Engine Reliability

Is there a chance that the engine will grenade itself when the IMS Bearing fails? Yes, a very small chance. It should be noted that this is a potential issue for 996, 997.1, 986, and 987.1 models, outside of the Turbo and GT cars. Any owner who is concerned about this possibility can easily have an upgraded bearing installed as insurance. Nearly every generation has some sort of significant mechanical flaw. The SC had exploding airboxes, the 964 had leaky head gaskets, and the 993 had valve guide issues. Deal with it should be a well known phrase to any classic car owner.



Plastic Interior

Another common complaint is the interior of the 996. Sure, later generations of 911s come with a more luxurious interior. None of them provide the simplicity of the 996. Take a look inside, there isn’t much going on. Some window switches, an ashtray, climate controls, a radio, door locks, and not much else. It is a modern update on the classic pragmatic German interior. Plus, the vastly improved ergonomics allow you to read the gauges while driving the vehicle, a novel feature missing from the precious air-cooled cars.



