It is well acknowledged, ifnot documented, that the 1999-2004 Porsche Carrera 911 (or 996) is the uglystep-child of the 911 family. Having been born right after thepampered darling, the 993, the muchbelittled 996 was intended as a leap forward in luxury andperformance a Porsche for the new age.
In my opinion, Porscheaccomplished that leap with great clarity but we'll get to thatlater...
The reason the 993 becomeeveryone's favorite baby is because you need to pamper it(see my earlier post for 993 babysittinginstructions). The 993 is fussy and prone to tantrums takeyour eye off its three oil gauges for more than a month for exampleand you risk serious engine damage. It always has issues thatconsume you (but rarely detract from the pure driving excitement),like the heater and AC controls, sunroof operation, overallelectronic operation, and I had constant flat tires - although thishad more to do with the tire manufacturer than anything (aside:Michelins over Bridgestonesalways). It takes a considerable effort to drive. The 993 needsyou, and your constant attention, and that dependence creates a bond unlike anyother vehicle. In fact, some nights you actually go to sleepworried about its' well-being.
Granted, the 996 is atransitional figure in the Porsche genealogy. It's a given,that money being no object, every sportscar enthusiast would choosethe styling and performance of the current Porsche progeny,
(the 997 -2005-present), over the 996. But the 996 paved the way for the 997by leaving behind the antiquated air-cooled system for aconventional "water"/radiator engine cooling system, aswell as computerized driver aids. No question, the 993 is precisein its turn-in and road-feel. The driver aids of the 996 do takeaway from this precision with intentional understeer, but the996 delivers so muchmore in terms of luxury, information, and comfort, withoutabandoning that guttural Porsche "thrillfactor."
Compare the figures("S" versions): 1997 993 - 282HP weighing 3064lbs = aPower-To-Weight Ratio of 1:11 vs. 2003 996 - 320HP weighing 2920lbs = PTW1:9 (the lower the ratio, the 
faster the vehicle).If you desire an unadulterated driving experience I wouldsuggest you purchase a 125cc Shifter Kart, which provides aPower-To-Weight Ratio of 1:4.
The Porsche Snobs, sorryPurists, say, It isnt a real Porsche unless it isair-cooled and rear-engined. This way of thinkingleaves the 944 and the classic 928 orphaned aswell. But the general public sees, and respects, any Porscheprogeny saying, Ah, there goes a Porsche isntshe beautiful?
Then there's the headlights. The Porsche Puristssay, "Round headlights are a 911trademark," following with,"Porsche turned their back on us with theintroduction of the 996." I willfully concede on thisargument. This applies to the re-invented 996 front grill aswell. Notice how the well-received 997 made a return to a rounded,albeit oval, headlight and a more traditional front end also noticehow 993 and 997 resale values are holding steady, while 996 resalevalues plummeted within a couple years of their unveiling honestly,that fact greatly added to my personal affection for the 996.(Click here to see current 911 resale prices onCars.com.)
Butcompare the interiors of the 996 with the 993. No comparison! The 993 looks asif it was stillborn in the 70's - no cup holder or right armrest, to which the Purists like to respond, "Howmany racing cars have cup holders?" Can youbelieve the original MSRP on the 993 was over $60,000 in 1997?(Most final sticker prices were well over $70,000.) The 996 isindeed a modern luxury sportscar ergonomics, computers and all andits original MSRP was only $5,000 more in 2003. (Aside: theoriginal MSRP of my 1997 C4S was $81,700 compared to my 2003 C4S of$83,560)
In truth, I too was waiting forresale prices of the 997 to drop into my affordale range beforemoving out of my 993. In fact, I've driven all three recent 911generations numerous times and the 997 is without a doubt the best(especially with PDK), but 997 resale prices just haven'tdropped enough yet. So I bit the bullet and settled for a 996. Settled forthe goofy headlights and the front-end slippage on tight turn-ins,even the second gear which is admittedly not well ratioed. Iresigned to receiving dirty looks from the Purists, rather than thefriendly waves of my former 993 brotherhood. But alas, after justone month of driving my 996, following five years fathering a 993,I have a confession...
I am confessing to the"Porsche Purists" (you know who you are), theones who celebrate the brutish 993 with a verbose andself-righteous rhetoric, that I have grown to love my fledgling996. I love it as if it were my first-born. And better yet,I trust it. I trustit in the hand's of my wife and other lesser-experienced 911drivers. Trust that it will hold its line if my attention shouldever momentarily wane. I trust that I won't ever have toexperience snap-oversteer whileputting it through its paces (thanks to PSM). Trust that I will receive an equal, ifnot greater, number of speeding tickets.
Lastly, I trust that I made thebest decision, for the money, of which pre-owned Porsche Carrera911 to buy.
Written by Perry &Co. CEO Jon Larrance.
P.S. I just stumbled on thesetwo other "Confessions of a996 Owner" blogs - https://carrera4neunelf.wordpress.com/2014/06/16/confessions-of-a-996-owner-2/& http://oppositelock.jalopnik.com/oppo-i-have-a-terrible-confession-to-make-1534705782- seems I'm not the only person who's happy with theirpurchase.
It is well acknowledged, if not documented, that the 1999-2004 Porsche Carrera 911 (or 996) is the ugly step-child of the 911 family. Having been born right after the pampered darling, the 993, the much belittled 996 was intended as a leap forward in luxury and performance a Porsche for the new age.
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