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993 or 996 that is the question

I

Ian Wilkie

New member
Joined
4 Jul 2005
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I am about to buy my very first Porsche. What will it be is the question. I have found two possibilities. The first is a 1999 Black 996 Carrera 4, main dealer, with 31,000 miles and spotless and has all the bits. The second is a Blue 1998 993 Carrera 4 with 30,000 miles and beautiful. I know the owner and has been very well looked after. The trouble is the 993 is more expensive than the 996 even though it si a year older and so I am looking for any opinions on which one I should go for. I drive a 1991 Mk1 Golf Rivage which I love and am keeping as I am a purist at heart and its great for the sunny days.


I am leaning towards the 993.


So what do you think?




Update. wednesday 10th. I went to look at the 996 yesterday, and it looked very nice to be fair. but it did not seem to float my boat. From all your replys so far you are all fairly unanimous about the 993 as the choice. I hope to drive them next week to see how they go.


Ian




Update 18th october


THank you all for your excellent replies. I have bought my first Porsche. Its a 1998 993 C4 with 32,000 miles Zenith Blue and seh is very beautiful. The smiles never stop..


Migration info. Legacy thread was 32155
 
Keep leaning in that direction until you fall over the 993 and buy it. Great car actually bloody fantastic car. If its your first porsche get a proper one that doesnt need filling with water. 993 will hold its price better and especially a 1998 one these are very rare and only a few slipped through. You say you know the car and the owner which makes a huge difference in my book. Get it checked out as well.

Good luck


Migration info. Legacy thread was 32156
 
993 for the purist. 996 if you need a cruiser.
There are a couple of active threads on here right now covering this subject, use the search facility (put 996 in the search line, youll find them)

btw the answer is 993 but Im biased!!

Migration info. Legacy thread was 32161
 
Ian - I was there. 996 or 993. Drove both, researched both. Decided that what I was after was "the classic sportscar"... and that, for me, was the 993. I am now the owner of a lovely Iris blue 993 C4, 6 speed, and it is awesome. As Charlie says - keeping leaning the way you are - and you won't make a mistake. Go for it !!! :)

Migration info. Legacy thread was 32162
 
Hi Ian,

I was in your shoes about Nov last year, I had £25k to spend and was not sure which one to get, a high mileage 993 with toys, or a avg mile 996........

I drove 2 993's bought the first one and have never looked back, never wanted a 996 after the feel as you walk up and see the shape of the 993, as you drive it with the noise(most of the time with the window open and the radio off).. and how people look at it ! Classic nope(but very soon)... the best shape 911 ever made yep !

good luck, let us know how you get and and which 993 you end up with !!

Dan


Migration info. Legacy thread was 32165
 
Depends what you'll use the 911 for - toy or tool. Try the two - they're very different cars. Replaced my 205 1.9 cab (& ZXR) for a 993 cab. Really liked my 205 - the 993's a great car too. Would like to change my V6 4Motion Golf daily drive for a 996 coupe to hack around in.

993 will feel like more your Golf Mk1 - very mechanical. 996 will feel more like a Golf Mk4 - very smooth. At OPC last year - 993 was 25% cheaper than a 996 so that swung the decision for me. Now 996's are great value - and there are plenty around. Don't regret getting the 993 at all.


Migration info. Legacy thread was 32166
 
this forum should be called 993uk.com!

Migration info. Legacy thread was 32168
 
Martyn is right. For every day in coupe form then the 996 has got to be the practical choice. However, the 993 may be the prettiest 911 so far and as a second car ........ Trouble is, and my view is subjective, few owners buy a Porsche becasue they are thinking with their heads.

If one was looking at variations on the theme, then I'd be tempted by a standard 996 cab over a 993 cab. 993 Turbos seem to expensive now compared to 996 T's and, after recent experience, I'd lean towards something with as much safety kit as possible but then again, there are WAY too many 996 turbo's around here. Oops, I've gone back to a 993 .... easy choice isn't it.

Early 996 prices are dropping like stones and make them seriously good value if you can look beyond all the things they put right in 2000/2001. I suspect 993 prices have gone softer than owners and trade would like to admit right now, so the price of the 993 may be optimistic. The S and C4S remain desirable cars.

If you know the history of the 993, it is a run out and well specified model and although I'd still get it checked over by an independent, I think I might have talked myself into the 993 camp. Welcome to
www.911uk.com\993camp\




Migration info. Legacy thread was 32170
 
Ian, for what it's worth I have just spent a year searching for a car and after much debate went for the 993.

I was keen on the 996 (facelift) C4S, but did not manage to find the right one at the right price, with the right spec. Some early ones are just starting to fall under £50k now, but it's a lot of money and one model I was looking at dropped £3k in price over about 3 months.

In the end I went with my heart.

I have always been a fan of the original 911 and wanted the best example I could find, but something a bit different, but yet still affordable. To that end I eventually found a 98' 993 C4S (in excellent zymol'd condition (silver) / just over 60k miles) and picked it up for just under £36k. I suppose I paid the going rate, but with only approx 1700 made (of which 300+- may have been brought into the UK) I reckon that I've made a sound investment.

That's the boring side over with - the bonus is the sublime handling, involving drive, superb roar from the engine (so much so I now leave the stereo off - how sad is that) and I now drive around with a grin like a Cheshire Cat. I defintiely made the right choice. I went to Paul Stephens in Wixoe and spoke to Dave Palmer. He was excellent, very professional, good test drive and there was no pressure (which was a pleasant change). I would recommend you touch base with them before you decide (even over the phone, if you live too far away to visit)

Photos available - when I work out how to get them on the web.

Hope this helps

Simon


Migration info. Legacy thread was 32266
 
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