Flat6 Innovations

Me too, and I've owned all of those mentioned at some point.

'99 is THE year. people are finally starting to see what I've been saying for over a decade about the '99 cars.

ZuffenZeus

It has a history, but a no reserve auction is a game changer. Wonder where it will hit in the end?

Thoughts?

http://www.ebay.com/itm/Porsche-911-...m=272303422980

VanD

I'm thinking about the cars mentioned as DD, but I'm a newcomer to the 996/997 world - can you enlighten me a bit on why the '99 is the king of that hill? Is it because it's in the sweet spot of the depreciation curve or is there more to it?

ZuffenZeus

Mostly because it's the only year that Porsche put a dual row bearing IMS in the 996 series.

Supposedly, it's least likely to have catastrophic engine failure over the single row version found on other 996 non-turbo cars.

Flat6 Innovations

Lots of things hadn't been made cheaper, yet... It took them a while to figure it out.

If a 996 is early enough to have a 993 steering wheel, thats the ONLY car that I want.

gnat

FTFY.

2000s and 2001s have the Dual too, just not 100% of the cars. Hell Jake has even told us he found one hiding in a 2003 motor!

They have their own issues as I believe D chunk and intermix are more common.

MoeMonney

Could you please elaborate on this further Jake? I think it may deserve its own thread. What kind of specific benefits does a 99 have over others? I have a 99 with the 993 steering wheel built in late 1998 and it looks extremly solid but I would definetly like to know more.

Thanks.

Flat6 Innovations

It deserves more than a thread. it deserves to be a buyer's guide.. People will argue just because the other cars are newer with more power and better creature comforts.

docmirror

http://www.autotrader.com/cars-for-s...32841631&Log=0

Speed yellow 99 with aero at a nice price. Says it needs some cosmetics, but looks pretty good to me.

Slakker

It's the lightest and nimblest of the 996s. It was the last year of mechanical throttle before they went to e-gas. Most of them don't have traction control so you actually have to drive and respect it. The ABS is the only way it tries to help you, the rest is all you. And when you get it right, it is very rewarding. It truly is a drivers car with all the feel of a 993 but the Hp of a 996.

People talk about 986.2's extra HP but it weighs 200lbs more. In SPEC996, they only doc you 180lbs for having a 996.2. So basically you end up with a heavier car that isn't any faster.

'98 was the last year that the engineers still controlled the build process. That's why Porsche was loosing their rear. When the accountants took over, every year things got a little cheaper. Metal parts became plastic. But at least they got them profitable again.

So the '99 is the sweet spot of all Porsches. It took me awhile to get this. After putting my down payment on an FSI engine, I kept bugging Jake about whether or not I was putting it in the right car. I asked about 996.2s, 40th anniversaries, 996TTs, 997S. And every time he told me early model '99 was the best. Now that I've had it awhile, I get it. So now I own two.

One more story, I reached out to a guy that went from a '99 dedicated track car to a 996.2 X51 for the larger engine and HP. He built it out the same way and a year later he was still running a second slower than the '99.

gnat

Springfield isn't far from me. I'd be happy to do a Rennfax on it this weekend, though at that price...

Cosmetics probably means removing the stupid headlight covers

Sneaky Pete

+996 and then some! Always hated those....also get rid of the yellow dash parts but keep the console.

Shred

Very interesting about the 99 996.

I'm currently in the market for either a 996 or 997.1
This just recreated more problems in making up my mind!
Buy a 996 coupe and keep my 03 986S or just have a 997cab...

docmirror

Nice offer. I'm not up for another, but someone should have this looked at. If the engine, brakes, susp and trans test out I think the cosmetics wouldn't take much to make it rather nice.

tlippold

Too bad that speed yellow is a Carrera 4.