[Christien]

A little harsh - I don't think the interiors are THAT bad, especially compared to a GM product of that era (or even today). Cracked leather? I'd say the 996 are some of the most durable seats I've seen in Porsches. The supple leather option was (is) beautiful and comfortable. RMS leak universal? Hardly. Far too common, yes, but hardly universal.

The interesting thing the author seemed to overlook is the 3.4 engine itself. I can't for the life of me figure out why Porsche dropped the displacement for the base-model 911. Every 3.4 996 I've ever driven feels miserably underpowered, especially the cabrios. I drove a 99 3.4 cabrio and an 01 boxster S back to back on twisty country roads and the boxster was the better of the two in every respect.

And while the value difference between a 98 and a 99 is indeed shocking, that has as much to do with supply and demand as it does build quality.

I'm also not a fan of the 996 lineup, but let's be realistic about it. To be honest, with the prices of C4s where they are now, I'm considering picking one up as a winter beater. It may have fugly headlights and a rather uninspired interior design, with cheap switches and cup holders that break too easily, but it's still a pretty damn good winter beater.