Buying a 996: what the experts say

“The 996 is just starting to find its feet,” says Paul Stephens, adding that appreciation of the 996 is slowly building. “They’re great little cars, and for me, I’ve come from a more modern car (a 997.2) back into a 996.”

He’s talking about the Gen2 car here, and he’s “really enjoying it”. Discussing it with him, it’s not difficult to see why, Stephens highlighting how it’s lighter, has working heating and ventilation, is more spacious and more comfortable, yet still hugely quick and capable. “They do have problems, but so do other 911s and people forget that, and there are solutions. 964s were the kiss of death at one time. If the car’s been well looked after, a 996 is great,” he adds.

They don’t rust, compared to the air-cooled cars either, he states, adding: “You really don’t need anything quicker for the road. I love air-cooled Porsches, I built my business with them, but I think going forward there’ll be a generation of people where, whilst they’ll appreciate the air-cooled cars, they’ll get out of a 991 or 992 and look at a 996 and think they’re quite small, that that’s an old Porsche, their ‘classic’ 911.” He doesn’t deny that he’s been outspoken in the past about their problems but, likewise, admits there are solutions, an IMS upgrade a desirable fitment on any 996, and only a day’s work to do. For peace of mind it’s worthwhile, and something he’d do to even the earliest cars, which don’t tend to suffer so much from them failing. Allow yourself a couple of grand in your mind to do it, but in the overall scheme of things it’s worth doing to future-proof it. “I have to admit, for my daily I’m really, really enjoying mine,” he concedes, saying to all those people who are shocked and look down their noses at him for doing so: “I’m very happy to say I drive one.” Having driven his here, we’re not about to argue.