[onewhippedpuppy]

Now on my 4th 986/996, I've done a lot of research on the topic. It appears to be very rare but hard to quantify with a number. Remember that forums tend to attract problems, far less people join just to discuss how reliable their cars are. Porsche made gradual improvements over time, so ideally just buy the newest car you can afford. With that said, I've owned a first year 996 and wouldn't hesitate to do so again.