"And if you think it's ugly, that's ok, we can't all have taste". Nailed it. To be honest though, I thank God every day that some people think this car is not a real 911, because that makes it possible for me to own one.
The 996 is the perfect size. Compact and nimble yet have plenty of interior room and storage. Later versions of the 911 kept getting larger and larger becoming more mid sized and losing the nimbleness.
The 996 is awesome, beautiful porsche design with raw character and is a great Porsche driving Icon. The best of the old and the new in one. People of all ages are going crazy for them, the younger generation totally love them !
I think the black lamb reputatiion is long gone and these cars are appreciating now in almost everyone's eyes. Not appreciating fast but slow and steady. They made over 170 000 of these and thus they will never be investments like the Porsche models that have been made less than 1 000 except the 996 GT3 RS which was made I think around 680 units. Most of these cars have the IMSB done, RMS at the same time. There are some other issues like bore scoring especially with the 3.6 M96/03-engine. The 3.4 M96/01-engine Variocam chain slides really need replacement after about 100 000 km. Expansion tanks need to be renewed. Yellow color reveals that leaks are soon there if they not yet are there. I also suggest replacing the thermostat with a colder one (e.g. LN Eng). In the suspension the first to go is the longitudinal link joint and of course the front strut top bearing like in any MacPherson car. And catalytic converters grid tends to come loose by now. If you ask me which Porsche hast the best smiles/miles/cost -ratio it would be 996 C, Boxster and 944. I always keep thinking that a new 99X GT3 RS costs ten times the price of a 996 C yet is it ten times better? Not even near. It is better though, but when you have something as good as the 996/997 is it is very difficult to make it significantly better what ever you do. The smile is already from ear to ear. Ok, no 911 is the best car for listening hifi music. You tend to listen too much the rear wheel noise. I would not suggest a 996 C to someone who is not willing to use their own hands with the maintenance, someone who does not have the skills or will to learn the maintenance. Because relative to their price their maintenance can be a bit costly. When you can dirty your hands skillfull-ish it cuts the biggest share of maintenance costs. For me, the 996 has been the best buy ever. It has brought so much to my life. I was 10 years old when I knew I want to have one. I was 53 when I got it. Sure I got to drive 911s sooner. One could think that in 43 years expectations would have overgrown and disappointment inevitable. But no, everytime I drive I am filled with enourmous gratitude towards life. It is the most profound feeling I can have, bigger than "love" bigger than sexual hunger, bigger than laughing joy. It is everything and you can feel it inside in places you did not know you had.
I agree as I own a 996 for 2 years now and at the age of 40 I have worked on a lot of cars and would say aside from brakes, oil change, airbox and accessory areas it is rather difficult to fix unless you have specialty tools. Don't tell me you can replace the air oil separator or starter or oil cooler areas on back of engine. Even the water pump requires additional skills to Jack engine and remove support bracket in order to access the part. I will say if you keep driving the car it will reward you with less failures. I change oil every 3000km and it runs fantastic at 202000km. The car is special and bolted properly. As a mechanical engineer and designer of north American OEM auto parts I am embarrassed to see how serious the tolerance stacks and build quality German engineers can design and build. I had a panamera before and new 911's are like them, too big and fancy. Even being 6' 3" ithe 996 is a comfy drive.
@@9jfd1 Yes, it really helps if you have a car lift and somekind platform for the engine. Ive taken the engine out now twice. I think I can get the engine from ”go” to the table in two hours now. Because I have all the things needed for it. Once the engine is out it is quite easy to do jobs on it. Ive done the IMSB, RMS, thermostat, water pump, new expansion tank, AOS, added X51 oil pump and sump, renewd the three end cable, oil filler tube, all chain slides etc. For cam timing I needed some help from a pro. Ive also the center radiator, Bilstein B16 kit, three sets of wheels, some mods to the cooling channel. But really, she has paid all that love more than back. I take her to the curvy B-roads and I forget worries, schedules, expectations, pressure and I feel free, I feel I am in total command and in a perfect flow state. All the negatives vanish and the world just looks better behind the steering wheel of a 911.
Any Porsche "enthusiast" that dislikes the 996 doesn't understand what the car stands for, or its impact on the company. The simple fact is that without the 996 today we would not have Porsche.
thumbs up on your comment although to be fair it should read: "without the Boxster there would be no Porsche" or even more accurate: "without the Cayenne..."
I am fortunate to own a couple of 911s, and my first one was a 996. Due to my budget at the time and the great deal I got on it, it is hands down one of the best bang per buck 911s you can get. Great video, and it looks like the 996 is starting to escalate in price over the last year.
NFS Porsche Unleashed army reunite! Absolutely magnificent use of the NFS soundtrack! I never thought I'd ever see a Porsche review with these songs doing any justice but you have done just that. The production and editing quality is brilliant and the music goes extremely well with the scenes! As a loyal 996 fan since the beginning, I love this video, great job!
Your comment made me realize it’s the soundtracks from the old NFS Porsche that’s being played here. Thank you 🙂 Absolutely amazing tunes with lots of nostalgia involved 👏🏼😎
@Theodore Frazier it’s an amazing car to own and drive. I have been doing routine maintenance on the car this week (oil and cabin filter change, oil chance, engine accessory belt change, spark plugs, etc.) and have enjoyed every single moment of it. I have also planned a day for she and I to spend on the road with the top down just enjoying her sounds and sensory experiences.
I just got my first ever 911 last month: a 2002 996.2 C2 cabrio. It is such a great driver's car and I couldn't agree more with the thoughts in your video. I suppose I'm biased, but I LOVE the design, inside and out. The '90s interior styling looks classic 22+ years on. And I love both the .1 and .2 headlights. The GT-style .1s are an homage to greatness and the Turbo-style .2s are straight up sexy, IMO. Here's to all the 996 owners, grinning at all times because we know what a dream car this is. Cheers!
Wow, great video and what a beautiful 911! Also, I’m absolutely loving the amazing background soundtracks from the old NFS Porsche which I used to play when I was litte. Very well chosen - it complements the video perfectly IMO 👌🏻👌🏻😍
I drive a 996.2 GT3 Clubsport. The car is giving you so much and the 996 is the last real analog Porsche. No Traction Control or ESP, wonderful steering, perfect visibility. In some ways it is better then the latest models.
Great video. Amazing quality! You have a new subscriber. I can only agree with you on everything you said about the 996. One point to add: bore scoring is a huge issue on the 996 and 997. Especially cold climate cars are suffering from it. Even with perfect maintenance it’s hard to prevent. My 996 is now undergoing a full engine rebuild at 150.000km. No bore scoring but pistons were out of ‘tolerance’ which cause ticking noise at idle. No oil or coolant usage or lack of power. Just horrible sound at idle although engine looked like new from the inside.
This is a great video. The 996.1 does not have the issue regarding the unlock button thanks an old school aluminium hinge for the trunk and hood. If it’s not damaged due to stepping in and out the car, it looks so cool
@@JamesWilliams1974 I don’t think that’s correct. Have had several flat batteries and everything worked fine. It’s only the .2 with electrical circuit, same as the so much sought for throttle cable instead of e-gas.😅
Actually you can get locked with the 996.1 too. But in neither 996.1 nor 996.2 it is a real problem. First there is the additional cable arrangement and secondly you can feed the 12 V system even to the fuse box or to the engine el. power point. I actually modded my 996.1 so that I can reach the extra cable from the cooling channel hideout.
@@juhakivekas2175 I guess you relate to getting locked in the car due to an flat battery. Pretty cool you did this mod to get out. The issue we were discussing was about the trunk. This is an aluminum lever with old school cable to release.
I've noticed people seem to have forgotten about the headlight hate that these used to garner. Also the hatred for the original boxster seems to have subsided. I have a 2001 996 turbo and I get compliments on it all the time, I also got a 99 boxster which also gets a ton of compliments, more now than when I first got them almost 2 decades ago. Now if only people could get behind jeeps with square headlights...
I had sixty grand to spend on a 911 last year, looked at a few 997s and some high mileage 991s but ended up getting a low mileage ims retrofitted 996.2 for 24k with a broken cab roof (just had to remove a rayban case and refill hydraulic fluid 😊). I just couldn’t pass up on owning a better 911 example for half the price. The car has been a joy that’s hard to describe, i wouldn’t say it’s been reliable - I’ve had two separate cel’s caused by inevitable corrosion in wiring harnesses, one time the roof button just pushed into the dashboard, one time the fuel flap latch got stuck and I nearly ran out of gas getting home but it’s mechanically perfect and the engine purrs like a tiger. All other options in my budget would have had similar issues I’m sure and a higher mileage newer car would possibly have needed shop repairs by now. I love that porsche wankers don’t like the headlights, it saved me over thirty grand and i love my car just as much as if I’d got a 991. I couldn’t care less about interior mod cons that were developed after this era and although i find the interior quality to be not up to later generations standards it is still quite nice, the 996 is comparably fast and still a fantastic looking car that is just entering classic status and will probably double in value in ten years. I don’t think there is another sub 25k car out there that will get compliments every time it visits a gas station and inspire people to take selfies in front of it. I would never advise anyone to buy one purely as an investment though; plastic fatigue, electrical corrosion, paint erosion, rubber disintegration, etc are the issues that affect cars as they age and these are no exception even if they’re garage kept
At 1:24 you see the Le Mans winning GT1, did you see the headlights on the only 911 to ever win Le Mans. They're the same headlights I have on my 1999 996. Sweet!
The 996 c4s is starting to become my favorite looking 911’s , one of at least. Not sure if that’s bias on the fact it has a price that is affordable 😂. The turbo look at the light bar on the back though 😃
Nice vid mate. The 996 is without doubt one of the best Porsche models particularly when you factor-in pricing. You get one of the best overall driver experiences.....the power, brakes, transmission, road-holding ( the C4S is terrific ) are all to a very high level & were a step up from previous generations in the round. Sure there are quirks, but all the models have them, but to suggest the 996 is in anyway inferior is to be a falsehood. IMHO I also think it`s looks amazing but that`s subjective, it`s ability isn`t.
I'm glad people whined about the 996 (and bizarrely don't about the other water-cooled cars just because the headlights are round) and the reason why I say this is because I suddenly woke up one morning earlier this year and realised I had enough to buy a 911, and found that they were still at a price that didn't sound silly. Having driven many sports cars and spent many hours on tracks, I have a reasonable feel for what makes a driver's car, and the 996 definitely ticks the box for a driver's car. I don't care if the lights aren't round - it's a car that you feel has strong links to motorsport and whilst it isn't as fast as a 2021 hot hatch, it doesn't matter. This is a motoring icon. It feels special every time you drive it. And it even feels special when you're stuck in London traffic. PS I got around the IMS issue... by buying a Turbo. :o)
I've driven lots of Porsches from the 70's, to the latest GT3 and GT4, and I love my 996.1 C2, it's full of character and after 12 years still makes me smile. Super practical and sounds amazing! It's the one car I'll never get rid of.
Thanks to that I was able to have mine. A 2000 red 911 manual with aerokit. Headers, Catless and Camshaft upgrade ❤. Nice sound and runs awesome! I bought it for 20k. I don't sell it even if they double what I paid.
Great Video and so true👍 Well done👍 Great OEM Sport Exhaust , handles superbly and is on top easy and affordable to maintain👌 Still great value for the bangs but that’s already slowly changing . The 996 will be appreciated sooner then you all might think😉
I know... a few years ago they could be had for nothing. Now they're climbing as people realise they're not as bad as the air-cooled people would have you believe
Ive been daily driving my 996.2 6spd c2 for years. 161k so far. Never noticed the headlight thing though, cant see them from the drivers seat. Also theres a manual trunk release in case your battery dies, theres also a jump port in the car to power the trunk popper.
@@HenrywithCars True, but these cars are everyday useable and popping the frunk from the key when you're approaching with a pile of shopping IS very convenient. Way more so than the very occasional time you've got to break out the jump pack to power the popper.
Owned an identical car for 3 and a half years, and loved it. Brilliant driver's car, connected and analogue (mostly). Did IMS RMS Dual Mass flywheel, fitted B8 Sport shocks and H&R blue springs, 17mm factory spacers. Great car. But the M96 niggles in my head eventually let me sell it (with regrets), trading into a very different but equally enjoyable car, an Aston Martin Rapide S. But the 911 flame still burns, looking for a 997.2 GTS or C2S to sit next to the Rapide. Oh, and BTW, your car needs a paint correction with a DA polisher. It has swirls. Did mine, came up like glass 👌
I’m buying an ‘02 on Monday. I test drove it and fell in love. (Side note: pet peeve of mine, when ppl say “RPM’s”… that’s redundant and sounds wrong.)
I have the brother to the car in this video. I have a 2004 Porsche 911 Carrera Cabriolet 996.2. I know that is a mouthful and I know that all the Porsche guys get it, but that’s what I tell people when they find out I have a Porsche. Because I can, lol! It’s the black with metal flake color, can’t remember the name of it because I’m that middle aged retired USAC sprint car driver guy that they talk about in this video, and I love love love this car. My wife enjoys the shit out of this car as well as my daughter, cause now we do things together with our Porsche. Unlike all those years my wife and daughter had to sit in the stands and watch me go around a dirt or asphalt track. I’ve wanted a 2004 Porsche 911 convertible in black with tan interior since they came out. And don’t forget the duck tail. Yes for reasons listed in this video I think this Porsche 996.2 and possibly the 997.2 are the best 911’s ever made. It is so easy to stop racing sprint cars when you have a 911. I go out to my race shop and see it and I get excited. Then I unlock it and get in and instantly I’m submerged in the smell of Porsche 911 brown natural leather as I look at the wonderful grouping of the gauge cluster. Then I start it and let it warm up with the PSE (Porsche sport exhaust) activated and I give it a few revs and a deep throaty sound followed by a gurgle fills the shop. Then a grin that only the grinch himself can pull off comes across my face! Porsche 911 996… a timeless Legend!
I drove my 1999 996 to Las Vegas from the Tahoe area one summer through long stretches of empty desert roads with the temp over 100F most of the way. and when I arrived in Vegas it was 117F !! I had the A/C on freeze all the way and it not only worked great the car NEVER got over heated nor skipped a beat. I would not dream of doing that in any of the older air cooled 911's.
As a die hard Porsche enthusiast. I don’t understand what the hubbub about the 996 is. It’s a fantastic car it’s quick and handles excellent even to todays standards. Ever gen of Porsche has its quirks and differences in styling, body lines etc. on paper however, a Porsche is a Porsche is a Porsche. Except the boxster f$&@ that thing.
The 911 does look better with hips. I think that’s many people’s main issue, if they’re not air cooled zealots. That, and…gasp!…looking the same as a boxster from the front!! lol
Yes, you have point there with the hips. However, on a small B-road the narrow body is actually more fun. With the wide body you need to remind yourself time after time that there is width behind you.
It’s sooo fxn good that I currently have 3 of them. 2x40AE and 1 4S… let the sheep who listen to automotive journalists be sheep, I’m buying as many 996s as I can.
s u a v e n e s s o v e r l o a d
"And if you think it's ugly, that's ok, we can't all have taste". Nailed it.
To be honest though, I thank God every day that some people think this car is not a real 911, because that makes it possible for me to own one.
The 996 is the perfect size. Compact and nimble yet have plenty of interior room and storage. Later versions of the 911 kept getting larger and larger becoming more mid sized and losing the nimbleness.
The 996 is awesome, beautiful porsche design with raw character and is a great Porsche driving Icon. The best of the old and the new in one. People of all ages are going crazy for them, the younger generation totally love them !
Agreed!
I think the black lamb reputatiion is long gone and these cars are appreciating now in almost everyone's eyes. Not appreciating fast but slow and steady. They made over 170 000 of these and thus they will never be investments like the Porsche models that have been made less than 1 000 except the 996 GT3 RS which was made I think around 680 units.
Most of these cars have the IMSB done, RMS at the same time. There are some other issues like bore scoring especially with the 3.6 M96/03-engine. The 3.4 M96/01-engine Variocam chain slides really need replacement after about 100 000 km. Expansion tanks need to be renewed. Yellow color reveals that leaks are soon there if they not yet are there. I also suggest replacing the thermostat with a colder one (e.g. LN Eng). In the suspension the first to go is the longitudinal link joint and of course the front strut top bearing like in any MacPherson car. And catalytic converters grid tends to come loose by now.
If you ask me which Porsche hast the best smiles/miles/cost -ratio it would be 996 C, Boxster and 944. I always keep thinking that a new 99X GT3 RS costs ten times the price of a 996 C yet is it ten times better? Not even near. It is better though, but when you have something as good as the 996/997 is it is very difficult to make it significantly better what ever you do. The smile is already from ear to ear. Ok, no 911 is the best car for listening hifi music. You tend to listen too much the rear wheel noise.
I would not suggest a 996 C to someone who is not willing to use their own hands with the maintenance, someone who does not have the skills or will to learn the maintenance. Because relative to their price their maintenance can be a bit costly. When you can dirty your hands skillfull-ish it cuts the biggest share of maintenance costs.
For me, the 996 has been the best buy ever. It has brought so much to my life. I was 10 years old when I knew I want to have one. I was 53 when I got it. Sure I got to drive 911s sooner. One could think that in 43 years expectations would have overgrown and disappointment inevitable. But no, everytime I drive I am filled with enourmous gratitude towards life. It is the most profound feeling I can have, bigger than "love" bigger than sexual hunger, bigger than laughing joy. It is everything and you can feel it inside in places you did not know you had.
I agree as I own a 996 for 2 years now and at the age of 40 I have worked on a lot of cars and would say aside from brakes, oil change, airbox and accessory areas it is rather difficult to fix unless you have specialty tools. Don't tell me you can replace the air oil separator or starter or oil cooler areas on back of engine. Even the water pump requires additional skills to Jack engine and remove support bracket in order to access the part. I will say if you keep driving the car it will reward you with less failures. I change oil every 3000km and it runs fantastic at 202000km. The car is special and bolted properly. As a mechanical engineer and designer of north American OEM auto parts I am embarrassed to see how serious the tolerance stacks and build quality German engineers can design and build. I had a panamera before and new 911's are like them, too big and fancy. Even being 6' 3" ithe 996 is a comfy drive.
I’m 47 and this is my first “grown up” sports car. (An ‘02’ Carrera 4S… I hope I’ve chosen well!)
Holy shit, man!
Best Porsche comment ever!!!
Where are you from?
@@9jfd1 Yes, it really helps if you have a car lift and somekind platform for the engine. Ive taken the engine out now twice. I think I can get the engine from ”go” to the table in two hours now. Because I have all the things needed for it. Once the engine is out it is quite easy to do jobs on it. Ive done the IMSB, RMS, thermostat, water pump, new expansion tank, AOS, added X51 oil pump and sump, renewd the three end cable, oil filler tube, all chain slides etc. For cam timing I needed some help from a pro. Ive also the center radiator, Bilstein B16 kit, three sets of wheels, some mods to the cooling channel.
But really, she has paid all that love more than back. I take her to the curvy B-roads and I forget worries, schedules, expectations, pressure and I feel free, I feel I am in total command and in a perfect flow state. All the negatives vanish and the world just looks better behind the steering wheel of a 911.
i knew they would. they're far too good to pretend like it sucks.
Any Porsche "enthusiast" that dislikes the 996 doesn't understand what the car stands for, or its impact on the company. The simple fact is that without the 996 today we would not have Porsche.
thumbs up on your comment although to be fair it should read: "without the Boxster there would be no Porsche" or even more accurate: "without the Cayenne..."
@kevinsmith5448 Boxster actually
No 924 😝
Very nice job! You forgot to mention that the 996 C4S is commonly touted as the 911 with the most beautiful rear-end!
I am fortunate to own a couple of 911s, and my first one was a 996. Due to my budget at the time and the great deal I got on it, it is hands down one of the best bang per buck 911s you can get. Great video, and it looks like the 996 is starting to escalate in price over the last year.
NFS Porsche Unleashed army reunite! Absolutely magnificent use of the NFS soundtrack! I never thought I'd ever see a Porsche review with these songs doing any justice but you have done just that. The production and editing quality is brilliant and the music goes extremely well with the scenes! As a loyal 996 fan since the beginning, I love this video, great job!
A lot of NFS influence in this video. I dig it. This inspires me to want a 996 more than I already do.
Your comment made me realize it’s the soundtracks from the old NFS Porsche that’s being played here. Thank you 🙂 Absolutely amazing tunes with lots of nostalgia involved 👏🏼😎
Girst thoughts
I have owned 3 996's now. I keep buying them, enjoying them, selling them, and regretting selling.....so I buy another. Love it.
It’s one of the sexiest cars. I love mine.
@Theodore Frazier it’s an amazing car to own and drive. I have been doing routine maintenance on the car this week (oil and cabin filter change, oil chance, engine accessory belt change, spark plugs, etc.) and have enjoyed every single moment of it. I have also planned a day for she and I to spend on the road with the top down just enjoying her sounds and sensory experiences.
th-cam.com/video/gqB-xvcUDzM/w-d-xo.html
I just got my first ever 911 last month: a 2002 996.2 C2 cabrio. It is such a great driver's car and I couldn't agree more with the thoughts in your video. I suppose I'm biased, but I LOVE the design, inside and out. The '90s interior styling looks classic 22+ years on. And I love both the .1 and .2 headlights. The GT-style .1s are an homage to greatness and the Turbo-style .2s are straight up sexy, IMO. Here's to all the 996 owners, grinning at all times because we know what a dream car this is. Cheers!
Cheers indeed! 🥂
No one picked up on the NFS Porsche Unleashed music? Ok...
Wow, great video and what a beautiful 911! Also, I’m absolutely loving the amazing background soundtracks from the old NFS Porsche which I used to play when I was litte. Very well chosen - it complements the video perfectly IMO 👌🏻👌🏻😍
Thank you! I thought so too :-)
I drive a 996.2 GT3 Clubsport. The car is giving you so much and the 996 is the last real analog Porsche. No Traction Control or ESP, wonderful steering, perfect visibility. In some ways it is better then the latest models.
drive a 2003 996 C4S every day for 7 years now. Absolutely wonderful car no doubt about it! When you turn the key the party starts, love it.
Yes! I still can't get over the exhaust note on startup
Great video. Amazing quality! You have a new subscriber.
I can only agree with you on everything you said about the 996. One point to add: bore scoring is a huge issue on the 996 and 997. Especially cold climate cars are suffering from it. Even with perfect maintenance it’s hard to prevent.
My 996 is now undergoing a full engine rebuild at 150.000km. No bore scoring but pistons were out of ‘tolerance’ which cause ticking noise at idle. No oil or coolant usage or lack of power. Just horrible sound at idle although engine looked like new from the inside.
This is a great video. The 996.1 does not have the issue regarding the unlock button thanks an old school aluminium hinge for the trunk and hood. If it’s not damaged due to stepping in and out the car, it looks so cool
Yup, Porsche should've kept it that way
They still require electric current to work, so essentially the same.
@@JamesWilliams1974 I don’t think that’s correct. Have had several flat batteries and everything worked fine. It’s only the .2 with electrical circuit, same as the so much sought for throttle cable instead of e-gas.😅
Actually you can get locked with the 996.1 too. But in neither 996.1 nor 996.2 it is a real problem. First there is the additional cable arrangement and secondly you can feed the 12 V system even to the fuse box or to the engine el. power point. I actually modded my 996.1 so that I can reach the extra cable from the cooling channel hideout.
@@juhakivekas2175 I guess you relate to getting locked in the car due to an flat battery. Pretty cool you did this mod to get out. The issue we were discussing was about the trunk. This is an aluminum lever with old school cable to release.
I've noticed people seem to have forgotten about the headlight hate that these used to garner. Also the hatred for the original boxster seems to have subsided. I have a 2001 996 turbo and I get compliments on it all the time, I also got a 99 boxster which also gets a ton of compliments, more now than when I first got them almost 2 decades ago. Now if only people could get behind jeeps with square headlights...
100% right, love the 996, equal what "enthusiasts" say!
I had sixty grand to spend on a 911 last year, looked at a few 997s and some high mileage 991s but ended up getting a low mileage ims retrofitted 996.2 for 24k with a broken cab roof (just had to remove a rayban case and refill hydraulic fluid 😊). I just couldn’t pass up on owning a better 911 example for half the price.
The car has been a joy that’s hard to describe, i wouldn’t say it’s been reliable - I’ve had two separate cel’s caused by inevitable corrosion in wiring harnesses, one time the roof button just pushed into the dashboard, one time the fuel flap latch got stuck and I nearly ran out of gas getting home but it’s mechanically perfect and the engine purrs like a tiger. All other options in my budget would have had similar issues I’m sure and a higher mileage newer car would possibly have needed shop repairs by now.
I love that porsche wankers don’t like the headlights, it saved me over thirty grand and i love my car just as much as if I’d got a 991. I couldn’t care less about interior mod cons that were developed after this era and although i find the interior quality to be not up to later generations standards it is still quite nice, the 996 is comparably fast and still a fantastic looking car that is just entering classic status and will probably double in value in ten years.
I don’t think there is another sub 25k car out there that will get compliments every time it visits a gas station and inspire people to take selfies in front of it. I would never advise anyone to buy one purely as an investment though; plastic fatigue, electrical corrosion, paint erosion, rubber disintegration, etc are the issues that affect cars as they age and these are no exception even if they’re garage kept
Good for narrow roads too - which is where it excels, twisty corners and no needs to cower at oncoming traffic. Great video, hope you got commission!
At 1:24 you see the Le Mans winning GT1, did you see the headlights on the only 911 to ever win Le Mans. They're the same headlights I have on my 1999 996. Sweet!
Well done! Your nailed it. So glad I got mine 2004 C4s back in 2018. It’s been all that you described. Runs like a champ.
Hahaha. Same way I feel. About to go hop in my 996 right now for a nice cruise.
The 996 c4s is starting to become my favorite looking 911’s , one of at least. Not sure if that’s bias on the fact it has a price that is affordable 😂. The turbo look at the light bar on the back though 😃
Nice vid mate. The 996 is without doubt one of the best Porsche models particularly when you factor-in pricing. You get one of the best overall driver experiences.....the power, brakes, transmission, road-holding ( the C4S is terrific ) are all to a very high level & were a step up from previous generations in the round. Sure there are quirks, but all the models have them, but to suggest the 996 is in anyway inferior is to be a falsehood. IMHO I also think it`s looks amazing but that`s subjective, it`s ability isn`t.
Couldn't agree more
I have had my 1999 911 Carrera for over 10 years and have received glowing compliments and not one mention about the headlights.
best use case for this version of the 911 are the five analog gauges on the dash: that look is perfect and gone in the "modern" 991/992
The cinematography of this video remembered me of Cosmic Girl’s music video
I'm glad people whined about the 996 (and bizarrely don't about the other water-cooled cars just because the headlights are round) and the reason why I say this is because I suddenly woke up one morning earlier this year and realised I had enough to buy a 911, and found that they were still at a price that didn't sound silly.
Having driven many sports cars and spent many hours on tracks, I have a reasonable feel for what makes a driver's car, and the 996 definitely ticks the box for a driver's car. I don't care if the lights aren't round - it's a car that you feel has strong links to motorsport and whilst it isn't as fast as a 2021 hot hatch, it doesn't matter. This is a motoring icon. It feels special every time you drive it. And it even feels special when you're stuck in London traffic.
PS I got around the IMS issue... by buying a Turbo. :o)
Well said, and congrats on your Turbo!
I've driven lots of Porsches from the 70's, to the latest GT3 and GT4, and I love my 996.1 C2, it's full of character and after 12 years still makes me smile.
Super practical and sounds amazing!
It's the one car I'll never get rid of.
2003 thoughts lookin to buy
What’s the name of the song at 2:56? It reminds me so much of video games in my childhood!
all the music is from NFS Porsche Unleashed
Thanks to that I was able to have mine. A 2000 red 911 manual with aerokit. Headers, Catless and Camshaft upgrade ❤. Nice sound and runs awesome! I bought it for 20k. I don't sell it even if they double what I paid.
I have the 1998 Carrera 2. It has mechanical boot/bonnet catches so no problem. It's a fabulous thing. Buy one while they are so low cost.
Amazing quality as always
Thank you!!
Couldn’t have said it better myself. I frikin love my 996. Only issue in my opinion is the sun visors. They don’t do anything lol.
Great Video and so true👍 Well done👍
Great OEM Sport Exhaust , handles superbly and is on top easy and affordable to maintain👌
Still great value for the bangs but that’s already slowly changing .
The 996 will be appreciated sooner then you all might think😉
I know... a few years ago they could be had for nothing. Now they're climbing as people realise they're not as bad as the air-cooled people would have you believe
Ive been daily driving my 996.2 6spd c2 for years. 161k so far. Never noticed the headlight thing though, cant see them from the drivers seat.
Also theres a manual trunk release in case your battery dies, theres also a jump port in the car to power the trunk popper.
Yes, there's a jump port, but still more of a hassle than the early cars with the manual release on the driver's sill
@@HenrywithCars True, but these cars are everyday useable and popping the frunk from the key when you're approaching with a pile of shopping IS very convenient. Way more so than the very occasional time you've got to break out the jump pack to power the popper.
Owned an identical car for 3 and a half years, and loved it. Brilliant driver's car, connected and analogue (mostly). Did IMS RMS Dual Mass flywheel, fitted B8 Sport shocks and H&R blue springs, 17mm factory spacers. Great car. But the M96 niggles in my head eventually let me sell it (with regrets), trading into a very different but equally enjoyable car, an Aston Martin Rapide S. But the 911 flame still burns, looking for a 997.2 GTS or C2S to sit next to the Rapide. Oh, and BTW, your car needs a paint correction with a DA polisher. It has swirls. Did mine, came up like glass 👌
Not my car, but yes, the paint could've been better cared for. Good luck with finding your dream 997 :-)
Great Video and expresses my feelings exactly, I still get as much satisfaction driving it........ after 12 years of glorious ownership!
I like the music... NFS Porsche Unleashed menu music...brings back memories
I really enjoyed this video!!! The need for speed Porsche unleashed music brings back memories!!!
I’m buying an ‘02 on Monday. I test drove it and fell in love. (Side note: pet peeve of mine, when ppl say “RPM’s”… that’s redundant and sounds wrong.)
Congratulations!!
LOVE my 2003
Just binge watched all your videos. You're a legend.
Haha thanks!
Nice video . Nice lines you say in there but low down music .. and good job bro
I rarely leave a comment, but now I must mention you made a very nice video story! Thanks Love my 2002 C4S tip
I have the brother to the car in this video. I have a 2004 Porsche 911 Carrera Cabriolet 996.2. I know that is a mouthful and I know that all the Porsche guys get it, but that’s what I tell people when they find out I have a Porsche. Because I can, lol! It’s the black with metal flake color, can’t remember the name of it because I’m that middle aged retired USAC sprint car driver guy that they talk about in this video, and I love love love this car. My wife enjoys the shit out of this car as well as my daughter, cause now we do things together with our Porsche. Unlike all those years my wife and daughter had to sit in the stands and watch me go around a dirt or asphalt track. I’ve wanted a 2004 Porsche 911 convertible in black with tan interior since they came out. And don’t forget the duck tail. Yes for reasons listed in this video I think this Porsche 996.2 and possibly the 997.2 are the best 911’s ever made. It is so easy to stop racing sprint cars when you have a 911. I go out to my race shop and see it and I get excited. Then I unlock it and get in and instantly I’m submerged in the smell of Porsche 911 brown natural leather as I look at the wonderful grouping of the gauge cluster. Then I start it and let it warm up with the PSE (Porsche sport exhaust) activated and I give it a few revs and a deep throaty sound followed by a gurgle fills the shop. Then a grin that only the grinch himself can pull off comes across my face! Porsche 911 996… a timeless Legend!
I drove my 1999 996 to Las Vegas from the Tahoe area one summer through long stretches of empty desert roads with the temp over 100F most
of the way. and when I arrived in Vegas it was 117F !! I had the A/C on freeze all the way and it not only worked great the car NEVER got over heated
nor skipped a beat. I would not dream of doing that in any of the older air cooled 911's.
Good point!
Your point? 996 cheapest 911 and you own one.
Love the Need for Speed Porsche Unleashed soundtracks! Nice job
What a great video. 👍
Definitely couldn't agree more with you about the qualities of the 996.
Thank you!!
@@HenrywithCars is that your car? Are you on Insta
No and yes -> @henrywithcars
People hate to admit the 996 is a better performing car than a 993 in every way
Had both 993 and 996. Agree except 993 has better
1. Door shut noise
2. Smell
Please get that car paint corrected.
Best looking 911 since 930 !
Love the NFS Porsche soundtrack btw :)
Nice video! I have a 996 c4s and I strongly agree with everything you said.
Impressive production quality!
What are these songs!? I need them
they're from an old need for speed game
Maybe I'd hate my 996 if I had a 930 or 993 to compare it to.
But I don't. So I love it. Chicks dig it, too. The end.
Guess this is all I need to see to finally go ahead and get one
Do it!!!
@@HenrywithCars I'm looking just waiting for the right combo to pop up
Good luck!
@@HenrywithCars thank you
Great video! Even better car. A perfect 911 . Let the detractors detract and enjoy the last affordable(ish) 911. A brilliant all round sports car.
Excellent work on this vid!
the perfect 911 love story!
As a die hard Porsche enthusiast. I don’t understand what the hubbub about the 996 is. It’s a fantastic car it’s quick and handles excellent even to todays standards. Ever gen of Porsche has its quirks and differences in styling, body lines etc. on paper however, a Porsche is a Porsche is a Porsche. Except the boxster f$&@ that thing.
Forgetting that the Boxster is 2/3rds a 996, are we? 😁
Love this review mate! Thumbs up for you! ☺️
If the Old Guard thought the 996 was bad, the Porsche 999 must have sent them to their deaths.
The Porsche Unleashed NFS music sold it
Ultra Hard old Top Gear Vibes .... nice!
996 is one of the best 911 out there, hope the prices keep down so more people can enjoy. Yeah Im 996 owner
Lol, made me laugh. Indeed, you cannot leave it, missus is not so happy about that
Brilliantly put! 👌😎 Love my Speed Yellow Gen 1 C2 Aero!
Great color!
I'm a lifelong Porsche enthusiast... and I own a 996.
i want people to continue hating on this car so i can buy one in a year
Simply the BEST 😍
Had mine two weeks and it’s so good it’s almost boring lol
Have I just watched the best car video of all time?
And on that bombshell...
Nice job! It's an awesome car. Hope you have one!
Thank you! It really is
NFS Porsche Unleashed Soundtrack! :)
Excellent video! Get a polish on the car.
Thank you for this wonderful video! ❤
Thank you for watching it!
Dude tell us something we habit already heard 7000 times! That’s why you’ll never make it hollywood
this music is gold!
Those crusty old men complaining, are EXTRA crusty lol
They sure are
The best 911 in history!!! Amazing driving car fantastic!!
Beautiful 911 !!! Water cooling is dead
996 is new king !!!
excellent video and analysis … plus funny … not for crusty old men though 🙂
Not so much the exterior as the interior.
Great video!!
Thanks!
Excellent
This is 100% accurate! Anything is better than an electric suv named mustang!!
how do you only have 789 subs
that's the million dollar question
Hilarious video well done 👍
Nice video 👌
When you leave a girl sitting while staying in the car, it‘s good that she has no problems to change HER battery...
what?
Henry with Cars Justa joke! OK?
Heaven, if you haven’t owned one, you have no idea
Well said
one of the best 996 review thank you very much sir kudo to you !!!
Absolutely agree very nice car
The 911 does look better with hips. I think that’s many people’s main issue, if they’re not air cooled zealots. That, and…gasp!…looking the same as a boxster from the front!! lol
Yes, you have point there with the hips. However, on a small B-road the narrow body is actually more fun. With the wide body you need to remind yourself time after time that there is width behind you.
I could definitely see that.
brilliant video
It’s sooo fxn good that I currently have 3 of them. 2x40AE and 1 4S… let the sheep who listen to automotive journalists be sheep, I’m buying as many 996s as I can.