Porsche 911 996?

[Luke0549]

So.... been looking for another car, AS YOU DO when at work all weekend and not much is going on.

 

And I think I've decided on a Porsche 911, either the 996 or 997.

 

The 996 can be had for near on £10k, and the 997 for about £6k more.

 

Im leaning towards the 996 because im also trying to save for a deposit on a house.

 

I will be looking for opinions on which one? Plus, I think I will prefer the 4wd. I've read a lot of reviews, but people say they are boring in 4wd. Ive never driven 4wd, but on a track, wouldn't 4wd be best? allowing you to approach, carry more speed through, and be more stable than rwd?

 

I know a few guys on here have/had Porsche.

 

Cheers,

[370Ad]

997 for 16k?! Didnt know they were that cheap!

[Ekona]

Never driven a 996, but driven most variants of the 997. For your money it would be an incredibly leggy and sheddy non-S 997, I can only find one such vehicle on PH that's even close to that at £18K. I'd stick with a good 996 if it was me.

 

 

Before thinking about 2WD over 4WD, go in eyes open with regards to cost. Both cars can suffer from RMS (negligable, can be sorted when you do the clutch) and IMS (critical, can lunch your engine) and if the latter fails you're looking at a bill of between £5K to £10K, depending on how much damage was done. A slush fund just in case is a must-have on these cars, unless you fancy the OPC warranty at £1K a year, but that's only available on vehicles up to 10 years old and they must remain standard. Personally I wouldn't bother on a car of that age & value.

 

 

For me, I only ever wanted a 2WD as that's how I feel a 911 should be. Upon reflection, and driving a few more including 4WD, I'm glad I made that decision. The steering is not as pure on the 4WD variants, and feels heavy and stodgy at times in comparison. Still fantastic, but there's a noticeable difference. The car obviously weighs more too, due to the extra driveshafts. The 4WD has the wider body and wheels so tyres are a smidge pricier, but nothing I'd worry about and if you prefer the wider hips then that's cool. There's less room in the frunk in the 4WD.

 

2WD is quicker than 4WD like for like on driver and track, but I wouldn't worry about it either way. Still quick cars regardless. The way the 911 needs to be driven i.e. very slow in, then very fast out means that the 2WD is naturally bettter balanced, but the 4WD is a bit more forgiving if you get it wrong. I don't find it as enjoyable, but that's horses for courses.

 

If going 996, get one without the sat nav or Bose. Both are terrible, and if you have them then it's a pain to upgrade as you have to fight the MOST system. Sports seats are a must on either car, the shoulder support is so worth it. A pre-inspection report is absolutely vital if not buying from OPC, but even then it should be done really. Mike at Sports and Classic, or the guys at JZM are the people to see for this. Hartech are the people to go to if you have any IMS questions.

[Luke0549]

That's the kind of response I was after!!

Okay, so 996 it is then.

 

So what you are saying is Drive both, see which one I feel more comfortable with, get a detailed inspection and hand over money?

 

Your response to 4wd is what I have read mostly. But I fail to see how if the car is easier to drive and less of a handful that is a negative point? Maybe that's my naivety showing from my lack of 4wd experience?

[ioneabee]

I used to have a 4 wheel drive quattro TT

 

the BIG advantage is that during winter "snow" - you can also still get about, and to me thats a massive big plus for a daily driver

[Ekona]

That's the kind of response I was after!!

Okay, so 996 it is then.

 

So what you are saying is Drive both, see which one I feel more comfortable with, get a detailed inspection and hand over money?

 

Your response to 4wd is what I have read mostly. But I fail to see how if the car is easier to drive and less of a handful that is a negative point? Maybe that's my naivety showing from my lack of 4wd experience?

Depends on what you want from a car. I like my performance cars to feel alive, to give me as much feedback as possible. The Zed does that very well, as does the 911. The 4WD is just not quite as feelsome as the 2WD, but both are better than the Nissan IYSWIM. 4WD has bigger brakes too to account for the greater mass it's trying to stop, so they're more expensive to replace when the time comes.

 

If all you want is a car that's easy to drive and not a handful, then there's cheaper options. With regards to snow driving, remember the 911 has all the weight over the driven wheels, and so grip isn't really a problem (witness me driving around the Pyranees in the snow in late May as proof that even the 2WD cars are fine!), but you'd still want a good set of winter tyres on there. I wouldn't drive a sports car in the snow unless I had no choice, a cheap FWD hatch on winters is a much better option.

[Oz Striker]

Your response to 4wd is what I have read mostly. But I fail to see how if the car is easier to drive and less of a handful that is a negative point? Maybe that's my naivety showing from my lack of 4wd experience?

 

I've only driven a 997 S, but I think what Ekona is trying to say having driven 2wd and 4wd versions is that the 2wd steering is much more communicative. I was amazed at how much steering info the car was able to relay to me, despite having to incorporate modern luxuries & safety standards (which add weight & numb the steering), as well as providing a comfortable drive that could filter out unwanted vibrations.

 

And i wouldn't say the 2wd was a handful, in fact with the traction control off it was impossible to do donuts on the skid circle!! With all that weight at the back, it has massive rear traction. In order to initiate a drift I had to be pretty provocative, with sharp lift off the throttle being required.

Edited August 5, 2013 by Oz Striker

[ioneabee]

true - I can now use my sons 997...................(erm litre) Seat Arosa if need be

[Ekona]

Yup, you have got to be quite committed to get it to do the fun stuff, but when you do it's just sooooo rewarding. I'm happy now switching all the aids off and letting the back end play as much or as little as my right foot asks for, the chassis really is is something else.

 

It did take me a good few months to get used to the RR setup of a 911, but when you do there is nothing that compares.

[leonk]

I know when I was looking at getting a 997, someone probably Dan, suggested getting a pre purchase inspection done by one of the experts recommended on the 911 forum. Had I gone for one privately or non main dealer, its something I would definitely have done. As mentioned above it could be a costly learning curve.

[Oz Striker]

I'm happy now switching all the aids off and letting the back end play as much or as little as my right foot asks for, the chassis really is is something else.

 

I wish I had that level of skill! I was driving the car at Porsche centre at Silverstone, so I felt safe to explore the limits. Totally agree the chassis is special, if i went on the power a tiny bit too early tha car let me know, or if I stayed on the brakes a little too long and hard into a corner, i felt a tiny snatch of the ABS cutting in just to let me know I was pushing a little too hard. Whereas in other cars like an AMG the ABS was more heavy handed, cutting into too heavily and quickly.

Prior to this I gave Porsche credit where it was due, but I never "desired" to own one. Then I had the opportunity to drive a few 944 Turbos and 968 S2's, which i thought were amazing, sooooo much feedback and the low slung driving position was brilliant in comparison to my BMW 330. I preferred them much more than the numerous E36 M3's i had driven, yes its faster but i think it's held back by the fact it has saloon car underpinnings.

 

Then when I drove that 997, I was surprised that I could feel, even though the the 944/968 and the 997 were separated by some 20+ years, they were each designed by a group of engineers with the same ethos, passion and objectives for a sports car. Could I say the same for BMW M cars separated by 20 years???

 

Sorry for all this enthusing, but I now desire a Porsche, the only Q in my mind now is, should it be a Cayman or a 911 in 2 years time? I think another trip to the Porsche centre will be in order!

Edited August 5, 2013 by Oz Striker

[Luke0549]

Well, Just Relisted my car back on ebay! So I best get searching!

[Oz Striker]

Well, Just Relisted my car back on ebay! So I best get searching!

 

Good work! Now get out there and test drive some cars! Keep us updated on what you think of various models you drive, always interesting to hear what other real world drivers think of cars.

[Ekona]

Prior to this I gave Porsche credit where it was due, but I never "desired" to own one. Then I had the opportunity to drive a few 944 Turbos and 968 S2's

Almost exactly the same as me mate. I used to despise the brand for being dull and boring, and then I drove a 987.2 Boxster S and fell in love. Then I drove a 997.2 S and decided that, one day, I simply had to have one. I'm fortunate to have driven plenty of decent metal since, but there is something very special about the Porsche brand and their cars that's got me hooked. I hate myself for saying that as it makes me sound like a prize tosser, but it's true.

 

I get very nearly the same thrill from Masers too, and if I didn't have a 911 I'd probably have a GranTurismo.

[CrumbMC]

Never driven either but a 911 is famous for it's traction so I wouldn't consider 4wd. Plus you can do skids with rwd which may sound pointless/scary until you get the hang of it then its awesome.

 

 

Plus you can back a 911 in with the rear weight so doing skids is very important.

 

 

I want one

[gsexr]

Be careful mate....their cheap for a reason

 

Search google for IMS bearing failure. As an example http://www.addspeed.co.uk/ims-bearing-failure-prevention.php

 

I thought about one but bought the zed instead as my pockets were not deep enough for what could go wrong.

http://www.revolution-porsche.co.uk/offer/ims-bearing-replacement/

 

If your lucky you get it changed before it fails, if your not it could cost you an engine.

 

I haven`t mentioned the cracked cylinder liners yet.....nightmare....

[docwra]

Horses for courses, I prefer the 996 to the 997 as it was less nervous on the road, maybe its something youd get used to but as Ekona says, at that money you want to go 996 every day. They arent for everyone either, the front end "bouncing" round a corner when you are really pushing on or the weight shift arent my cup of tea either so I might suggest trying a Boxster or Cayman but find the right road and the 911 is a damn fine car.

 

And having driven a 1M the other day, I can confirm you do get a feeling its from the same chaps as made the E30 M3, cracking car