Clive993 wrote:
I have had a 44T in the past and the only thing I would say is they are a world apart, no matter how well modded a 44T is.
I'm not certain about that but I won’t speculate further just yet. If I manage to keep both cars (I may have to sell one) I intend to put it to the test before the year is out, I just can't decide which car to drive to make it a fair test! Both cars are pretty hard to get off the line cleanly and while the 944 takes more work to corner fast I think it’s easier to drive at the limit because it’s more predictable. The 996 has literally flabbergasting cornering ability (even once the mechanical grip has run out) but I can never be 100% certain how it will react at the limit so I never feel like I'm getting the most out of it like I do behind the wheel of the 944. I get the sense I would probably still feel like I wasn't getting the most out of it right up to the point that I went through the hedge backwards.
Perhaps a few timed laps with me at the wheel of one and then the other (to try and remove driver skill as far as possible) followed by a straight line drag race with me and another trusted driver?
Time for an overdue modified 944t vs 996tt review I think (many have asked):
As far as a road test goes the 996 falls down on the gear change which feels very plastic next to the weighted, smooth, oiled feel of the 944, it also falls down on low speed fun (its near impossible to wiggle the tail out of a 2nd gear corner for example). Oh and I don’t like the fact the traction light still flashes at you (suggesting electronic interference) even with the PSM switched off.
The steering and handling characteristics are fantastic in both cars, there is better communication letting you know what each wheel is up to in the 944 but the 996 has better communication from the chassis telling you where the weight is and how hard it is working, you can really feel it straining and moving, dipping and diving (which I like). It’s actually amazing how similar in some ways the driving experience is compared to a range of other sports cars. You can definitely tell from the driving experience that both cars came from the same company but I can’t put my finger on why. Perhaps just the same balance of priorities when developed?
The 996 is better designed (the benefit of 20years knowledge no doubt) I love all the little details like the plastic clips that the screws screw into on the front of the car so the screws don’t get rusted in and the plastic covers around the wheel arches and underneath that appear to have had a lot of thought put into them to prevent dirt traps.
I can’t decide which is better looking. It’s like comparing two pieces of art work. There are things I like about both and one does not detract from the other. I LOVE the shape of the spoiler on the 996tt, it’s something you can only fully appreciate when you take the time to clean it and look closely at the way all the curves flow into one another. Magnificent. Then I see the 944 again and I remember why I love it, it looks so ‘real’ compared to modern cars.
Ok now the tables turn to a place the 944 cannot compete with. The engine in the 996tt is a gem. It revs light and fast like a racer but is as smooth as a Bentley, sounds refined but aggressive and just makes you feel like you are always in the right gear. I think you could probably leave it in fourth and keep pace with 90% of road cars driven flat out on 90% of tracks. It will pull strongly from below 30mph to 135ish. Another amazing measure is when I’m waiting for the car to warm up in the morning. I play a game where I drive as quickly as possible without going over 3000rpm or letting the turbos spin fully. It is SHOCKING how quickly you can cover ground and pass cars without ever going over 3000rpm. Just makes you realise HOW good it is. I’ve never had another car I could do that in. All that said there’s a thrill in a 4 pot turbo delivery that is often underrated by sports car fans.
As a car to own and live with the 996tt with its beautiful interior, cruise control, heated seats and aircon is a lovely place to be on a cold winters night or early morning. The back seats also have more leg room in the 996 but more headroom in the 944 and the luggage capacity is better in the 944 (although the 996 has proved pretty good). The 944 has the edge on driving position and the seats are still better in the 944. I love those massive side bolsters on the 80’s sports seats but being a short fellow, the 996 allows a better adjustment to the drivers size. I have to adapt to the car in the 944, accept more what I am given than in the 996.
Lastly, because this is the real world.. money. Financially if you could have either the 944 turbo makes no sense next to a 996. It’s almost identical in terms of service costs, 20 years older so has more non service items to replace/maintain (creating a constant slow drain on your resources and gives zero value back for any of that money invested). In comparison a 996 if treated right will almost definitely cost a lot less to run and hold its value (I hope) much better. You just need to find the initial outlay to procure one. The only downside to a 996tt financially over a 944 is that feeling you’re driving something of value which must be preserved. Something about the 944 encourages you to use and abuse it more when you drive it, fling it into roundabouts. The 996 feels (at least to me) like a car I have to drive with measured speed, driving it fast is like dancing even when it slides its smooth. Pleasure comes from cutting the perfect line through the apex not booting the throttle as early as possible and holdiong the slide, I always take my time changing gear and roll smoothly on and off the throttle. In the 944 my gear changes are a constant mission to beat DSG.
I guess that sums it up best really. Both forms of driving are pleasureable.. which do you enjoy most.