is a 993 porsche 911 a good car?

i need a daily driver, budget is $30K. and have been kicking around a few car ideas.
-need to scratch the 911(2003-4 996) itch at least once.
-like the practicallity of the cayenne s
-bmw 335i is incredibly quick and nimble.
-is the 2003-4 cayenne turbo a potential money pit?
-bmw m3(six cylinder) seems interesting.
random thoughts of tire kicking. but, i would like to purchase something w/in 2 mos.
tia,
ed

 

All the cars you are considering are fine choices, each with pluses and minuses...the cayenne S is a big heavy car, and is totally different than your other picks...the 335i would be the newest and most practical choice....I dont like the 996 porsches...it is worth waiting a 997 over one these....t he last gen. m3 is a good car for the money...but if you want character and a fun drive to drive, the 95-98 993 porsche would be a great pick...

 

Of your choices I would go with the 993. I owned a 01 996 cab which had factory aero kit which separated it from the rest but 996s are the most unloved recent Porsche. I would save and get a 997. Normal plain jane 996 is not that attractive but you can get a great deal on one, easily less than 30K.
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The 993 is vastly more fun to drive than the last gen BMW M3 (have a 993, got rid of the M3). If you are serious about your budget, you should be very picky about the 993 you buy, and find one that has been sorted fully by an enthusiast owner. The one I bought had very low miles, but due to age and some neglect, needed attention; in addition, you want to upgrade the suspension and put fresh rubber on the car. That will cost a few dollars but will make a huge difference. Go to Rennlist and read up if you are not familiar with the quirks of these cars.
The 335 is probably the most practical, particularly if you can buy an extended warranty/certified car from a dealer. I loathe the runflat tires BMW now foists on all customers.
BTW, since I suffer winter here in NY, I use a new Mini-Cooper S as my daily for bad weather/road salt, etc.(It runs on a set of snow tires for winter). Fabulous fun, great build quality and easy to hot rod. Well within your budget,too, but it doesn't have the sex appeal of the 993 or 335. (My JCW modded CooperS could eat the P-car in a stoplight race, but it was a bit edgy to drive in stop and go traffic. I replaced it with another Cooper S, and will try and achieve the same performance level without the drawbacks). Have fun. Nice choices. I'd probably take the Porsche if you have some extra money to play with and don't have to deal with winter road salt.

 

I have a 993RS and a 993 3.8 cabrio. I think the 993 is a fantastic car. My choice in a heartbeat out of the fine candidates you are considering

 

A 993 for <$30K USD is going to need $5K in the shop, either right away or within 12 months........or it will be high miler IMHO......neither is a bad thing, just the reality.

If you're going to go the DD route buy a high miler as cheap as you can, since the maintenance on either a low or high miler that is driven daily will be the same. That way, when the time comes to cash out, you haven't taken a pristine low mile gem and paid for the depreciation.

 

993 are holding their pricing well.
what is the big complaint w/ 996's? what is hp rating?
ed

 

First of the water cooled motors (hard to break tradition), too many made, IMO ugly........

 

Agree about ugly - the standard 996 is slab-sided with no hips - if you are considering 996, a C4S is about the only acceptable option if you exclude Turbo. I personally hate the shape, the headlamp appears to have been designed by someone on a LSD trip and some of the failures such as the intermediate shaft, engine failures etc is a worry. The 997 has regained some of the desirable design features of the 993 but it looks bigger next to the 993. I just hate it when the cars are getting bigger and bigger. What happened to the cars the size of 328s?
The rest of your choice are no where near as exciting as the 993 and for that reason alone I will pass on them.

 

996's are not the most aesthetically pleasing to many, but they are cheap. Some engine replacements and a rear main seal going bad in some cars have led to a bad reputation. However, there are lots out therre and the RMS will probably been addressed already.

I have a 993 that I purchased 1 year ago and it has been my daily driver with no problems. All I have had to do is an oil change and some new tires. I like that it has the many of the older school traits to it, yet has the more updated conveniences such as good AC and heat for all weather driving.

The 993 has held value quite well and will probably go up while the 996 is still dropping. Many enthusiasts consider the 993 their favorite style. However, the 996 turbo is encroaching on 993 pricing territory and they are better looking than the NA 996 and are fast with AWD for poor conditions.

 

I have not yet seen or been in the Porsche, as I haven't been home from university since it was bought, but...

My Dad (retired) has a Porsche 911 (993) convertible as a fun car purely for the enjoyment of driving. For daily driving and generally getting about (gym, restaurants, shopping, etc...) he has a BMW 3-series (e46) convertible and you could probably get a similar one for under $30k.

The BMW (which I have driven often) is generally more comfortable, more refined, more easily accommodates 4 people, is lower-key, and more practical as a daily driver. ~40k miles and still very smooth - BMW build quality is excellent. Depending on your priorities between performance/enjoyment and comfort/practicality (but still a lot of fun to drive) you'll need to decide for yourself between the two.

My Dad is fortunate to simultaneously own both and wouldn't pick between them, but I can't offer you my own personal opinion as to which is better as I've not been in the Porsche yet.

I say test drive for yourself and just see what you like. Good luck.

All the best,
Andrew.

 

what are the main advantages of the 997 over the 996? is it purely esthetics? performance?
tia,
ed

 

I have a 964 and an e46 330cic as a daily. The 911 is everything the BMW is not...and vice versa. The BMW is easy to drive daily. Comfy, blends in, and smooth. The Porsche is edgy, aggressive, and invigorating to drive. The 911 is the fun weekend car that gets daily use sometimes...but the BMW takes me to where I need to go most days.

 

Lots of good info in the Pelican Parts tech forum:

http://forums.pelicanparts.com/1-porsche-technical-forums/


and also, rennlist:

http://forums.rennlist.com/rennforums/index.php

 

Another vote for the 993 -- I had a '96 993 cab which was a great car.

I wouldn't call it practical, but they sound like real Porsche, have the sexy Porsche 'hips' and were built to a higher standard than the 996. I've driven several 996s and wouldn't buy one. Just not as visceral as a 993.

My only caveat is that your list -- with Cayennes and BMW 3 series -- has some VERY practical cars, which a Porsche 993 is not.

For $30K, you should be able to pick up a 993 C2 coupe or cab with middling mileage on it. Stay away from the Tiptronic, which isn't even all that good by automatic standards.

 

Get THIS, and keep the change.
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Given my Porsche ownership experience, I will weigh in here. I have had a 993 C4S and a 993 turbo. I have also had 3 996 cabs (one of which was an 04 Turbo), an 01 996 Turbo and currently have an 04 GT3. (As an aside, I have also owned a number of vintage Lambos and Ferrari's -- have a 73 Daytona right now). I also have an understanding wife of 26 years.

My random thoughts on the cars:

1) I do think the quality was better on the 993's vs the early 996's -- by 2004, though, I feel the 996's had improved a great deal

2) The ride of the 996's, in general, is smoother -- for better or worse

3) If you have small kids and want to use the back seat, the 993 is better. For some reason, from the 996 on, Porsche decided to make the seat backs in the back seat lean slightly forward (at least it appears that way to me). No normal-sized adult can fit in the back of either car

4) In the front cabin, I think the ergonomics are better in the 996 vs the 993.

5) They changed the headlamp arrangement on the 996's, I think after the 2001 year, so 996's after that year look better. I agree, though that the 993 (and 997) headlamps look much better.

I think your choice of 996 vs 993 would depend very much on how you use the car. I would recommend either. Personally, I think the later year 996's are a bargain if you are careful and can find a good one.

The last comment I would make is that, although it is not in the price range you mentioned, would not make a great daily driver and it is off-topic, the GT3 is awesome. I cannot say enough positive things about this car. It is rough, aggressive, loud, lightning quick, and has razor sharp handling. Sorry -- just an unsolicited shout out for the GT3.

Kirk

 

+1

Not your average 996.

 

I never got the 993 thing until I drove one. They have a great engine sound and are very engaging to drive. Any Porsche mentioned is going to work as a daily driver, so it depends on what you are after:

1. 993 is the best sports car of the bunch.

2. 996 is more "Executive GT" than the 993 (by which I mean it lacks a little of the Porsche sports car character but is arguably more comfortable and a little easier to live with on a daily basis). Value wise, the 996 is a bargain because of the negative perception Porsche people have about it, which really comes down to whether you like the style of it or not.

3. As a daily driver, a Cayenne S is an unbelievable value. Comfort and performance for miles. If you have any bad weather where you live, a Cayenne is a great foul weather vehicle, too. I had a blast a year ago in a Cayenne in an empty ski resort parking lot with the traction control disengaged. I felt like a pro rally driver. V-8 sounds from under the hood are also a huge plus.

Drive them all, and let your heart sort it out. Good Luck!

 

Find a solid 993 & don't look back.

Many, many 911's have passed through my garage over the years but the only one I've hung on to is the 98 C4S. Over 140K on the clock, never let me down & still puts a smile on my face. Long live the air cooled 911.

FWIW, my 993 has a healthy appetite for rear tires.

 

And there's the perfect alternative: pick up a 964 that is almost as unloved (read - cheap to buy) as the 996 but has everything in its favor (aircooled motor, closer to hand built than the 993, and closer to the original/classic 911 shape) and give up VERY little to the 993 (other than the fact that you still need to do valve adjustments).

 

The 964 is often overlooked as it's sandwiched between the classic G50 Carrera and the over-hyped/priced 993. The 964 has 993 power/performance with classic Carrera shape/style. I don't find the Varioram and the 6spd that much of an advantage over the 993 and I personally like the classic shape over the 993.

 

Pros and cons 964,993,996

964 pros Negatives
1. Classic design 1. C4 diff failures
2. Less drag C2 lacks wide body 2. Heater unit failure
3. More roadfeel and fun in twisties 3. Likes to tail spin
4. Engine is robust.

993 Pros Negatives
1. 300 man hours to build 1. Valve cover failure & o2 as result
2. Holds value 2. More drag
3. More power,upgraded suspen 3. Heavier than 964

996 pros (GT3/Turbo diff engine) Negatives
1. Due to water cooling increase in track time 1. Engine failures (less GT1-GT3)
2. Smoother ride 2. 150man hours to build more plastic
3. Modern interior technology 3. First 911 to share parts (boxter)

I am shy on the 996 as I know three people with engine failures. For $10k less the 964 C2 93+ has the upgraded differential and for me this car is the best drivers car.

 

get the 993 they are great cars

 

993 all the way.....

I use mine as a daily driver and cover approx 15k miles a year!

Try it and if you don't like it sell it for the same price 6 months later!