I am looking at this 993
http://www.vuvox.com/collage/detail/02f72754cc
it is priced at about $39k. How would it compare to a 08-09 Cayman S. I realize it's dated inside, but the miles are low at 28,000! Is this a good buy for a pristine 993?
Thank you much!
GK
The are actually very different cars so I think personal preference is the main deciding factor. I have both and love them both for different reasons. Obviously, a car as old as a 993 needs a bit more TLC, and it is not cheap...
The Cayman S is a much better car in every way that I can think of. The 993 is a great car mainly for its classic 911 design and because it is the best of the air cooled line of 911s (IMO).
I haven't looked at prices so can't comment on "is it a good buy" but, with the 993 you REALLY MUST get a PPI done to make sure it does not have any issues.
Nice car but overpriced imo. I sold my 97 993C2 about 4 yrs ago..great styling, fun engaging ride, but definately not as much fun to drive as the 07 Cayman S I replaced it with. I preferred the Cayman in every way except styling which was a toss up for me.
I had a '95 993 before my Cayman S. Like the others have said, the Cayman is better in every way. When people ask me to compare the two, I hesitate, because it really is comparing apples and oranges. The two are completely different beasts. The 993 is historic, it dates back to the original 911 from the '60's. If you want a classic air-cooled Porsche 911, 993's are great. The Cayman, on the other hand, is a modern, current, state of the art, sports car.
You have to decide for yourself: do you want a classic, historic, Porsche 911? Or do you want a modern, state of the art, sports car?
If you choose the 993, by all means spend the money on a PPI.
I've had both and I'd go wiyh the Cayman S hands down.
I also have both and while my CS and 993 are worth about the same now, in five years the 993 will be worth twice as much as the CS. They don't build them like they used to IMHO.
Ditto on most of the above...
It's a 95 so you don't have to worry about OBD2 issues and CEL lights because of carbon buildup. You do have a potential steering rack issue though with 95s. It's incredibly overpriced IMO. Low mileage on a Porsche is something of a mystery to me.... What do you do with that? You either add miles and lose the extra value, or keep it undriven and unloved ! Besides it's bad for the car ! Oh, you also don't have variocam and the extra HP, not a major deal from what i hear.
Let me commit the ultimate sin here and say I had a 96 993, and while it was the prettiest car that ever graced my garage, it was ultimately dissappointing. It was softly sprung, too quiet, too linear in power, and flat out "old" inside, not much different from my 83 ! Sure is pretty, but I'd buy a CS or 997 over that in a hearbeat. If it were a C2S maybe ?
As for the value comments, I honestly think the 993s benefited from the 996 unloved status. The 997 is now pushing them down, especially since Porsche finally went IMS free ;-) Yes they were well built, but the immobilizer could immobilize you for good with just a bad battery, as I found out, the door stays could rip out of the door, the air injection ports plugged up with carbon, the steering rack was not so good in 95, the windshield floated too much in its frame (rubber rope fix!), a rebuild for a 3.6 costs as much as a "new" CS engine, the spoiler motor dies, the spoiler rubber flap disintegrates, etc. Enough yet ? ;-) Fact is all Porsche models have issues, all devalue in the end. A 993TT or wide butt C2S might be a good investment, but a base 993, in my opinion, meh... Especially at that price, jeez...
That said, I can say that because I've had one, I've scratched my itch. You may need to go scratch yours, it's a damn pretty car and will retain value well enough - just don't pay that much ;-)
I owned a nicely performance modified '96 993 as my daily driver street/track car for 6 years. It was a wonderful car and I have great memories, but it did require far more attention than my CS. All 993s exhibit a host of issues (as partially related above) during their lives - some minor, some serious. It's been said, but bears repeating: get a thorough PPI by a knowledgeable mechanic.
The cars are hard to compare and much depends on your personal intended uses and your visceral reactions. IMO, the 993 (still) has a sexiness I don't get from the Cayman. I miss the vault-like door clunk. I don't miss the marginal AC. There's no comparison in performance: the very 1st time I had my stock CS on the track (on street tires) I was effortlessly, and more confidently, several seconds faster than in my 993 with track tires, race pads, upgraded & lowered suspension, Euro gearbox, LSD, corner balanced, etc. I sold my 993 and ordered my CS after a long, vigorous test drive in 2006. I've never regretted my decision.
All that said, for no rational reason I can offer, I believe every sports car person should own an iconic air cooled 911 at some point and you can do no better than the 993. If you find a good, clean 993 that lights your heart, buy it. You can always buy a Cayman down the road.
:cheers:
