996/997 handling vs 993

I was fortunate today that one of my clients let me drive his 997 c2. All I can say is WOW! My car is an '88, and to go from 1988 to 2008 was like going through a time machine. Not so much the power but the handling. I drove the car on a nearby road that I am quite familiar with eight S curves and the car was glued to the asphalt. On this road I know when I can power through, or when I need to brake hard on the straight before I enter the next turn. Not in the 997. I was hard on the throttle through all turns and the cars was on rails and I didn't have that nagging thought in the back of my head: don't lift, don't lift, are you carrying too much speed? I had total confidence and easily could have pushed it harder but the car was not mine. In the next year I will be in the market for a 993 or a 996. For people who moved up to the 996 from a 993, or people who drove both cars back to back: which one handles better? I know the 993 suspension is a revolution in technology over the trailing arms of the 911, but how much better is the 996 over the 993?

Others here probably have more experience with the 993, but in my experience the 996 both inspires more confidence and the rear sticks better, at least at auto-x speeds <75mph. That's based on stock suspension and 17" on the 993 and 18" on my 996, bigger rubber always helps. --> Nice collection of slot cars btw, we got a Scalextric Flying Lizard set for Christmas.

I'm guessing everybody here will tell you that the 996 is better. This is my opinion as well. It's true the car is more refined, but I fail to see how that's a bad thing when you don't actually give up useful feedback. The 996 has more grip, better brakes, more power AND less weight, so on. Unless you like how the 993 looks, or it's perceived build quality (door handles, framed windows, etc.), there's not much of a real reason to pick it over the 996.

A stock 996 will handle the same or even better then a stock 997 the 993 while air cooled can be made to handle just as well but your going to need to put in on a diet and pour some money into suspension, of course the 996 and 997 can do the same upgrades and still be a better handling car.

Speaking from a 996 and 997 point of view, the 996 is as good as the 997 in terms of road holding ability; hence, if you really liked the 997, you will not be disappointed with the 996.

My 2 cents. I drive both. The 993 looks fabulous, corners very well modified, is a dog on acceleration but brakes incredible (with the big reds anyway), is fairly silent without muffler modification. I would never sell, its a classic. The 996 looks fabulous, corners very very well unmodified, is very quick on acceleration and brakes fine, is fairly silent without muffler modification or PSE. Its the better long distance car comfort-wise and as a daily driver. If you can only have one, depends on your intended use.

996 and it costs $10K less (at least).

Back when I was stepping up from a 964 I test drove both stock 993s and 996s. The 996s were faster and better than the 993s. That being said, I bought the 993. Why? Because handling is but one dimension to the Porsche equation. I would say that you buy a 993 for its character and its soul. That's very much the same reason one buys a 356, too. Obviously, the 356 is no match for a Miata let alone a modern 911 in so many ways, but even a 997 doesn't have the character of the 356. It's best to test drive both cars (as many as you can) and develop your own opinion. No matter what people say here, you are the final arbiter of what satisfies your soul. In the end you only have to answer to yourself. Start driving cars and you will find your car in due time.

Many in the air-cooled crowd knock the 996 for a variety of reasons, however one knock you will almost never hear is a complaint on the 996 chassis. Simply put not only is the 996 a stiffer more stable platform than the 993, it will absolutely beat it in any handling comparison you could make. As an additional benefit it is also lighter than the 993 and has a better ride. As much as I like the older cars, the newer 996 and 997 simply smoke them in the handling department IMHO. Good luck with your search.

Thank you all for your feedback.

If you decide to buy a 996, I know where you can get a great deal on a 40th anniversary car......

Can't vouch for the 993 but I can for the Carrera 3.2. I have an '87 with just about all the rubber you can fit underneath and coilovers (235's/285's). The rear does not squat one bit to the point I feel the torsion bars are still in place (I've yet to remove the caps and look). I will say this, the '87 feels hairy in cornering while my old 996 (even with the extra 100 lbs of a Tip) feels a lot more planted than the '87. The 996 gives tons of confidence, and that is about the best adjective you could give for the 996's suspension. But, the 996 does not give you that "grown-up, go-kart" feel that the 3.2 does...

I've owned both and can honestly say that the 996 is overall the better handling car. Despite the fact that I have a 996 4S, which I believe offer the best road grip, the 996 C2's I've driven feel more nimble and planted than my 993. The 993 offers a different driving experience, mainly due to the air-cooled engine, and has better build quality (IMO) than the 996s.