Porsche 911 Carrera (996 Variant) Long Term Review

I've now owned our Porsche 911 Carrera 2 for nearly 3 months so it seems appropriate to give a longer term review of the Porsche 996 model and how it has fared in the first few months of ownership.


Porsche 911 996 Variant Long Term Review

The first thing that becomes apparent over a period of time is that the Porsche 911 is effectively two different cars when you drive it. The car that starts from cold is very different to the car that is well warmed up and this is a big change from previous cars that I've owned. While cold the Porsche 911 feels very tight and changing gear is very stiff, but once the car has warmed sufficiently the gearchange is very slick, very precise and the gearbox feels far smoother. The same applies across the car even down to the seats becoming more supple as they warm up and increase the comfort. If you only ever drove the car cold you would have a very different impression from using it when warm.

The fuel economy of the Porsche 911 has been very good so far considering the performance that the driving provides. Over nearly 3000 miles the average has been 25mpg and the maximum achieved on a journey to Germany was around 30mpg despite driving at top motorway speeds.

The 996 driving position is very comfortable and now that I have switched back to original 996 seats they fit the car better. The Porsche 997 seats that the car had been fitted with at purchase were too tall for the 996 body and caught the roof trim and sun visor when moved forward. If you never moved the seats this would not be a problem but we bought the car as a daily vehicle too so the seats do need to move to get the children in or to stow any items of luggage.

In various reviews it is mentioned that the Porsche 996 has lost the fun and quirkiness that previous 911 models such as the 993 had and that it no longer requires any special driving style to drive it. That may be the case for later Porsche 996 models with PSM (Porsche Stability Management) but the early 996 without PSM can certainly catch you out if you are not careful. The handling is excellent in good road conditions but with slightly wet roads the car can still slip. The handling of the car is excellent and the steering very sharp and precise with great feel. The steering feel can be slightly too much at motorway speeds with plenty of feedback over any rough road surface but that may improve once the tracking & wheel balance have been adjusted.

The running costs of the Porsche 996 Carrera have also been surprisingly good so far and the reliability of it as a 12 year old vehicle has impressed. The first MOT in our ownership passed with no failures or advisories and the 3000 miles we have covered have been without issues.

The looks of the Porsche 911 are still something I enjoy every time I see the car. The rear is slightly better than the front as the headlights don't have the same asthetics as the previous 993 or later Porsche 997 models.

Porsche 911 Carrera (996 Variant) Long Term Review

The real reason for getting a Porsche 911 is the performance and the Carrera 2 doesn't disappoint in that respect. Once warmed up the car accelerates effortlessly and rapidly to 60 miles per hour and beyond. The acceleration is stunning and way beyond any previous car I have owned such as a VW Golf GTI. Unfortunately there are few public roads even in Germany where the full performance of the Porsche 996 can be explored.


Porsche 996 GT3 Alloy wheels

Next on the to-do list is arranging for the 4 wheel tracking to be carried out but it looks like the plan for that may be postponed with a predicted storm approaching the UK next week on the day I had organised.

Porsche 911 First Drive - Initial Impressions of a 996 Carrera 2 Coupe

We bought the Porsche 911 (manual 996 model Carrera 2 registered in 2001) so I thought I would give some impressions of the drive after the first few trips in the car.

A lot of professional reviews remark that the Porsche 911 / 996 model has lost a lot of its character with the introduction of the water cooled engine compared to the previous air cooled 993 model. My experience is that the 996 Porsche still has bags of feel and a distinctive engine note that is unlike any other car I have owned. The 911 Carrera still has more than enough character for me!



Porsche 911 Carrera Coupe - interior photo

The seats are very supportive and comfortable with driving position adjustable for height and steering wheel also adjusting for rake not reach.


Porsche 911 First Drive - Initial Impressions of a 996 Carrera 2 Coupe

The instrument cluster is dominated by the rev counter with the analogue speed readout taking a secondary position to the left. There is a digital speed reading directly below the rev counter.

2001 Porsche 911 Carrera 2 Coupe in silver

Side shot of the 2001 Porsche 911 Carrera 2 Coupe in silver. This model has the manual gearbox rather than the more common Tiptronic auto box.

At startup you get the distinctive noise of the flat six engine and exhaust. Gear selection in the manual version can be stiff at startup but is much smoother once the engine has warmed up. The gearbox oil is due for a change very soon so it will be interesting to see how much difference that makes to the gear shift.

Once you are on the open road or motorway the performance from the 911's 3.4 litre engine is stunning. With 300 bhp on tap and a 0 to 60 speed of 5.2 seconds the car feels as quick as it appears on paper. The engine and exhaust sound add to the sense of speed even at lower speeds in town. The acceleration is effortless but you always know that the engine is there - unlike some other cars that are now so quiet that you barely can hear any noise from the engine even at motorway speeds.

The steering is very sharp and amazing how responsive it is - you only need a slight turn of the wheel on the motorway to be able to change lanes. The ride on the M030 sports suspension is hard but the Porsche 911 is a sports car so you expect that!

Overall the driving experience in the Porsche 911 has been everything I expected. The only item that has slightly surprised me is the difference in gear change between the car being cold and warmed up after a journey. I understand from friends with other sports cars that this is normal behaviour but it is noticeably different from driving my VW Golf!