Porsche 996

When you ask many Porsche pursuits, they will agree that the 996 generation of the Porsche 911 is a lesser 911. It isn’t air-cooled and has headlights that look like fried eggs (until the 996.2 redesign). Of all 911’s, the 996, has got to currently be the least loved, which shows in how it’s undervalued.

The reasons for the hatred toward the 996 comes down to three main issues.

1. IMS Bearing

The Intermediate Shaft (IMS) Bearing is a major failure point of the 996 engine. How bad is it if the bearing fails? It simply causes your engine to self destruct. Fortunately, the percentage of engines this happens to is relatively low (not that this fact makes you feel better if it happens to you).

The good news is there are relatively inexpensive fixes to ensure this doesn’t happen. If you make sure to install a retrofit IMS Bearing you should have peace of mind for many miles to come.

2. Headlights

The fried egg headlights are not loved by many purists largely because they just aren’t round like those on the 911s that came before. Beyond that the early 996 headlights look exactly like the 986 Boxster headlights, making the front end of the two look almost identical. This was one reason Porsche redesigned the headlights for the 996.2 update.

3. Interior

The Interior looks dated by today’s standards, but in 1999 it looked very modern (just check out some other cars from the era including some Ferrari models). It was also the model that introduced the overlapping gauge style that modern 911s feature. The materials are of good quality, although, depending on the trim selection, there may be quite a bit of plastic. The interior is also criticized for being almost exactly the same as the 986 generation Porsche Boxster, just with back seats added.

All of these criticisms have some merit, but most can be fixed or overlooked once you get behind the wheel. The 996 is unloved by many, but it may just be the best 911 that you can purchase right now.

Continue reading »