A Review of the Porsche 996

The Porsche 996 is probably the one Porsche that most of us regular folks have actually seen on the road. 

And that’s not surprising—the Porsche 996 was mass produced, and designed to be more affordable. It ran from 1997 to 2006, and has attained something of a legendary status as the most-hated version of the Porsche 911. 

The reason? Aside from being mass produced, its engine was water cooled, the quality was somewhat less than the Porsche standard, it suffered from a fairly serious engine defect, and its headlights are universally loathed for some reason. 

Nevertheless, the Porsche 996 is about the most affordable pre-owned 911 available. So let’s take a look at the 996 and some of the best models to consider. 

The Porsche 996

The Porsche 996 is a 911 model that was designed with one purpose in mind: to rescue Porsche from its financial woes and from potential takeover. It came down to the fact that Porsche’s manufacturing process, although renowned for producing some of the world’s most famous sports cars, was just too inefficient. 

The 996 fixed all that with a more efficient process that could mass-produce cheaper cars. And it was a success—as evidenced by the high number of 996s that suddenly appeared on the roads. 

And though many Porsche purists deride some of the features of the 996—the aforementioned headlights, the water-cooled engine, the cheaper interior—the truth is, the 996 is a wonderful sports car for all that. 

And if you’re looking for an affordable Porsche, the 996 remains (for now) your best option, with the additional bonus of having a wide selection of available parts. You can get a Porsche 996 from the late ’90s or early ’00s, with decent mileage, in the $20,000-$40,000 range. 

Let’s take a look at some good 996 models to choose from:

Porsche 911 Turbo

The Turbo debuted in 1999, and was the first real upgrade to the 996 model. As the name indicates, it offered a much more powerful engine, plus a choice between a 6-speed manual or a 5-speed Tiptronic transmission. 

Porsche 996 Cabriolet

Appearing in 2004, the Porsche Turbo Cabriolet was the company’s first stab at a mass-produced Cabriolet since 1989’s 930. By this time, the 996 had really come into its own, and the Cabriolet was so acclaimed as to win the Robb Reports’ 2004 Car of the Year award. 

Porsche 996 C4S

The Porsche 911 Carrera 4S coupe was based on the 996 Carrera 4, but incorporated a wider body shell for better handling and suspension. The C4S was available during the years 2002-2005, and a used model can usually go for somewhere between $30,000-$40,000 these days. 

Get the Best Parts For Your Porsche

The Porsche 996 has acquired something of a poor reputation, but now that’s all changing. 

For one thing, these are easily the most affordable Porsches on the market; for another, these cars are verging into classic territory. And that’s why you need to keep your 996 in good shape with the best OEM and performance parts. 

UroTuning has all of the best aftermarket parts for your Porsche 996. So what are you waiting for? Contact us today to see how we can help.