Buyers Guide
By Bruce Anderson
911: 1999-2008
2000 Carrera 4 Cabriolet (996)
2003 Carrera 4S (996)
2004 GT3 (996)
2005 Carrera S Cabriolet (997)
2007 GT3 RS (997)
996: The First Water-Cooled 911
The 1999 Carrera and Carrera Cabriolet hit U.S. shores in the spring of 1998. After 35 years of updated 911s, the 996 was the first all-new evolution of the model. The new two-plus-two was developed concurrently with the two-seat Boxster to maximize production efficiencies; from the doors forward, they are nearly the same car. The 996’s water-cooled, 3.4-liter flat-six was based on the Boxster’s 2.5, but it produced 296 hp — almost 50 percent more — and 258 lb-ft of torque.
The 996 was offered with a six-speed manual or a five-speed Tiptronic automatic. The new body increased the 911’s wheelbase by 3.2 inches, to 92.5 inches, a change that aided high-speed stability. The rear suspension is a five-link setup with an auxiliary subframe, a refinement of the multi-link setup introduced on the 993. 17-inch wheels and tires were standard, with 18s available as an option. The brakes were similar to those used on the Boxster, but larger.
In the spring of 1999, the Carrera 4 was introduced. Available in both coupe and convertible form, its appearance was identical to that of the Carrera save silver badges, silver brake calipers, and different 17-inch wheels. (18s were optional.) The C4 introduced both the Motronic 7.2 engine management system with electronic throttle control and the PSM stability management system. Side airbags were standard equipment, and became standard on all 911s.
The 996 C4’s drivetrain was similar to the 993 C4’s, with power transmitted to the front axle by way of a one-piece driveshaft. A viscous, multi-disc clutch was incorporated into the front axle’s final drive, and it directed between 5 and 40 percent of drive torque to the front wheels. (The exact figure varied, being dependent upon throttle application and the traction of the front tires.) For the first time on any all-wheel-drive 911, a Tiptronic automatic transmission was available.
All 2000 Carreras got E-gas, and PSM was offered as an option across the range. Power rose slightly, to an even 300 hp, but torque remained the same, at 258 lb-ft. For 2000, the Tiptronic transmission was changed to allow manual shifts in automatic mode. Other changes that year included stiffer rubber tie-rod bushings and increased ball-joint friction for improved straight-line stability. Interiors gained painted plastic pieces with a soft-look black finish, and coupes got faux suede headliners. For 2001, orientation lights providing illumination for the interior, center dash area, ignition switch, and door latches were added. The front trunk received upgraded carpeting and a key-activated latch release.
Model year 2002 brought big visual changes. Gone were the Boxster headlights, replaced by Turbo headlights, which required different front fenders and a new front bumper. The rear bumper was revised as well, receiving body-colored bumper guards instead of the previous black plastic pieces. The body changes resulted in a 15-percent increase in radiator airflow and a 25-percent reduction in front-axle lift. Rear-axle lift dropped by a significant 40 percent.
With the new bodywork came a displacement increase, greater driveability, and 320 hp. The VarioCam Plus continuously variable cam timing and valve lift system, borrowed from the 2001 Turbo, utilized a vane-cell adjuster controlled by the ECU to adjust cam timing over a 40º range. Variable intake valve lift was controlled by switchable flat tappets, with the switching performed by an electro-hydraulic valve. Because piston stroke was increased, from 78 mm to 82.8 mm, displacement grew to 3596 cc. Due to the increased power, the larger, Turbo-spec Tiptronic was also installed in automatic Carreras. It was a big improvement, offering five forward gears, two reverse gears, and 250 (!) shift maps.
Various changes increased the weight of the Carrera for 2002. To compensate for this, longer springs of the same spring rate were used front and rear along with matching dampers. The rear suspension was modified to accommodate the larger Tiptronic transmission. New, narrow-spoke 18-inch wheels were available for 2002; the standard wheels were ten-spoke 17-inch alloys. 2002 911s finally had an effective cup holder — and a glovebox! (Original 996s and Boxsters did not have gloveboxes because it was, astonishingly, not in the budget.) 2002 996s also got pyrotechnically tensioned seat belts that were set to activate should the front airbags deploy. The multi-function display (computer) in the bottom of the tachometer grew to display more information, while the digital speedometer was moved from the bottom of the tach into the analog speedometer. Cabriolets received a rear window made of heated glass, a significant upgrade from the soft plastic backlight used on 1999–2001 996 Cabriolets.
For 2002, Porsche replaced the Carrera 4 coupe with the Turbo-look Carrera 4S coupe and added a Targa model. The latter, like the 993 Targa, features a giant glass sunroof that slides back electrically. The 2003 Carreras were essentially identical to the 2002 models; the only real change was the addition of a new digital AM/FM/CD stereo, replacing the previously used cassette player. For 2004, a special engine, dubbed the X51 Power Kit, was specified for the “40 Year 911” special edition. The new engine, also offered as an option in 2004, made 345 hp (a 25-hp improvement) thanks to new intake manifolds, a new exhaust system, revised cylinder heads, new camshafts, intake valve springs adapted to work with increased valve lift, and modified engine management. The 40th Anniversary 911 also got an asymmetrical limited-slip differential as well as sport suspension, a 996 Turbo front bumper, and polished, 18-inch alloy wheels.
The big news in 2004 for the Porsche faithful was that the U.S. would finally get the 911 GT3. This was the ultimate driver’s Porsche, a normally-aspirated, 380-bhp 911 with rear-wheel-drive and no driver aids save ABS. The GT3 was based on the Carrera 4 chassis, but did without its front-wheel-drive system. The body’s rear section was modified to tolerate the GT3’s relatively heavy engine and transmission package; the rear interior bulkhead was also tweaked in order to make room for an engine-mounted oil tank. A new front bumper, new side skirts, and a new rear spoiler improved aerodynamics.
The GT3’s engine was based on the original, non-U.S. GT3 powerplant (model year 2001), which was itself derived from the engine found in 1996–98 911 GT1 race cars. Its crankcase was a modification of the 993’s case, making this engine actually more of an evolution of the air-cooled 911 engine than of the 996’s water-cooled six. The engine sported a dry-sump oiling system, with its oil tank mounted directly to the crankcase in the location where the oil cooler was installed on air-cooled engines. The ME 7.8 Motronic system was adapted to the GT3’s specific requirements; the engine produced 380 hp at 7400 rpm and 284 lb-ft at 5000 rpm. The GT3 used the 996 GT2’s transmission, a G96.96 with a Motronic-controlled, oil-to-water heat exchanger and spray lubrication, along with a dual-mass flywheel, a cable gearshift, and a symmetric limited-slip differential.
The chassis and suspension is similar to that of the 996 Carrera, but the majority of the components were adapted from the 911 GT2 and tuned for the GT3’s specific needs. The car sat 30 millimeters lower and featured adjustable anti-roll bars both front (five-way) and rear (four-way). The rest of the highly adjustable suspension system was track-ready, if a bit on the soft side. Reinforced suspension components and wheel bearings allowed for the use of racing tires. GT3s wore 18×8.5- and 18×11-inch light alloy wheels with 235/40ZR18 front tires and 295/30ZR18 rear tires. Brakes were six-piston calipers in front and four-piston calipers in the rear. Porsche Ceramic Composite Brakes (PCCB), the same units installed on the 911 GT2, were an option from the start of production.
997: The Water-cooled 911, Take Two
Model year 2005 saw the introduction of the 997 Carrera and Carrera S. The 997’s styling was similar to that of the 996, but revised to resemble the traditional 911 — or at least, the “traditional 911” as interpreted by the 1995–98 993. The most obvious change came at the front, where a pair of almost round headlights lived. As they did on the 993, a wider track and flared fenders won friends, as did moving the turn signal/foglight units back down to the front bumper.
Although the 997 didn’t appear to be a radical departure from the 996, more than two-thirds of the car was new. The Carrera’s 325-hp, 3.6-liter engine was an evolution of the 320-hp, 2002–04 996 powerplant. The 3.8-liter Carrera S featured a bore increase (96 mm to 99 mm) although the 82.8-mm stroke was retained. The S was noticeably stronger, at 355 hp and 295 lb-ft of torque, but some felt the 3.6 was sweeter.
Manual 997s used the same gear-ratio spread that the 996 did, but overall gearing was lower — a newly increased tire diameter necessitated a five-percent reduction in numerical gearing in order to maintain the same sporty effective gearing. In the Tiptronic, the spur pinion ratio was reduced.
The 997’s front and rear suspension were enhanced from the 996’s design, with front and rear track increased by 30 mm. A new, variable-ratio steering rack was introduced, along with a steering column modified to be adjustable for both reach (40 mm) and height (40 mm). For the first time, electronically adjustable dampers were available; these were standard equipment on the Carrera S and offered as an option on Carreras. The system, Porsche Active Suspension Management, lowered the car by 10 mm and allowed the driver to choose between Normal and Sport modes. Normal offered a nice ride quality improvement over the standard suspension, but most found Sport to be too stiff. Early road tests also indicated 2005 997s with PASM exhibited an odd lateral “shift” in the rear end when cornering hard. Rotating key bushings eliminates the shift, but Porsche seemed to fix the problem by MY 2006.
The Carrera came on 18×8- and 18×10-inch wheels with 235/40ZR18 front tires and 265/40ZR19 rear tires. As an option, 19×8- and 19×11-inch wheels with 235/35ZR19 front tires and 295/30ZR19 rears could be ordered. The same 19-inch setup was standard on the Carrera S. For the first time, a tire pressure monitoring system was available as an option. The Carrera S also came with larger brakes, set off by red calipers. PCCB was also made available as an option on the Carrera line for the first time.
Although the fixed-roof 911 was initially the only 997 offered, the Carrera/Carrera S Cabriolet was introduced late in 2005 as a 2006 model. The Cabriolets carried over the convertible features of the 996, pairing them with the mechanical and styling updates found on the 997. Drop-top models also boasted a greater extension on the rear spoiler — 0.8 inch farther than the coupe’s — in the name of improved aerodynamics and greater high-speed stability. In late 2005, Porsche introduced the all-wheel-drive versions of the 997, the Carrera 4 and Carrera 4S, in both convertible and coupe form. Both Carrera 4 models offered wider (by 1.26 inches) rear fenders; 4S models carried the same upgrades seen on Carrera Ss.
At the end of 2006, the Targa 4 and 4S were introduced as 2007 models — marking the first time a targa-topped 911 was available with all-wheel-drive. The Targas used the same wider rear fenders seen on the C4 and C4S. The new Targa 4 and Targa 4S used the 3.6-liter Carrera and 3.8-liter Carrera S engines, respectively. A new X51 Power Kit, good for 381 bhp and 306 lb-ft, was offered on S and 4S models.
A new GT3 was introduced for the 2007 model year. In addition to the updated looks and chassis of the 997, power climbed to 415 bhp. The chassis used for the 997 GT3 was a combination of the then-current Carrera 4 inner tub and the basic outer skin of the slim-hipped Carrera. The rear of the chassis is reinforced, as was done on the 996 GT3, to support the model’s heavy engine and transmission unit.
The 997 GT3’s engine was a further refinement of the original GT3 powerplant, albeit with a higher redline (8400 vs. 8200 rpm). For the first time, the GT3 was equipped with traction control. Transmission gearing grew shorter in second through sixth gears in order to take advantage of the revised engine’s elevated torque and higher rpm. The limited-slip’s lockup percentage was also different — where the previous GT3 offered 40 percent under acceleration and 60 percent under deceleration, the 997 provided just 28 percent during the former and 40 percent during the latter.
The 997 GT3 sported PASM as standard equipment. This allowed the model to be a better dual-purpose street/track car than previous GT3s. It was also 30 mm lower than “ordinary” 911s and featured adjustable anti-roll bars (five settings front, three settings rear) as standard. The GT3’s spring system used standard-diameter spring perches that were compatible with racing springs for track use, and its suspension was an adaptation of the successful 996 GT3’s. To save weight, the GT3 did without some of the ordinary 997’s sound deadening and its rear seats. It did, however, still have a full sound system, a sunroof (unlike the 996 GT3), and air-conditioning.
The GT3’s brakes were an evolution of the units found on the 996 GT3, with thermal decoupling — and protection against overheated brake fluid — provided by zirconium inserts. Brake proportioning was modified, with added rear bias, in order to better balance the car under braking and provide shorter stopping distances. A PCCB system similar to the system offered on the 996 GT3 was available as an option, although front rotor size was increased to 380 mm.
The 997 GT3 also marked the first time that a GT3 was equipped with both ABS and traction control; both systems were calibrated specifically for the model. The acronym list was similar to that of the Carrera GT, and it included the following items: ABS, ABD (Automatic Brake Differential) ASR (Anti-Slip Regulation), and EDTC (Engine Drag Torque Control). A sport button located on the center console was standard — it switched the car’s traction-control system to a more sporting calibration that featured delayed intervention and altered ABD, ASR, and EDTC functions. If the driver so desired, the traction system could be completely disabled. The front wheels measured 19×8.5 inches and wore 335/35ZR19 rubber; the rears were 19×12s and wore 305/20ZR19s.
As with the 996, a GT3 RS model was offered, and Porsche used it as the homologation car for the track-only GT3 RSR. Unlike the 996 GT3 RS, however, the 997 GT3 RS was sold stateside; it was, befitting its name, a no-nonsense GT car for road and track. The RS used the same 415-bhp engine and close-ratio six-speed gearbox as the GT3, but used a lighter, single-mass flywheel in place of the heavy dual-mass unit used in the GT3. Like the standard GT3, the RS used the Carrera 4 body shell. But, unlike the standard GT3, it used the C4’s wider rear fenders and track. The RS also deleted the sunroof to save weight. According to Porsche, it weighed 3,031 pounds, or 44 pounds less than the standard GT3.
Which One to Buy?
Porsche did have enough problems with early, water-cooled 911s that we recommend sticking to 2000-on Carreras. Of course, all cars have their issues, and the 996 and 997 are no exception. The biggest complaint, oil leakage, is usually seen as a crankshaft rear main seal leak, but several other leaks exist.
The engine’s bearing cover, rear case bolts, and case itself have all been known to leak. Bearing cover problems primarily affected 1999 996s. These cars utilized an O-ring for sealing the bearing cover, along with standard six-millimeter bolts. The O-rings tended to fail at an alarmingly high rate, and were replaced in production by a revised bearing cover that incorporated a three-way sealing ring. The three cover bolts were replaced with micro-encapsulated bolts; these bolts self-sealed their threads upon installation, preventing oil from wicking through.
That said, the number-one leak for all 996s continues to be the engine’s rear main. Both automatic and manual cars suffer from this problem, but to date, RMS leaks have been more prevalent on the former. In manuals, the heavy dual-mass flywheel and clutch are hung on the end of a relatively unsupported crankshaft. Loads imposed cause the crankshaft’s cradle assembly to slowly move downward, allowing the main seal to move, fatigue, and leak. If the flywheel and clutch are not well balanced, the problem is exacerbated.
The situation, however, is not as dire as it might seem. The seal can be replaced, and be made to work effectively, so long as the crankshaft assembly is still properly centered in the crankcase. By the year 2000, Porsche’s efforts at fixing the problems in the field had improved, although it should be noted that even some 997s have experienced oil leakage due to similar rear main seal failures.
Today, a used 996 or 997 with an RMS failure isn’t a lost cause, but we wouldn’t buy it unless it’s been fixed. There are also other issues to look for. Valve cover gaskets can allow minor, though annoying, leaks. Fixing them is not nearly as difficult (or as costly) as replacing a crankshaft seal. Oil/water separators and coolant overflow tanks have been known to develop leaks, too, but both are easily, if not cheaply, fixed.
This can be scary reading, but our experience suggests that most of the water-cooled 911 sixes are generally reliable — needing little to nothing more than routine maintenance and some TLC over the course of their lives. While RMS and related issues are a black mark on this series, the rest of these cars, from transmission to suspension to brakes to electrical systems, have proven reliable. One cautionary note, however: If the car you’re looking at is equipped with PCCB brakes, make sure to have them thoroughly checked out, as rotor replacement comes with a five-figure bill.
As with any other Porsche, it’s important to have a qualified body shop check any used 996 or 997 for signs of accident repairs or paintwork — no matter how nice the car looks. There are enough examples on the market that you can afford to be picky. The mileage and maintenance history of any given car should also factor into its value: We believe that 7,000–9,000 miles per year is normal usage for a Porsche, but many 996s and 997s were driven daily from the moment they rolled off the dealer’s lot and thus have higher mileage.
Many Porschephiles dismiss the 996 and 997 for fear of expensive failures, but take those comments with a grain of salt — these same individuals often gloss over the known maladies of other Porsches. Used 996s offer superior dynamics, real comfort, modern safety, everyday usability, and good value. The 997 only improves upon that, with greater reliability, a vastly improved interior, and more “911-like” styling that goes down better with most people. When it comes to driving, however, both models are great cars.
