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I too am looking for a 993. Am I mad?

M

MarinerChris

New member
Hi

I have just returned from working in the US for quite some time and am looking for a couple of cars (not to mention a house and all the other bits that go with a new life!)

My whole life I wanted a 968 or a 993 and now I find myself older, able to insure them cheaply and with disposable income, I am thinking of scratching this itch and buying one of each.

The plan will be to share my driving between the two of them and I will be doing long journeys so they need to be ultra reliable and not let me down (I need to drive to their birthplace for a week once a month for the next couple of years) so a really good example will be important.

I want both cars to be ones I can love and lavish lots of attention on, but I would rather spend my time keeping them pristine rather than fixing them up!

So, apart from this being my "hello chaps" message, I have some questions..

1. Am I going to hate or love driving a 968 and a 993 on long journeys into the continent? Or am I completely bonkers?

2. Is any 993 or 968 going to be up to the task?

3. What kind of maintenance should you all recommend, over and above what will be done at a service? (such as some parts having a service life of xxxxxx miles or x years)

4. What should I be looking at paying for each car? (ball park)

I would also like to use both for the occasional track day or trip to the Ring.

Sorry if I double post this, but I will be polling the 968 and 993 communities, now no being rude about the other model guys!
 
968 Clubsport and a standard 993 would seem the ideal combination - not sure about cost but would be useful to get your budget for others to advise on the likely figures involved.
 
Chris,

I bought my first 993 today after looking for ages. I don't think you are mad but the more modern cars are more of a GT than the 993. If you are doing multi-hundred mile journeys regularly then a car with cruise, navigation etc may be easier.

Your challenge will be finding a car that fits the bill. They tend to fall into two categories - garage queens where you are paing for the low mileage so putting thousands of miles on it will hurt the value or a higher mileage car which are sometimes a bit tatty. Eventually I found one with moderate miles that needed a bit of work but will be perfect for what I need. You need to drive one a bit and see if they fit your bill. If they dont I'll probably have a 997 C4S for sale before too long!

Good luck

Andrew
 
Just happened to see this 968CS on the forum:
http://www.porscheclubgbforum.com/tm.asp?m=696350
 
Budget is not to much of an issue. Obviously not a bottomless pile of cash to spend, but before I came to my current conclusion, I was expecting to spend £40k at a BMW dealership for something new, so you could say up to £40k is my comfort zone at the moment.

I am also house hunting at the moment, some would decide that the car budget is on ice when buying a house, but I have the opposite attitude, the car budget is a tiniest fraction of what I am spending on a house.

Both cars I am interested in are also probably at the bottom of their depreciation curve, so it makes a level of financial sense to buy a couple of modern classic Porsche, rather than the BMW that will suffer some serious depreciation!

Cruise control.. Thats something I really am going to need. Is it possible to retrofit cruise? Did these cars have an option of it?

That 968 CS is actually a real good looking buy actually, I might need to arrange a viewing!

One thing worth mentioning, for years I have been driving left hand drive cars and learned to drive here in the UK and will probably be doing more miles in Europe than here.. So I will not rule out left hand drive versions. I read somewhere that a 993 in LHD is nicer than the RHD, is that true?
 
I think LHD prices are more than RHD these days. As to whether they are better to drive you could ask in the 964RS forum - quite a lot of those are LHD and they may well have an opinion on the 993 too. Unless you are set on an air cooled model, 40k puts you in the sweet spot of a 997 - a very good gen 1 car or a leggy gen II. If you want to compare and contrast and are anywhere near Sevenoaks you are welcome to come and have a ride in mine, although my 993 is a cab.
 
Hi Chris, I've a 993 Targa and a 944 S2.

I have owned a 968 CS which I bought new in the early 90's but sold it when I'd got to 9 points on my license. [:mad:]

As you say the cost of ownership is low as depreciation is virtually nil. However if you are going to pile the miles on it I'd say the 958 should withstand the extra mileage best.

My 993 does about 3,000 miles a year, it's a wonderful car and I love to take it to France and get a really long run now and then, but I think once you get 150,000 plus the value is hit badly, and the cost of a rebuild horrendous. I also think people are wary of rebuilt motors unless they come with impeccable heritage.

The 968 rebuild won't damage it's value too much.
 
I too am looking for a 993. Am I mad?
Click to expand...

Mad? Not at all. But it actually sounds like the 968 might be a better option for you with all the travelling (good storage space, etc), which will take all that you throw at it, as they're well-sorted balanced cars. And you're obviously talking about lower outlay, etc[;)]
 

ORIGINAL: MarinerChris

Cruise control.. Thats something I really am going to need. Is it possible to retrofit cruise? Did these cars have an option of it?


I read somewhere that a 993 in LHD is nicer than the RHD, is that true?
Click to expand...

Not sure about the 968 but cruise control was an option on the 993. It's not too easy a retro fit though as I do not believe that the wiring loom is pre-wired for it but I would imaging that all the parts will still be available from Porsche to do it.

The 993 was designed to be a LHD with RHD being something of an afterthought and therefore very much a compromise. The pedals are very off-set in the RHD and there is not as much legroom for the driver, personally I don't think the driving experience is as good because of this. But then owning left hooker I would say that wouldn't I?

As for which car is the better cruiser, all I can say is that the 968 must be bloody marvelous if it's better than a 993 on original standard spec suspension. I drove mine back from Frankfurt to Central Scotland in a bit over twelve hours when I bought it in 2000. Not sure I would want to do that now with the Bilsteins and lowered H & Rs right enough but even now I don't get out of it feeling tired or stiff after two or three hundred miles.


 
You're certainly not mad!

I've had a 993 C4 for many years (bought it with 27K on the clock over 10 years ago and it now has 127K!). It's my daily drive and, as you'll see from the mileage, I cover about 10K/year. It's been an absolute joy to drive both in the UK & Europe (mixture of town & motorway driving) and it's never let me down. Mind you I have a/c that's fully operational and also cruise and I find that both make a real difference.

When you find the cars - enjoy!

Anton
 
I do have a 968 and a 993, firstly you will not find a 968CS or Sport with both A/C and cruise, you may find them both on a 968 coupe, but your choice of cars will be very narrow. I use my 968 Sport most of the time as I prefere it to the 993 for everyday use, it is more practical, you will be amazed at what you can get into the back of them. It`s generally easier to live with, it`s huge fun and because of it`s low value I`m not concerned where I leave it, supermarket and multistorey carparks etc. Consequently, I do get a lot of enjoyment out of the car and some years I have done 20k miles in it and on occaisions done over 500 miles in the day effortlessly. Running costs have been reasonable for the mileage i`ve done, servicing is not that expensive, but parts do wear out and things do eventually need replacing, it`s always been reliable and I`m not worried about the depreciation as it was not an expensive car to buy initially.

The 993 is not practical enough for me to use everyday, the running costs and depreciation would be eye watering for the mileage I do, but that`s not to say you can`t use them everyday, it`s a personal and financial choice. The 993 is an event everytime I get in it, it`s fantastic for those long trips at home and abroad as its more refined, it is considerably quieter and smoother than the 968 Sport. Consequently, it is used mainly for holidays and weekends away rather than a daily workhorse. Two very different cars with very different driving experiences, however, both rewarding to drive whatever their use.

 
A 993 is a classic
It is manufactured from solid granite
It will go up in price if looked after. Not so a modern Porsche
It is totally reliable if looked after.
It is not expensive to run (unlike a Ferrari).
It is economical to own (unlike a Ferrari).
It is suitable for long runs.
Like a 968, it is user friendly. Not so an early 911 or Ferrari. (stands back and waits for abuse [:D])

Enjoy.
 

ORIGINAL: dereksharpuk

A 993 is a classic
It is manufactured from solid granite
It will go up in price if looked after. Not so a modern Porsche
It is totally reliable if looked after.
It is not expensive to run (unlike a Ferrari).
It is economical to own (unlike a Ferrari).
It is suitable for long runs.
Like a 968, it is user friendly. Not so an early 911 or Ferrari. (stands back and waits for abuse [:D])

Enjoy.
Click to expand...



YEAH YEAH YEAH.


JohnC
993turbo
 
Spent whole weekend driving various rubbish vehicles for family reasons, got back home last night and had to move the 993 a few metres so it would be easy to get out for a run on Thursday and vroooom! - Wow she brings a smile to your face just turning the key to start her up.
 
Sold my 993 C2 Cab and bought a 1988 930 Turbo Targa.
Should have kept the 993. Porsche actually got it right with the 993 an awesome car and a dream to drive.



 
I had a 968 Sport, sold it for the 993.

Didn't have + didn't want aircon in the former, didn't wnat but got aircon in the latter. Just extra weight to lug about needlessly, especially in the North West where it's so temperate mostly that aircon is superfluous.

But useful on long trips I've been on to the South and continent in sunnier / hotter climes, nevertheless [;)]

As to practicalities, you'll most likely prefer the 993 for those trips as the 968 is more 'fidgety' and shorter geared in 6th. For the twisties / country lanes, you'll prefer the 968 as it so sublimely balanced, it's a dream.
993 far better screwed together + more refined though than the 968; yet 968 could carry so much more.
And of course the engine note. No comparison! Rest my case, m'lud. [8D]
Certainly that was so in my experience.

Certainly get them both, I'd say, and you'll not go far wrong; more than comfortably covered by £40k.

Graeme
 
Well, I drove two 993 today. A left hand drive and a right hand drive.

Left hand drive had the pedals dead ahead, the right hand drive had them offset. So what I had been told was true about the driving position, I am not sure if I would get on with right hand drive, but also think there is a chance I would get used to it.

Much thinking to be done.

I think I will be getting a left hand drive 968 for the continental trips and a 993 for the UK work, right hand drive would probably make more sense for this 993.

Thanks for all the advice so far, I just need to get my head around right hand drive versus left hand drive now..
 
First time I drove a 993 I too thought "what they say about pedal position is true, feels offset", but within a week of having my own I'd completely forgotten about the feeling. I jump between 3 vehicles of my own and umpteen rental cars I use for work and the position of the pedals in the 993 never enters my mind except for when the topic gets raised on this forum!

I'd recommend ignoring this issue in your thinking about which car to get.
 
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