2002 Porsche 911 Carrera 3.6 from UK and Ireland
Summary:
Good performance, very practical, too sensible!
Faults:
Nothing.
General Comments:
As many have said, the 'basic' 996 series is somewhat lacking in interior detail. Ordering mine from new I spent a good deal on getting it right, and I must say that the customized interior is very nice, and can be designed to your individual taste.
Performance is adequate for the UK roads- overtakes quickly and dispatches lesser cars without batting an eyelid- however, it is not hugely exciting to drive unlike my previous car the Lotus Esprit.
As many have said the 911 is a car well worth owning once. In fact it is so practical you could easily manage with it as your only car. It is good for long distances and docile in traffic- and the Bose sound system upgrade is worth the money. Good performance is also readily accessible, and the Porsche Stability Management system adds some peace of mind whilst learning to drive this back heavy car.
I will be changing car soon- I had considered the 996 Turbo X50 or the GT2... but I have fallen for the Ferrari 360 Spider, I hope it will be more fun than the 996.
Would you buy another car from this manufacturer? Don't Know
Review Date: 25th October, 2002
31st Oct 2002, 13:20
The 996 isn't that exciting a motor car. I can think of a hundred other cars I'd choose for thrills, your previous Lotus being one of them. I'd guess that most of the glowing comments here come from middle-aged gents who've always hankered after one since their teenage years. With various electronic things to anesthesize the rear bias they can actually drive one without punting it into the scenery at every bend.
I'd owned a Carrera 4 for a short while and like you I found it on the dull side. It does not feel fast. Unlike every predecessor it does not sound fast. Wet weather handling is suspect and the brakes are suspect (a recent handling test in Autocar echoed this). The interior is austere and the plastics straight from a Ford parts bin. It's just way too much money for racing heritage and not a lot of car, but as you say, perhaps everyone should own one at least once. Pity it's just so bland these days.