Why the Porsche 996 Is The Best 911 (For Me)

Some people may see the 996 just as an “entry-level” 911, but for me, I see it as “my” 911.

I wanted a Porsche 911 for as long as I can remember. My aunt owned a 1999 Carerra (996) in Arctic Silver over Metropole blue leather interior when I was in high school. I have vivid memories of riding in that car for the first time. I had never been in a 911 prior to that ride. When it was over, I was hooked. I had to have one. 

If you don’t know anything about Porsche 911s, know this: the 996 generation of the 911, is known to be the most controversial model. Some of those reasons have their merits but most of them are overblown and superficial. 

For context and credibility, I have owned a 1999 Porsche 911 Carerra since 2017. I have driven more than 23,000 in my car. It has never left me stranded. Throughout my ownership, I have not skipped crucial maintenance items. In fact, I’ve been over the top with the maintenance in an attempt to mitigate any problems. This, I believe, is why I have had such a pleasant ownership experience to this point. 

Here are four reasons why I think the Porsche 996 is the best 911 (for me). Please keep in mind that this is my opinion and experience. Everyone is free to like what they want. All 911s are great. I just happen to like the 996 generation the most. 

Unique Design

I had to start with the 996’s design because it is the most divisive of any 911in history. Why? Well, its headlights aren’t round, or oval-shaped like every 911 before and after it. And it kind of looks like a bar of soap. 

I’m a big fan of the 996.1 headlight design because it looks sleek and purposeful. Not to mention it was used on the revered 911 GT1-98, which is still the only factory 911 to have an overall win at Le Mans.

The 996 headlight is a cleverly designed unit that puts five functions into one module. You get a high and low-beam headlight, fog light, running light, and a turn signal. This design was favored for manufacturing costs and ease of maintenance. 

Whenever I see another 996 on the road I don’t mistake it for anything else. Whereas, in the distance, I’ve confused the 997 with a VW Beetle. I love the 997 but its front end looks too similar to its VW cousin. 

What’s more, the 996 has a drag coefficient of Cd=0.30, it was 45% stiffer than the 993, and 110 lbs. Lighter, too. For reference, the 1999 996 Carrera has a lower drag coefficient than the 2022 992-generation 911, which is .01 higher. Granted, it’s small but still a gain over a car that was designed in the 90s. 

Cost of Ownership

The expression that “there’s nothing more expensive than a cheap Porsche” is mostly true. In my experience, the 996 is not a cheap car to maintain. Especially when compared to a Toyota. But compared to other 911s, it’s a relative bargain. 

Last summer my car’s blower motor exploded when I pushed the automatic climate button on a hot day. I was able to order a new motor for under $200, and install it myself in 15 minutes. Granted, I didn’t buy an OEM replacement motor because I can buy 4-5 of these for the price of one Porsche blower motor. And since it was so easy to replace, I figured saving some money was more important than going OEM.

As for critical parts and components, I will go with an OEM part. I don’t take the health of my car’s engine lightly. Especially since a new power unit costs $20,000 and up. As a whole, parts for the 996 are affordable and readily available. 

In the past five years of ownership, I’ve spent around $8,000 on maintenance—roughly $1,600 per year. Most of the money was spent on consumables and replacing old parts.

My advice to anyone who’s looking at purchasing an older Porsche is to do as much of the maintenance yourself. Independent shops are reasonable but the Porsche dealership shouldn’t be an option unless you have stupid money and don’t care. 

Usability

This point is fairly subjective because we all have expectations and preferences from a daily driver. I drove my 996 daily for 14 months. My commute at the time was a mix of open highways and stop-and-go traffic. The A/C worked great in the summer and the heat was always sufficient in the winter.

Granted, I live in Georgia where you might see snow once or twice a year. The lowest temperature I’ll get where I live is maybe 20 degrees Fahrenheit. I run a set of Continental ExtremeContact DWS 06 Plus tires on my car year-round. They’re more than adequate for aggressive summer driving and winter commuting. 

The front trunk space on 911s is unrivaled by any sports car. I can fit a full-size stroller in the front (with some disassembly). One of the biggest perks of the 996 compared to earlier generations of the 911 is the top anchor points in the back for car seats. I have small boys who love to go to car shows and riding in the 911 is always an experience for them. Being able to securely fasten their car seats in the back is a deal breaker for me.

I’m a big fan of the 996’s interior ergonomics. Everything in the cabin feels throughout and well placed. I never feel like I’m lacking storage—even with not having a glove box. The biggest complaint I have for everyday usability is the lack of a cup holder. I’ve found the space between my seat and the door sill to be well-suited for holding smaller water bottles. 

Driving Dynamics

When you want to do a spirited drive, the 996 911 is a great choice. I purchased my car for the sole purpose of driving. Everything else is secondary. With the 996, you get the best of what made the air-cooled 911s great but in a modern package.

Yes, that classic air-cooled engine noise is gone. But what you gain is a lighter car, with more power, and a great chassis. Especially since the rear multi-link suspension from the 993 was carried over to the new car.

The feedback from the steering wheel is the best of any car I’ve driven. You know exactly what the front tires are doing at any given moment. I know I’m not alone in this sentiment either. My 996 is the perfect vehicle for delivering all of those sensory things we car enthusiasts love so much. 

The clutch and shifter feel are direct with just the right amount of heft. The exhaust note is civil under 4,000 rpm but sonorous all of the way to redline. The boxer flat-six can be felt idling in the seat of your pants. 

All of these little things add up to an extremely pleasing experience. I’ve been fortunate enough to drive the 991.2 GT3, GT2 RS, and 992 Turbo S. After experiencing all of those cars, I still prefer driving my humble 996 on the road. Now on a track, that’s a different story. 

Conclusion

Porsche owners tend to be a fastidious bunch. They know what they like about their cars and tend to deviate little from their opinions. I’ve found 996 owners to be the nicest Porsche owners. I have several theories as to why, but the obvious one to me is: they didn’t buy their cars to be status symbols.

The motivation one has going into a purchase says a lot about how one will be during their ownership. And if you want to seem “cool” or important to other Porsche owners, the 996 isn’t the car to do it with. You’d buy a Carrera GT or a Singer to impress them. So why put so much energy into impressing people who truly don’t care what you drive?

Thankfully the 996 has had its share of haters, thanks to articles like this one. So much so, that I believe these cars were undervalued for most of their existence. Which as a result bolstered 997 prices, making them seem like the more desirable generation. 

When I found my car, at the price it was listed, I just knew I had to make my move before it was too late. And I’m grateful I did, especially since prices for everything have increased significantly over the past two years. The 996 is no exception. My car has virtually doubled in value. Why? I believe people are starting to see these cars for what they are. They’re great driving 911s that put a smile on your face. And if that's what you're after then why pay more for the experience?

Some people may see the 996 just as an “entry-level” 911, but for me, I see it as “my” 911. For better or for worse. 

I almost forgot to include all of the 996 buzzwords, so here they are: IMS, RMS, AOS, fried egg, bore scoring, D-chunk, Boxster, Toyota manufacturing, cost cutting, poor man’s Porsche, and so on. Let me know if I forgot any in the comments.