[jkarolyi]

Defenders of the water cooled 911s always gloss over the engine issues. If the engine is robust, Why hasn't Porsche turbocharged the 996 engine? Why do they use a further developed 993 engine for the Turbo and GT3? The wet sump 996 engine is an enlarged Boxster engine and is designed for street use only.

"Well, if it blows just install a new $8000 engine". Does anyone really think Porsche will continue subsidizing new engines once the cars get over 10 years old? And if Porsche actually produces the engines that cheap with some profit margin, that says worlds about the standards of the engine. Heck, a Subaru WRX engine costs more.

I'm not advocating Porsche standing still ala Morgan. I really like the 996 and think they should have produced it along side a futher developed 993. I'll stand by my 928 comparison, which is also a *very* fine car by the way, and also originally supposed to replace the 911. It didn't. A 911 the 928 and 996 aren't.