I don't WANT a 993 anymore!

When I first started my 911 hunt, I wanted a 993. Air cooled, "real" Porsche, classic design, etc, etc. I didn't like the newer 996 design, and also thought the 996's were way out of my price range too. When I read about how impossible it is to change the oil and plugs on a 993, and about the CEL issue, the valve guide wear issue, I checked out this forum, for the hell of it. Hey, the 996 isn't bad looking at all. And hey, they are cheaper to buy than a 993! After reading about engine failure, oil leaks, and headlight shapes, I discovered how much of a Porsche fan I am, since none of the above discouraged me from wanting one! And as I have been checking out the photos of 996's for sale, and learning about the 99-01 and 02+ cars, and how reasonable they are priced, I have changed my thinking! To me, now, the 996's are SO much nicer looking than the 993! I saw an add for a '95 993, opened the link, and was shocked at how dated and generally old the 993 looks in comparison to the 996's I have been looking at for the past few weeks! Thanks to this forum, I won't be buying another antique Porsche! Sorry if this makes no sense...!

Hey .... no problem... makes plenty of sense....... so you want a 993......nothing wrong with that...... j/k..... you know the 993 is still a gorgeous car... looks like the old school porsche and nothing wrong with that.... if i could i wold also have one in my stable...... but for the price and the deal... you can't beat the 996.... it's also gorgeous no doubt and i have no regrets..... but if i was looking to buy... go 02 or higher... saves a lot of money in wanting to upgrade later.......

I wish I could have a 993 c4s, in addition to my 996, but gotta go for the 996 as the everyday car.

Andy ... to each his own ... 2 totally different cars ... and BTW ... you're entitled to your opinion ... but you're making no sense. Scott

I've got a 993 C4S as my daily driver, and wouldn't exchange for anything in the world. Whenever I park next to a 996 I'm grateful that I did my homework before entering the 911 world. The 996 is many things, but better looking than a 993 it is not. To each his own, but recognize each models strengths and weaknesses for what they are. The 996 is not the first generation 911 to become worth less than the generation it succeeded for nothing.

man... we're going to start another war here..... Hey just love what you drive and appreciate all the other rides...... we're all porsche owner's here.... just different variants....... I love all porsches..... except for those SUV ones.......what were they thinking?

i hope you know that was a joke right....?!??!?!?!?!?

Scott

I really envy the 993 Cab owners of their soft top! It always reminds you that you have one - especially when it's open

Except you know, the 993 was priced LOWER than the 964. bahaha ewwww

Not saying the 993 isn't a beauty. I just don't like it anymore. Part of it is the fact that I wish I had more comfort every time I drive my 944 for more than 15 minutes! The 993 is about as bare bones as the 944 (my brother in law let me drive his black '95 C4s a few years ago)!

If it was a '95, it wasn't a C4S.

I think this is a blonde vs. brunette discussion, to each his own but 996/blondes are better.....

You're right. It doesn't. But coming from a 944 driver I can see where your sense of taste comes from...

It makes plenty of sense to me Dude.....

Enjoy what you've got, but understand particular strengths and weaknesses.

Once you drive a 930, you never go back er forwards

I love the 993 series...sexy and curvy...but the interior (and that is what I see driving in the car) is to dated. Porsche lost a little credibility in the design department when putting the 996 on the market in 98....I remember hating that model....and 7 years later I buy one..go figure!! Never regretted it but couldn't wait to do a 02 conversion. I have to admit that everytime a I see a 993 (especially the Turbo) I wish I had one. About the quality of engines and all the problems......you got to have a little luck.

Hey, where's a representative from the longhood crowd when you need one? Let's really split this up into camps, eh.

I'd rather have any 911 than almost any other car.

I think you are right!

I like the 993 interior - somewhat spartan, but altogether purposeful. And it looks like... well... a 911 interior!

Hi guys, I owned a very beautiful manual 993 with 3.8RS conversion...... it's a hard decision when I was offered to sell it & replace with a 996. Now, I am a happier driver with the 996 tips. Nevertheless, I still miss the raw power on the 993.

I was having the same battle.... I have a 930 and it is a great car but wanted something that was more of a driver. Something I could jump into anytime and start right up, have a/c if I wanted, heat if I wanted and be able to look out the windows if it was raining. Also did not want to worry about where to park and how long to leave it there. I set my sights on the 993 also and actually had money down on a C4S one owner really pretty and pretty quick also. Then at the last moment the wife chipped in and convinced me that I should look at the "bigger" 996. Well, it seemed to have everything I was looking for. Taking into consideration the service aspect and the overall creature comfort level - wow a/c and automatic heat - I was sold! I just picked up my new to me 04 C4S Coupe stick and the biggest surprise of all for me was the power and handling. This car is amazing. I will qualify by saying that I am over 55 and still race purpose built race cars on some weekends and really did not need the boy-racer feel of the 993 although I will always hold a special place in my heart for the thought that I might have been able to wrap a 993 around me like a great feeling glove if not for the wifely compromise. Life is great.

As a former owner of a 993, I believe it was one of the best 911s that Porsche ever built. The interior of the 993 is certainly spartan, but it was spartan by design. After all it is a Sports Car and not a luxury cruiser. In order to appeal to an ever growing market, Porsche made a decision to add most of the accoutrements that you would expect to find in a luxury car, and based on their success it's hard to find fault with the direction they took. I'm from the old school and I don't need cup holders or the best stereo system with surround sound in my Sports Car, but I suppose there's just not enough people like me to keep Porsche's balance sheet in the black. I guess it won't be long before Porsche offers air cooled seats in addition to the heated seats it already offers, and how long will it be before Porsche offers the auto parking feature found on a Lexus.

Ouch! No smiley or wavey at the end of this jab!?

Must have been a '96 then. Last time I drove it was 5 years ago. He has since sold the 993 and bought a MB CLK 55 AMG. He still regrets it! The MB seems like an Acura compared to the 911. I didn't create this thread as an anti-993 rant! The 993 is a great Porsche, but I just wanted to point out the fact that I have come around to the 996 side at this point. Luke, I am your father!

Both beautiful but in different ways. I'd own any stick 993 but only a C4S, Turbo, GT2 or GT3 from the 996 family. The C4S and Turbo includes the Cabrio. Ciao, J.

It is just to easy to stir up the 993 crowd now it just isnt any fun Nothing wrong with thes 996 curves

One thing both camps have to agree on is that the front ends on both cars (993/996) are UGLY. The traditional 911 front to me still rules!

If I could add a 993 cab next to the C4S in the garage, my collection would be complete. That, and a 930. ...and a 997 Targa. And a 1970 911T, black and gold.

^^^^^^^ you're fogetting the tt series and the gt3's.... what about them????

My wife won't let me sell my 993 to get a GT3.

Having owned twelve 911's including a '71T, SC's, Carrera 3.2's, a 993 and a '82SC track car with a turbo motor, I would have to say my 2001 996 is the best of the lot. As has been mentioned, the creature comforts are wonderful, it still handles very well, has plenty of power and is so much fun to drive. Prior to buying the 996, I also felt that, stylingwise, it was not as good as the 993. However. after having washed it many times, there are curves and design features that you miss on a casual observation. While I do like the 997 interior better, the 996 interior is still very good. My wife has autocrossed and tracked some of our cars in the past. Her comment after she drove the 911 the first time by herself was telling. When I asked her what she thought of the car, her comment was, "It drove like a 911!" There is no higher praise.

I agree the 993 is better looking, in a classic sort of way. OTOH, the 996 is just a superior car, and this current fetish for overpaying for the 993 will fade IMO. The sheer numbers of 996's produced, devalued them more than any substantive comparisons to the 993. I've driven my friends 1995 on many occaisions, and my car is faster, handles better, and is by far more comfortable. Sure, his has nicer hips!

I'm married with 3 kids, no time for the track, and nowhere here to go faster than I already do without getting thrown in the pokey. When the kids get a little older and I have a little more time (does that day ever come?), we'll be talking GT3, oh yeah!!!!

Apparently, more than one 993 owner wants a 996.... Kids, please don't try this at home.....

Sorry but I counldn't resist....I usaully aviod post like these but this is getting out of hand and I feel my 2 cent may put things into perspective. How many of you P car owners have in the past or planning to do a facelift. You know...body kits, rims, interior carbon fiber, colour matching consoles that kind of stuff? Probably 9 out of 10 on this forum. So if you guys are so gungho about the looks of your 996 or 993 then why not just leave it alone. Let me answer that questions, since I'm also one of them P car owners. Taste is a subjective and individual thing, like the saying goes, every Porsche is like a snow flake, no 2 are alike. Just be glad you have good health and not taking the bus my friends. Wake up and smell the coffee, if you have 3 months to live, this debate will be the last of your worries. Be grateful you drive a Porsche and still able to enjoy it. Hope I didn't offend anyone.

Where's the "puke" emoticon? That's like some bizarre two headed cloned sheep.

It's pretty bad isn't it. It is just wrong in so many ways.....

That is (or should I say was ) not a 993. And apparently, there is at least one 996 owner that wants a 993: TRADE 996 for 993

Boy I never saw that coming!! I have to say that's the first time I've ever heard that one. Oh well, different strokes, as they say. I love em all. (but my 993 is my favorite child, shhhhh!!) i bleed OIL, BIZNATCH!!! --just playin.-j

I had the same issues between the 993 and the 996 and at the end of the day I drove both and liked the 996 better as a daily driver and all around car. Both cars have their merits. I would own both and a GT3 if I had the cash and the garage space.

996 have their issues too. You have to go through the RMS (Maybe several times), Key switch (stuck key)(get a spare key assembly on Ebay), oil pressure sensor issue, and couple of other things. Than you got your reliable Pcar..... At least from my experience, their better than the 70's and 80's Pcar which were daily drivers to the shop...

I gotta tell ya, its one thing to ask people for their thoughts, the key word here being their thoughts but who cares what we think you should drive. Drive both and really look at the which car fits your lifestyle. Yes the 993 is a great car, yes the 996 is a great car, both are better and worse in their own ways. Most 993 guys will tell you that " The 996 is not a real Porsche" and most 996 guys will tell you" The 993 is old technolgy and not a confortable car " Both sides are full of ****.I drive a 996 TT, why because thats the car I want.....end of story.Good luck with your search and please let us know when your in the 996.

Both are great cars but in this case the market is being driven by numbers (as in there are many more 996's produced) and the engine problems experienced by the 996 , especially in the first year. These problems have been taken by a small but vocal subsection of aircooledheads and blown up to be spread across all 996's and into every watercooled car built from 1999 to 2004. That's too bad, because I think these criticisms might help the value of their cars in the short run but will most likely hurt that value in the long run. Bottom line, both are great cars and enjoy what you have.

I like Porsches in general so now that I got out of the way . Everyone seems to be avoiding the infamous IMS issues that plague both the 996/997/Boxster/Cayman. The 993 may have other issues but the engine imploding is not one of them.

who's avoiding them?.... plenty of threads about IMS on this forum. But, there is way more... "I love my 996" thread going on. Just ask all the new guys that just bought them over the 993.

troll's out today? and as for avoiding..... hell I jumped in both feet AND paid more than it was worth..... avoid THAT!

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Im right there with you. I just didnt want old school, I wanted something Porsche actually built from the ground up.

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and to some.... pieces are still on the ground.

All I can say is coming from this... and this.... I like this better.... Now dont get me wrong my 944 and my 911sc served me well and were both a blast to drive, the 996 just fits "me" better.

Wow, classic old thread. I still stand by the 996 - it's a Porsche that's a little more comfortable to live with than the 993.

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....996 owners would still worry about IMS Wouldn't want to break down in my last 3 months.

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Welcome to 2007 Tin Can. Is there any particular reason you wanted to open up a 3 year old thread?

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Ray, maybe it was to do this ===>

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You must be selectively reading the 996 forum then, and missed all the revelant info.

for the 993 drivers, dont forget clogging secondary air handling CEL. fun fun fun. $1500 to turn off an idiot light to pass state exhaust inspection. surfer161

what is most important of all is to remember that its just a car, buy what you like, what speaks to you or gets your blood pumping and get out and drive it and have some fun.

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Not on the 95......

^^^ nice Vram conversion!.... no obdii cels to deal with, awesome!

everybody is trying to justify what they own(993 or 996)thats understandable,we spend money on them(lots of).pamper them,etc i like both cars as well,but im getting a little tired of hearing about how the 993 is this handmade,built like a brick****house,vehicle,while the 996 is this mass produced,or somewhat inferior product lacking the build quality of the 993,do your research and youll find that they shared the same production lines,literally sometimes one after another,and were both hand built to some degree.yes the robot technology started to take over some of the tasks as the 996 series evolved,but that was about being more efficient and not having a human repeat a task that a robot could do.from installing the interiors to suspension and finally painting the cars all by hand,ive talked to people who have been to the factory,and ive seen the production photos,unfortunately its another one of those 996 tales that once its takes off it has a life of its own i dont get it ?. i guess the aircooled elite couldnt deal with porsche going in a different direction(liquid cooling)anyway enjoy your porsche 993 or 996 there both awesome.

Had a great 993,drove a friends 996. Done. Sold the 993 and bought a 996 cab.

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^^^^ Case closed!!!

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Thanks. Kinda the best of both US 993 worlds. For the record: some of us 993 guys like the water cooled 911s too Cheers, Joe

I went from a 993 C4S in 1996 to a Boxster S in 2001. Yeah I wanted a convertible and the ride/drive of the mid engine car was a big plus. One of the things I did not miss about my 993 was the weak A/C, oh, and the wipers that were a hazard if it rained. Hmm come to think of it the exploding rear glass ... Bottom line all Porsches have their quirks and the 993 had plenty - did I mention having to lube the windshield seal every couple of months On the other hand the 993 was and is a damn fine car. Based on resale value, a lot of people agree with that statement.

don't you hate it when you spend the time to read four pages of a thread only to realize it is YEARS OLD? somehow it seems more civilized than I remember the first time I read it.

Yah I was vacationing in Afghanistan when this was started.

Not sure how this appeared as new when I was looking. I didnt realize till someone else pointed out that it was 3 years old. Sorry. BTW, after doing some reading I have realized while the 993 is a nice car it has its share of issues as well. Oh well...