyK

The Tip/AWD combo makes for a very weak and sluggish 996. The TIP should have never been offered in a NA 996. You wont be happy with the performance. Why dont you try a comparable 996 with a 6 speed?

kmagnuss

Is the owner of that 996 color blind?

Triple Black

The wheels are nice but the top doesn't match. 45K miles is very low mileage, but doesn't mean it won't have maintenance issues. These are great cars, but are not go-kart type of cars. If you like the light and nimble feel drive a Boxster, or even better a Boxster S.

Either way - get a thorough independent PPI before you decide to pull the trigger.

Spokayman

I cannot compare the 996 Tip Cab against a 928, but I have owned three 944s including an S2 Cab.
I too thought my 996 Tip Cab felt oddly "heavy" when I first drove it. After throwing it through curves though it lightened up considerably. The harder you drive it, the lighter it feels.
As bluntly pointed out by Krazy K above, I too believe the Tip and AWD do contribute to the "heavy" or ponderous feel you noted.
Unlike what he said though, the Tip is actually a good fit for this car. Although we all have our opinions, Krazy is known for some especially odd thoughts/opinions about the 996 model.

A C2, especially a coupe, would feel different.
But if you are looking for an even lighter feel, try a Boxster or Cayman.

The spoiler warning is supposed to illuminate at every startup and will turn off as you drive off.
The PSM and ABS lights are likely related to each other and may be a faulty wheel speed sensor or some component of the PSM system of which there are many. Could be as simple as a fuse or the ABS light needing to be reset.

My 55K mile cab had a few rattles too although I didn't have a hardtop.
In comparison, the Cayman and Boxster are both quite tight.

I have heard of a bad transmission bearing causing a whine in the 996 a few different times, so this might be a real problem developing in that particular car.
I would drive another 996, particularly a 2wd to compare noise and see what you think about the feel. I also recommend giving a Boxster/Cayman a try.

fpb111

In the 4th pic there is a wet spot under the drivers side at the rear. If that water wasn.t there before you parked the car that water under that area of the rear usually means expansion tank or water pump.
If it is the tank it is not too hard to replace.
If it is the water pump there is more urgency to get it fixed, The impellers are plastic and can break up if the bearing gets too loose. The broken bits get into the water jacket restricting it or clogging passages causing $$ engine damage. 3.4ltr engines seem especially vulnerable to heads cracking from this.

KrazyK

Maybe you should pass on this one and look for just what you want. Odd he didnt paint the replacement top to match especially a "maniac" mechanic. The wheels are a bit too much bling for my taste. Ask him the story on the car. Maybe he pieced this pile together.

If you simply must have an AWD why not look at some C4S models? Lots of great options included with those. The NB C4's arent "all that" as they say.

Dennis C

The combination of AWD, Tiptronic, and a cabriolet roof make that car one of the heaviest 996s you can buy. My guess is that a C2 coupe would feel much lighter and more nimble.

I agree with the comments above. Find the right 996, and you'll love it.

OKB

If you want a more responsive, powerful car, you have to do a few mods to open it up. A better free flow intake, a better free flow exhaust and a performance ecu software. That will really boost it beyond stock feel and also change the tip response.

Rubik

My cab feels a bit heavier with the hardtop on. Also there is more rattles and squeaks with the hard top on. Without hardtop, it's pretty nimble and quiet. I haven't driven a C4 so I can't compare but AWD is in general heavier.

chamilun

just dont drive a boxster...

996 nicer interior and just feels 'nicer' overall, but I'd prefer the boxster driving dynamic any day

kromdom

Do not mind the cab and tip haters, trust me......there are more 😆. Bottomline, buy the car that is right for you for own reasons......but no one needs to tell you this at your age.😉

Best of luck with your search.