CAA

Took my car to the dealer last week and while it was being inspected, etc (993 C4) my sales guy let me take a 996 cab out for a spin. My impressions - I really like the way it sounded, acceleration was crisp and very responsive at about 4k RPMs. Howeever, it didn't feel as fast as my car "seat of the pants" wise. I didn't like the interior as much but i guess that would be something I would get used to. Also the shifter felt a little weird to me. Kind of plasticky if that makes sense but a nice short throw. Overall a great car but I wouldn't trade. Maybe I'll just upgrade to an "S" for my next 993 as I still think I drive the best looking car on the road. Thanks for letting me rant and I was curious if others have driven these and what their thoughts were!

Anir

The "buzz" in many of the automotive journals is that Porsche plans to substantially improve the 996's interior quality. Hopefully, this is true.

SeanD

My friend (ex-boss) was going to sell me his '99 996 so I got to drive it while he was on vacation for 2 weeks. I was ready to do the deal when I saw a yellow 993TT on the road in my town and didn't know what to think! Did some research and 'lurked' about this 993 site on Rennlist enough to give the 993 a shot. Long story short I didn't buy the 996.

My friend turned the 996 back in and is on the waiting list for the new face-lifted 911. Question: Will they still call the body a 996 for the new 911? It looks just like the new twin turbo with updated front end etc. I don't know when he is expected to be getting the new 911, but I will for sure get a chance to drive it.

He REALLY got annoyed when people confused his 996 as a Boxster. He jumped at the opportunity to trade the car and get the updated 911.

I still like the lines of the 993 better. Much more aggressive. Drives better too!

Viken

Yes, the 2002 Carrera series is still based on the 996 platform. Facelits and a 3.6 liter engine producing 316 HP SAE.

Ray Calvo

Drove one too - at the model year intro. Dealer let us take out a "Demo".

Positives:
- Nice accelleration
- Smoother over bumps
- Better room

Negatives:
- UGLY in comparison to my 993
- Poorer materials and construction
- Engine WAY too quiet - sounds like a Lincoln or Caddy
- Much of the driving feel/kickback was gone from the steering. This might be a positive for those who are coming to teh 996 fresh, but was a big letdown for a person weaned on air/oil cooled 911s since 1976.
- If you think the 993 engine is inaccessible, look under the hood of a 996.

So, I'm keeping my 993. Might consider the 996 TT or a 993 TT in the future when the 993 wears out amd my piggy bank has grown again.

Garey Cooper

A few months ago I drove a C4 996. It had the sports suspension (I can't remember what the salesperson called it). I was impressed, it seemed taut and the low down torque was plentiful. The sound is muted I agree, even stock 993 exhausts have that classic air cooled Porsche note. But I have heard after market 996 exhausts that sounded very good.

As far as the prettiness factor is concerned I would say that this is one chassis that I like the aerokit on better than when it is stock. I think the aero kit "means it up" a little and if lowered it has all the aggressive stance that one could want.

I think it is a fine car. Since I have a 996TT on the way I guess I have no choice but to say that!

Carmen

I must agree with Ray, thought the same things.. I test drove a 996 Cab while I was having my 95 993 Cab serviced.

scott watkins

Not for sure if the 993's and 996's are different down here in Houston, but when I test drove both back to back the 996 was far superior. To say that the 996’s are ugly is being somewhat critical. It is not ugly just different. The 993’s are beautiful cars, but so are the 996’s. I would almost say that the 996 looks like the original classic lines of the first generation 911. The exhaust note of the 996 is not like a Cadillac or a Lincoln. I have the factory oval tips, and the car sounds very similar to all 993's that I have driven and heard. The 964's are a bit louder though. Just my opinion, but I could be wrong.

Regards,
Scott

sassofono

I used to drive a '95 993 4 and I really liked it. Then in 1998, without really testing the new one (few miles downtown; you should know, here in Italy is quite impossible to test drive a car before you buy it), I decided to go for the 996 (with the sport package).
Now, after 3 years, I really think I'll go back to a 993 s4 or turbo.
993: I really feel the road, I drive.
996: GT sedan with a coupe' look, better A/C, better interior, more room for my legs, it even goes faster with a little effort, but I don't feel it.

CAA

Just to clear any confusion....I never said the 996 was ugly. I think the coupe is a rather attractive car - to each his own, right? I guess my frustration in driving it was that I almost wanted it to make me say, "Wow, I gotta get one of these things" and see an appreciable difference from my car but I didn't. And as a turbo is out of my price range, well.....Hope this clarifies my original post. Hell, the whole reason I was given the car to drive is because the sales guy wanted me to trade up!

Nol, 95 993 C4

I too had the pleasure of driving the 996 coupe as part of the new model year introduction. And it was a pleasure, for whatever comments I have it is a really fine car. First I was the passenger in a Boxster S following the 996 coupe around the first half of the trip. In my opinion the sound of that 996 when following it was beautiful and typical 911. I do believe it had some optional exhaust fitted. But when I subsequently got to drive it, the sound experience inside is an anticlimax.

In the 993 I'm always very conscious of what revs the engine is at, but not so the 996. In the 993 I can hear and sense when the engine warms through by the subtle changes of the "music" I feel very much in tune with it. Again not so in the 996. Not only the exhaust is muted, the whole array of mechanical noises my 993 makes, the whirring/clicking/whining/ of all that fine engineering in the back, is almost absent. This made me feel "detached" from the car. The 996 was a hoot to drive, and styling you can argue about, but in my opinion the sound experience is the major reason why I still prefer my 993 .

Cheers, Nol

George

I drove one both during a test drive and at the Performance Driving School Porsche sponsors in Road Atlanta.

I would echo the other comments and add that it is a much easier car to drive fast (you certainly don't feel like you're going as fast), it is miles more forgiving esp. with the PSM activated and I think its shift action is superior to the 993 (a fingertip can push the car from gear to gear). It is (IMHO) prettier than the 993 only from a rear and rear 3/4 view. I hate the slab sides, the headlights, the interior, the sound, the lack of window frames and the overall larger size. That intimate feeling of being close to the windshield and almost part of the road is totally gone.

CAA

George - totally agree with you about the shifter. What a short throw and so easy. I was actually afraid I could break the thing if I was too hard on it. Went to a Porsche club tech session here this weekend at a dealership and saw a couple 996's which I thought looked really nice. Maybe I'm warming up to it - still don't like the boxster front end though.

sassofono

I just want to add another comment: my dealer - a professional driver in an Italian Porsche league - says that the 996 it's a better engineered car (...) but the material used to build it are like any other car. The 993 was built to last and everything was built with plenty of metal, plastic, etc..
The gearbox of the 996 he uses in his gentleman's competition had to be changed after just one race.
Bye
Marco Manieri