The 996 is the best Porsche 911 ever!

Ok. The power is a bit down and the IMS issue has definately got the attention of more than it's fair share of the motoring public.

but...

The chance to own a reasonably modern, won't rust to the ground, 911 for about $300 a month/$15k is just amazing. Drivers cars are meant to be driven and the fact the prices are low, and Porsche-philes stick their noses up makes it all the more enjoyable.

Add that to the fact you can put an LS engine in them, or plenty of other options, with out completly hosing it up adds to the street cred.

So what say you GRM? A gift from the Teutonic Overlords or bastard child of the Ferdinand?

Boxhead Tim may lean toward curse after his experience. I'm thinking cheap boxsters are the gems perhaps more than the 911s and cheap, plentiful, compact LSxs are the real gift. But overall glad to see the god of depreciation in action

The first rule of cheap Porsche club is, DON'T TALK ABOUT CHEAP PORSCHE CLUB.

The world caught on to the 80's 911's, then the 964's. Do you want them taking these going up market too?

Edit: fixed a missing word mistake.

My 996tt experience so far has been amazing and no IMS on the Turbo

I relate. Constantly looking for ones with blown motors. Just haven't found the right one.

oldtin wrote: Boxhead Tim may lean toward curse after his experience. I'm thinking cheap boxsters are the gems perhaps more than the 911s and cheap, plentiful, compact LSxs are the real gift. But overall glad to see the god of depreciation in action

Yeah but some of us have kiddos. Although the thought of 4 in a 911 seems particularly painful except on short jaunts. The 2+2 layout does give the 2+1 on the passenger side a great setup. 1 driver and 2 kids seem to be right up the 911s sweet spot.

Guess who wants a 911 and has 2 kids? THIS GUY!!!

aussiesmg wrote: My 996tt experience so far has been amazing and no IMS on the Turbo

I would love a 996TT but those seem a bit more....pricey

I think you typed 996 in error, 993 is the correct answer.

Except that every 993 on my local CL is asking 2-3 times the ask of a 996...

I wholeheartedly endorse this thread.

For the price of a 993 you can get a 986tt that's on a different planet of performance

The 996 GT3 has no IMS issues either... but paranoia driven depreciation has not delivered the goods.

I have given up on anything with GT3 GT2 or RS attached to the Porsche name ever coming down to reasonable price land

This thread made me check my local listings on Autotrader and CL and I don't think the 996 represents a very good value at all. The asking prices seem to be high teens to low 20's for cars that have wonderful features like high miles plus tiptronic or salvage title. I would personally buy something else entirely for that kind of money...

Boxters of the same era are about half that price though, even S models with clear titles! That seems like a better value to me.

Drive a 996 before you take the plunge. To me the N/A model didn't feel visceral like earlier (and later) 911 models. I was lucky enough to have one lent to me for a week, and although it was fast, comfortable, and very capable.....it wasn't very fun. It felt more like a tool for speed than a partner in crime. Of course YMMV, and this only applies to the standard car. (not the turbo or other special models)

For me though....the 996 was a let-down. There are many other cars I'd choose before one of those. ( Boxster S, C6 Corvette, C5 ZO6, E46 M3, Lotus Elise, etc.....)

Of course, it if trips your trigger--- go for it. It's just not my first choice.

If you do a wide enough spread on the search, there's plenty of C2's with proper manuals in the $15-20K range.

I've long been tempted by these as well.

It seems there's plenty of preventative retrofit work you can do to make the IMS concern a non-issue. I don't see these appreciating soon, but I do see them getting flogged at track days.

I rather like their lines with out spoilers and side skirts on the simpler models with the factory updated 18" 5-spokes on the "facelift" ('03+?) 996's.

In reply to Joe Gearin:

The plain jane 996 needs a suspension upgrade like most other street cars do for inspired track type handling. It just happens to be pretty soft compared to past and future 911s. I wouldn't ding it too badly for that - you don't see a lot of E36/E46 M3s, or C5 Z-06s running stock spring/damper/swaybar combos either.

I have driven 911s but not with much enthusiasm. Seemed to want to go. You put in a corner normally and it was like "Really? You passed on THAT opportunity? WTF is wrong with you? Who are you? I don't know you! Get out!" It just seemed like a very eager GT.

The C5 Z06 is something else. Visceral isn't the word I would use all though they communicate extremely well. It goes at movement like it has a grudge against everything else on the road. Like it has something to prove. It has to make up for the C3 and C4 and punish anyone that would utter their names. It is the revenge on the marketing teams and bean counters that allowed the Vette to become a joke and showed them that substance has value. It is an apology, a celebration, a retribution, and a executor all rolled into one. The C5 Z06 is elegant and purposeful violence.

Yeah, I need more of that in my life with a redhead for a wife and kid. Not to mention needs more seats.

The M3 is intersting but as much as I like them, I don't. I want something different. No matter your stance on the 911, it has always been unique.

A friend recently bought a 996 cab with low mileage for low-$20s. He's totally, totally in love and fully admits that it's his mid-life crisis car.

My problem with the none turbo 996 is, I can only find them in silver, or cab, or tiptronic, and with that awful bland pale color interior. If I could find a coupe in Speed Yellow, black, or white with the 6spd manual and any other interior color for 18k or less I'd probably jump on it. Granted the title is clean and it's been well maintained.

Or keep saving for a Cayman S

Also, what is the consensus on the 99 model yr?

I'm sure Adrian will check in to this thread soon with a bunch of Craigslist links. The bottom line is that if you want certain options or colors, you have to be willing to travel. These aren't exactly high-volume cars, and narrowing things down even further makes it even harder to find what you want. Southern California (go figure) seems to have the highest concentration of 996s (and Boxsters, for that matter). Fly and drive!

In reply to yupididit:

What sort of consensus are you looking for?

WilD wrote: This thread made me check my local listings on Autotrader and CL and I don't think the 996 represents a very good value at all. The asking prices seem to be high teens to low 20's for cars that have wonderful features like high miles plus tiptronic or salvage title. I would personally buy something else entirely for that kind of money...

High miles isn't an issue with 996s, in fact you often have more issues with low mileage cars than with those that have been driven. You can definitely find clean title cars for that money. As to the tiptronic, for a daily driver (like my C4 cab) they're actually pretty decent, but I wouldn't want them in a track car.

Either way, you can find a clean title, decent mileage manual 996 coupe for around 20k, you just have to spend a little time searching and be willing to travel.

WilD wrote: Boxters of the same era are about half that price though, even S models with clear titles! That seems like a better value to me.

They may be better value, but in the same way an apple may be better value than an orange. They're different cars and feel different. For example, 986 Boxsters including the S leave me pretty cold whereas I happen to like 996s.

Would I rather have another SC or C3.2 to build a hot rod out of? Yes, I do.

But for a daily-ish driver that's fun to drive on the mountain roads I take to work, a 996 makes perfect sense to me as they are a much more modern car.

Would you guys shut up already? Its bad enough the voices in my head are already telling me to get a 996 I don't need your help.

I would like a 996 C4, manual, none sunroof, blue exterior and tan interior.

Speaking of which anyone want to buy a Jeep Wrangler and help further my 996 purchase. Stop it! Stop it! Stop it! Walk away already...

G. P. Snorklewacker wrote: In reply to Joe Gearin: The plain jane 996 needs a suspension upgrade like most other street cars do for inspired track type handling. It just happens to be pretty soft compared to past and future 911s. I wouldn't ding it too badly for that - you don't see a lot of E36/E46 M3s, or C5 Z-06s running stock spring/damper/swaybar combos either.

if my memory serves me, it wasn't the suspension letting the car down, it was the entire driving experience. The car felt isolated. Like I said, it was capable, but it wasn't very exciting. It's almost as if the car was too refined---- it never cracked a smile. Perhaps I was expecting too much. I like my sporting machines a little raw, a little loud, and a little rorty. The 996 was quiet, comfortable, and smooth. It was nice, but it didn't call to me from the garage. It was a servant, not a partner if that makes any sense.

If they turn you on, by all means go for it. They just aren't for me.

and Flightservice--- that's the best description of a C5 Z06 that I've ever heard!