ok, someone either a) snap-me out of this or b) tell me i'm nuts!......after who knows how many years of wanting to own a Porsche, i finally bought one (albeit from my father in law, good deal), a 1999 996 Carrera. i've been completely happy with it, and as some of you know, have done some simple mods (wheels/b&m/ghl/rowM030). so, the more i learn and research, the 993's have truly started to grow on me, i think they're beautiful. perhaps it stems from my early years desires to own a 911, the body design is what i'm after.

has anyone owned one? are they in greater demand than a 996? are they a hassle vs. the 996? any opinions/thoughts would be welcomed. don't get me wrong, the 996 is a beautiful automobile, especially the wide body versions. i'd own one of those if i could, it's just not possible now.

thanks !

cc: rennlist

 

Oh boy, here we go. With your wheel experience, my guess is that you'll sell your 996, buy a 993 for the looks, miss your 996, and buy another one... Just a guess

 

I know what you mean, the 993 bodystyle is nice , but........
the 996 has superior performance and handling.... they cost more and they are worth more.
I've seen a stock 320 hp carrera (03) stay up with a 993 turbo!
the 993 turbo's were fast, but that was then and this is now.
move forward not backward. the 996 is the real deal.

 

Flynn, nice way of putting it. thanks for the input!

 

Oalvarez,

MY first porsche was a 993. If I could have kept the 993 and have the 996 I would have done so but I could not justify having over US$275,000 tied up in cars. When I see one on the road I still manage to look at it in amazement and absolutely love the design and style of the car.

Once you sit in it though you realise how raw the car is. A true sports car, no flashy dash or an abundance of buttons. Nearly everything is analogue bar the radio - and it should be as the radio in them sucked more than the current 996 one. Driving one was great and the engine note was fantastic. When they get to about US$50,000 I will probably buy one again for old times sake.

The current 996 though is great, heating and a/c work better, more comfortable more refined. The driving position is not offset anymore (didnt mind it though) and the clutch is so much nicer to drive in the 996 than the 993. City driving in the 993 with a 6 speed would have killed me, way too stiff. Overall the 996 is a nice package and worth staying in one

 

Cast my vote for 993, but what do I know, I keep cars forever. I do have a 96 993 turbo and it is the finest. I know for a fact that they will do over 200mph by the speedometer, however I do no know how accurate that is. Road and Track tested the early 993 Turbos at high 3 seconds 0 t0 60 mph. Some of the very expensive cars won't do much better than that. The 993 is better built in many ways. One is that you can't remove the rear seat cushions by just lifting them out. I was told that the 996 rear seat cushions were held in place with some velcro. There was a company near where I live, who stated that his 993 Turbo was modified to produce over 1100 hp. That car was on the cover of European Car a few years back. I have never heard of such from a water cooled Porsche.

 

IMO the 993TT is a great car, performance and style, still traditional Porsche, and still love them to this day, as for regular 993 vs. 996, drive them both, I have and would choose a 996 hands down.

 

Oalvarez, I know exactly what you are feeling. I have a 00 996 Cab and I still look at the 993's all the time on Ebay , etc. (esp the TT but also the coupes, cabs, and targas too) I think the body shape has that "classic porsche" look and obviously the awesome air cooled engine note that I have always loved about Porsches!!! But as one of the members have stated, I think the 996's are a much more refined cars in many ways than the 993's. I have a feeling that if I was ever bold enough to trade mine into a 993, that I will miss mine enough that I will want another 996. Just remember, I'm sure there are tons of motorists out there on the streets who drool over your car when they see it and wish they had it. Just be happy with what you have- I try to remind myself of this all the time. It's not always greener on the other side. TC

 

Believe me - it is a tough decision. I would suggest you find a way to get a little seat time in the 993 and compare. The two cars are really very different. I have owned both a 98 993 S and an 03 996. You can't go wrong with either one!

As many have stated before, the 993 has a more raw feel that is hard to describe. The 993 clutch is comparatively heavy and takes a little time to get used to. The interior is smaller and rather spartan when compared to a 996. You definately get more of a raw sports car feeling in the 993 which in my experience gets better over time as you get used to the uniqueness of the car.

The 996 has noticably more power, a smoother ride and a much more comfortable yet still sporty interior.

I originally thought the 993 was the better looking of the two cars but now the looks of the 996 has really grown on me. They are both great works of art that provide incredible driving experiences.

 

I find it hard to believe that a stock 03 996 will "stay up" with a well tuned 993 TT. The 993TT were fast and are still amazingly fast cars. With that said, a NA 996 has superior performance over a NA 993 and a TT 996 over the TT 993. However, you will notice that the price of some 996's are falling below the prices of 993's and that the 993's have suffered "less" depreciation vs. sticker price than 996's.

 

why are markets for the later 993's more firm or even higher than some 1999 996's? hec, even higher than some MY00. is it a supply demand function for the 993s? did they produce lesser quantities or does the public believe that is the car to own? just doing research is all.

 

Last time I did research on a car, I walked out of the lot with an order sheet in hand and a check missing from my checkbook!

 

I had a 993 C2 before switching to a 996 C2. They are both great cars. The debate on which car to have can go on forever. I'm sure you'll get more people in favor of the 996 here but if you go to a 993 board you'll hear every reason in the world to go for a 993. I think the answer is to own both (if it's feasible) or just be happy with the car you have. Both cars are awesome. I keep two Porsches (one newer, one older) so on any given day I could pick between the comforts of a modern Porsche and the rawness of the old air cooled.

 

I would pick a 993TT over a 996C2, tie with C4S, but I'd pick the 996TT over the 993TT