This is what always gets me. It's so easy to nit pick the nuances of almost any car, but what matters is how much enjoyment YOU get out of what you drive. Someone else's opinion on fried egg headlights doesn't mean **** now, and it won't mean **** when we're 6ft under, as long as YOU like them. I know I do. Same with any other 996 nanny.


Good post Arnuld. All are solid points, enjoy your 996 in good health. Overall I've enjoyed my experience so far, sure the money spent on PM's hasn't been pleasant, but it's worth the smiles per miles.

 

Just cause they are great to drive

 

Reason #13: Fantastic 996 online support community.

 

That's the truth. Thanks to all who have replied to my thread. So glad to have found rennlist

 

#14: All the women that line up at your front door waiting for you to come home from work.

 

In any form, the 996 is a great car that is currently at approachable prices for many budgets.

Pick one up and enjoy it.

 

I agree with an excellent post by the OP. I've had several 944/914/924 etc., a 993, a 348, a Hennessey Viper, and most iterations of the Corvette. I've had the British sports stuff. Now I have a warehouse full of street rods, classic American muscle, a few AMG/ MBZ and my '77 911 Targa. If I want to double stripe 100 yards of pavement, I have cars that'll do that. My S class MBZ is great for long trips, like sitting in your living room on the sofa. But for my money, nothing beats my early 996. The design and ergonomics are well sorted in my experience. The a/c, seating, handling, power to weight and overall driving experience make it a great choice for a daily use sports car. My .02!

 

I usually side with the Russians, but in the case of the AC - my 996 has always blown ice-cold; even when putting though the desert at 100+ temps at speeds where the car has every right to puke up its coolant and die...it keeps on motoring away with the AC set to "meat locker."

Vent temps on the center stack are lower than any other car I've tested (yes, I keep track of vent temps once or twice a year to ensure the AC is still working optimally); the crappy ducting under the dash makes the side vents suffer a little.

I'm sure it sucks more in a cab (less insulation) or a Targa (more glass), but in my coupe, the AC has always been more than adequate. And I'm fat!

 

#15 I own two and misery loves company.

 

In a nutshell, I'm 48 with 3 kids, and my recent purchase of a 996 Turbo has given me the opportunity to fulfill a childhood fantasy of owning a true supercar that I could never have otherwise afforded. I'm just a regular guy with a regular job. Thankyou Porsche

 

The new 911s do catch my eye and if I won in a raffle I'd be oh so happy!

But when I consider what I use the car for and the dollar to fun ratio my free-and-clear 996 looks like a keeper.

Even with a new engine (if it came to that point) you've still got a performance bargain on your hands when compared to other 911s both older and newer.

 

Here's what my center stack looked like during the drive in this AM - I didn't notice I left the AC on "blast chiller" mode with the windows down until my hand got wet when I reached for the radio controls...



Buddy AND Darnell approve of my air conditioning.

 

Value for the Buck!
A friend calls my 996 "The Pacifier", meaning it is keeping me in a Porsche until I get a "Proper" Porsche or into an R8.
I may surprise them and move into a 996 Turbo.

I have to argue the AC point.
My 993 AC always kept me cool in Atlanta heat but Never blew crap out the vents like the 996 does.
Ill be glad when the inside of the vent pipes is done shedding!

 

I bought my 996 C4S because it offered a reasonable cost of entry into Porsche sports cars, and I always wanted a 911. I was driving a Cayenne S as my daily driver when I bought the used C4S. I considered a new base Boxster, and then I began to pursue 996 cars. The two cars that I really considered were a MK I car with the aero kit, as well as a C4S. When I bought my car, all the "experts" at the time recommended staying away from MK I cars, especially the early examples. At that time, MK I cars had a higher rate of engine failure than the newer cars (some due to IMSB and some to engine block porosity issues), so I scratched that option off my list. That has apparently changed a bit as the 996 series has aged. I fell in love with the wide body of the C4S, and I bought one. I loved the car, and I never cared about the headlight design being different from other 911s. I sold it because it became too expensive to keep on the road. You all know what they say about adding up all your repair receipts....

I moved from a 996, to a 997, and then to a 991. I have loved them all, and they all have offered a great Porsche experience. I am pleased to have owned every one of them. Without the 996, I may not have gotten into a 911 as early as I did. I probably would have waited until my kids were out of college, and I would have missed the opportunity to drive a 911 as my daily driver for so long.

The 996 is a "gateway Porsche".

 

It's a great starter Porsche. I think 987 might still be the best handling Porsche platform at that price point, but there's no denying the allure and relative practicality of a 911.

996 is honestly good enough that it feels like you need to spend dramatically more to justify upgrading. Going to an NA 997 isn't worth it unless you get a great deal, you need to move into the realm of a Turbo, GT3/4, or 991 to even bother.