Will a 993 'live out' and survive?

[marmalade]

Hello all

I'm seriously considering buying my first Porsche and am looking for 993. The car will be used as my only car, winter and summer. Unfortunately, I don't have a garage though. What do you think? Does (could) this make sense? Are there any particular precautions that I could take to look after, what will be, my pride and joy?

Many thanks, in advance, for your help with my 'rookie query'.

Mark

 

[James Shunt]

It's not ideal, Mark, but I have no choice either. I got a drive at my place to keep the car there and a cover for it to keep the rain off and simultaneously hide its good looks away from undesirables. Quite a few owners use covers (and warn against covering a wet car as it can affect paintwork). When I take the car out and it has rained, I also roll out my cover to make sure it is dry before it goes back on the car when I return.

James

 

[sidned]

I am in the same position, Mark, and have owned my 993 for almost 3 years. We had a garage conversion done a couple of years ago, so I either kept the 993 on the drive or sold her and got something else. The latter choice was not an option! I drive a short distance (6-8 miles - enough to get the thermostat to cut in) each way to work, and she sits in a company car park all day. At the weekend I always try to give her a good run, and I plug in a Ctek battery conditioner every month or so to keep the battery in good condition.

Don't let the fact that you don't have a garage put you off owning a 993. They do not attract as much attention as a Ferrari or Lambo, so most people will not take any notice of it on the drive and she should remain secure (or as secure as any car, depending on your neighbourhood!).

If you give her a good wax a couple of times a year, this should protect the paintwork from UV and bird cr*p for the most part. I find that bird cr*p is the biggest issue in the summer, so make sure you get this stuff off ASAP. Don't wipe it - soak some kitchen roll in water and apply to the "deposit" until it is soft enough to simply slip off with a hose. The other thing I noticed last year was wasp poo! Yes, you heard right! There were little marks appearing all over the roof, and when I found a wasps nest nearby, the guy that came to get rid of it says this was what the marks were on my car! Get this stuff off quick because it burns into the paint.

These cars are extrememly well engineered, in fact in most cases they are over engineered, so will withstand many years of the UK weather, providing you look after the paint as described.

With regards to driving them every day, I have not had a single break down in the 3 years I have owned her, and I strongly believe this is because I drive her every day. Get something with a few miles on, and that way you won't have to worry about putting a few more miles on and losing money. You can concentrate on the fun part which is actually driving the thing!

Good luck in your search, and keep us informed.

Darren

 

[angry]

Fully agree with Sidned,these cars are as hard as nails(only without the rust).They are NOT expensive to run.
We have had ours for 6 years,the first 2 were used for commuting stuck in 45 mins of traffic and since then its been used for occasional commuting,general use,but mainly as a Nurburgring track car.
It has many stonechips/blemishes,some of which have been bare metal for a while and it just refuses to rust.
It has been in snow drifts/salty roads to being thrashed round the Ring in 90 degree heat and then sitting in traffic jams to get off,with the engine running really really hot and it takes it all in its stride.
Just make sure the oil is changed regularly and thats its washed /polished.
Buy one and enjoy it.DO NOT WORRY.
Its good to have a bit of money put aside at some time for unexpected repairs.
They are quite an easy car to learn to look after mechanically DIY.
There are lots of cheap spares out there for them.
You wont regret it.
Dan

 

[day1zero]

Agree with all above.mine sits on drive under cover...with ctek conditoner plugged in......


Buy one and enjoy it....you wont look back !!!

 

[day1zero]

Angry.....

Please advise where to get the cheap parts !!!!???

Just paid £188 for an offside rear track rod (control arm 3)....and that was after substantial inetrnet search !!!!

 

[Mark Elder]

Mine has to live outside too, you could build a nice garage for about same price as buying a 993. Then you would have an empty garage. It's a no brainer.

Welcome to the forum and the start of your search. It may take you a while - but afterwards the search will be seen as part of the fun. You have choosen the best car.

Just this afternoon/evening driven mine on a fast 300 mile trip around part of the highlands. If it gets better than this I don't know how....

 

[Guest]

Give your car a good steam clean underneath several times a year (advice from 9m) and a long run as often as possible. You can always take the arch covers off couple of times a year & clean behind them at the jacking points where muck accumulates. I would wax the car at least twice a year or more if possible. Keep all the drain tubes/points clear & Waxoyl the windscreen seals once a year. Monitor the carpets closely (they should be bone dry). Don't skimp on any servicing, particularly oil.

With all this, your car should stay happy forever & ever! [8D]

Cheers,
Roddy

 

[ubertub]

Get your hand in your pocket... you're wasting valuable driving time.
Mine's a daily with 100k and doesn't EVER miss a beat - rain or shine.
Ditto on the underneath cleaning and regular oil swaps but for day-to-day reliability it will knock a Mondeo into a (don't know how to finish this expression, but you get the idea)
Good luck in finding a gem before summer is gone.
mik

 

[jboult]

Mine lives on the drive or road, all year round. I don't use a battery conditioner or cover, and don't have a problem. Used as a daily commuter and hasn't let me down. I wouldn't let the lack of a garage put you off in any way - although having said that the only problem I've ever had was having the bonnet badge stolen!

Mine is a Targa, and the roof tends to leak very, very slightly in heavy rain, but apart from that it's fine.

Not sure I agree so much with comments about the build quality or robustness, particularly when compared with (for example!) a late model 944. Important bits like the engine/gearbox/chassis are generally all fine, but switches, trim, body galvanisation, etc. can be a little sub-standard. Mine has been a bit of a project (which I knew when I bought it), but there tend to be quite a few small bits and pieces to sort out, which can quickly add up.

Cheers/John

 

[angry]

ORIGINAL: day1zero

Angry.....

Please advise where to get the cheap parts !!!!???

Just paid £188 for an offside rear track rod (control arm 3)....and that was after substantial inetrnet search !!!!

Agreed,Just phoned my supplier.
But these rarely go, none of mine have gone in the cars 13yrs 110000 miles.
So if mine went i would be dividing years/miles to the price and its not too bad.
Also these will go down the more they sell.
They are unlike normal control arms,they are sort of cast /braced/lightwieght construction.
When you look at parts like Brakes,service parts and a lot of the electrical componants they are fairly priced compared to other"super cars".
Dan

 

[Pickled Piper]

I've had my 993 for nearly four years. It has been stored outside throughout that time without a car cover. I just wash and wax it regularly. However, it is not ideal. I've had to have corrosion repairs on the bodywork. I am sure the corrosion was aceelerated by the car being outside.

pp

 

[Johnny C]

I'm an outsider too. It's a 1996 model, and has no rust or paint bubbles anywhere. It's a daily use car, 40 miles each way, with nearly 130K on the clock. It has had a few upsets over the 3 years - ABS which still isn't sorted (but have some options to check for the next service), clutch (1 in 60K miles), starter motor (wear and tear you'd expect from salty northern roads).

There are some high mileage related costs - disks and pads all round (once every 2 years for me) doesn't leave much change from a grand, if the clutch goes you'll probably need a new flywheel so expect another £1K there

That's not as scary as it may sound (if you're not expecting those prices); you'll save far more in depreciation so it's a bit of an investment really. If I'd bought a top of the range Ford Mundane 60K miles and 4 years ago, I'd have lost an awful lot more money by now than I've actually paid out.

 

[marmalade]

Just a quick thanks to all of you who have given your advice. Looks like it is possible, if not ideal, to 'live out'. So now to the 'wanted' section.

Thanks again.

 

[edelschmetterling]

I used to love leaving my car outside my home and seeing her every morning before heading off to the office.
Yes, fine to leave out on the road, but I would suggest cleaning and polishing like tomorrow will be the most beautiful day ever. Personally cleaning the car will ensure you spot any flaws, scratches etc so you'll be given good time to spot & deal with them.
My wing mirrors keep being stolen and so now I keep her underground and out of sight. Will be planning all future journeys from now on too: Dedicated secure Parking everywhere from now on"¦ has to be cheaper than buying new mirrors and paying for the annual cost of garaging underground.

 

[sanjay]

hi

had mine for four years living in hoxton.

Over those 4 years my commute in it has varied from 4 miles a day....yes i know to 100miles a day...

Loads of stone chips now but solid mechanically.

Sanjay