Yes, buy a MkII for the glove box. Glove box capacity is a major factor in all of my car purchases. Plus, the two huge covered map pockets in the doors aren't nearly enuf storage for all the crap I like to carry in my car.

 

And don't forget the cup holders KC Attorney. The cup holders in the MK II make all of the difference.

 

E-gas vs cable actuated

 

The 996 improved every year it was in production. It got faster and more luxurious at the same time. I've driven a bunch of them and the 3.6 has a significant increase in torque and throttle response over the 996.1. Variocam Plus matters. And the interior, particularly with full leather, moved further and further away from the lower-cost Boxster it was based on.

I also always recommend finding the most highly optioned car you can. Things like full leather, PSM, and heated seats don't add much to the value of a car, but can sure make it a more enjoyable one to own. (Disregard this advice if buying the car for the track of course)

The only reason not to get an 03-04 over an 02 is the pesky digital sound system. If you want to upgrade, or add an iPhone/iPad connection, it is difficult and expensive. I'm not sure the 03-04 C2 is worth the increase in asking price. Not really different enough, just a bit newer.

"Always buy the best, latest Porsche model you can afford."
--Words to live by from the late, great Bruce Anderson.

 

I keep reading that the 996 styling and design were being worked on back in the early 90's, and that those early 911 designs were 'borrowed' by the Boxster- not the other way around. Am I the only one who's read this?

 

Chicken or egg? It was a desperate attempt at cost-cutting by a company with ridiculously high manufacturing costs.

Oh... It worked. The Boxster/996 saved Porsche. The Cayenne made the company ridiculously profitable, but the danger of being swallowed by Mercedes or going bankrupt had already been avoided.

 

I have an '02 and what am I missing in the audio system? I didn't know there was a difference. I do hate that stupid cassette tape storage bin which I'm going to chuck pretty soon for a second storage bin.

 

03 and later use fiber optic MOST bus so if you want to tap into it, you need to mess with optical fiber connectors.

 

http://press.porsche.com/archive/pro...002/index.html

 

I think you can fairly say that about the entire 996 range - 1999 to 2004, not just the Mk II cars. To wit:

1999 996 Carrera 0-60 time 4.9 seconds
2004 996 Carrera 0-60 time 4.7 seconds
Source: http://www.zeroto60times.com/Porsche...mph-Times.html

 

Glovebox and cupholders (?!) aside, I think the .2 interior is nicer. The first owner of my 2002 went a bit nuts with the leather, so my take may be more skewed than usual.
The reasons I focused my search on the 2002-2004 cars is here (from the PCNA announcement linked above): "newly shaped front end, widened rear quarter panels, and redesigned oval exhaust tailpipes...a strengthened body structure, which enhances handling, ride quality and safety. The design changes benefit performance, increasing airflow to the radiators by 15 percent and reducing aerodynamic lift on both the front and rear suspension"

Throw in the variocam+ and some extra grunt, and you're looking at a pretty large suite of small improvements.

 

I don't think any of this really matters since half the people can't drive and the other half don't leave them stock.

I love how peeps try to make "stock" comparisons or ring time comparisons. LOL

 

0-60 times are somewhat irrelevant when discussing a Porsche. I suspect the 50-70 time would show a larger gap. And there are lots of other detail changes to interior, body, and engine.

And please, I'm not dissing the 996.1. Just trying to honestly answer the OP's question. Any subsequent 911 model year is faster and more technically advanced, right?

 

Great feedback guys. Appreciate it!

 

If you want a really nice one that you're going to obsess over the paint, body, headlight polish, and maintain to hold value, then a 2002+ Aero is a good option [my car].

If you want one you can drive every day, beat on, and like a manual throttle cable, then the 99/00 are great - my friend has one and I love it too.

The prices on the 99/00 are substantially lower. There's a nice black one near me for 11k right now.