996 or 993???

[Guest]

Hi all
a bit of advice is needed heare of I will be spending my hard earned money unwisley
i have a 1998 996 C2- and realy like it, but i always wanted a air cooled 993- now i have a chance of buying a 1997 R reg one of the last 993 C4 Oh what shall I do??- could sell the Cb in the better weather with the fitted hard top- should sell OK for the right money
dont know how the 993 will drive in comparison to the 996- only had this for a few months- do they drive as well??
Are they worth more this one is £27500.00 with 60k miles ( is that ok??)and will they hold there price better- i am told that the 993 is the last proper 911 is that right??
Any thing I should look for when buying thats specific to the 993????
Thanks in advance
Adrian 07976 920475

 

[Heuer]

I sold my 1998 996 C2 Cab because I wanted to go back to the 993 - a far better and more satisfying car in my view. Having had 993's before the best choice is a C2 - handles better than the four wheel drive and narrower than the S. I asked my OPC to find me a 993 but to ensure it was not red, no sports seats and no big alloys. They eventually found for me a one owner 1997 C2 in red with sports seats and turbo alloys! Got them to ditch the turbo alloys in favour of the standard 16" wheels (yes I know they don't look as good but the handling is sublime) and eight years on it is still a great car - the best 911 Porsche ever built, just slam the door and listen to that sound. It is my wife's daily driver.

So for us the standard 993 C2, lowered suspension with 16" alloys is the pick of the crop. Sports seats are actually OK.

Carrera4 - heavier lifeless steering compared to the delicate C2
Carrera4S - "does my bum look big in this?". Heavier and too wide so why bother.
Cabrio - you still get scuttle shake and with the hood down it looks like a Silver Cross pram!
Big alloys - with 18" mine was undriveable. Far too skittish on UK roads. 17" are better but the car was designed for 16". Spoke to a Weissach test driver when I was there and he assured me the 993 had quicker lap times with the smaller wheels.
Tiptronic - it is actually OK but I prefer the manual.

Be aware though there are no electronic aids (other than ABS) to get you out of trouble - but there lies the pleasure.

No idea on values no doubt others will have a view.

 

[pse_SC]

Sounds good to me - but then it would do really - we are on the 993 forum![]

I'd say it will probably be a lot more "˜involving' than your 996 and you'll get the most beautiful and last version of the so-called modern aircooleds. C4 will obviously drive differently too, but if all the history and condition is evident, it seems quite good for the price. Presume you have looked around a bit - this is always well worth doing. You'll love it![]

I would definitely say it will hold it's price better "" I'm sure someone else will come along and have more to say on this and other things... watch this space...

 

[968er]

Before making any decision on a 993, drive one. They are totally different to a 996 and you may not like how it feels.

Don't worry about whether it is a C2 or C4, you only feel the difference on the track when you are pushing the car.

If you are going to get one, buy purely on condition. The things that you want to see receipts for are new springs and dampers, the original munroes are rubbish and ensure that the clutch has been replaced if the car has done about 50k miles.

Good luck and enjoy the hunt.

 

[leesweeney]

ORIGINAL: adriana1

Hi all
a bit of advice is needed heare of I will be spending my hard earned money unwisley
i have a 1998 996 C2- and realy like it, but i always wanted a air cooled 993- now i have a chance of buying a 1997 R reg one of the last 993 C4 Oh what shall I do??- could sell the Cb in the better weather with the fitted hard top- should sell OK for the right money
dont know how the 993 will drive in comparison to the 996- only had this for a few months- do they drive as well??
Are they worth more this one is £27500.00 with 60k miles ( is that ok??)and will they hold there price better- i am told that the 993 is the last proper 911 is that right??
Any thing I should look for when buying thats specific to the 993????
Thanks in advance
Adrian 07976 920475

I agree with most of the comments having sold a 996C4 to purchase a 993 C2S. 996 is a bit like a fast BMW, ie a saloon car with a lot of go and high up on the comfort factor. The 993 is a sports car, it is the difference between the big dipper and the merry go round, both are fairground rides but one puts a much bigger smile on your face.

However, despite being a total 993 convert and thinking they are so much better than a 996, if you use the car as a daily driver the 996 is better. Raw, aggressive and despite the hewn from solid rock feel to the interior in a 993 it is somewhat dated (beautiful but dated) whereas the 996 is a modern car. I know lots of people do use them daily but you have to be committed.

Price sounds OK but you don't give much away on condition, service history and the likes.

And unlike one correspondant, 16" wheels may help the ride but don't half spoil the looks. Some of the 17" wheels look good and probably give a better balance between comfort and looks but of you want comfort stick with the 996 or buy a Merc. Live the dream - wide body, 18" alloys, tyres so fat a dragster would be proud of them and just put up with the tramlining, it's worth it.

 

[Heuer]

Live the dream - wide body, 18" alloys, tyres so fat a dragster would be proud of them and just put up with the tramlining, it's worth it.

Unless you are a woman when the jiggly ride may affect parts of the body we men just dream about! Our test is for my wife to drive the car along a local B road, at speed, and decide based on the level of 'discomfort' she experiences. The 18" wheels were the first casualty.

 

[pse_SC]

Oh? I would've thought her jiggled parts would have been the first "˜casualty'[&:]

Seriously though, on a bad day/road/weather I would sometimes prefer having 17s as opposed to the 18s I've got.

 

[edelschmetterling]

It is all down to personal taste. Seems as though you want the car because of its attached association of "˜purity' - Sound affects, looks and all the other ambiguous graces that makes the 993, the so called King of Porsche, but you may not like it to drive. It is a different drive without question of a doubt.

They say the 993 is a drivers car, (if you get one I would recommend the manual, more demanding but also more rewarding). I once met a chap who owned a Cayenne & on seeing & hearing the 993 engine announced that it caused him to yearn to be the child again. Other previous 993 owners I know personally have either bought another or want to (a case of finding the right one). - There is a very strange relationship that you can develop with this cars raw energy and feel. I drove mine around Germany for nine days & wasn't uncomfortable once, but that could just me & before moving I used her for the daily commute, what a start to the day that was...

I concur with the above statements, go & test drive one, then go home and if you find you can't sleep through wanting, then the 993 is the car for you"¦