Ron PCar

After 2 Years, here is what I primarily liked & disliked

Likes
1) Shape / Body of 993
2) Shape / Body of 993 (liked it that much)
3) Sound
4) Responsive, very gritty

Disliked
1) Staring at the Temp guage go up & down
2) Hard to drive everyday for a city dweller
3) Having to always deal with the Cab boot when the top was down


996
Like
1) More HP
2) More Comfortable
3) Able To Drive Everyday
4) Did not like the body, but it has now become distinctive since the 997 looks like a 997 with updated materials
5) Like how the cab tucks away
6) Glass rear window on cab

Dislikes
1) None yet, maybe in two years i will have a new list as I move on to a 997.


I will be honest though with dislikes, I hope to drive a different 911 every two years, there are many models to experience, even within a model year. I think its important to try every 911 and to be able to experience the differances rather than argue which one is superior. Each one has its own character

Ron PCar

P.S. I bought a 2003 C4 Cab with a hardtop in artic silver with 6,000 miles.

John95cab

I think that's the trade off between the raw gritty sportscar feel that you like in the 993 and the luxo daily driver GT ride of the 996. To me the 3.2 G50 carrera was even more fun to drive than the 993 but by the time you add up all the mods on the 3.2 you might as well drive a 993.

dhicks

After 3 months ownership
993 Likes
Engine sound, body shape - esp the rear wheel arches - wish I could afford an S to get even sexier "hips", drive feel on country roads.
993 Dislikes
CEL, Headlights (yes I will put HID's in before next winter), the attention - esp from people with sharp "keys"

I have owned several P-cars and this is the best yet....I just dont know where to go next as I do not like the 996 shape and cannot afford the 997 and by the time I let this one go all the other 993's will be too old for daily driver use.....

GrantG

993:

Likes:
1. smaller size - more agile and tossable
2. Dry sump motor - no worries about oil starvation
3. Much prettier
4. Much higher quality parts and build quality
5. Handling

Dislikes:

1. CEL-SAI
2. too heavy
3. not enough headroom

996:

Likes:

1. More power - higher redline
2. Gearbox has lower/closer ratios
3. Brakes are great
4. Bi-Xenon

Dislikes:

1. Too big
2. PSM limits fun and makes driver reliant on it - no LSD option
3. Lots of rattles - lower quality materials
4. Handling is less immediate - feels more luxo, less sports
5. Not as pretty

texas911

993:
Likes:
Heritage
Old School build techniques (door clack)
Small size
Old School Gauges (love the clock)
Sounds and Smells
Classic good looks
Lot's of character
European feeling

Dislikes:
Small size
10 year old car
Radio
Steering vague
Shifter vague and long throws
Not so quick
Gearing way to tall
Maintanace looks expensive down the road
Slippery Slope

997:
Likes:
Fantastic handling
Very very quick
Shifter is short and direct
Interior very modern
Radio
Huge interior (compared to 993)

Dislikes:
Expensive
Rattles
Expensive
Rides a bit rough on the 19s

mborkow

i am surprised to read that the 996/7 has lots of rattles. personally, that would drive me NUTS. recently i have noticed my eye drifting to the 996...even the head lights (the 2nd version) are growing on me...and the car is supposed to be incredibly safe (side air bags, etc).

GrantG

Yeah, they're very rattly. My 996 was in the dealer's about a dozen times for warranty rattle repairs (either temporary or totally ineffective).

TD in DC

The complaints of rattles surprise me as well. I live and work in Washington DC, which has brutally bad roads. I have zero rattles, and I even have a TARGA. Of course, rattles sometimes do develop, but when they do, my local dealer is the MASTER eliminator of rattles. If your car develops a rattle, you should be able to eliminate it fairly easily. I do not believe that rattles are an inherent and unfixable trait of 996s or 997s. Just my 2 cents.

TD in DC

Sounds to me like you should find a new dealer. I know it is easy for me to say, we have a plethora of good dealers/shops in our area.

Jan_M

Had my 993 S 97 for 2 years, I am going into my second year on my 996.

Likes on 993 S
- Looks
- Raw feeling
- Noise
- Character and "smell"

Dislikes
- performance in wet
- Tire consumption
- steering feeling at high speeds

Likes on 996
- Perfect every day car
- Much quicker than it appears
- Reliable (knock on wood)
- Gearbox and ergonomy of the thing

Dislikes
- Not as engaging as a 993
- Noise
- looks (although I am starting to get Harm Lagaays point)

The 996 is a 911 that grown on you.