986 vs 996 brakes
 

I was looking at a 2004 996 Targa today and on the test drive I noticed that the brakes are harder than my 2004 986. Best way to describe it is they require more pressure to have the same effect. It had a full 4 wheel brake job about 6 months ago, so I am fairly sure the braking system is up to snuff

Is that normal for a 996? I have not driven any other 911's, so I really don't know if it was normal

I will say the 996 seemed to drive much heaver than the Boxster, but man was there a lot more power. This Targa had a Tip as it would be for my wife and she does not want a manual.

Over all I did like the car. My Boxster does feel more agile and much easier to drive. Its a good deal and it sure would be nice to have 2 P-cars :D.

I have not noticed any difference in braking between the Boxster and the 996. My guess is that the pads might not be OEM so the initial bite may seem lacking (or maybe whoever did the recent brake job didn't get something quite right).

And yes, the 996 feels quite a bit bigger and heavier than the Boxster, but it really has a lot more go-go-go when you step on the happy pedal. To me, the Boxster has a classic sport car feel whereas the 996 is really a GT.

Owning both really is the best of both worlds.

Thanks Tom

Maybe its just the car is heavier.

BTW, the brakes were done at your and David T's friends in Lake Forest, so I would guess they were done correctly. I'm gonna call them and see if they can tell me anything about the car

I think I am addicted :)

996 VS 986 brakes
 

996 brakes do take more effort. I have a 01 996 Tip and a 98 Boxster but my Boxster has a happy surprise on the happy pedal (3,4 Carrera engine). With the 3,4 motor its sooooo much fun to drive (brakes and controls, clutch feel easier and lighter) but I still prefer my 996 for long trips feels heavier more solid. But if you compare a Boxster to other sports cars, Z4,350Z (Datsun), Miata the Boxster feels like its build like a tank very solid typical Porsche

my 01 996 pedal is much heavier than my 03 boxster S . I actually prefer the heavy pedal feel of the 996 . I am also a big fan of the power that the 3.4 puts out and the exhaust sounds are something a boxster can only dream of . much less shifting required also . The 996 is a great car and way undervalued you won't be disappointed. 3.6 996 is even better , way more refined than the earlier cars .

Yes, the power of the 3.6 is nice.
For long trips or rush hour traffic, I prefer our 996 with a tip, for fun driving, my Boxster wins hand down.

After driving both for a while now, the 996 brakes are a little heavier and feel normal to me

Why do y'all think the 996 brakes are heavier. I would imagine it to be the same front and back as a boxster S.

Is it maybe heavier (wider) tires or the weight of the car?

The car in question being a targa my bet is on the general weight of the car.

The Targa is a little heavier, ~150lbs than a C2, ~50lbs lighter than a Cab
Overall, ~ 300lbs heaver than a Boxster S

Mine does have wider 19's and my Boxster has 18's

In any case, it does seem to require a little more pressure on the brakes for the same effect. At the time, both had factory pads and rotors and both the Boxster S and The C2/Targa/Cab have the same brakes

Maybe the 996 is a man's car and the Boxster ... .

Sorry.

LOL

Actually the 996 Targa is my wife's and the Boxster is mine
:cheers:

i have driven several 996s and the pedal seems to have a heavier feel to it compared to the boxster . that is way porsche set it up i believe .