Paint quality issues: When the car was delivered the dealer explained a very obvious paint blemish on the passenger door would be fixed under warranty. It never was.
Sunroof: The roof pulsed at exactly 30mph when fully open. Brilliant. You had to adjust the size of the aperture depending on how fast you were going.
Switchgear: The driver window switch packed up. The tachometer was replaced at first service to cure a wagging needle.
Brakes. I was never satisfied with the jittery braking of the car at low speeds and continually pestered for something to be done about it. Having read reviews here and magazine comments I realise it's a quirk of the car. Some quirk!
Headlamp assembly covered in condensation first morning after taking delivery. Engine bay looked filthy dirty after 100 miles. Shoulder of front passenger tyre showing signs of wear by the time I sold up.
Drive the dream... or not. The 911 is icon but the 996 is not the car you think it is. It's quick but doesn't transmit any feeling of speed. It's a status symbol but now commonly seen ferrying kids to school. You can fork out for the hi-fi stereo upgrade and revel at the background thrum of tyres and engine. I can still remember the feeling of being frazzled after long journeys.
As mentioned in other reviews here, the quality of the cabin really lets it down. For reasons given above the Carrera is no longer a sports car and at £60,000 there's no excuse for such a spartan interior.
To sum up, it was a let down and I never felt as though I was treated properly by the dealer. A top of the line Beamer is a far better, safer, quieter, more comfortable, all-round bet. And just as fast. And with better brakes.
I appreciate this review if only because there are relatively few negative reviews of the 911 and I really want to know what the issues are.
Having said that, I can't see how you could possibly compare a 911 to a "top of the line" BMW. Presumably you were referring to an M3 or M5 as opposed to a 7 series. And you would have a point. But lets face it: no matter how good a BMW may be, it won't be a Porsche!
You mention that it is a 996, and a 98 model... therefore it was one of the first 996 models on the market. Those suffered from some quality issues with cheap internal and external work, some engine failures due to RMS. Trade it in and get a 993.
I agree with some of the original comments, I have a 99 C2 and the brakes do jitter at low speed and when cold however I've learnt to drive around it, no problem with the sunroof though. I traded in my 04 vectra sri on this car and was initially dispointed with the interior as it felt very cheap, but now I realise what I brought was great engineering. However, I drove quite a few cars before I settled on the 996 including two 2002/3 m3's (nice cabin, but no power below 4000 and didn't feel 'special'), a 2005 bmw 545i Sport (felt brilliant, extremely quick, faster than the porsche in fact, but very very expensive) and a 993 (my god, was that last bloke dreaming, the 993 felt rotten and antiquated compared to the 996 etc... yes, I know it's a 'real' porsche, but a Model T is also a 'real' ford and compare that to a new one). Anyhow, in summary, the 996 has its faults, but every morning when I start it up (used daily, no issues so far touch wood) I really look forward to the drive, not many cars make you feel that way!
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Yes I agree with the 993 suggestion. Buy one! Anyone who can't see why the 993 is such a fantastic car doesn't understand what a 911 is all about. Yes the 996 is more modern, but it is not anywhere near as special. Porsche are on the right track with the 997 (especially the GT3) but there will never be another 993.
I own a Porsche Carrera 996, and having previously owned a 993 and high end sports versions of both Mercedes and BMW, I feel that I can add to this discussion.
Firstly the Porsche 993 and 996 are a class apart from the Mercs/BMWs. The 911s are designed from day 1 to be true sports cars and have none of the engineering compromises of tuned saloons such as the M3. The Porsches are focused towards a true drivers needs, and do not merely flatter to deceive. Perhaps this is where the comments about jittery brakes come in; the 996 brakes lack servo-assistance in favour of direct pedal to brake hydraulics to maximise feel and feedback. The reason you think they are jittery is because you can actually feel what is happening on the road!
It is perverse to consider the 993 a better car in any way than the 996. The 911 has evolved and improved with each generation while maintaining a consistent philosophy. It is for this reason that the 996 is now replacing the 993 and becoming the track car of choice for amateur Porsche enthusiasts.
Among those I know who own and race Porsches, this obsession with a particular engine cooling method over increased performance and reliability is considered plain bizarre!
I just can't wait to get hold of a 997.
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