yet another 996 turbo versus NSX thread

[skyline23]

Hi Guys,

I always thought I would keep my NSX forever, but lately I have been toying with the idea of selling my NSX for a 996 911 turbo..

some background, I've had my NSX, a 91 berlina black with a comptech supercharger, since 2006..It was my one and only car until 2010, when I got another daily driver..since then, I have driven the NSX less and less, and mainly just used it for track days..I did about 7-8, before blowing the engine due to oil starvation...After that, I sent the car to Driving Ambition and had Shad do the works on it, completely rebuilt the engine with forged pistons, added AEM FIC,high boost, injectors, accusump, etc...However, since then I have only put about 1000 miles on it and two track days..It runs absolutely fantastic, but I think I am just starting to get bored of it...

Which brings me to where I am at now..I have always loved the 996 turbos (i know, most people HATE the shape of the headlights) which would benefit me since that is probably the reason they are so cheap these days...I have been keeping an eye on prices every year, and it seems like now I can almost sell the NSX for the same price as a decent used 2001 or 2002 911 turbo..

So my reason for this post is, anyone have experiences with making this switch or these cars?....I have search the threads and read probably every single post about this topic on prime, but just wanted to see if anyone has anything new to share..maintenance issues, regrets, opinions, etc...

.I test drove one this weekend, and loved it..My NSX is actually faster then a stock one due to all the mods, but i Still liked the Porsche a lot. I would intend it to be my weekend cruiser and track toy as well (only like 6-8 a year, so nothing too crazy).

Anyway, im only like 40% sure I want to do this, so may completely backtrack..but I know a lot of guys on Prime have either gone to or from a 911 turbo, and wanted to hear more opinions..

 

[synth19]

Why not? As long as you're willing to do the 997 front end conversion. :tongue:

 

[payam972]

i had an 02 911 turbo for a while...thoughts:

very very fast, esp with some mods. mine had gt2 turbos. crazy fast when you get some open road. that being said, it just didnt make me feel the way the NSX does. yea, the NSX is slower. but the sound from behind your ears is a hell of a lot better than a 996's sound.
handling is pretty good, just feels a lot heavier than the nsx as well.

they are pretty bulletproof and dont suffer from the same problems as the regular 996. if you want it, just go for it. they arent rare at all and easy to find in good condition. go for the full leather options, and thatll come with alcantara headliner...pretty cool. youll probably get tired of the interior though..very bland styling. if anything youll just come back for the nsx. no big deal>>> this was mine

 

[nsxot1c]

Nice!!!!!!!!!!!!

 

[socold57]

was yours auto? and why does everyone dislike the 996 headlights lol , my good friend just bought one for 40k from his neighbor lol, me personally i thought it was a deal.

 

[payam972]

was yours auto? and why does everyone dislike the 996 headlights lol , my good friend just bought one for 40k from his neighbor lol, me personally i thought it was a deal.

Nope it was 6 speed. I've learned to never go tiptronic on Porsches. Freakin terrible!!! Ruins the experience. I got a good deal on mine, bought it from a friend. Never had paintwork, 60k miles. Not a single issue, with good mods too. Best part was it had a full thick folder full of every single record from day one. On a car like this thats what u need to have. Service records. I got it For 30k. But that was in 2010. Maybe prices went up? Lol maybe I had the deal of the century haha

 

[HBui39]

yeah im not a porsche enthusiast, so i don't mind the wild departure from tradition the 996 brings... my friend advised me that lots of things fail eventually and can cost a fortune to fix. (like $10k+) he worked on them for most of his career. certainly a different car, fast and AWD. if you have never had something really fast, then do it.

 

[skyline23]

yeah im not a porsche enthusiast, so i don't mind the wild departure from tradition the 996 brings... my friend advised me that lots of things fail eventually and can cost a fortune to fix. (like $10k+) he worked on them for most of his career. certainly a different car, fast and AWD. if you have never had something really fast, then do it.

thanks for the response...man, $10k+? do you have any idea what type of failures he was referring to and how common this was?

 

[skyline23]

Beautiful, what color is that? I love 911s in any sort of silver or grey...

How many miles did you put on yours?

i had an 02 911 turbo for a while...thoughts:

very very fast, esp with some mods. mine had gt2 turbos. crazy fast when you get some open road. that being said, it just didnt make me feel the way the NSX does. yea, the NSX is slower. but the sound from behind your ears is a hell of a lot better than a 996's sound.
handling is pretty good, just feels a lot heavier than the nsx as well.

they are pretty bulletproof and dont suffer from the same problems as the regular 996. if you want it, just go for it. they arent rare at all and easy to find in good condition. go for the full leather options, and thatll come with alcantara headliner...pretty cool. youll probably get tired of the interior though..very bland styling. if anything youll just come back for the nsx. no big deal>>> this was mine

 

[payam972]

Beautiful, what color is that? I love 911s in any sort of silver or grey...

How many miles did you put on yours?

Seal grey, I put maybe 5k on it then sold it.

In the records, it shows a lot of warranty work done. Even a trans replaced at one point while it was under warranty. You should make sure you have a full service history, or some kind of aftermarket warranty. Porsches in general are pretty reliable. Especially the 996 turbo which uses the gt1 internals.

 

[sharkwerks]

Had a pair of those myself and great platforms. Suspension really needs tuning but otherwise the only "gotyas" to look for are the hydraulic assist clutch mechanism (it fails/leaks all the time so replace it with a gt2 style one), the coolant expansion tank cracks and one final (somewhat scary) are the coolant pipes which over time come out (they're glued poorly from the factory).

 

[RPM217]

^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^
This guy has more Porsche experience than probably everyone on the forum, good source for solid info!!!

 

[RYU]

^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^
This guy has more Porsche experience than probably everyone on the forum, good source for solid info!!!

+1

Having had a White Turbo Slantnose get away from right under me several years ago and still casually looking at 993Ts and even loving the 997 and 991, I'll be honest.. the 996 platform is one i'd avoid. However, the cheapness of the 996T makes it a bit more attractive as a DD. At that point I'd treat a 996 as an expense in my own personal P&L and not a mildly collectible asset like the NSX.

I'd get one and beat the crap out of it. Sounds like fun.

 

[AHudson]

Had a pair of those myself and great platforms. Suspension really needs tuning but otherwise the only "gotyas" to look for are the hydraulic assist clutch mechanism (it fails/leaks all the time so replace it with a gt2 style one), the coolant expansion tank cracks and one final (somewhat scary) are the coolant pipes which over time come out (they're glued poorly from the factory).

Great input.

Had a couple also, and found them quite enjoyable. Had an MAF problem in my '02 covered under 'Certified' warranty and the 'pistons' that drive the rear spoiler failed one at a time, also covered.

Over time, my diverter valves started failing in my '01, but that was an easy fix (go to billet) that restored a ton of power. I put an exhuast (made in Austria, can't think of the name right now) that made the car wake up even more.

Though you're getting good advice from others, I'd personally steer away from 'full leather' which shrinks on the dash and is very costly to repair.

Overall a very reliable, competent, fun car. Far as differences of early 996, the 02s have real glove boxes, the 01s don't. I'm sure there are other diffs. I say go for it. You can always come back!

 

[R13]

Had a pair of those myself and great platforms. Suspension really needs tuning but otherwise the only "gotyas" to look for are the hydraulic assist clutch mechanism (it fails/leaks all the time so replace it with a gt2 style one), the coolant expansion tank cracks and one final (somewhat scary) are the coolant pipes which over time come out (they're glued poorly from the factory).

Which? and out from where?

On-topic:

Honestly, I've been having the same debate given the attainability of the 996TTs these days. Maybe that's something I'll do once I have a racecar and am not tempted to track the NSX as much, in which case I might enjoy a "softer" car than my NSX.

My dad has had a 996 GT2 for a few years now and it's honestly a blast to drive on top of the fact that it's stupid-fast. He's only had one thing go wrong that cost a "real" amount of money and that was a transmission bearing. I'm not sure how common that is on the TT (different transmission), but the car was club raced before he had it, and he tracks it as well, so it's not as if that happened just doddling around.

 

[dc935]

I had a 2003 996TT X50 and enjoyed it. The X50 was a 17k option new, so when i was shopping for a used one i specifically looked for X50
pkg (bigger K24 turbos, intercooler, etc) since there was only a bit of $ diff with the non-x50 (K16 turbos).

As others said, the early ones didnt have glove box and imo get the newest you can and do a PPI. i believe the early ones had some 2nd gear pop out
issues as well.

The 996TT is extremely reliable, fast, and comfortable in stock form, but with some basic mods and a flash it turns into a BEAST. I had EPL Stage 2 flash,
and the car went from fast to INSANELY FAST. Boost is just so much fun

At current pricing levels, the 996tt is a no-brainer and unbelieveable bang for the buck.

As always, have a PPI done for some peace of mind. Check out rennlist and start reading. Good luck.

heres a pic:

 

[Ric]

this one looks nice..

http://www.6speedonline.com/forums/automobiles-sale/274593-fs-2001-996tt-x50-equipped.html

FS: 2001 996TT, X50 equipped

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Year: 2001
Make: Porsche
Model: 911
Price: $39900
Mileage: 72500
Color: Seal Grey
Private or Dealer Listing: Private Listing
Location (State): CA
Transmission: Manual
Drivetrain: Rear Wheel Drive

GT2"-converted for functional use/driver feel:

Power:
K24 original GT2 turbochargers
GT2 intercoolers
Bosch Motorsport true 5bar FPR
Replaced sparkplugs and installed brand new 997 coilpacks last year when doing the flash tune
OE Tuning flash, 515hp (safe on timing and just passed smog with flying colors)

Drivetrain:
2WD converted
Carbonetic limited slip diff, appr 1000 miles (just broken in) - this is a carbon disc diff which means it is smooth and silent, and it lasts at least 10 x longer than a metal disc diff.
Porsche 997 OEM shift mechanism (brand new) - just for perfect feel.
GT2 clutch slave conversion with Sachs Racing 999 clutch pressure plate, excellent, precise GT2 OEM feel engagement - NO CHATTER, super easy OEM-like to drive.

GT2 aero:
Functional front radiator assembly, directs air through bumper duct over hood instead of under car (Precision Porsche bumper)
Functional rear wing (Misha GT2 rear decklid w adjustable wing angle)

Chassis:
H&R lowering springs on next to new OEM sport shocks:
- Laptime 1.23 Streets of Willow (this is what a 997 GT3 RS does)
GT3 lower control arms
GT3 Cup rear toe arms
Rear RSS dogbones
Eibach Racing adjustable swaybars front/rear

Interior/Misc:
GMG 4-point rollbar
Schroth driver side 6-point belts
Odyssey PC925 battery
JVC double din touchscreen navi/bluetooth/DVD/MP3 - clean install with Porsche logo double DIN frame
Black brand new floor carpets with Porsche logos.
Aluminum door sill covers with "turbo" logos.
OEM window tint
Rear wiper delete (will include motor/mechanism)
Rear seat delete (will include rear seat backs/seat cushions)

Other:
Sunroof. All electric power windows and mirrors. Full leather full power seats (no seat heating). Ebrake and shifter has turbo/porsche logos. AC is ice cold. Manuals complete. Car can be had with Gemballa style hood or OEM hood (or both).

Wheels:
Car will be sold with original 996 GT2 wheels with Hankook tires, 80% thread. Wheels have typical light scratches but are straight and true.

Car has 1 half track day at Streets of Willow and 3 half days in the canyons.

I just don't seem to get to the track a lot anymore with this car so this motivates the sale.

- Car is in mechanical excellent shape, serviced regularly with fluid changes and is tight and prepped at professional level for track duty or canyons.
- Car does have cosmetic traces from a life of daily driving if you examine the car closely - not noticable to someone who's not working on the car, one step back and the car has a very clean look to it.
This is a car to be driven and the setup is extremely capable and composed for the spirited driver in canyons or for the daily commute. You want to go, the car is ready and delivers big smiles, the chassis will handle whatever you put it through - and when you want to relax the car hums along waiting for you to hit it.

It's light, nimble, fast, very well sorted out and I have made it my priority to make sure it has zero reliability issues whatsoever.

With the OEM flywheel, GT2 clutch slave and OEM exhaust it's easy to live with for daily driving.

Serious inquries only.

EDIT: Willing to discuss price (=remove certain upgrades)

 

[jorligan]

Myself and Tytus both have 996 turbos. Biobanker switched from an NSX to a Turbo. Tytus has a hardtop with tip which he uses as a DD and a track car. I have on 05 Turbo S Cab. Until you get to the newer 997 Turbo, The 997 still looks kind of bland. The 997 Turbo is very different. My car has been chipped, Tubi exhaust, Diverters and new hoses, VERY fast but slower than my turbo NSX. I now have have 26K miles on the car, bought it last year with 9K miles and it is my DD. Drive it in the snow with snow tires and a hardtop. Description of the driving experience is accurate as compared to the NSX. Aftermarket items are pricey so decide which options you want and then find the car. The early cars did have issues with second gear popout which is a $100 dollar fix but if it did pop out, it could cause transmission problems. Would go to 6speed for further information.

 

[curtsr]

I have the best of both worlds- 996 exhaust tips on my NSX.

 

[Ultraman]

I don't think a 91 NSX can trade for a 996 TT though.

They're about $10 or more apart.

 

[DocL]

I currently have a 2004 996TT X-50 Cabriolet along with my 1994 NSX. They are extremely different cars. The suspension mods in my NSX make it feel like it handles better than the TT, but that is probably due to the lower center of gravity and mid engine layout. I'm sure if I pushed the TT that it would handle better with the AWD.

I bought my TT with 15k on the odo and in the two years that I've had it, and 3k miles I've put on it, only two issues came up. One was the rear spoiler hydraulic pump failure, very common, and the power steering pully clutch going out. The repair wasn't too costly to fix both. Otherwise the car performs great. The hardest part about driving the TT is not getting into full boost. The rush you feel is amazing compared to a NA3.0 NSX.

If you ask me which one I would sell first, I'd would be the TT but I would probably replace it with a newer one. I don't think I could ever imagine selling my NSX as I've owned it for 12yrs and it only has 77k miles on it.

 

[arfnsx]

I love and respect the 996 very much. I toyed with the idea of getting one but my heart was in love with ONLY the 993TT and those are going up in price day by day.

Anyway I was in Florida a few weekends ago and I ended up racing two modified 996. One was a EVOMS 996 675hp and the second was a 650hp 996 Cabrio. I did not realize how heavy each car was. I guess it was the AWD that added the extra lbs.


<iframe width="560" height="315" src="http://www.youtube.com/embed/9aEXADk3oTg" frameborder="0" allowfullscreen></iframe>
2005 Porsche 911 Turbo Cabriolet 650bhp
Mod List:
Exhaust
Chip
Modified Turbo's

<iframe width="560" height="315" src="http://www.youtube.com/embed/Thq2_s9it-s" frameborder="0" allowfullscreen></iframe>
2003 Porsche 911 Turbo

Mod List:

EVOMSit software and engine managment tune
EVOMS carbon fiber custom intake
Custom fuel injectors and fuel rails
Evoms/Garrett GT 700 turbos
Sport Exhaust and headers/high flow platinum cats
Evoms Silicone and Billet boost hoses
Billet diverter valves
GT 700 carbon/Kevlar Clutch
Carbon fiber interior

 

[NetViper]

I have driven both a 996 turbo x-50 and the 997 turbo. I really liked the 997. I wasn't impressed at all with the 996 other than how fast it was. The rest was just ok.

I thought about getting the 997, but its very small inside, and I didn't know where my golf clubs would fit. :biggrin:

 

[payam972]

I have driven both a 996 turbo x-50 and the 997 turbo. I really liked the 997. I wasn't impressed at all with the 996 other than how fast it was. The rest was just ok.

I thought about getting the 997, but its very small inside, and I didn't know where my golf clubs would fit. :biggrin:

That's what rear seat delete is for

 

[bobyang]

It's been a while since I've browsed the forum, but this thread triggered me to chime in. I owned a '91 from '01 to '07 as a daily driver (putting about 60K miles in the process) before married life caused me to sell it for a 5-series BMW.

Last year, I broke down and decided that the depreciation disaster that a 996tt is was just too tempting to pass up - plus it holds 2 car seats in the back. This is now my daily driver.

I've got to say, i find driving wise, the 996tt to be superior in almost every way. (full disclosure, I have an ECU flash, LTW flywheel, 997 SS kit and KW V3 coil-overs). I love it when the turbos spool in and just give you a kick in the butt. The NSX acceleration when VTEC kicked in was neat... the TT is downright scary fast. It's a hoot to drive in every way.

However, I also cant imagine keeping the TT for very long. I find myself tempted by another NSX - for the timelessness of the car and what it represented 21 years ago, the Aston Martin DB9 because, as Jeremy Clarkson puts it "it's just plain pornography", or the R8, just cuz it's such a cool car.


I think the economics of the price/performance pretty much force you to get the 996tt though, if only to try it out and play with it. No other car gives you so much performance for so little $...that is until you need a new clutch.