It’s a sickness Matt...! Looking at cars all the time is ‘The Chase’....then comes ‘Buyer’s Regret’.....then comes ‘Seller’s Regret’.....and the cycle repeats itself.... I have it myself! Great review again....! The answer is yes buy an old 911....!

I have a 996 911, and I have to say I think they’re incredibly underrated. Mine is a 2003 3.6 manual and is absolutely fantastic. It’s plenty quick enough for the road, handles and brakes well, plus is just practical enough for a long journey. It feels nice and small too compared to more modern cars, giving you more space on the road. Matt’s absolutely correct, the running costs aren’t prohibitive if you buy well in the first place. I’ve had mine for 6 years, servicing and consumables (brakes, branded tyres etc.) average at £1000 per year. Insurance is circa £280 for me, fully comprehensive with guaranteed value limited to 3500 miles per year. Tax is circa £27 per month on direct debit Another fantastic review 👌👍.

Lol funny to hear what a lot of ppl including me do on auto trader

I start my Autotrader search for a modern frugal suv that I can get my fishing tackle in. 6 cans later I always end up on Mitsubishi GTO’s and Jag XK’s. Great vid

my mechanic brain just sees a nightmare but my drivers brain just hears Jeremy Clarkson saying POWER!!

"One Porsche two cups" lmfao that put a smile on my face 🤣🤣

no, your not on your own spending most of the evening on autotrader

Thanks for the upload once again mate much appreciated as always. What a car!

really excellent overview. and your experience searching the interweebs for various 911 cars is universal

Another enjoyable video. Drove my 2008 Porsche from Wales back here to Italy before Christmas. Heavy snow before St Gottard. The snow plough ahead of me was a blessing. 😀

You describe me exactly. I’m sat working my way up through the models and the prices, as I look to change my 987 Boxster. At a whisker off 70 it has to be a real coffin dodger and fit a bag of shopping. Thanks for this and your other videos. I used to work at the garage opposite your stand in the late 70s when they were a Datsun franchise and so I’ve suffered like this for some time.

fantastic and very honest and rounded review there. I own a 98 3.4 manual RHD 996 and I think you hit on all the points. Thank you!

Thank you for this review, I am in the market for a early 2000 carrera and I so appreciate your honest and candid options. I actually feel better about my decision to purchase one. Wish me well!

yep pretty much agree with everything you said and I do love my Gen 2 C2 Cabriolet

hi matt very good report and youre bang on..i had one(996 3.6) beautiful car but with a sun roof..always leaked..got rid but wish i hadnt...keep up the great work..now back to autotrader and laptop!!

You read my mind with this review!

had one just like it. ran great was my first 911, after 2 prior boxsters. never got into the funky headlights, traded it for a newer 07 s model . 4th porsche, and still love them. always worth getting the s. model upgraded version of any model.

Great video! Very informative - thanks :)

Excellent review. Did a track day in one of these with an excellent coach sitting alongside me. Had the absolute best 30 minutes of my life. This is another time in my life when I should have bought a car at the point values turn. I know the 996 would be the sensible choice I wouldn’t regret, but I’m more drawn to a cheap AM Vantage. I blame the faulty bit of my brain that draws me towards the CX’s, XM’s and the Vel Satis I owned. And mostly regretted.

Love the video..many thanks 👍🏽

Still dreaming of the Dacia Duster!

Ace vids, great content, I’m still waiting for a Golf Plus review - cheers

Love my 996. I have a very early 99 model built in March 1998. Bought it 4 years ago for pennies on the dollar. My C2 coupe is 2900 lbs and is visibly much smaller than the new 992. It's a great analog car that I enjoy driving.

Evenings on auto trader - definitely not alone. 996 is the dream, nice video!

One of your best - not just the car review, just liked the thinking process up to 3.60. Plus “that grin”

I’ve been watching the reviews since the beginning and they are much better now, slicker talking, the jokes are still 50/50 but that’s of the reasons I keep watching. The cars are also a great mix and some we would never see on KZfaq! Keep it up mate!

Love your work.

Good review fella. Cracking cars, not super fast, but tremendous fun on a twisty road. I am often to be found threading my C4S through the Peak District. Extremely rewarding drive. You do have to stay on top of the mechanicals as you mentioned, some items are sensibly priced, others are the price of distilled unicorn tears 😭 Well worth a punt with your hard earned pennies 👍👍

Another great video mate! I'm 14 and Im definitely going to use your coruse when I'm older to own a dealership

Another great film and good to know the 996 is on the up!!! I've had my C4S for 15 months and JUST learned the cub holder expands to 2 cups!!! Thanks!!! :)

Great vid, completely agree the narrow body classic shape is to my eyes a lovely car. Having bought a 2002 996.2 in 2015, all the pundits said at the time they are going to rocket in price, didn't lose much money as such but sure as hell didn't get more than I paid for it when I sold it 4 years later. As an ex biker Tyres are vital to safety, never been a fan of unknown tyres on high performance cars. If a manual let the gearbox warm up a bit before fast changes, second can be reluctant from stone cold. There is a sticker under the bonnet with a bunch of codes which you can look up so you can see what extras have been fitted. Full Porsche or specialist history is a must if you want to get a good price when you sell it. One to tell if someone has looked after it get on your knees with a torch and look into the air intakes for the rad and aircon, if there is a compost heap in there its not good and the rads could be on their way out all it takes is a goo going over with a wetvac. Flat battery bonnet and boot wont open as they are electric releases. Some suffered from bore scuffing which is why you see some advertised with Hartech engines where they have been refurbished

Great review. They sound awesome with a sports exhaust kit

Your videos always crack me up lad

I am in my 70’s now but well remember having my nose pressed on the Porsche showroom windows 50 odd years ago.

Hi Matt, I was always put off Porsche’s because I thought about the running and repair costs. Glad to see they are attainable without selling a kidney.. Great review as always mate.

I absolutely love these, I don’t understand why people dislike the headlights, I think they are iconic.

Good review, you had me grinning

I was born in the 90s, so this is my favourite 911 model. I gaped at these in awe when I was growing up. Would love to own one some day

Matt really enjoy your channel a breath of fresh air

Yep, always on auto trader and looking Porsche 911’s just as you described. Got the cayman 987 and that seems to satisfy me and has done so for the past year. Night and day between now and previous video on 911’s on your view, can’t wait to see the next Porsche video with you wearing a Porsche branded jacket and base ball cap!!!

Likewise ...always on Auto trader you are not alone ...great review thanks

Hey! I laughed, and laughed. Recognize myself on everything you say 😂🤣. You have a very pleasant way of talking and formulating yourself. Started looking and then I stopped and got a cup of coffee. I have to hear this :) Thumb up! You have a new follower. Stay Safe! ☺️

What a great non-nonsense 996 guide. Thanks @High Peaks Autos... better than irritating forum experts. Oddly enough, I do the same thing with classifieds & end up looking at ever pricier cars. Tried a few 996s pre lockdown and they drive really nicely. Prefer the C2 to C4. Agree it's better to pay 15-20 for a sorted car than 13 for a mediocre example.

Great video as always. love those later 996's, literally went straight to the classifieds after the video 🤦🏻‍♂️😂

Great work as always. ‘A levy on ambition’ liked that one! Clicked like and noticed almost at 996 (as I type) which made me sad I wasn’t a couple of likes later. OCD probably. 👍🏻

PLUS +++ - Love your honesty! When i met my girlfriend 15yrs ago - it was cool she had an 80's 911 - reality for an 18 stone 6ft 8 fella with muscle probs - it is HELL to get in and out of - I found her another car for our daily use!

I do love these 👀

I run a 2002 Ford Focus 1.6, I saved for it, bought it, and now it's really mine.🤩.

Very good review. Just picked up a 997.1 but beware of the Bore issues. Expensive mistake £10k fix. I absolutely love the 996/7 as you said they are just enough to be powerful, but not to kill you. If you have a garage this would be a great buy and keep. Tiptronic is great and so simple to drive. You should just start every review with Service gearbox

I could have bought a 991.1 or 997 and chose to get a 40th ae 996. Honestly my favorite gen. Organic and very capable. Perfect review!

My 996 has just turned 23 and it’s in great condition thanks to fastidious long term PO’s. There are a lot of 996’s that had a cretin or two as the 4th or 5th owner+, and subsequently neglected their cars because they were cheap. With so many 996’s made, you have the ability to be picky about its condition. But don’t assume that a pampered car won’t throw you a big bill. Great review and I wish you success with your new business venture 👍🏻🙌🏻

Lovely video as always my friend, certainly a lot of demand for Porsche’s, I think although they’ve kept the design the same for the 911 it works well and there’s a lot of demand for it. Would be good to see more videos on investment cars etc

Matt, I am running short of superlative;s , although I am not a Porsche fan, I can only say as always what fantastic review and I can only imagine the time and effort you put into producing these videos, I wish I was younger to take advantage of your online course, thank you

Another great and educational review for the people that are thinking about buying one of these Matt, thank you. 👍

Great video, really good to see you extolling the virtues of a sensible classic. How about going a bit downmarket and reviewing a Boxster S 986- are they worth looking at?

Enjoyed the review, model wise the C4 is a narrow body as well and I think is only available with a 3.4, the C4S shares the turbo body shell, brakes and suspension but runs the 3.6 litre motor. The standard Carrera didn't have an S model option until the 997 was introduced. You talked a bit about the 997 as an alternative and the IMS, some small number of 996s had IMS issues as you say, the 997 particularly the .1 had a bigger frequency of bore score issues, which are much harder to resolve. As you say the IMS is pretty straightforward to sort and not for crazy costs. 3 years in I love my C4S its a properly good cross country car.

Keep up the great videos. I always wanted one, read buyers and owners guides even bought a number of books. Then I drove one and was a bit disappointed. A friend had some huge bills with his and it seemed too much of a comprise as a daily driver. In the end I bought a BMW 135i coupe, it might not be a 911 but it had more grunt from the twin turbos, 2 proper seats in the back and was quiet on a long journey. For me that ended up being the perfect all rounder and was narrow enough to fit in the garage too. I have driven a 997 since which it preferred to the 996 but I still didn't like it enough compared to the price they demand plus they are cramped enough in the back to make my kids sick on a long run - never good... Horses for courses.

Hope you hit a 100k. Pls don’t change as you grow

Back in black and what a car to be In ,looks a real mean machine and joy bringer.

I've done exactly the same on auto trader. I'm fact pretty much each time I go on there no matter what car model I'm looking at. You are not alone

Ha- I’ve definitely been down that 911 slippery slope more times than i care to admit. So true.

I’ve got a burning desire to buy one of these at the moment

Great video as always... I really like the way you think and talk about cars. How about a video on why the Range Rover is your default choice..?

Off to 996 listings we go

Funny and relatable video! Keep up the great work! Better than car wow 👍

What a fantastic review! Always fancied a 996, and you've just boosted my desire now. Haven't got the spare cash though, and they're not going to drop any further in money to make them more affordable in future unfortunately. Oh well, the wife gets her way again I guess! 😢

I can lose hours, evenings, and days in Autotrader, and on many occasions, end up buying cars I never knew I wanted.. its a rabbit hole =)

Enjoyable as ever covering everything the average petrolhead wants to know. Still prefer my Boxster offering top down driving as 911’s always seem a bit clostraphobic to me.

The C2 (2 wheel drive), C4 (4 wheel drive), and GT3 were all narrow body. The C4S, Turbo, and GT2 were wide body. Note that the C4S is the wide body version of the C4 and the mechanicals are the same. Starting with the 997, the "S" versions came with a larger more powerful engine. Not so with the 996. Also, if you are looking to buy a set of wheels, it is important to know the wheel offsets are different for the narrow and wide body cars.

Brilliant @ 4:25 !!!! " Unless you have your own private airstrip, your never gonna max it out " 😂😂😂😂😂 !!!!!!! Reg`s as always Steve👌

Great stuff as normal Matt 👌👌👌

Bought a one owner 2002 996 c4 in 2013 . 150k miles with service history. Now 174k and great fun. Agree with your comments on engineering simplicity and quality.It’s a joy to work on .

Guilty too of wanting another car, great review by the way. Due to family reasons I would get a lot of stick for getting a third car. So was even thinking of hiring a garage near my home and keeping it a secret. :-) Thats how crazy this love for cars can get.

“I don’t really have the money “ how honest is that? Well said Matt. You’re in business to trade not collect. The only downside is that you always have to move on items you’d rather keep, because that’s the nature of earning a living. Keep well

Great Video, glad it's not just me that plays the 996, 997, 991 & then 992 game LOL! I have 2 classics one of which is a 911, but like you i have no more space, but would love a modern 911 as well, then I think well maybe I could leave it outside, if it's modern. LOL!!!

I like the 996 and the C2 would be my first choice, although as 2nd, 3rd, 4th etc car it has to be a convertible or the much rarer Targa which gives the best of all worlds. Im also a fan of the narrow body for the same reasons, more recent cars have grown too fat. Its worth remembering that there is now a price overlap between nice 996's and early 2004/5 997's which to some may be more appealing. Porsche quality is excellent and whilst the interior may look dated and a bit bland, that's its charm as are the distinctive headlamps. Another enjoyable and honest review, keep them coming. By the way your SL55 is exceptionally good.

Girlfriend has an 82 911SC and a amte has had 10 different 80's 911 including Zeemax and other modded versions - for me, I get the 'fried egg lights model aignt not so bad' - not that relevant but I had the same with Series 3 Jags replaced by the XJ40 - I learned to love em!

Thank you.

Gordon Brown introduced a levy on ambition. Good one!

Nice one

As soon as I see crap tyres on a car it makes walk away from it UNLESS all the history is there and verifiable. I agree that some folks will put cheap tyres on a car needing a new set just to get rid/ through the MOT but generally it's a very good indicator to the level of maintenance.

Lovely old sports coupe - must get around to buying one of those some day.

Ever since I was a kid I wanted a Porsche. I am 41 and dreamt of the 959😍😍😍. The Boxster and 996 are affordable. Cayennes are cheap on the 2nd hand market and I am aware of the issues. I would even now consider a 944. Loved this review.

Even a well looked after 996 might need a contingency/sink fund to either keep it or get it into tiptronic top order. IMS Bearing. Cracked Heads. Worn cylinder linings. Etc Etc. It's a classic so either get handy with some spanners or get to expect to be on first name terms with a local garage/nearest Porsche service dept. Performance upgrades are rife so history is vital and this is likely to affect insurance. But once all that is done and sorted you are driving a Porsche for Prius money. Get one. They are brilliant. Thanks HPA - another fantastic video - I have just bought a 2014 4.4 RR, and your earlier reviews helped enormously. At first, I was like you, a bit remorseful....what I have I done etc...... but now?....... It's astonishing. Absolutely astonishing. And incredible value - £127,550 new. and I paid 35K for a true titan of the motoring world which has more toys than a branch of Smyths including the Premium 2,500 watt sound system . One thing I can say is that I had the engine remapped to help with the slightly disconcerting junction lag; it was a bit like booking an appointment for the power delivery to arrive but now fantastic and better mileage and ahem officer a bit more power. Brilliant.Thank you. Stay safe good luck.

I would love one too😎

Matt help😜 I keep looking at aston martin db9, keep doing like u say when I have down having a look working how I could afford. Then having to tell myself don't be silly. Happens to us all great channel really enjoy your reviews 👍

Great video, great car. Your a brave man driving the porsche in those conditions on those tyres !!😂😳

Good objective and informative review. Same as you I have an e46 m3 and toying with the idea of selling it for one of these but then look at my m3 and can’t bear the thought of getting rid!

Fantastic cars, never owned one but driven a lot. They are perhaps the most engaging car I have driven but never committed to buying one. I try to keep away from Autotrader but after watching your videos usually find myself "just looking" to see what's out there, usually to find myself looking at things entirely out of my budget.

Owned a 2003 C4S now for 9 years. Great car, no issues, upgraded the IMS bearing (even though the old one was perfect as it turned out) fully recommended as a modern classic that won't break the bank.

I have been recently interested with the vw toureg too and previously I never noticed them, the older ones 2014 to 2017

Snap,! Lol, I do exactly that, looking around for a new car to replace my old Polo, but end up no better off after looking at everything because it does what I needed on the tin, A to B cheap transport lol, glad I am not the only one here, I was getting worried lol 👍🏻

Yep go through exactly the same process of checking a 996, although I normally stop at a 991...Then I think that would buy a really nice cayman s or potentially gts!!

One of my favourite 911s

Porsche 996 beautiful and stunning a design genius.

I'm in Southern California and I obsess over how much to spend on my first porsche as well. I can't wait to get it. Nice job on the video

This was a very nice Posh, Matt ;-)! From what you’re saying it seems to be a civilized Posh, which is good for someone with an antique driver’s license, like me ;-)! Thanks for this video, excellent as always, and I’ve almost gotten used to the way you elegantly pronounce P-O-R-S-C-H-E....

9:55 'A levy on ambition!' Haha, true.

looking through autotrader for your next dream car is always a good use of time, if you do win the lottery or your elderly parents both die of covid, i know thats a long shot, but if you get the windfall cash you are ahead of the game and know which car is best for the money.

For a guy who doesn’t like 911’s find yourself making more 911 videos and a damn good review! Love my 991.1 2S, 997.1 2S and next on my radar is a 996 4S!