Some love for the Porsche 996 911 and drag race with a new C4S 

i honestly think a 996 C4S in Arctic Silver with swirling wheels is one of the best looking 911s out there

I love the 996 headlights.

rear lights look great.

I feel like I'm the only one who really digs the 996 lights.

I've always loved the 996, this was the generation being produced when I was a kid so it was my first exposure to Porsche. The 996 GT3 RS is still one of my favorite cars. It's a good thing this generation sells for so cheap hahaha.

I love the 996 headlights, it was one of the features I wanted before I knew they were hated. Now that I know they are hated for a stupid reason, I love them even more! lol For the IMS problem ... I got a Turbo X50 ;) As for the superior water cool system, you just gotta think of that the same way a parent would think of a child who wants to eat candy all the time and not their vegetables, it's just silly and as an engineer I can't even dignify the concern with acknowledgement.

I like the 996! And everybody has to admit, the sound with the sport exhaust is the best of all watercooled 911s. Especially the new 991.2 sound nothing like a 911 should sound.

Loving every moment of my 996.1 C4. Great daily driver and feeling great each time I'm behind the wheel 👍🏻

996 headlights came from the legendary 911 GT1 that won at Le Mans! That makes em special for me!

I'm a huge fan of the 996. For me the step for the modern 911's. It's good that not everybody likes the same thing. As long as it's not a yellow 911 ...

996s are awesome. full stop.

Really honest and down-to-earth review. Spot on vid Nick !

I actually love the 996. Made me fall in love with Carrera

I own a 996 and LOVE IT. I love the lights too. headlights does not a Porsche make. The 996 is a pure Porsche through and through. LOVE IYT

The 996 C4S is one of the most beautiful Porsche designs ever. The view from the rear with that gorgeous Turbo wheel flare is absolutely classic. I bought mine 5 years ago just before this vid was made and today I can sell it for what I paid for it. It continues to appreciate in price, music to my ears😂

I really like the 996. After seeing it in gone in 60 seconds when it drove through the showroom window (I know that was an older 911 with a 996 shell) I really liked the sound of the flat 6 and thought it was a nice looking car. Was the first time I paid any attention to a Porsche 911, certainly a car I'd buy specifically a manual C2S.

Some sound synchronization screwup at around 11 minutes in this video sorry.

Great video. I traded my 993 and flip phone for a 996 and a smart phone. No Ims problem and still going at 95k miles.

Great overview. Thanks Nick. The 996 4s definitely still looks and sounds good.

Love my 996, it's a raw sports car without all the new electronics

Thanks Nick, I actually like the 996 especially the look of the C4/C4S and the Turbo. Great review.

Nick, this is truly full circle for me! I fell in love with the idea of owning a 911 from watching your 991 videos last year. You made quite a case for it being the everyday sports car that one can live with year round. In January of this year I bought a low mileage 996.2. I took forever finding mine as I had to have one spec'd with a rear wiper (which I picked up from you)! In the last 12 months I've put 15k miles on it and driven it hard year round in snow, rain, etc. After owning a slew of other European cars for 20 years I am now a 911 convert for life. Thank you for turning me on to the ultimate sports car! -Dylan

i thought the facelift 996 C4S was 1 of the best looking cars of all time.....to each his own i guess....

Fantastic review. Loved the comparison with the 991.2, and the bonus material!

Ahh I'm prob the only one who likes the 996... growing up my next door neighbor had a new yellow 996 and a C5 vette. The pair looked mad good together

Very nice review, I love driving my 996 C4S

Everyone seems to hate the 996 looks and headlights, yet a lot of people rave about the looks on the 97 GT1.

Well done Nick ! Love your factual sense of humour. Greetings from Victoria, British Columbia, Canada

I love the back end of the 991, it's so perfect.

Great review Nick. I only discovered your channel a week or so ago, but it is very entertaining stuff. I am enjoying your light fresh car reviews without out being too 'processed' and stuffy. Keep it up.

Fun review...I like the 996 ...I'm a corvette guy but when I see a 1999/2000 996 on the road I marvel at how small it is compared to recent 911s

All these videos (Doug's, Hoovie's, etc.) are just going to skyrocket the price of this formerly hidden gem. Darn!

Another Great Review! Love your work Thanks for setting the bar on car reviews Looking forward to the 991 vids

I bought a 996 Turbo a couple of years ago and love it. I remember when the 996 was released and how big of a hit it was. Great review Nick!

I've been watching your videos and love them (especially the Porsche vids). I just bought a 2012 997.2 and am so excited as it's may first Porsche. Looking forward to some more great videos.

i am surprised how fast this 996 is, 6mt going up against a 991.2 turbocharged PDK with all that torque! hmmm..this thing deserve a 2nd look thanks for the video

Another good video. Big ups Nick. I really lile your channel btw. Simple, clean and clear information. Love the historical facts too

This was a beast at that time.....when you're inside the car you feel like all the other cars just riding a bike

My 996 came with all the bezzes & whistles and has been great. Had the IMS changed at 30k mi. Just as precaution, but it's a thrill to drive.

996 are great cars ! I love my 996 C2 Carerra

Hope you had a lovely Christmas Nick. All the best for New Year!

I think the front of the 996 is great. I seriously like them. IMS issue is 1% of total sold cars for the 996 and 997's. Also the mk1 came with double row MS bearings and are almost bullet proof. People just need to maintain their cars. It is the most under rated Porsche ever.

I think you're right about the lights of the 996.1 but not the 996.2. Most people seem to like them and I certainly do. It's interesting to see a number of 997 owners buying back into the 996 4S. I have to admit the 991.2 is really lovely, particularly the Turbo S which has immense acceleration.

Love the Grieg in the intro!

I have a 996 turbo. The turbo never had the IMS bearing problem as it has a totally different engine that harks back to the GT1 with true dry sump. I had it remapped, new balanced headers and 100 race cats plus higher rated dump valves that hold higher boost. It runs 640 BNP and 580 pounds foot torque. It will beat a 991 if the 991 turbo is standard and the 996 turbo, if manual gearbox, is climbing in price very quickly. I bought mine in 2010 for 28K and sold it for £39k. I bought another from a guy not knowing of the price increase and am doing the same upgrades. Go for a turbo in manual and you"lol have a nice investment with the legendary mezger engine which can be tuned to silly figures. It's a superb car. DO change your oil often though. I am OCD with oil and change every 3K. The Porsche mechanics say a redline a day keeps mechanics at bay. The turbo actuators can break down if you don't open the taps often. Hey, you can read forums and be fed BS by ppl who have never owned on or buy one and feel very special each time you drive it. As for ease of maintenance then ask about changing the spark plugs lol.

That is a perfect spec 996. Silver center console really makes the interior look less cheap...

996 Turbos are quite cool.

You won't have the IMS problem with the 996 Turbo. Amazing car for under 35k

Sounds fantastic.

Great video Nick.

My 04 c4s cabrolet has 125k miles. Original IMS. Regular maintenance. Only a slight rattle in the convertable top frame. Replaced the alternator, and front window bottom plastic rain gutter. Still runs fantastic.

Nick we love your videos! Great video. My wife asked what you really do for a living. I just found out you do what I do ;-)

The 996 4S is in my opinion a far better looking car than the first gen. 997....and from the sound side, a 996 with Sports Exhaust destroys a 997, no matter if 1. or 2. Gen.

Nobody wants to admit it, but the Cayenne is what really saved Porsche

The 996 4s is the most beautiful 996 model. I bought a 2004 (midnight blue) in 2007 and sold it in 2010 when we where building a new house. I loved that car, this is still a real drivers car without al the electronic helps! I found the exactly same car from 2003 with only 28.000 km and first paint, one owner...., but hè wants a premium price for it € 65.000 because of the super condition. I would love this car back, but I am thinking af buying a new GTS, and I can't buy both... shit! Thankx for the great video's Nick, but you see not all 996 are sheep, and I believe they will go up in price, especially the one with low Mileage. Greetz Koen (Belgium)

Best review of 996!!

Great review !

When I saw the title I thought it was going to be your C4S in it. Got excited...

Much appreciate this vid Nick. May have sealed my future affordable 911 bk here in Australia 😄

Interesting watching this 4 years later with the huge rise in love and price for a 996 C4S (or and 996 really).

I've always found that it's easier to appreciate the 996 if you think of it as its own car, separate from the other 911s. In its own right it's a fantastic car, it just is out of place compared to the 993 and 997. People dislike it because it's too different from the other 911s in style. People did the same thing to the 928, they compared it to the 930 and 964 so much that they didn't look at it as its own car.

I have owned four 911's. One air cooled 993 , two 996's and a 997. I presently own a 996 C4s in arctic silver with 50k on the clock. Its immense. I think it is the best looking Porsche 911.. Period. The criticisms are tired and endlessly repeated. Say something new for goodness sake. Oh...The IMS! Internet hysteria gone mad. 8%. Ill take my chances. Avoid all problems by changing oil every 5k and hey, 92% are fine. :). Just wait and see the prices go steadily up. All cars have a mechanical grenade waiting to pounce. My C4s drives so well, so fast handles , still has the original nalogue DNA. My water cooled was a pain in the arse and bloody expensive to run. Get one they are fabulous. Nobody needs more than 300hp in the real world.

Love the shape of the 996 4S, the turbo was my dream car when growing up but now have faster daily cars. Love the clean look of the wide body 4S. Thinking of getting one for weekend use as its relatively cheap to purchase and maintain compared to 993 S/4S. No intention of ever selling it too. If i'm not mistaken the IMS issue is more the case for 3.4's. Thanks for vid!

14 yr. PCA member. very informative NM. TY. DO MORE

I have a 2003 996 Turbo X50 with pretty much every option, including the Aero Kit and love it to death. Got it at 19k miles for over 2 years ago and it's at 25k now. First time ever I have a car that's gone UP in value.

Great video Nick! I was the one who emailed you!!

The 959 had water-cooled cylinder heads, so the 996 is not actually the first water-cooled. Most beardie air-cooled types won't realise that.

I aim to get one this year brother. Can't beat it.

Absolutely love the 99-20 headlights. Much more pure than the faced lifted version. Its a gt1 headlight and its really unique amount 911's

Love the looks of the 996 tho. And the lights.

Glad you mentioned the Boxster helping Porsche out financially, because it helped a lot more than the 996. The 996 generation 1 headlights were the ones that started the backlash. Gen 2/Turbo's better, but not much. I will say that the 996 Turbo Twists are one of the best looking 911 wheels ever. Right there w/the Speedlines.

great video Nick, sold my 997 2s which I regret as I really miss it.

Wow I didn't expect it to do so well in the race

I love the 996 4s, especially in silver/silver combo. Has those classic looks, as a matter of fact I think this will become by first classic Porsche, as sadly 993 4s prices have become ridiculous. Would be a joy to see you review one thought Nick!

Good review. For all of us concerned about the Porsche IMS Bearing issue - I found a very informative article from Autohaus Hamilton in Australia about the IMS. The article also lists all the models and engines (with engine numbers) that are affected. To read the article just type in “Autohaus Hamilton IMS” into google. The Porsche models that are prone to IMS failure and should be replaced are: - All 986 Boxster models. - 987 Cayman & Boxster models up to engine number 61504715 - All 996 models (not including: GT and Turbo models) - 997 3.6ltr with M96/05 up to engine number 6950745 Before 2000 Porsche used a double row IMS Bearing which had a low failure rate, then Porsche switched to a single row until 2005 - 2006 and this single row has had the most problems. After 2005 - 2006 Porsche stayed with the single row but beefed it up significantly and this bearing has had the least problems of all three types of bearings used from 1997 to 2008. The upgraded bearing in the 997 and 987 is unserviceable, meaning you can't reach it unless you strip the entire engine down. From my research the IMS issue has been greatly exaggerated, mainly due to a cottage industry that produces and installs IMS Bearing replacements, so naturally it's in their interest to scare all 996, 986, 997 and 987 owners into thinking all their engines will suffer IMS failure.

I own two 996 c4s, it is for-sure the best 911. The ims problem is just a special case for some of the 996. it is really a good car to own. if you do some little mod of your 996, such as suspension, it is an awesome car to drive

Another one here that loves the 996 styling. The 996.2 regular Carrera is a truly beautiful car, even the headlights. Also, there's something I'd like to point out that people tend to forget: besides the headlights, this generation also ditched the classic swept wrap-around tailights, and all the tailight designs in all the 911 generations since the 996 are clearly evolutions of that first departure from the classic styling.

I LIKE THE REAR LIGHTS. (And that's the _only_ time I'll use caps on the interwebs.)

Another nice review Nick. I am looking forward to watching you drive Matt's Gt350. I am sure it'll be a interesting review.

That was really interesting

Regarding the looks, the 996 C4S is actually the most beautiful of the 996 range (except the GT3) that is of course not very pretty overall

very well spoken nice to watch too

There's tons of youtubers out there, but I really enjoy your vids, Nick! Easy to watch and listen to. Keep them up! Oh...and when on earth are you going to get yourself another Porsche!? I think it's time you get in a Turbo or GT3....

I love Porsche!!!

(2-2019) Nick, just wanted to let you know that I think your "FUZZY Mic" is absolutely Kick Ass! Glad to see your channel is embracing the latest technology to enhance and enrich the overall viewing experience. (Just kidding, you seem like a Nice Guy, Like ME) I have a 11.15 second 1/4 mile 2001 C5 Heavily Modded Vette I bought NEW and has 36,000 miles. HATE to sell it as I put $25,000 into it over the years, NOTHING is stock (Heads/Cam) ALL Bolt Ons. Anyway I a FINALLY All of a SUDDEN want a Porche. I am sick of the Vette, even the new amazingly fast one. I am looking for a 2007-2009 911 Turbo with a manual. Also would MAYBE consider the 2003-2004 Turbo as some are very nice and FAST! And Cheaper! Also considering a Carera S, but think I'd want the additional power and regret not getting the turbo. Nice Car!

The new 911 are nice and modern but I'd still prefer the 996 c4 last build 2004 because its unique and it looks more beautiful and brutal.

Cheers Nick, just sold mine, a 2002 4S 😉🙈Love your video's, when does your 911 arrive? Regards from the Netherlands

Am I the only one who loves the 996 just because it was the Porsche that was new back when we weren't even tall enough to look at the interior from the outside?

The headlamps are based off of Porsches' GT Race Car. Most people don't know that.

My old 996 c4s had nothing but trouble with aircon fail. The front air vents where the two condensors where wrongly located making it an easy stone catcher. Not sure if the 991s has retified it?! Other than that, it drove like on rails.

great video

996 C4S 6MT is honestly a good P-car to own

My favorite Porsche

The "frunkk' in 4wd versions is smaller than 2wd versions due to running gear and differential being in that part of the car. However, I can still get my golf clubs in the back and a trolley in the frunk .

Hey nick I see that you had an. Aftermarket stereo put in, what model of pioneer was that?

Nick, when You were talking about the major 996's problems You forgot about bore scoring in those engines (3.4 and 3.6 in Carreras). It is a bigger problem in 3.8 l engine in 997 but it exists. Many engines suffered from this.

I am a new to Porsche 2002 911C4 with 18500 miles owner and Love it . Should I be concerned about IMS Bearing? The car seems beautiful and driven mild mannered

For all of us concerned about the Porsche IMS Bearing issue - I found a very informative article from Autohaus Hamilton in Australia about the IMS. The article also lists all the models and engines (with engine numbers) that are affected. To read the article just type in “Autohaus Hamilton IMS” into google. The Porsche models that are prone to IMS failure and should be replaced are: - All 986 Boxster models. - 987 Cayman & Boxster models up to engine number 61504715 - All 996 models (not including: GT and Turbo models) - 997 3.6ltr with M96/05 up to engine number 6950745

I also love my 996's lights,......come to think of it, I like just about everything about my 996.

Great video Nick. Shame everyone finds such fault with such a great car. I would not trade my 03' C4S for anything else. Every car of this caliber, not just the 996's have issues. The 997 has the same engine, but I don't hear/see IMS warning everywhere. As with the 996, not ALL had that issue, but that's how it is. Great handling, comfort, sound and power. I'm good with that.