Richard1

Greatings all. I am considering a 993 c2, tiptronic for use as a daily driver in the Washington, D.C. area.

A few questions:
1. for small children (under 7) are the rear seats usable?
2. How durable is the 993 as a daily driver?
3. We occassinally get snow, and certainly it gets cold and slushy here during the winters, though nothing like Boston. Is it complete folly to switch to snow tires and take it out in light snow fall or should I be considering a C4 instead? Thank you.

kdurg

Richard..

The 993 can handle daily driver requirements....but in DC ??? Roads are rough downtown and can wreak havoc on rims(bent) and alignments being thrown out. Although, the TIP will help in not having to clutch and shift in bumper to bumper traffic you are accustomed to.

Back Seats: I don't think they're the best spot to be putting your pride and joys. I haven't attempted to put a car seat in for my 4year old or 5mos old...but I know it has been done.

Maybe the boys in the Northeast corridor will chime in for you on functionality of snow tires on the C2. There are some brave souls up there who manage to find the intestinal fortitude to take out their babies in ....ick....snow and slush......!!

Good Luck

Richard1

thank you. I know common sense dictates a car like an audi s4 as a daily driver but my heart says "buy the 993 in a cabrio"

BS911

I drove my 964 for about 3 years from the Annapolis area into DC. My 993 is fortunate enough to only have to go to Rockville. The 993 is a wonderful daily driver. It might be a bit more harsh on the rough roads than a Buick, cost more to maintain for the regular miles, but it *can* still be a truly reliable commuter car. (That assumes homework, ppi's done, etc., and you get a clean, well maintained example.) Nothing like helping you get over the day and the city traffic with a few spirited miles in a 911 though. I can't imagine ever NOT using a 911 as a regular driver now.

For the snow... these things have gotten progressively worse over the years in that regard. (Very subjective personal experience, of course.) The 964 was pretty bad and the 993 is downright dreadful on the snow. Absolutely no control. I wish I could comment on the snow tire theory, but it was one of the driving wife-selling-points for me getting my Kinesis Supercups this year for summer duty to retire the twists to winter duty. Haven't tried the snow tires yet, but I hope it works. But, as you said, we have few anough days here with snow that I either work from home or just blow off the snow days.

Ray Calvo

Daily driver? Don't do it. Get a "beater" so that you won't be so upset with the occasional rock chip on your bumper or windshield or the SUV opening their door into your side.

Durable? Have to say as far as a 'fun' vehicle, 993 is great. I have 80K miles on mine; still on orig. clutch/tranny/engine. Engine has been fault-free and still doesn't leak oil. Brakes are trouble-free so long as you don't flog them on the track; if you do, expect to replace rotors every year or so. Oh yeah - if you daily drive one, expect problems with carbonization buildup in the intake system and lots of headaches with the "Check Engine Light". Do an archive search for "problems" or "CEL" for more info - you're a big boy and can do your own research.

Rug rats in the back seat? Haven't a clue. Find one for sale and stuff the kids back there and decide for yourself if you're comfortable with their situation.

Snow berhavior? No good idea, but feel it's like buying a Jeep CJ5 to run laps at Watkins Glen; it just doesn't make sense. That's why I also have an Audi Quattro for daily driver/winter rat. Will say the 993 heater/defroster works pretty well, far better than older 911s.

Rob993

I have one daughter who is 7 and weighs in around 50 lbs, and fits perfect in the back seat. She loves riding in the car. Some of the smaller booster seats fit in if your kids need a little more height to properly wear the seatbelt. E-bay and if I remember the rennlist classifieds had some baby seats.

rob

Rick Lee

I hate driving any car in DC. It's like driving on the moon here. Once in a rare while I bring my 993 into the city, but it's more headache than it's worth. Parking sucks, taxi drivers have immunity from all laws and courtesy and they know it, potholes can swallow you (see the one with a twin mattress fully inside it a few years back near DuPont?) and the only thing that works at all in this city is parking enforcement. I really want to go back to working in NoVA so I can take the 993 out more and spend less sales tax money in this toilet of a capital city.

Frank 993 C4S

Get the "beater" car and leave the 993 for the summers and weekends. Forget driving it in the winter unless you have winter tires. My 3 year old loves sitting in the back in her booster seat ("Por-sche" was her second word after "mama") although the Fabspeeds are a little loud. My 7 year old sits in the front (I had an airbag on/off switch installed) and he refuses to sit in the back. The biggest problem for me is ground clearance on bad roads. I have Gert's front protection bar but it still hurts me.

JasonF

I have to agree with Rick about the current state of D.C. I went to undergrad there from 87 to 91 and thought it was bad - things haven't really improved much in 14 years. Then again, I paid for school by working as a bike messenger, so I saw the really seedy side of things every day.

I use my '95 C4 as a daily driver and have had no problems with the car (except for the fact that my independent has had to replace the belts 3 times-his fault, not the 911's).

Our two children (7 and 4) fit in the back seat, and love to go for rides. Our youngest sits in a Britax Starriser, and our older daughter doesn't need a booster at all. I also own a 325xi, so its my winter car. I did get caught in a surprise snowstorm this year, and my C4 with summer tires was abysmal - the car did not fishtail so much as just slide over the road like a wet walrus. Heed Ray's advice and at least get a winter beater, or snow tires if you can only have one car, and it has to be a 993. Living in the D.C. area, you know that by and large the local government's idea of snow removal is to wait and let it melt!

STLPCA

Richard
There have been many threads re: winter driving. Here's one w/links to some others.

With proper winter/snow tires a 993 is quite capable in the snow, up to the limits of its ground clearance. My daily driver 993 has never failed me & keeps me smiling all year long.

TYNUSKT

Two words for you....Honda Civic, which is my daily commuter car around the area. I would look at going the route of a "beater", especially if driving it into the city or even around the capital beltway. Roads in DC are harsh and the debri on the beltway from all the construction is always getting kicked up.

I haven't had the experience of driving the 993 in the snow but I'm always more worried about someone else's driving in bad weather and not mine.