Buying a 993? - Page 3 - Porsche General - PistonHeads UK

Bought my car from there back in Feb and the only problem I had with the car(alternator went 2 days before I was about to drive to the Alps) they sorted out PDQ. Price. They will haggle start at 10% and let them work you up. Buying a 993? No regrets so far and damn good to look at in the drive

a) The price is good IMHO. It's a later one if post 95 so should have Varioram and without the wiring loom fault. Haggle them down if you can tho'. You can get a LHD 996 for that money. b) Dunno about Autobahn. c) It's a very sensible thing to do. Maybe even too sensible. If you want something rawer like the Chimaera you should look at a 964RS. It is much more exciting for the money (but far less practical). Also, you shouldn't discount a Boxster or LHD 996 C2 if you have a more modern taste in Porsches as these are within budget too. To make the 993 more exciting, I would suggest an airbox, chip and sports exhaust. About a grand shoud do it. This makes the car more of an 'enthusiasts' drive, largely by sounding like more of a sportscar. d) Search this forum. 993 problem areas and buying advice have been covered in detail before. There is a wiring loom fault pre 1995, otherwise they are generally quite sorted. Get the warranty from Autobahn anyway.

The link to the site is down,assuming it is 60k odd avergeish & the colour is not too bad,the price really does sound spot on.You could quite easily see the car offered at £30k ish....Try the haggle,,if they will go 10% walk away as that would be too cheap! >> Edited by clubsport on Friday 25th April 14:19

It's in silver (which I think looks good and will be saleable) and has done around 70k miles so that's OK for a 7-year-old car. And yes, it has to have some practicality since it'll be only daily driver -- have to get my telescope into it for a start: It's in a largish suitcase-sized case.

Telescope... excellent First we had 'can you get two golf bags and two people into a 993?'... Now the telescope. Any Grand Piano concert pianists out there, who need to test the 993's storage capacity to its maximum? I bet you guys can't wait for the Cayenne to come out!!!

I knew before I bought mine that my guitars, effects pedals and the large Marshall valve amp wouldn't fit. But I learned to live with it.

Hey hey! Just 'cos my idea of a good time is to sit outdoors in the cold and dark, somewhere miles from anywhere...

I prefer night vision goggles and vaseline myself.

Why do you need to see what you're doing?

LOL!!

...and while I'm looking for said perfect machine, I asked one dealer whether the wiring loom on the early 993 he had for sale had been fixed, and whether the clutch was the original. This was his response: "We have no record of wiring loom being changed we have sold over 500 early 993s and only changed 2 looms so we do not feel it is a major issue with 993s the clutch is very light and progressive so assume it has been changed." Is he right?

To see if you may need to have Porsche change the wiring loom, quote the VIN number to a main dealer. Only cars with VINs up to a certain number (I can't remember what) were affected and Porsche might (I think only might) change it free or meet you part way.

Hmm, thanks for that -- will check. Don't see how his comment about the clutch makes sense though. Think I'll let that one go...

I think the clutch comment is a reference to the fact that the clutch gets heavier as it wears out. Or so I am led to believe. Mine seems quite light but the bite point is also pretty high.

Well...Just put a deposit a 95N C2 993 from Autobahn in silver. I broke ALL the rules: saw only one, bought the first one I saw, and didn't get an inspection. And the test drive was in london, whcih tells you little. On the plus side, I persuaded them to give me a year's warranty, two new rear tyres and an extra grand on the part-ex. It looks very clean and tidy, the clutch was fairly light, and it has had only three previous owners. And a guy I trust reckons he knows them, and the car, having both driven and sold it a couple of years ago, and reckons it's a sound motor. I can't wait to get hold of it! Pix to follow asap... >> Edited by manek on Tuesday 29th April 23:15

Sweet! Hope you checked the telescope fitted first though

Damn, knew I'd forgotten something... ..but seriously, I don't think it will. But then there's always mrs manek's old Golf banger-thing. I can use that for load-lugging.

I'm sure there must be a double entendre in there somewhere involving the words telescope, mrs and rear

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I read in the Club magazine about the wiring loom problem. I contacted OPC in Guildford who were brilliant. Took car in, they confirmed it needed the loom replaced. Booked it in, was given a Saab courtesy car (and even though I was taking it to Manchester,AFN nicely refused my offer to make a contribiution to the cost). Collected the car which had been cleaned and was perfect. No charges at all, but great courtesy and civility. I was hugely impressed.

Thanks for the info -- what were the symptoms?

None at all! I bought the car last August, at a track day I met Nick Faure who had bought a LHD 993 to take on holiday. I had never even been in a Porsche and asked him to take me round which he did. Amazing experience - later I took the car out myself and was high as a kite afterwards. All the journos there were saying that if you were going to buy a Porsche, a 993 was the one. So - long story short - I told Nick I'd buy the car if he should sell it. He called me that night and said if I wanted it, he didn't want to put miles on it, so I'd better have it! So, I didn't know a thing about the car except it went like a rocket, was LHD (which I wanted as I'm over the Channel a lot) and had done about 70k. Recently had the car checked by a specialist who pronounced it faultless. My non-car loving wife says it's the most comfortable car we've ever had. There were no symptons - just a look in the Porsche Car Club mag which said that if you had a 993 it was worth checking about the loom as Porsche would replace it FOC if required.

Thanks -- I shall do same said thing. Picking it up on Tuesday -- can't wait!! >> Edited by manek on Wednesday 30th April 18:03

Hi Manek The 993 engine loom problem is a factory recall affecting 993s up to early '96 build. They changed the insulation to be more environmentally friendly around that time (which begs the question whether other models should be affected), unfortunately the particulars of its mounting to the engine and high temperatures in the engine room harden the insulation until it starts cracking and disintegrating. Cars in hot climes are affected more seriously, but once the wires start touching, it can produce anything from injectors stuck on, pouring raw petrol out the exhaust, to a simple catastrophic fire. So get it checked by the OPC pronto - Porsche will pick up the tab if its in the affected range -of course they may find other things that really need doing ..... Cheers, Maurice

Thanks Maurice -- will do.

Maurice Despite doing as much research as I thought possible I missed the wiring loom issue before recently buying a '94 993 C2. You mentioned that the OPC would check to see if the car is affected by this factory recall and pick up the bill if any action is nessecary, but will that only be the case if the car has had FPSH. The car I've bought has been serviced by specialists for the last few years and I'm getting a bit concerned aboout all the "flaming" engine talk. Tom.

Hi Tom I know of several who are outside the dealer network and have had the work done. Try your luck, just be certain of the situation before giving them the car. The check will cost nothing, anyway.. BTW, its a 4-5 hour job, after the 1st time, anyway - so they will probably want the car for a couple of days. The full engine loom is replaced. Cheers, Maurice

Call your local OPC and give them the vehicle chassis number and any details they request. They will let you know whether the wiring loom needs checking. (15min-30min job, free) Once they check it they will inform you whether the loom need replacing (free). They will need the car for best part of a day if not more. This is a recall, regardless of who maintains the car. >> Edited by bins on Thursday 1st May 11:35

I went to see another 993 this morning and the nice chap, Rob, at Intaporsh agreed that an OPC would do it, irrespective of maintenance. And if you like that kind of thing, he's got a 1991 964 with 20k miles that has been done up to look just like a 993TT -- chap spent £15k on it apparently -- on sale for not much more that £32k. Weird.

...right, I now pick up my new (to me) 993 from Autobahn in Coventry on Thursday. At last! Can't wait...

Let us know how it compares to your Chimaera Manek. Sounds exciting!

Will do! As long as I can pick it up before Folembray...

...which now looks definitely like tomorrow morning!

And it's here! Drives beautifully, feels utterly solid but there's a LOT to learn about getting the best out of it -- all I've done so far is hack 170 miles down the motorway. Already though, the steering feels precise and really alive, while the power just keeps on going, all the way up the rev range. It sounds pretty good too. So, yep, I like it...

Congrats If you want to release the sound a little more, an airbox mod and sports exhaust can work wonders. Cheers Domster

Having out 1000 miles on the clock in the first week of ownership I can say that the first mod will be bigger wheels (16in. -> 17in.). Pix taken @ Folembray here: www.manekdubash.com/photos/Porsche_993_C2_rear.jpg www.manekdubash.com/photos/Porsche_993_C2_front.jpg or in my profile.

You could go straight to 18s. They don't do a great deal for the ride, although it isn't actually too bad, but they do look good.

I think I'd rather compromise ultimate handling for a bit of comfort, since it's my daily driver. Not to mention avoiding the terror of kerbing the wheels and the price of 265/35/18 (or whatever) tyres!

I'm going to find out about that shortly as my rear tyres look to be down to about 3mm which is normally the limit I would use. No point running them down to the legal limit when wet weather performance usually deteriorates before then. I will just mention a web site I found earlier who I have no affiliation with but was visiting out of idle curiosity: www.mytyres.co.uk They are mail order tyre suppliers, and what has surprised me is that there are so many makes of 265/35 ZR18 tyres listed - 44 different ones to be precise, and you wouldn't think it was a very common size. They range from ones which I have never heard of and wouldn't touch with the proverbial bargepole at £121.90, through more well known ones like Toyo Proxes T1-S at £146.70, Dunlop SP Sport 9000 at £165.30, Bridgestone S-03 at £175.00, Continental SportContact 2 at £183.20, Pirelli P Zero at £177.90, Yokohama AVS Sport at £181.90, Goodyear Eagle F1 at £192.00, Michelin Pilot Sport at £203.30. I don't know if any of these prices are any good (they don't include VAT) but they are interesting for comparison purposes. The tyres already on the car are the most expensive ones on the list (the Pilot Sports). I was intending to simply replace them with the same again, but maybe I should be looking at the other makes instead.

Correction: those prices do include VAT after all (and delivery).

Hehe! I'm a professional french horn player, spent yesterday trawling the web for a pic of the boot of a 944 to see if I could get my horn in the boot Martin.

Just to bring this off-topic diversion to a close, I have now got a new pair of Michelin Pilot Sport 265/35 ZR 18s fitted. The best web price that I found was was £203.30 delivered, however on top of that you would still need to factor in the cost of a new valve, removal of the old tyre, refitting, balance - and, as everyone likes to point out, the government tax of £1 per tyre for disposal. I'm sure they still go to the same landfill, just now you have to pay an extra tax for the privilege. Anyway, after 10 years of advising TVR people to go to Micheldever tyres who are not only cheap, but fit a lot of high performance tyres and keep most sizes in stock, but never having actually been there (I normally seem to change the car before the tyres wear out), I figured I really should give them a ring. Their price all inclusive was a very reasonable £206.25 each, and they were in stock. So I drove down there this morning and now have a brand new pair of rear tyres. The old ones were bordering on legality, much to my surprise when I checked them. I check the pressures regularly but with those flared arches, examining the tread isn't so easy.

I went to autobahn to day and although they had a few cars, none were minters, How did yours look ? I just could not think anyone would part with there money for cars which looked so poor. new cars with 5 past owners, stoned chip screens, marks all over paint, dirty wheels. I will not be going back to buy one thats for sure. David

Mine had been fully valeted and looked pretty good for an 8-year-old car. Autobahn said they've had a couple of problems recently with builders not completing an extension on time, so it meant there was too much dust around. I first saw my car after it had just been driven down to London from Coventry so I wasn't expecting the car to look brand new and, of course, it didn't. After the valet though, it sparkled. Even so, it's only when you wash it for the first time that you discover where all the little dings are...

...and six weeks on, it's still magic to drive, Zymoled and looking lovely and shiny, no niggles, no leaks, feels utterly planted at any speed but retains bags of character. Beginning to see what the Porker boys were on about...

Excellent stuff, Manek. After a few years of ownership myself, I totally subscribe to the propaganda: a view bourne of pure experience alone. Indeed, I must confess to a short term self-questioning of the 911's merits during the first 3 month period. Was it too easy? Of course not! I just wasn't trying hard enough! The odd nip and tuck in the engine bay has helped, certainly but fundamentally, I truly believe that the 911 - and the 993 especially - allows the enthusiast to have it all. No glib remark that, either and like you Manek, I share a previous ownership and (I assume?) continued love of TVR and other performance car marques. I've just never driven anything that gives me personally so much of everything in one package. Keep on 'pushing the envelope,' Atb, DeR.

Cheers DeR!

I've been all over the place (mentally speaking) trying to replace the Chimaera in my life. Now it's been gone five months and the stopgap is boring me, and I've just seen a 993 I really like the look of. I think it's a bit overpriced (95N C2 Coupe at £28,995) but it looks good from the ad ( www.autobahn.co.uk, 5th car down the list of used cars). Question I have is, a) am I right about the price, b) is the dealer known to anyone here? It's Autobahn in Coventry and c) is this a sensible thing to do (open question ) >Edited to add: D) Any known issues I need to look out for? >>> Edited by manek on Friday 25th April 10:31