993 values

I'd say that what you describe is probably more like a mid $30's car in reality. This is just based on examples I have seen from reputable dealers I am familiar with. The 1995 car (as you may know) is an ODB1 car with all of the advantages that brings, one of the main ones being that it does not have the troublesome and sometimes expensive to repair SAI system of the 1996+ cars. It does have the ugly basket handle third brake light however.

Color makes a big visual difference on a 993, as does the level of optional equipment. A base car with 16" wheels, no digital sound system, no motor sound package, regular seats without power or heat, etc, can be worth $5K+ less easily IMHO, especially, if it is an off color like "Aventurine Green".

 

I'm not up on the prices, but mid $30's is probably about right with that kind of mileage. Worth paying extra for a low mileage and above average/mint car if you're using it as a weekend good weather car...it will be nicer to own, and be worth more if you then sell it and it is still low mileage/clean.

I presume you're only looking at stick? Tip would be worth less...

I would research some more to see how big of a deal that 1996-1998 issue is. Sometimes these things get blown out of proportion (and sometimes not)- best to go on some porsche forums AND actually ask a porsche specialist- an independent would be better to talk to vs a porsche dealer that probably doesn't deal much with what is now a 15+ year old car. There may be fixes for any 96-98 issues that have been figured out by now, or it could be a one-time fix and the diligence would merely be that a prospective car had it done or could need it done and factor that into what you're willing to pay. You do get 18 extra HP with the 96-98

I used to be on rennlist a few years ago, and I think pelican parts had a good forum. There are lots of porsche guys on here, but not as many being as it's a ferrari forum.

I kind of lost interest in the 911 when it went watercooled- the new ones are "nice cars" but don't do anything for me anymore. Having so many variations of the 911 is getting long in the tooth as well! There are many people like me, so a good aircooled car will always be special and have a special following.

Good luck with the search!
-Andrew

 

Andrew is absolutely right. I have a 1996 C4S, and have run it for four years without any issues yet. It's been bullet proof.

As for value, low miles do indeed command a premium. And I happen to like aventurine green very much, although my car is black on black.

Poke around at http://forums.rennlist.com/rennforums/ You should get a good idea of values there. The 993 owners are all very hands-on, DIY, and extremely pleasant with each other.

Good luck. The 993 is a fantastic car!

 

The 993 is mentioned a few times in "The Best Car You've Ever Driven Thread":
http://www.ferrarichat.com/forum/showthread.php?t=353798

 

Save the Motor Sound Package that sounds like a pretty nice spec. I even think the off colour is nice. The $5k saving would be a bonus.

 

How much more of a premium is expected on a cab vs a coupe? 10%, 20%, 30%

 

0%?

I admit I only follow the 2S, 4S and Turbo variants, and they only come as coupes, but there doesn't seem to be the cult-like following for the cabs, as is enjoyed by the coupes.

In my mind, a cab and a coupe in comparable condition are worth the same, but I wouldn't even look at the cab

 

First off, I made a type-o the 1995 had 270HP and the 96-98 had 282HP- only 12 extra HP

The 2S and 4S cars are worth a premium (wide body cars).

With the 964 (I'm familiar with them as I had one for over 8 years), there was no market premium for the cabriolet, and I believe this is the case for 993 as well. With the 964, some coupes were getting a little more when I sold my car and I'm unsure if this was because people prefer the lines of the coupe, or they were thinking of doing some track time with the car.

For the record, the later 92-94 2 wheel drive 964 is the best bargain as it has mechanical updates the earlier 964 didn't have and some nice cosmetic upgrades (rims and rearview mirrors), and for whatever reason the 964 isn't as loved as the 993. If I could keep my ferrari and get another toy I'd love to have an '87-89 911 or even another 964 (I had an '87 before my '93 cab) to go with the ferrari...but my wife would not be happy if I showed up with one of those

 

Hmmm interesting, thanks guys.

 

Rob- are you in the porsche club? Are you looking for a cab or coupe? My pick for the January Panorama (porsche club magazine) is the 1998 silver/chestnut cabriolet with motor sound, 6-speed stick 26K miles $35,000. I have no affiliation with the seller, just a car that sounds good and properly priced.

If you are in the Porsche Club, you can check classifieds online- good cars go fast, and sometimes are sold by the time they hit the print edition of Panorama.

 

I know about the HP difference 95 vs 96-98, but is the rear suspension the same on a 95 vs 96-98?

 

Yes on the rear suspension.

Rob.......

Why not consider a slightly higher mileage car ?

Here's why......it can be a lot cheaper to acquire, most 993's are very well maintained and documented as such, so if you are only planning to put 3-4K miles a year on one, really think about how long you own your cars for. In 3 years if you are tired of this 993 you started out with and it had, say, 45K miles on day one, it will have 55-58K miles in three years. Will it really be worth less than you paid if you keep it in excellent condition and buy one with the right stuff to start out with? IMHO the answer is no.......as you will always pay for maintenance regardless of what shows on the clock for mileage, why not try to lower your purchase cost to create a financial cushion for unexpected repairs that won't be seen on a PPI, since the car is likely to not depreciate.

My experience with 911 buyers is that they tend to look at color, options, and condition/pedigree, in that order, much more so than mileage, which is always a consideration, but not the first or second one. Once you get over 70K miles prices dip a bit.......but under than number they are very firm and somewhat flat. So maybe you end up paying $27-30K for a car with 42K miles rather than $35-38k for car with 27K miles.............

It is what I would do.

Interesting that the Panorama ads get mentioned. I always found them to be the highest priced cars out there (except for Sloan.....LOL !!), and rarely bought anything listed there as a result.

 

The pano ads are often on the higher end, but they are just asking prices and are individual sellers that may or may not negotiate more than a dealer. They tend (not always) to be cleaner than average. I would gladly pay 1-2K more for a car that is much better maintained as you can easliy pay more than that correcting a cheaper car that needs some work.

Thus far for sports cars, I bought one porsche from a newspaper classified ad (remember those? ), one porsche from a Panorama ad, and one from an autotrader ad. Pano does often have some of the lower mileage cars that were never used as daily drivers....of course the beaters too, but it's ultimately just another outlet to find potential purchases...

 

I had a cab, and I agree there's no price premium. Open 356s seem to be worth twice as much as coupes, but the 911 never really lended itself to being an elegant convertible.

OTOH, the engine sound in an open cab is something special. They are seriously good cars.
Image Unavailable, Please Login

 

I know the AG low mile car that you're looking at and it's a top notch example.

I've owned no less than 4 993's from Cab to C4s and also a turbo...it comes down to buying a GOOD car. So long as you don't pay a huge premium, paying a little more upfront for a trouble free car is worth it.

The 993 is a magnificent machine...it can and will be a trouble free yet visceral car to own. I always come back to having a 911...and the air cooled cars are the purest form.

Good luck and if you do go with Bob's 95 993 coupe...I have a feeling you'll be a happy owner.

 

I thought that was a strange thing, too!

 

Rob.....

If you haven't already done so, stay in touch with Tim Holt Sr. He's in PA. I've done business with him before and he is a straight shooter.

http://www.holtmotorsports.com/inventory.php.

 

You can buy a temporary membership if you are searching for a Porsche.