What's The Attraction of the 993?

Having recently rented a Cayman S for a week, I'm interested in looking deeper into "Porsche World."

The 911 is next on my list of cars to explore. Prices for the 993s seem incredibly high, and I'm wondering why. Is it nostalgia for the air-cooled engines, or are there other special qualities?

I've never driven any 911, so this is all new to me...thanks in advance for any education you can provide!

The Cayman was fantastic, by the way.

 

I had a 993 that I bought new in 95 and I owned it for 8 years, selling it only to buy an F car. The Purists (aka The Flat Earth Society) revere that model because its the last of the aircooled 911s. The same purists thought Ferry Porsche was an infidel because he phased out the 356. Those folks look at cars differently than most gearheads. I also had a 70 911S and an 81 SC. The 993 was an enormous improvement. It was still light, agile and flickable with tremendous brakes. It was also quite fast with 270 horses in a failrly light car (for some reasons Porsche horses are bigger than Italian horses, imho). It was a great daily driver and a very capable track day vehicle. It was also bulletproof. The thing with Porsche is that they constantly improve the cars and the 996s and 997s were both improvements over the 993. I drove a 996 at Barber racetrack and it was just incredible. I think the 997S I drove was even better and certainly looks better. My guess is the Cayman S would be similar to the 993 in performance, with a warranty. The 993 would have classic looks, excellent Mechanical and Electrical Reliability because of the relative simplicity of the car, a surprising amount of modern convenience and the rorty air cooled sound. Its a car you could love for a very long time.

 

Nothin' says Porsche like 6 big air cooled jugs!

 

go for a spirited drive and then you can tell us what is so great about a 993. trust me, they will stir your soul!!!!

pcb

 

There's no doubt that a 997 is a great improvement over the 996 and the 996 is an improvement over the 993, just as a 430 is an improvement over the 360, 355 etc. Having said this, there's a strong attachment to the 993 for a variety of reasons.

-- the 993 is treasured as the last of the air cooled turbos, though no evidence it is better than water cooled starting with the 996
-- the 993TT is as fast as the 996TT off the line, though the 996TT is more stable than the 993TT at higher speeds
-- the 993TT has more of a go-kart feel, feels smaller than the 996TT and 997TT, with the latter feeling more like autobahn cruisers
-- the 993 was hand assembled, feels more solid (especially sound of door closures) than 996/997
-- the 993TT is a more immediate, rawer driver's experience
-- many people feel the 993TT is more visually appealing than the 996TT and 997TT, more striking, stands out, looks more classic in all respects

I recently got a 996 Ruf Rturbo which outperforms my 993 twin turbo on many counts. But I just can't let go of the 993TT as it somehow gets in one's blood for all the reasons, and more, I cite above.

 

you forgot sound! nothing sounds like a 993 aircooled H6 with a few mods.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uMgrGxgLqG0

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=t8pKMG9uUMs

 

Paul, you said it all for me. Thanx w/ smiles Jimmy

 

I'm still kicking myself for passing on one when they were launched at $59,000 in the States. To me what made it special is it was a crossroads car in the respect that it was modern and old world at the same time. I think when you hit that mark it makes something magical, something the modern cars as good as they are will always miss that quality.

 

Which is the more visually appealing car? You be the judge.
Image Unavailable, Please Login

 

The one on the Left.

 

993 350 man hours to build does not share parts more exclusive(longevity)
996+ 150 shares parts not exlusive(engine failures google it)
996 turbo has GT1 motor different from NA its flawless.

 

Supply and demand is one reason, they built way more 996/997.
I drove the new 997 with PDK, great car, light years ahead of the 993.
I still like my 993, and I think it is a better driving experience. I think the 993 makes a great toy, especially with the right mods, but the 996/997 would be way easier to live with on a daily basis, driving and parking.

 

I have never owned a Porsche and found this thread informative. You guys did a good job and it gave me a feel for what you are talking about.

 

There are some of us still driving the 993 that have owned 911 probably back to nearly the first U.S. cars.

My first was a 1969 Targa, Sept. 1969. Have owned many air cooled 911 series since then.

The 993 is a closer relative to those old T-E-S cars than it is to the 996...for me, that is why I am hanging onto it forever.

If you don't care about the old feel, the old sounds, and the classic looks - then the 996 or 997 is a perfectly good car.

Just like - if you don't care about the classic 12 cylinder driving experience of an older Ferrari, a 430 is a perfectly good car.

Personally, I would rather have the 18 year old rare single malt Scotch than any improved blend that Johnny Walker can come up with.

James

 

Thanks for the informative replies!

You all evoke a memory for me.

My father bought a Beetle in 1973, and took it in for servicing at a Reno dealership which also sold Porsches.

I was about 14 or 15 and remember sitting in a brown 911 in the showroom. The instruments looked sort of like the Beetle's but I knew the driving experience would have been "very" different.

I do find myself becoming more and more interested in trying a 911, and your comments about the vintage feel of the 993 compel me to take a second look.

Ordinarily I admire older cars but don't necessarily want to own them...I appreciate all the improvements on more modern cars.

Here, though, I wonder if I might not enjoy a 993 as a special weekend car.

 

Porsche 911's are different from rest of the car world, everyone must enjoy them once in their lifes!

If you don't like the car after a while, you could always resell it?


993 Turbo > 996 Turbo, any day.

 

I've never understood why people refer to the newer cars as 993, 996, 997. Instead of saying "I own a 95 911" or a "99 911 tt" etc.

I guess it would be no different than Vette owner saying "I own a C5, or C6" etc. Or series 1, 2, 3 Vipers. Thing is most owners refer to those cars (Vettes/Vipers) by year.

 

The 1997 Porsche 993 911 Turbo S.......... the only car that I would ever even consider trading my F355 in on, but I would much rather add one to my stable rather than trade the F355. With only 183 copies delivered to the United States, my chances aren't too good.

 

Quite frankly, my 97 C2s 993 is just a blast to drive. It's tossable, sounds great with Motorsound package, and with a few mods, it runs circles around my Diablo 6.0 and TR. Not for pure speed, but just all around usability. It is so much easier to drive around town. It's smaller, very easy on the wallet for repairs and maintenance compared to the other two and you dont have to worry about just enjoying it on a regular basis. The attention from Lambo and Ferrari is pretty annoying most of the time, people are crazy out there. So for a quick fun burst, awesome engineering and the fact that is is the last of the air cooled porsches, you can't beat it. And remember that the 993 has the curves, especially in the wide body or the turbo. I will most likely look to swap to a 993 turbo when the economy picks up. Then you get the looks, along with huge performance and still loads of handling and daily driving ease.

Drive one and you'll see how great Porsche 993 really is.

________________________

 

You just have to ask yourself one question - "Do I Feel LUCKY???"

 

I am fortunate enough to have a 96 993tt and a 05 Carrera GT. While the performance difference between the 2 cars is obvious, I can honestly say the 993tt is every bit as intoxicating to drive as the CGT. There's something about the 993 that just gets in your blood......and stays there. I've driven 996s and 997s and there's a disconnect there that doesn't exist in the 993. I can honestly tell you that the 993tt will never leave my side.

I just got back from a large gathering at Porsche Palooza in NW Arkansas last weekend (over 180 cars). The 993 was the most represented model of any Porsche. For others' views, go to the 993/993 Turbo forums at www.rennlist.com.

 

I like the twitchy behavior of the 964 turbos with its rear drive profile especially in the turns when the boast gauge starts moving.

 

I have a 1997 993 C2S as a third car/toy.

I think the widebody 993's are the nicest looking porsches ever made.

I like the nostalgic cockpit which connects to the past 911's, yet it reeks of quality (unlike today's Porsches with cheap plastic parts and fake alu bits). The car was built largely by hand, to an ideal, and not necessarily to make a profit.

I also like the rarity--Only about 700 993 coupes in 1997, for e.g., as compared to tens of thousands made each year now.

 

I couldn't have send it better myself. After owning both models (993TT & 996GT2), nothing compares to the feeling you get with a 993TT. The rawness is compared to that of the 959.