996.1 911 Carrera 2 Aero. Is the 996 a better 911 than a 993? Tim's Enthusiast Garage S5 E5

[@justinmckeown9029]

Thanks for giving some love to the 996’s! I have a ‘99 C2 6-speed in speed yellow with a 3.7 and absolutely love it. Every time I think about moving on, I take it for a drive and think ‘no way I can part with this’.

[@TimsEnthusiastGarage]

@@justinmckeown9029 they just kept making them bigger. Bigger isn’t always better. 996 is a sweet, sweet hidden gem!

[@---vj9kc]

I have had my 99' 996 since 2010 and being the 2nd owner have enjoyed the car so much that I think I'm going to keep it until it dies, or I die.........whichever comes first ! ; - ) It had 81k when I bought it in 2010 and now has 110k, and runs like new and has needed very little all along. The running costs and reliability have been much better than I ever had expected. I love my 996 !

[@TimsEnthusiastGarage]

I have always experienced fantastic reliability from Porsche products particularly the 996 and 986 variants. Enjoy it ! It’s what they were made for my friend! Thanks so much for watching

[@996Revival]

It really is a bridge between the analog and the advanced tech.

[@TimsEnthusiastGarage]

Which turns out to be quite a happy place. Cheers and thanks so much for watching!

[@richardclegg5853]

I've put almost 40k trouble free miles on my 1999 C2 during my 2 years of ownership. I still get an ear to ear grin every time I get into it...

[@TimsEnthusiastGarage]

@@richardclegg5853 that is what it’s all about! So glad to hear! Enjoy it

[@SF_Native]

I have an early build 99, ocean blue with aero, LSD, cable throttle, etc. I have other 911s but I will always keep this one as I believe it’s a special car.

[@86Eclass]

Let me know if you want to sell it

[@s.godbur3589]

Mines a C4 in ocean blue. Best colour. Mines not cable and marginally heavier.

[@Indianajones420]

Great video! Thanks for this. 996TT owner here, long hood hot rod owner with 2.8 twin plug MFI that weighs 2000lbs, and next up for the stable is a 996.1 like this, followed by 996 gt3 (.1 and .2)…such a sweet spot for me as the earlier cars didn’t perform the same way, and the newer ones are too far off the feel these deliver! CheeRS

[@TimsEnthusiastGarage]

@@Indianajones420 that garage sounds pretty sweet. 2.8 on MFI and 2000 lbs . Yes . My neighbor had a 69 long hood with a built 2.7 on webbers . Still to this day in the top 10 cars I have ever driven. I owned it briefly, it’s one of the few cars I regret selling. CheeRS indeed !

[@Rennthusiast]

As I type this, I’m literally 1/3 of the way home in my newly acquired 04 C4S. Flew to Wisconsin, did the deal and now headed back to NC. The 996 is so much better than its’ given credit for. What’s fun about it is the more time I spend in it the more I sense the air cooled ethos. I totally get the appeal of the C2 but I found a C4S that was too good to pass up.

[@TimsEnthusiastGarage]

@@Rennthusiast I had a C4S years ago. It has it’s own unique character and I love the rear facia treatment. Very cool. Very iconic. Congrats!! Let us know at the end of the trip how in love you are. I suspect you shall be properly smitten. Cheers and thanks for watching !

[@DavidBlalock-n1k]

Let’s face it, if the 996.1 didn’t have the IMS issue and had “round” headlights, people would speak of it the same way as they drool over previous 911s. They still wouldn’t command as much in money, simply because they made so many of them. I loved my 2001 C2 (and had the IMS Solution installed) and would recommend the 996 to anyone. It’s a wonderful car.

[@TimsEnthusiastGarage]

@@DavidBlalock-n1k the only car i have ever known of with a failed IMS was an LN equipped car. This car will be a 100k car one day and the gt3s will be 150-170 . These headlights are the darlings of everyone who came up while the GT1 was campaigned and lauded. They are just getting interesting. Thanks for watching and appreciate your thoughts!!

[@DavidBlalock-n1k]

@@TimsEnthusiastGarage, yeah, I personally like those headlights (my car obviously had them, too). As far as the IMS goes, the numbers weren’t as bad as they’ve been portrayed, but that was little compensation to those who experienced the problem…and most of them did NOT have the LN Engineering solution. Cheers on your car.

[@DavidBlalock-n1k]

@@TimsEnthusiastGarage, by the way, how does an LN Engineering bearing fail? It has no ball bearings. I’d love to hear that story. ;-)

[@TimsEnthusiastGarage]

@@DavidBlalock-n1k I believe it was an oil starvation issue? I am still pals with the guy who owned the car, I’ll check!

[@DavidBlalock-n1k]

@@TimsEnthusiastGarage, yeah, it would have to be an oil starvation thing, since the Solution’s entire concept relies on constant oil feed to work properly. Would love to know if the LN Engineering failure (first I’ve heard of) caused similar catastrophic engine failure as the ball bearing system.

[@mattias8039]

Thanks for a great vid! Got a 996 C2 gen 2 manual since a few months. I must say the extra torque in the 3.6 is really nice. No options such as PSM or sunroof, only a CD-player which means I can dust of my old CD-collection 😅 Keeping it stock except for the Ohlins coilovers. Amazing car and I feel fantastic every time I drive it 😊

[@TimsEnthusiastGarage]

@@mattias8039 match my video on my red 3.6 C2. I think you’ll enjoy it.

[@jeffcullen6573]

As cool as the 993 is, the 996 chassis was a quantum leap forward. I love the turbo -- it's a car which has genuine "classic car" feel to it -- it's alive, mechanical, visceral -- with performance that's still VERY relevant today. Super usable, very reliable. While I can dig an early 997 with no nav and no sport chrono, I genuinely prefer the more basic 996 interior.

[@angelvazquez4457]

Glad to see a big man driving a porsche. My dream car is 911. Not a lil guy..but def into the affordable 996..aero kit looks great..great video

[@TimsEnthusiastGarage]

We fit !!

[@angelvazquez4457]

@TimsEnthusiastGarage nice..good I'm looking now for one..will be ready by next spring/summer..

[@vito3883]

I love them both!

[@TimsEnthusiastGarage]

thanks for watching ! Appreciate you taking the time to comment

[@vito3883]

Porsches what’s not to like 👍

[@joavantie1]

I have an Arctic Silver 99 , 6-speed factory Aero coupe car that I love. I am the second owner, and it is spec'ed the way I would have set it up if I had purchased it. For the 4 years I have owned it, it has only needed fluid changes, an AC recharge, and a set of tires.

[@TimsEnthusiastGarage]

@@joavantie1 they are great cars! All the forum complaints have kept prices artificially low

[@petrolfever]

I've decided the same thing. I owned a 997.1 C2S which I traded for an Exige S, but missed the 911 life and was fortunate enough recently to add a 996.1 C2 XAA to the garage. I drive the Exige way less now, but it has become such an occasion when I do. The 996 has become my summer daily. I live in an extreme environment (@8500 feet in the Rockies) so I also have a Bronco to pull duties when the weather isn't favorable or I need to drive off pavement. I have had to make some modifications to the 996 to support the elevation and duty that it sees. Mostly this is in the cooling department where I've upgraded to dual row rads and a lower temp thermostat. When I bought the car I had a PPI done and spent around 12k doing deferred maintenance plus IMSB for peace of mind.

[@TimsEnthusiastGarage]

That’s a great stable you have! Enjoy your cars and the mountains!! Thanks for watching.

[@frozencarguy6274]

It's a beauty.

[@TimsEnthusiastGarage]

@@frozencarguy6274 thanks for watching !

[@doca8792]

I had an ‘00 with the aero kit on H&R coilovers and HRE wheels Looked and handled amazing, but the power was lacking and I went on to a 996tt. Damn I miss them both.

[@TimsEnthusiastGarage]

I had those coilovers on my 996.2. Loved the set up. The TURBO is definitely not lacking in power (especially with X50) but it’s a totally different animal. Great cars come and go, I’m sure you replaced them with something special.

[@dirkpalmer1067]

I've got a 2019 991.2 4 GTS, but would love to get a 996 Turbo if circumstances were different. Sweet ride and underappreciated.

[@TimsEnthusiastGarage]

@@dirkpalmer1067 I really like the 991.2 . A 996 turbo would be a great side kick !

[@mikebarnard2689]

The white colour is lovely , it looks narrow and aerodynamic … as if it’s built to penetrate the air. I am biased… I have the 1 of 2 RHD Biarritz White 996 GT3 Mk1 clubsports What a machine , pure and simple , fast and furious !! 😀

[@TimsEnthusiastGarage]

Rhd, Biarritz , clubsport . Wow. Brilliant car!

[@mikebarnard2689]

@@TimsEnthusiastGarage yep, way better than me , all I could ever want.

[@calspeed1]

Nice video. I just picked up an early 996.1 Aero for $9600 as a gift to my wife. I have a 997.1 Turbo. But that 996 has such an amazing small performance car vibe. Cheers!

[@TimsEnthusiastGarage]

Even if the car has 240k miles that is an incredible price! Enjoy your Porsches !! Thanks for watching.

[@alexanderbellizia7126]

You speak the truth my man.

[@TimsEnthusiastGarage]

@@alexanderbellizia7126 thanks so much for watching !

[@aggie3344]

Nice car👌🏼

[@garysmith-qr9gt]

very well translated, 996 stock just went up guys! sellin like hotcakes now for sure, 😊

[@TimsEnthusiastGarage]

It truly should be on the up swing. Interestingly the market is on the way down at the moment. Soon to bounce back. Thanks for watching !

[@chuching100]

This is a beautiful car. I currently own a 996.2 C4S in SY, and am always looking for a 996.1 to keep it some company. If this particular car ever becomes available, PLEASE keep me on the list as an interested buyer. This is my first ever comment on KZbin, so I’m not sure if PMs are a thing, but I can find a way to get you some contact info. Thanks, and in the meantime enjoy it!

[@TimsEnthusiastGarage]

It’s on BaT with 5 days to go. Here is a link : bringatrailer.com/listing/2000-porsche-911-carrera-coupe-30/

[@chuching100]

Thanks! I shoulda have watched the whole video and read all the comments first haha and would have seen that it’s on BAT. GLWTA to us both!

[@kentsklarow8225]

just sell the C4s and get a good 996 (one with a mezger)

[@TimsEnthusiastGarage]

@@kentsklarow8225 sigh

[@michaeledwardlenzi]

Lots of vibes.

[@TimsEnthusiastGarage]

@@michaeledwardlenzi many vibes 🤣

[@FL981S]

All clear .1 headlights look so much better than the .2 kneejerk reaction headlights.

[@TimsEnthusiastGarage]

@@FL981S I agree

[@vito3883]

I had one it was stolen. 911 1999 carrera 4.I’m 65 makes me want to cry

[@TimsEnthusiastGarage]

Oh my goodness, I am so sorry to hear that. Injustice like that makes me want to cry too.

[@geoffclarke3796]

I think all 996's are great Porsche's and very underrated. I was fortunate to own a 996.1 GT3 with a few minor modifications (exhaust, re-map giving just under 400 horsepower and some after market dampers and suspension optimized for track work) and was by far the best car I've owned. I had it for 12 years which tells you how much I loved it. I think you guys in the US got the 996.2 GT3 but not the 996.1. I think an early 996.1 such as this with sports suspension and a sports exhaust is a great buy. I owned a classic '89 3.2 Carerra Sport prior to the GT3 and have driven a couple of 964's but having never driven a 993. 993's to me are great looking cars but I feel they are too expensive for what they are. Agree later 911's are just too big now even if they are brilliant dynamically.

[@TimsEnthusiastGarage]

@@geoffclarke3796 i share nearly all of your sentiment. We did get 996.2 GT3 as well and there are a few RS here. The 991.1 GT3 RS and later touring are both absolutely incredible but don’t feel like small enthusiast tools the way the 996 does. 992 GT3 is a beast. I have driven a few and if current budget allowed , I would certainly have one . I have yet to drive the latest RS on a track but I’m sure it’s mega. Cheers !

[@TimsEnthusiastGarage]

@@geoffclarke3796 i share nearly all of your sentiment. We did get 996.2 GT3 as well and there are a few RS here. The 991.1 GT3 RS and later touring are both absolutely incredible but don’t feel like small enthusiast tools the way the 996 does. 992 GT3 is a beast. I have driven a few and if current budget allowed , I would certainly have one . I have yet to drive the latest RS on a track but I’m sure it’s mega. Cheers !

[@mikebarnard2689]

I did the jump from hot rodded 3.2 to 996 GT3, still got it, it’s all the car I need, analogue , fast and raw.

[@odeirt]

It’s funny, you keep mentioning the 993 and 964. The 996 is faster and handles better than both of them. If people really cared about performance, the 996 is the obvious choice!

[@TimsEnthusiastGarage]

@@odeirt if you watch the video till the end, you’ll see we agree

[@cgoldens]

Was this just on BAT this week? It’s a beauty, I only wish the interior was black, that Savannah beige ages poorly. (99 996.1 black on black here, with DSL😊, owned for 5 years)

[@TimsEnthusiastGarage]

@@cgoldens car is currently on BaT so you can watch along in real time! personally I have always liked Savannah. I loved it at launch and it is one that still gets me. If you notice in the video the bottoms of the doors and the carpets are black so it’s a best of both worlds in terms of having that splash of light contrast and darkness on super wear areas. Brilliant cars. If you watch till the end , you get the take, I’m in camp 996!!

[@cgoldens]

@@TimsEnthusiastGarage yeah I made this comment before you mention you love the Savannah beige 😅 , I’ve never been a fan, black or the more rare dark Carmel like in the millennium edition. Even the metropol blue is kinda cool. I also think the black dash looks more timeless. But we all can agree, the 996 is a great 911

[@TimsEnthusiastGarage]

@@cgoldens yes, i recognize interior hue is totally down to personal preference. Thanks for watching! Subscribe if you would be so kind

[@jimholden5419]

Great review. I’ve owned a 00 C2 cabriolet for about 5 years. Under 50k miles, Rainforest green with Savannah interior. Pretty rare combination. I agree with most of the other comments; it’s a great, great car. Still analog enough to work on myself, and more capability than I have driving talent. When you read about the economies of building the 996, it starts to make sense. For example, the headlight assembly was very streamlined for production efficiency with respect to the previous model. The 996 was the beginning of “non-hand-built” construction. For many purists, that’s a bad thing. But for an affordable, reliable, not-quite-but-near-super car performance, the 996 is hard to beat. When I bought it, I was more focused on low miles and price. I’ve grown to appreciate it for much more than that. Thanks for the review.

[@TimsEnthusiastGarage]

@@jimholden5419 cheers and thanks so much for watching!

[@TexasRiverRat31254]

Did anyone else cringe when he pushed the top of the window to close the door? Must have deep enough pockets not to care and would be able to rebuild the engine with out worry. I don't worship 911's as I've got a Porsche with the engine in the right place like was intended before they had to use VW parts.

[@TimsEnthusiastGarage]

@@TexasRiverRat31254 I’ve put 140-160,000 miles on 996s, never had a window regulator fail. Porsche used VW parts from the very beginning, and the pockets go deep enough 😙

[@roywein1880]

Yah, minor quip. I have the same car, 996.1- the door close there isn’t an issue at all. It’s super solid- and not anything relevant, “door wise.” His review is spot on, overall, imho, esp related to analog feel, build quality and everything great about an early build 996.1 Carrera

[@robertdavis386]

Lotus Esprit update?

[@TimsEnthusiastGarage]

@@robertdavis386 hoping to put it together over the winter

[@mitul.323]

This guy is mainly focused on road feel, and doesn't value air cooled personality of the sounds, smells, and interior. Then complains that 911s don't feel special enough. If they only produced 500 911s a year, or discontinued it 30 years ago, it would be a more special (and expensive) driving experience. Then more rich guys would find it interesting.

[@TimsEnthusiastGarage]

That first sentence is fair. I think the aircooled cars are a bit over hyped. I have owned lots of them, they are great but ultimately not that special and mass produced. If they made far fewer I probably would find them more compelling. I like the 964 and 993. They feel a bit over valued to me. If they speak to you then by all means, enjoy your dream car! Cheers and thanks for watching

[@44toolsdotcom]

Incredible spec

[@younghem]

996.1 is a better looking car than a 993. Yes, I said it cuz it’s true. 🫳🎤

[@TimsEnthusiastGarage]

I like the mic drop. Nice touch !