Sanjeevan

If i am not mistaken, Jim.B did'nt find the need for an oil kit on his 99 race car.

perfectlap

as non-911 owner I think the 2002-2004 is the nicest looking Porsche has ever made (996 TT being tops). Growing up I was always a fan of the 928 and 944 which I considered futuristic designs.
Back then The 911 always looked like a glorified Volks Wagen to me (except the old slant nose).
When I first saw the 2002 I thought "NICE!" that looks every bit as exotic as a Ferrari.

The 997 is disaster by comparison. (just my opinion of course)

I always think it a good idea to go with at least one model year after a major revision. Two is better.
Gives the boffins time to address all the customer complaints.

evo_333

I wasn't a fan of the 997 when it first came here, but it has really grown on me and I love the 997S. But have you seen the 997GT3? Now, THAT is an amazing looking car

gota911

Porsche put the digital speed indicator back under the Tach on the 997.

Tetsuo

cab porsche is almost as good as a tip porsche

10 GT3

I think everyone got it right here, later is better. It really comes down to what they can afford. 99's are known to have problems. 00' are pretty reliable and can be purchased in the $30's. 02's have a lot of improvements and the price jumps about $10k from an 01' as a result. Figure high $40's (non-certified/non-Porsche Dealer) to low $50's(Certified from Porsche Dealer) for an 02'. 04's are still going for $60's. A C4S is $10K over a regular Carrera. I would look at an 00' for the cheaper ride or an 02' for the best price/performance break.

If you want the best performance, skip tiptronics, convertibles, targas, C4's and C4S'. The basic Carrera weighs only about 3100 lbs with the typical options. The 996 is so improved from earlier models that 4WD and PSM aren't necessary to control these cars in the dry or wet. Porsche test drive Walter Roehrl runs 6-12 seconds faster around the Nurburgring in the base Carrera than each generations 4WD counterpart. This is why the best Turbo, the GT2, is only 2WD.

An 04' C4S convertible tiptronic is over 3700 lbs, pretty chunky for a sports car and as a result substantually slower than an earlier/lower powered 00' Carrera Coupe. Car & Driver tested a Turbo S Cab with PCCBs and no hardtop with a test weight over 500 lbs heavier than the GT2 they tested. Get a convertible if you really want one, but the resale price is the same as a coupe. Removing the top means losing a lot of stifness and adding a couple hundred pounds. A lot brag about the 4WD, but those cars actually run 2WD over 95% of the time. This means over 95% of the time you just have extra weight slowing you down. The front diff only engages when the tires are slipping. This might come in handy if you drive in snow, but a complete waste of money for warmer climates.

Stay away from a 99' and you should be fine. There is a little more maintainence for the 996 due to the cooling system for the engine. It is an easy tradeoff, for the much better climate control. The 996 has a far improved A/C with almost twice the cooling capacity and a real heating system.

Crazy Canuck

Yup and it works like a charm.

vove

Rule of thumb, never talk $mack about a car/year/model that you have not own.

TD in DC

I think that summary is pretty good, although I personally would not hesitate to get the "right" 99 car, particularly if it has LSD. I mean, you can add the third radiator kit. Also, the "downsides" to some of the models are not "that" huge so, if the "right" car comes along, I would not avoid it simply because it is not an '02+ coupe. Finally, your summary is heavily track/performance biased, which, again is fine. I love my Targa for the street and occassional DE use. A coupe would be far better for serious track use.

JES1680

Now I'm curious. When doing my research on the 996, the overwhelming opinion was that they had no more issues than the later years. Now I'm hearing that the 99's have more "issues". Can you elaborate? Thanks.

Green Goblin

Thank you all for your advice it will definitly come into play when making our choice.

Andy

JimB

Jeeva,
I didn't have an oiling kit on my 3.4L but did install it in my 3.6 X51. I really don't know if it's needed or not. I ran the crap out of that 3.4 and it performed flawlessly.


My 2 cents on what 996 to buy. I think it really depends on what you want. Like Todd, I would not hesitate to buy a 99 if I found a nice stripped one with LSD if you're looking for a real sports car on a budget.

If you want a fast, very nice, very comfortable car and you have some extra cash then a 40th Anv would be the perfect choice. Actually, any 02+ car with an X51 would be great. Since I compete in my car I don't post dyno charts but it's fair to say they put out a whole bunch more than 345 hp.

Those are my favorites although for a street car I must admit I drive a pimped out 02+ cab with full leather, nav, etc. etc. It's embarassing but a great way to get to work on a sunny MN morning.
Jim

Patric F.

I agree with JimB and Todd refering the MY99 cars. I bought a MY99 on purpose. My car has the LSD and the MY99 cars also are the last with actual mechanical throttles. Egas has come a long way, but it still leaves alot to be desired. Also, the MY99 cars are the lightest of the 996 model range even if you include the GT3! My car is nicely equipped with the sport seats, 030 suspension ans chassis stiffening from the factory. I like to think of it as a budget GT3. I may be biased because I have a MY99, but my next 996 will be either a GT3 or a Turbo. I see no reason to upgrade to a 2000 or newer Carrera. JMHO.

ElTorrente

I have a 99 with no electronic devices on it like traction control. It's light, fast, and responsive.

Motor Trend and EVO magazine both tested the 99 at 4.6secs from 0-60mph.

I like the narrow bodied 911s much better than the fat ones, since they seem more sleek and closer to the originals.

Riad

My girl's not fat!! She's big boned.