Years ago when I was shopping for a 911 I was in the same boat (I think) and wasn't sure whether I wanted to go air-cooled or water-cooled. Back then the 964's were close to the same price as the 996's. I tried both of them out and fell for the classic feel of the 964 while still having some creature comforts. Mind you, both cars were great. For me, the interior, looks and size of the 996 was a deal-breaker. It's good advice to try them out and see what you like. If the classic 911 look is not important but you still want the air-cooled aspect, the 993 is a good option. It's the last of the air-cooled generation and some consider it the prettiest. Finally, if collectability is factor, air-cooled is the way to go. It's crazy how much these cars have appreciated over the past little while.
Thank you for the advice, was there any specific years, model, specs you looked at that really worked for you or what to watch out for? Nd
Lots of good thoughts on this thread which IMO distill to: what is your use-case? As a lifelong collector I always start with the question "what am I going to do with this?" then work backward from there. Horses-for-courses and all that...
Im a driver, modifier, detailer, etc. Loved the last few carsI built/rebuilt, modified etc., Did quite a bit on my last F car (348 speciale), previous cars and motorcycles. I drive them, cruise, car clubs, occasional shows. Do all of you get PPIs on porsches as we all do on Ferraris? Are there as many watch out things? Just found a gorgeous 911-964 Cabrio (96) Red/Tan...46,xxx miles. Asking 39,8K. Maybe...
All these cars are very well engineered so it really comes down to what you personally like. Of course there's the usual common sense stuff like recent maintenance records, PPI, etc. but other than that you should find no surprises with a little buyer's guide reading. There's a ton of info out there. At first I was leaning towards a C2, having read the C4 system is complicated and expensive to fix, but a little more research showed the awd system is actually very strong and reliable. I wanted a coupe and found a '91 euro-spec (ROW or 'rest of world' in Porsche lingo) that had the dual-mass flywheel and distributor vent updates done. The famous 911 oversteer is neutralized in the C4, part of the reason why all turbos after the 964 are awd. Then again, the 964 turbos are crazy money now because it's considered the best of the 'twitchy tail turbos'. Those looking for those characteristics are either better drivers than me or nuts! Good luck with your search.
So given the goal of 'mods,' plus shows, cruises etc, I might make a different suggestion: Cayman. One of the truly great handling sportscars of all time (punch way over their weight in PCA club racing classification) Lovely design, fits your budget. Also, many of the other cars mentioned, certainly all air-cooled cars, are rapidly evolving into (mostly arrived) collector car status, meaning most departures from stock tune & trim actually subtract value not add it. Ie, people are now buying 930s and paying to remove all the upgrades of the past decades. So... Cayman! PS: Yes on PPI. Not sure on Cayman 'watch out' stuff but visit the reenlist forum
Driving a 996 turbo is one of the best car experiences you can have in a car that isn't a porsche... The new cars are indistinuguishable from each manufacturer. A 1995's or earlier car is a true religious experience... Bo
