I’ll bite. I’ve owned two 986s (2.5l and 3.2l S) and a ‘95 993 coupe. I haven’t owned a 996. I’m also a newer father with a son now roughly 2.5l and a second child on the way. I sold the 993 before my son was here, so I cannot offer insight on specific backseat space in a 911 and best car seats, etc.
What I can say is this:
I’ve set my current 986 S up with the OEM airbag deactivation bar and a modern forward facing car seat (on occasion) and my son loves every second of seat time. So for starters 986s can be fun for dads and kids, just study up on the safety features and best practices and don’t get carried away driving when the little one is there too.
While the 911 (whatever the generation is) usually has back seats, they are cramped! The low roofline coupled with having to slide the front seats forward to get in there certainly strike me as not a very fun “family car” setup. You’re also losing cargo space (relative to 986) and trading it for that cabin space.
Never underestimate the amount of gear that you have to now haul with you thanks to one or two little ones coming with (stroller, diaper bag, snacks, drink cups, favorite stuffed animals, extra clothing, etc...). While the 996 has the extra seats, I suspect it will be a stretch to accommodate a family of four for any trip that isn’t just an hour or two on the road.
There’s a reason my SUVs are so damn popular... they haul stuff well. Ultimately I found a great deal on a low mileage Audi Q5 TDI 3.0 that’s now my wife’s car. She loves it because it is safe, luxurious, and functional. I can tolerate driving it relative to most family haulers. When it isn’t a full family affair, I can still sneak out in my 986 (with or without my son) and have some fun! I suspect there will be many more chances for said father-son time in the future when my wife has a new baby to feed and tend to. Just having a sure fire way to convince the toddler to leave the house (“vroom vroom!”) is valuable enough.
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