Porsche 911 996 Review (1997-2003)

The 996-series is the first of the modern-era Porsche 911s. When it was launched, diehard Porsche 911 enthusiasts bemoaned the fact that the car’s 3.4-litre rear-mounted, flat-six engine was cooled by water rather than being air-cooled, as was traditional for the 911. But the 996 represents a huge stride forward over its forebears; even today, get behind the wheel of a well-maintained example and you’ll discover that the driving experience isn’t far from what you’d expect of a modern day sports car.

A facelift in the second half of 2001 gave all models of the 996 the same headlight treatment as the Turbo (replacing lights dubbed ‘fried eggs’ because they incorporate large orange indicators), but more importantly, the facelift saw the introduction of a 316bhp, 3.6-litre, flat-six engine for all the Carrera versions. A 911 Targa was also introduced, with a large sliding glass roof panel, together with a Carrera 4S, which shared the Turbo’s wide body, brakes and suspension, but was powered by the new 3.6 engine and had all-wheel drive.

And new model releases were relentless thereafter. A facelifted 911 GT3 with more power and better steering and brakes. Cabriolet versions of the Carrera 4S and Turbo. The 444bhp Turbo S, also available as a Cabriolet. The lightweight, track-focused GT3 RS and a more powerful GT2 with 456bhp. Variety is the spice of the 911’s life.

While we will reference the Turbo and GT versions of the Porsche 911 in this used buying guide, our focus is mainly on the 911 Carrera models.

Part of the 911’s appeal has been its surprising practicality, which makes this a super sports car that’s as comfortable on the school run or in the supermarket car park as it is tackling track days or flying down your favourite back roads.

Make no mistake, this isn’t a viable alternative to a family hatchback, but there’s more space and versatility than you’ll find in any rival. For starters, visibility is excellent all-round, making the 911 easy to place on the road and a doddle to park. It’s also helped here by its relatively modest exterior dimensions.

Inside, the Porsche has decent space for the driver and passenger, even by modern standards, with just enough seat and wheel adjustment to make sure you’ll be comfortable behind the wheel. The 996 generation was also the first generation of 911 to ditch floor-hinged pedals, which means you shouldn’t be nursing ankle cramps after a long journey.

Of course, the 996 also gets the 911’s trademark 2+2 seating layout that includes a pair of small rear seats. They’re effectively off limits for adults, but children will be just fine in there, plus the backrests can be easily folded down to create a large flat load area for luggage when it's just you and a passenger. There’s also a deep 130-litre boot in the nose, although this shrinks to 100 litres for the four-wheel drive models. Keep in mind, however, that GT3 models ditch the rear seats for lightness, with many also getting a roll cage.

Where the 996 shows its age is in the design of its cabin, which seems a tad simple and dour compared with the sometimes blingy, over-stylised cabins of modern sports cars. It also lacks the storage space that you’ll get in a modern car, with nowhere to place a smartphone and, on pre-facelift cars, no cup holders or glovebox.

The main reason you’ll want a 911 is for the way it drives, its rear-engined layout helping to make it one of the most engaging and satisfying sports cars. While early 911s had a reputation for serving up white-knuckled handling in the hands of unwary owners, by the time the 996 came along Porsche had refined the driving experience so that it was largely vice-free.

No matter which version you choose, the 911 is very quick, has good throttle response, nicely direct steering and an entertainingly agile chassis, and its ride quality is sportingly compliant. Few cars at any price are as involving to drive, and the Porsche is the sort of car that will encourage you to grab the keys and just head out on the road for the hell of it.

A big part of the appeal is the car’s zingy flat-six engine that pulls hard throughout the rev range and sounds superb, too. A Porsche 911 is in its element on twisting, high-speed back roads, and in that environment you’ll be having so much fun that it won’t dawn on you that even the youngest example of this car was made way back in 2003.

At launch, the 996 was available as a coupe only, with just the one engine – a then-new 3.4-litre flat-six with 292bhp, driving the rear wheels through either a six-speed manual or five-speed Tiptronic automatic gearbox. Called the 911 Carrera 3.4, it wasn’t alone for long, as it was quickly followed by the convertible Cabriolet, the four-wheel drive Carrera 4, the racy 911 GT3, the storming four-wheel-drive 911 Turbo with twin turbochargers and 408bhp.

Eventually the standard car got a larger 3.6-litre engine, and for most this offers the best blend of performance and usability, particularly with the confidence-inspiring addition of four-wheel drive.

However, if you needed more adrenaline in your life, then there was always the 911 GT2, nicknamed 'the Widow Maker' on account of having twin turbos, 456bhp, rear-wheel drive and no traction control, which was enough to ensure you needed a least four Weetabix for breakfast before taking it for a drive.

Most exciting of the lot, however, is the GT3 and its even racier RS sibling. Designed as racers for the road, these packed howling naturally aspirated engines, stripped out interiors and invigorating handling that left you tingling from head to toe.

A slick and precise six-speed manual gearbox was standard on all 911 models, and it’s the transmission you should go for. A Tiptronic automatic was available, but compared to the modern twin-clutch PDK unit in the latest 911 models, it’s a ponderous performer.

Keep in mind the fact that the 996 was launched at the tail end of the Nineties (so more than 20 years ago now) and you’re unlikely to be disappointed by the amount of equipment on offer. In fact, in terms of what you actually need, the Porsche has most bases covered. There’s air-con, cruise control, electric windows and mirrors to name but a few things, while most versions you’ll see will have leather seats as well.

In fact, Porsche started its push for personalisation with the 996, so there was a lengthy options list when new with many well-heeled buyers ticking boxes left, right and centre. As a result, it’s worth checking carefully the specification of any potential purchase, and no two cars are usually the same. Extras worth looking out for are upgraded stereos, heated seats and climate control.

One area of the car that really ages it, however, is the infotainment. Almost all examples got a simple audio set-up with a CD player and a radio. There was a sat-nav upgrade option, plus many had wired-in mobile phone cradles, but these are now very outdated. The good news is that Porsche now offers a modern touchscreen upgrade for the 996 that looks great and features Apple CarPlay and Android Auto.

It may seem counter-intuitive to spend money on a car before you’ve even bought it, but with something like a Porsche 911, a pre-purchase inspection by a reputable independent Porsche specialist is a sensible precaution. Prices start from around £245, but because the 996’s engine is known to have a problem or two, we’d recommend spending about £395 to get the inside of the cylinder bores checked out for damage.

This being a Porsche, servicing won’t be cheap, but thankfully the UK has a large number of high quality specialists with an intimate knowledge of older models. At one of these a minor service for a 996 Carrera should be about £265, rising to roughly £465 for a major service: if you’re lucky enough to have a 911 Turbo, those prices are in the region of £275 and £750, respectively.

The suspension on a 996 starts to wear out from about 80,000 miles onwards, but the cost of parts isn’t so bad. Commonly replaced items are the lower track control arms (also known as the coffin arms because of their shape) in the front suspension, which are about £270 each with all the associated bushes etc. The track control arms for the rear suspension are around £350 for a pair, but there’s labour to add on top of that. After fixing the suspension, you’ll also need a suspension geometry set-up, for about £270.

Tyres typically last 15,000-18,000 miles, and premium brand replacements – you really don’t want to go budget on a Porsche 911 – are in the region of £120 to £160 each. The air-conditioning system has a lifespan of six to eight years and can cost up to £1,200 for a rebuild, while a replacement clutch can cost up to £1,400 because the engine and gearbox have to be dropped out of the car to change it, and while you’re doing that you’ll want a new flywheel, too.

Fuel consumption isn’t great in the Porsche 911. Figures span from 20mpg to 23mpg, and you’ll be wanting to use super-unleaded rather than regular. Vehicle Excise Duty is between £270 and £330 depending on the model, while all 911 models are in group 50 for insurance.

There are two groups of three letters you will frequently hear when discussing the reliability of the Porsche 911, RMS and IMS. RMS stands for rear main oil seal, between the engine and transmission, and if it fails you get an oil leak. Keep a watchful eye on the oil level and top it up diligently, and you should be able to wait to replace the RMS until it’s time for a replacement clutch. Both require the engine and gearbox to come out, so are best done at the same time.

IMS is for intermediate shaft bearing. The IMS sends drive from the crankshaft to the camshafts on each of the two banks of cylinders. If the seal in the bearing starts to fail, it allows oil into the bearing which dries out the grease inside it, and can cause it to disintegrate, at which point the valves hit the pistons and you potentially have a £12,000 engine rebuild on your hands.

The estimate for how many engines an IMS failure has affected is 5% and all on post-2001 cars, but the fear factor amongst 996 owners means that many of them upgraded the IMS bearing as a precautionary measure, at a cost of about £2,300. Ask if this has been done on the car you’re looking at, although the general consensus is that if a 996 has made it this far without an IMS failure, it will probably be OK.

Another engine issue was with early 3.4s. Little chunks of the cylinder wall could come adrift, causing calamitous internal damage, but by now most will have been sorted. Some 3.6-litre engines at the very end of the car’s production life suffered cylinder bore scoring, which is why a look inside during a pre-purchase inspection is advisable.

Stone damage and corrosion, caused by the accumulation of leaves and other road detritus, can cause the radiators and air-con condensers in the nose to leak. It’s worth cleaning out the debris from time to time as the condensers are about £1,200 and the other radiators £1,300. If the engine idles roughly then it could be a sign that the pair of solenoids for the VarioCam system on the 3.6-litre engine need replacing, while if you’re buying a Cabriolet or Targa, make sure that the roof mechanisms operate smoothly and quietly in both directions.