Photograph Courtesy Porsche
MEET OUR EXPERT:
Lou Verdiales
Aero Dynamics
213 Cessna Blvd
Port Orange, FL 32128
(386) 304-0380
First, before buying a 996 it’s absolutely essential that you be willing to pay to have a professional inspect the car. Make sure you pick someone who has lots of experience with the 996. Having a service history that your professional can check is also a plus.
Once you’ve verified that the whole car is up to snuff and have it in your garage, we recommend first turning your attention to the suspension. Original components like shocks and bushings are typically completely worn at their current age. Other than the basics, you can install lowering springs and stiffer shocks to match for an even sportier feel. Also keep in mind that a good alignment makes all the difference in the world on these cars. It’ll make the car much more fun and safer to drive.
The second most common upgrade is typically replacing the stock exhaust with an aftermarket setup. Many owners enjoy the better sound and roughly 5-to-6-horsepower gain that can result depending on what system you buy.
Combine that new exhaust with an ECU flash and you could see gains of more than 10 horsepower. That doesn’t sound like too much, but the biggest difference the flash makes is in the torque curve. It also reduces the “throttle-by-wire” lag between the pedal and the stepper motor, which makes for a much more responsive feel and more power gains lower in the rev range. Although the ECU flash is probably the best overall bang-for- the-buck upgrade, it’ll set you back about $1000. There are quite a few companies who provide them, including FVD and Softronic.
If you’re planning on driving your 996 hard, you’ll want to expand the car’s oil capacity by adding the deep sump. Some companies offer a metal spacer that lowers the stock unit; if you use the original sump, make sure to remove it and inspect the inside. The rubber oil-control flaps are mounted to a cast-metal extension with rivets, which have a tendency to disintegrate and clog the sump.
Some owners modify their cars’ intakes. We specifically do not recommend changing anything in this area of the car. Modified intakes have a tendency to have trouble getting cool air, killing performance. They also often cause problems with how the air is directed through the air mass meter. A modified intake might sound better, but the factory system works best and doesn’t cause as many problems.
These cars represented a quantum leap in complexity over the previous model, meaning more sophisticated ABS, traction control and other systems. However, these more capable systems also come with an Achilles’ heel: They require additional maintenance and can lead to higher repair bills than previous generations such as the 993.
As for maintenance, rear main seal leaks are common. There’s a revised seal available that has a Teflon lip instead of the traditional rubber-and-spring setup. These seals are the same type found on Cayenne and are much more effective.
As you may know, the 996 was the first generation of Porsche 911 to sport a water-cooled engine. If the water pump hasn’t been changed yet, it should be.
Belt rollers tend to fail. You’ll usually hear a squeaking noise coming from the engine before any catastrophic failure. Locate the roller that’s squeaking and replace it.
Replace the coil every 50,000 to 60,000 miles. While you may not feel a misfire or observe a check engine light, a diagnostic scan may reveal a misfire code. It’s better to replace the coil at this point before the car starts running noticeably worse.
The most important maintenance item is changing oil more frequently than the factory recommends. Oil change intervals of 12 months or 6000 miles are necessary to avoid the somewhat common intermediate shaft failure. You should also check the oil filter elements every 12 months–and before the car goes on track–for metal particles that may hint at this condition. Cars driven harder and more often typically fare better than garage queens.
If your car is running with an original air-oil separator, that’s another item that should absolutely be changed before the car sees a track. It’s a $125 part.
Great cars, super bargain, well built, and fun to drive. Heck, I own one. I can't believe this article doesn't at least mention the IMS bearing. If you are going to service the rear main seal, replace the IMS bearing at the same time or install the IMS solution and eliminate the issue.
I plan on driving mine tomorrow when the weather is better.
Great cars with some major Achilles heels, in the IMS, RMS and cylinder D chunking issues. the last two cause catastrophic engine failure, which I've seen 1/2 dozen times here on track. Numbers wise I'm sure that's an anomaly but it's what I've personally witnessed...
I still want one. Partially because it's the only 911 that will ever be remotely attainable for me. And I feel like I have to own a 911 some day.
Tom, lots of reasons to get one. Get a 99 or early production 00 and enjoy the heck out of it. This is the one car I have gotten that my wife says I can never sell.
Tom_Spangler said:I still want one. Partially because it's the only 911 that will ever be remotely attainable for me. And I feel like I have to own a 911 some day.
Me too...............it's like you just can't go through life with out at least one 911.
Feedyurhed said:Tom_Spangler said:I still want one. Partially because it's the only 911 that will ever be remotely attainable for me. And I feel like I have to own a 911 some day.
Me too...............it's like you just can't go through life with out at least one 911.
These cars are the best kept secret of the 911 world. I'm going to summarize lots of other articles and people here.
It's a 911 with functional AC, heat, and still light. It's as fast as the old air cooled 911 turbos. It's more analog and raw than the newer water pumper 911s. The only thing wrong with a 996 are the headlights, but they grow on you.
I was curious whether anyone had started restomodding 996s yet and found this. I feel so conflicted:
AnthonyGS said:Feedyurhed said:Tom_Spangler said:I still want one. Partially because it's the only 911 that will ever be remotely attainable for me. And I feel like I have to own a 911 some day.
Me too...............it's like you just can't go through life with out at least one 911.
These cars are the best kept secret of the 911 world. I'm going to summarize lots of other articles and people here.
It's a 911 with functional AC, heat, and still light. It's as fast as the old air cooled 911 turbos. It's more analog and raw than the newer water pumper 911s. The only thing wrong with a 996 are the headlights, but they grow on you.
Yep, they are modern enough to be very livable, but still have some of that 911 essence.
However, part of me feels like a 986 Boxster is 3/4 the car for 1/4 the money. As much as I'd love to have a 911 some day, it's hard to ignore the value there.
I'd say the 986 Boxster is 1/2 the car for 1/4 the money ;)
The lack of power and (more significantly) torque means the Boxster doesn't really feel like a Porsche should until you're revving the snot out of it.
nderwater said:I'd say the 986 Boxster is 1/2 the car for 1/4 the money ;)
The lack of power and (more significantly) torque means the Boxster doesn't really feel like a Porsche should until you're revving the snot out of it.
I own both a 986S and 996. It honestly is dang hard to believe the main differences in the engine are 0.2 L, intake and exhaust systems. The 996 feels like it has way more power above 4,000 rpm all the way to 7,000. Sure the 986S can rev to 7,000 but it honestly feels done after 6k or maybe a bit more. The difference in driving both back to back is stark.
Many experts have assured me the cams and heads are the same.... they drive like they have different cams with different power bands.
Displaying 1-10 of 24 commentsView all comments on the GRM forums
You'll need to log in to post.
