Is the 996 911 the Best Bang for Your Buck Porsche on the Market?
The 996 is a polarizing car among Porsche enthusiasts, but they are also some of the most affordable 911s you can buy.
In today’s current Porsche landscape we have a lot of options, and they are pricey. Hey, that is the price we pay for loving Porsche. GT2 RS‘s cost around $300,000, if you can even find one. There are mint-condition classic air-cooled Porsches being sold for a million plus dollars on a regular basis. While that’s all good and fun, not every one has the money to be dropping that much cash on a car, no matter how beautiful. What if you still want a 911, but are a more value-minded consumer?
This brings us to the 996 generation 911. This model was produced from the late 1990s to the mid 2000s and it was the first Porsche to be water-cooled, marking the end of the historic air-cooled era. This was a landmark model for Porsche and was the beginning of their shift into the modern automotive landscape. 
Love it or hate it, it was a step that the brand had to take for a variety of reasons. As these cars have aged, they have been becoming more and more affordable. Does this 996 has the offerings to be the greatest value sports car on the market? Thanks to Mat Watson Cars on YouTube, we see what the Carwow host thinks of his personal 996 and what it offers to the current enthusiast market.
The first thing many folks will notice about the 996 is its similarity to the same generation Boxster. This is due to the fact that Porsche needed to spread costs across both vehicles so both of the vehicles share more than a few body panels. However, the 996 obviously received the larger 3.4L 296 HP flat-six. Another dramatic departure from the previous generation 993 is the interior. It shares little to no resemblance to the previous car even though it was initially intended to be used in the 993. This is another point of contention for the 966, some people absolutely hate the layout and design, some consider it an acquired taste.
All that is fine and dandy, but how does the 996 actually drive? Well, to most current enthusiast standards it is considered light. The shifter has a long throw, the steering is a little floatly, although direct, and it in general feels more GT than all-out sports car. This however makes it easy to drive and handle around town. Obviously, the place where the 911 comes to life is without a doubt a good canyon or backroad where you can really run it through the gears. As any 911, it is prone to understeer, but as long as the suspension is settled, it handles wonderfully through the corners.
It may not be the best 911 Porsche ever designed and produced, but there is something special about the little 996. It has a character and its more visceral than any modern sports car could offer, simply due to its simplicity and no-nonsense design and ideology. Watson has a lot of great insights into the 996, both as an auto journalist, and an owner.
If you’re in the market for such a car and want something that will make you smile on a daily basis, get a chance to drive one of these cars. You won’t regret it.