911Dreamer

Its been a while since I've been on the forum but researching 993 prices I came across 996's that where around $10k lower than the 993's. I am blown away how low a 2001 996 was going for. While I don't mind the shape or interior of the 996, and knowing the issues they have if not maintained to Porsche standards, is the 996 like the 2.7S of the 70s era? I am really tempted to pick one up.

Hurdigurdiman

If I had the option and could afford it, I would go for the very best 993 I could find in preference to the 996. If I could afford a 997 I would go there as well. If you want a great car (with a certain amount of worry attached) then go for the 996. It has to be the best deal on the market. When my 996 was bought we knew nothing about the so called 10% of all 996 engines that have exploded because of a certain bearing falling apart. Now I DO know I would give the 996 a miss because of the resale value alone. With or without the retro refit. The 996 looses value faster than any other Porsche.

Marv

All cars have their issues and some more than others.

As a general rule I would also pick a 993 over a 996.

The price difference between the two is the indication of market value.

I would encourage you to drive both models of cars (as many as you can) to get a feel for which gives you more goosebumps. Then consider the issues with each one.

Each model has its issues. The 993s have some issues with the emission control ports in the heads carbonizing and closing. This causes a CEL fault and will fail a smog test. The CEL fault can be reset, but returns again after a number of miles.

Repair is a bit expensive as they need to tear down the top end of the engine. There may be other fixes that are less invasive now. YOu should check with the 993 forum.

For the 996 there is the IMS issue. That will totally destroy an engine. There are fixes for this, I understand. More people here can advise you on this.

The 996 climate control is better than the 993, if that matters. However, the long term value of the 993 will be better than the 996 and even the 997.

Also, the overall build quality of the 993 seems better to me (I have had both). I find the interior of the 996 a little more cheesy compared to the 993, but a number of ergonomic improvements have been made along with side airbags.

To be honest, there are times when I wish I had just kept the 993 instead of getting the GT3. This has more to do with the electronics in the 996 being more complex and prone to failure. So far I have had an issue with the climate control system that cost a lot of money to diagnose. The root cause was a cheap relay, but the dealer spent a week of labor chasing it down. We also replaced the actual climate control head, thinking that was the issue and it worked for a while.

I am now having issues with the remote locking system that drive me nuts and a possible fault with the car's CPU where it sounds the Gong, Gong, Gong when the car exceeds 76 mph. Again, the more "features" you stick in a car, the more possibilities you have for failures.

The point of all of this is that the more complex the system, the harder it gets to diagnose and more expensive it gets to fix.

Lastly, when you zero in on a candidate, get a presale inspection at a known good dealer or independent shop. These cars can have a lot of hidden issues and a trained eye is an absolute must.

Dennis C

For a daily driver, I would get a 996. For a toy, I'd lean more towards a 993.

A friend of mine who owns two 993s just took my 996 out for a drive. He was shocked at how much more modern it was than his 993s and how much more comfortable it was for a daily driver.

thstone

I have a friend who owns a 964 and a 997S. He think that my 996 is the best of both worlds. I have also driven both and the 964 feels ancient while the 997 feels bland like a Camry (sure they are fast as heck but they lost a lot of the immediacy of the air cooled cars). The 996 captured the right balance of that classic Porsche feel in a modern car.

911Dreamer

I am looking for a daily drive....I came from a 1980 SC and when the engine failed on that...well I went through the Porsche pains lol....I thought of 964, 993 and than maybe going back to the 911 in 86-89, but it makes more sense to get into a 2002-2004 996? Yes values are down but to me $24k vs $36k is a no brainer for more daily drive for the $$.....Now just to find?the right one that has been well taken care of and maybe updated/

pfbz

Go for it!

Last year, I sold my air-cooled 911 (1983 SC) and picked up a pristine 2004 C2 coupe. I couldn't be happier with the car... I can't think of any other sports/performance car I could have bought for the same $26K that would give me the daily drivability, street enjoyment, track-day fun, and yes, value retention as the 996.

Does it have as much 'investment potential' as a 993? Personally, I couldn't care less. The 996 is to drive. That extra $10K that could have gone into a 'collectible' Porsche went into another 'automotive investment'... TSLA (Tesla Automotive). Definitely more return than a 993 would have delivered while driving the better-in-every-way-but-nostalgic car.

911Dreamer

Resale is subjective....I just lost on a car that had great resale value and low work needed....it wasn't true...This car ended up at the dealership more than my 1980 SC I had and lost about $3k on it...

RF5BPilot

Having owned a 993, I prefer the 996. The 993 is also a more expensive to repair and has its own maintenance & ergonomic issues. (How stupid is it to offset the steering wheel in a "driver's car"??)

The 996 is a better buy (assuming it's been well taken care of....applies to any car).

Don't buy the 996 if you want the adoration of other Porsche owners. (Which is a fairly lame reason to buy one model or another.)

If you actually like the 993 better, then that's a reason for owning it.

lvc2

As the owner of a 964 which is similar mechanically to the 993, I bought 996 as my daily driver. I love it. It has a better a/c and is quiter,better ride and is a much more modern car. I kept the 964 for top down weekend use. Much rawer car but still great fun. It was my daily driver for many years. Hands down 996 for everyday car.

911Dreamer

Yikes the story of the guy that bought his 996 for $26k and did the update on the IMS and still his engine blew is beyond unreal? I know that all 911s have some sort of issue and updates that are needed, wondering if a extended warranty would be piece of mind if something did happen?

white out

993 because you can drive it for a few years and sell it for the same amount you bought it for (or more).

RF5BPilot

I wouldn't bet on that.

Hurdigurdiman

That's a great idea. I took out an extended warranty for 30000miles or 3 years which ever came first on engine and gearbox. I am not really sure what it covers but I know it didn't cover electrical problems and there can be many if someone has been messing around with the car without your knowledge before buying it. These young guys like to mess with sounds and the likes. These cars are within financial reach of the young guys BTW and they mod them out and track them and that's the truth and are likely to f**k things up on them. Mine had an effed up gear box which I claimed via the extended warranty. So an extended cover might be a good idea coz if things go wrong with these cars it can cost an arm and a leg like it is doing right now with a recent poster, unfortunate guy.

white out

If you lose money on a 993, you're doing it wrong.