Ignored for years, the turbocharged 996 is the epitome of the usable supercar and remains affordable. Get one before they're out of reach.
Porsche 911 Turbo
The 996 series of 911s has long been considered the most unloved in the Porsche and classic car market, although that's changing.
Trying to get your hands on a 996 GT3, Gen II GT3 or GT3 RS for anything approaching affordable money is all but impossible today. A few years ago, 911 Turbos were available for as little as £15,000-£20,000, but all that will get you these days is a basket case, and prices are still rising. Entry for a decent one is in the region of £30,000-£35,000, with the best as much as double that, and expect to fork out even more if you can find an X50 power-upgraded car, a Turbo S or the 996's somewhat unhinged GT2 relative.
Having said that, embarking on 911 ownership could be just about the safest and most enjoyable place to put your money in 2016.
996 history
Marking a new dawn for the new millennium, the Porsche 911 Turbo arrived in 2000 to top the 911 line-up. Fitted with the revised headlights from the naturally aspirated 996 Carreras, the Turbo added 120bhp over the first generation 911 Carrera as well as its trademark wider body and pronounced rear wing. Being water-cooled the 996 generation was a radical change for the Porsche 911, even if the water-cooling that flat-six did so around an engine that remained unconventionally slung behind the rear axle.
The Turbo's dry-sumped, twin-turbocharged engine was significantly different to that of the 911 Carreras, the 3.6-litre flat-six being derived from the 1998 LeMans-winning 911 GT1. Porsche aficionados refer to it as the Mezger unit, which, thanks to a different oil gallery design and pressure-fed lubrication, suffers none of the infamous IMS (Intermediate Shaft) bearing that blights regular 911 Carreras.
Like its 993 predecessor, the 996 generation Turbo has two blowers and four-wheel drive. It uses its PSM to allow even 414bhp seem civilised, but its performance is very much in the realm of the supercar.
Unsurprisingly, press reaction to the 911 Turbo was rapturous. The Italian police got fed up with trying to chase down enthusiastically-driven cars at the launch event, opting instead to ticket the journalists at the launch hotel.
It wasn't just the press that loved it. Customers did, too, with Porsche upping its first year production run from 2500 to 4000 cars. Only a handful of diehard purists found fault and their voices have now been drowned out.
VITAL STATISTICS
Porsche 911 GT3Porsche 911 GT2Porsche 911 Carrera 4S
Engine3600cc/flat-6/DOHC3600cc/flat-6/DOHC3596cc/flat-6/DOHC
Power450bhp @6000rpm462bhp @5700rpm320bhp @6800rpm
Torque272lb ft @ 5000rpm457lb ft @ 3500rpm272lb ft @ 4250rpm
Top speed188mph196mph174mph
0-60mph4.7sec3.9sec4.9sec
Consumption20mpg15-18mpg25mpg
GearboxRWD,six-speed manualRWD, six-speed manual4WD, six-speed man/five-speed auto
WHAT TO LOOK FOR
- One of the biggest issues is corrosion around the turbos. They get wet and start to rot. It's about £1200-£1500 to sort them out. The exhausts also suffer, as do the heat shields.
- Many owners are tempted to modify their cars. The 3.6-litre block can easily cope with 100bhp more without work on its internals.
- One issue is the front radiators. They fill up with muck pretty quickly, causing corrosion. The solution is to get an air-line in there and blow out the debris; it's best done with the bumper off.
- While checking for debris, it's worth removing the scuttle panels on either side of the battery as water can collect - litres of it - if the drain holes are blocked. Wet carpets are a sign that the weight of water has blown out the bungs that seal the interior. If the carpet is wet behind the front seats, then the membranes on the doors have been messed with. As the alarm's under the passenger seat, you don't want moisture getting in.
- The 911 Turbo doesn't like standing idle, as brake discs corrode. Take the car for a run after cleaning to make sure they're dry.
- Given former low prices paid for 911s, it's not unusual to find cars that have been neglected. They will rot: the area behind the front wheels is vulnerable to rust, as are the sills. All the fluid lines can corrode. The drain lines in the turbos can block and replacement is around £1000. In extreme cases of neglect, the inlet lifters can fail, which is an engine-out job at £3000. It's easy to buy a car that looks fine, but could need £10k to get it up to scratch.
- The rear spoiler should lift at 70mph, but if it doesn't it'll cost £1000 for the Porsche kit to fix it. None of the DIY fixes seem to work for any great length of time.
- Bushes are fixed in the suspension arms. It should track straight and true. The bottom of the dampers can rot, but they're easily refurbished, while the top mounts wear - and creak - costing about £350 a side to sort before labour. Transmission is strong, but there can be teh odd leak - all are fixable. Tiptronic sometimes has selection issues, often related to an easily repaired microswitch. Manual clutches get heavy at the 80,000-mile mark.
- The engine is dry-sumped, and the oil level checked via the digital dash display. Keep an eye on it, as 911s like a drink. Check smokers immediately.
- Many people assume that the batteryis dead if the key doesn't open it on its blipper. It's often due to a neat sleep device, designed to save the key's power. Putting it in the door to open it, then in the ignition and pressing the button will reactivate it. Non-working memory seats are also likely related to the key's transponder.
OUR VERDICT
The 14 years that have rolled under its fat tyres since someone dropped no less than £86,000 on one have robbed the 996 Turbo of none of its excitement or ridiculous ability. It absolutely exemplifies the idea of a modern classic: a car you covet and dream of driving, yet which remains usable.
Unlike its 996 relations, there's not a great deal that goes wrong with it beyond the usual service and consumable items. The Turbo is about as sensible as any 200mph car can be. Thats not to say it'll be cheap to run, but there's no point skimping on care if you want to increase its value. So put aside £1500 each year, with the expectation of spending two thirds of that, and bank the remainder for any major jobs down the line. That, by any measure, is low-cost supercar ownership. Get one now, before there's a rush on.