996scott

I know I am asking this question in the 993 forum but I wanted you thoughts. I owned a 996 for 10 yrs and loved it. Sold it a yr ago and now am wanting to get back into the fold. I HAD decided to buy a 964 and have spent the last several months reading up on and getting to know the 964s. I have always loved the early 90s car from my teenage years. They were the cars made me fall in love with Porsche. After reading a lot and talking to a 30yr Porsche mechanic today, I am starting to wonder if I should look for a 993. There are obviously issues with any model, but my mechanic says that out of all of the models, he would stay away form the 964 because of mechanical problems. He says it's not that they are not great cars and fun to drive, but from a repair standpoint, the 964 is the worst, and the 993 is as good as Porsche has ever made. I know you guys will probably say that is true and the 993 is a lot better car, but why? What are the big differences that make the 993 so much better? I'm not talking about looks, body style, etc. I am more interested in the improvements in the engine, interior, brakes, clutch, etc, etc. Any thoughts would be greatly appreciated. Thanks guys.

Quadcammer

the 993 is not that much better. It has a slightly more advanced and predictable rear suspension, a little more power, a little bit more comfort, etc.

Aside from that, from the repair standpoint, they both have their issues. neither is any better or worse to service. The 964s offer good value.

Drive both, see if the extra bux for the 993 are worth it to you.

If you find good ones, either should be fairly good enjoyable cars.

dave morris

Who's your mechanic?

The 964 is a fabulous car. I've never heard anyone call it a particular mechanical problem. The heads on the '92-'94 are generally considered better then the earlier ones but otherwise not much is different.

Both great cars. 964 makes a better track car IMO.

Look at both. Drive both.

Good luck. Have fun.

996scott

My mechanic has 30+ years working for the local Porsche dealer here in Salt Lake. He worked on my car for 10 yrs and I developed a great relationship with him. His opinion was that there were more mechanical issues with the 964. Oil leaks being the biggest. He did say if I was going to get one, to look for a 92-94. There were improvement made to the fly wheel ( pretty sure that's what he said), gaskets for the engine, and a few other things. He wasn't saying not to buy one, just that in his opinion the 993 would be a better car.

It was interesting because as I was talking to the mechanic he introduced me to a gentleman who happened to be picking something up there in the shop. This man in a auto broker specializing in air cooled Porsches for 40 yrs. Nothing past 1998. After talking with the guy for 20 minutes about 964 and 993s, he said he would not hesitate to buy a 964 and he didn't think they were more problematic than any other model.

So I am looking at both. Just wondering about opinions from 993 owners.

Quadcammer

keep in mind also that higher mileage 964s will most likely have had any head issues or failing DMFs taken care of and will likely be just as a reliable as a 993, which has its own gotchas.

DAVISRILEY

At this point most of the 964's will have had flywheels replaced, so that is starting to become a non-issue. Oil leaks can and do happen on both the 993, and the 964. Having owned a 964, and working in the business for a long time, I also wouldn't hesitate to buy either car, from a repair standpoint. I personally prefer the 964, but only due to the styling, nothing more. I just prefer the more classic look. That being said, it would be very hard to pass up a good 993, as I don't prefer the 964 that much more than the 993. They do drive differently, so make sure you get some seat time in both. Get a good ppi, take your time, and enjoy whichever you get. Good luck, and try to buy with your head more than your heart. It's tough at times, but it will pay off in the long run. I have seen way to many people pay too much for a car that's not the best choice because they "fell in love at first sight".

TMc993

You may be past this level of information, but the current (February, 2012) issue of Excellence has a "buyer's guide" article that covers the 964 and 993. Some here will immediately discount the article because Bruce Anderson wrote it, but it does clearly state the differences between the two models and should give you ballpark figures on pricing.

Good luck with your search.

Terry

Mercedesben

I owned 2 similarly setup cars at the same time. I had a 90 964 with coilovers (h&r). And a 95 993 with pss-9s. I was much faster with the 6 speed box in the 993. Both cars were street legal and driven to the track. I liked the 993 much better, but if I did not have the 993 the 964 would have been fine.
Just find the nicest car that works for you. Don't compromise on color either. Buy what makes you happy.

race911

Really? I never really gave much up to a 993 in the club racing days with my RSA. Even against Chris Cervelli and his car, it was about 2 seconds at Laguna the one time he came out. And I wasn't even running Hoosiers. That was the days before cheap, plentiful data, but in recent times on equal tires the near stock RSA was basically straight up with the near stock 4S. The faux RS is clearly quicker, but that's what $80K of pro development (I didn't pay for) will get you.

ca993twin

I'm not sure what differences there are mechanically that would speak to reliability, but I'm curious when Porsche first introduced hydraulic lifters (and no valve adjustments) on the 911s. As far as which is faster on the track... lets not forget how big a factor the driver is...

Rinty

Scott:

The main features that drew me to a 993 were its 30% bigger trunk, multi link rear suspension, and quieter ride (i.e. less road noise transmitting through the chassis).

And I like the hydraulic lifters.

There is a recent 964 / 993 comparo thread, where one Rennlister posted a long list of technical differences.

ABCar

The 993 is slightly more refined...suspension in particular. I like them both but ended up with the 993 becuase it seems the occupy that magical keystone between the old and the new. All older Porsche's will cost you so PPI and buy what makes your heartbeat the fastest.

Good luck! Hard choice for sure.

AOW162435

Don't forget the full wheel-well liners and one of the sexiest rear-end designs in the history of the automobile.


Andreas

ABCar

^^^sexy rear end constantly begs my Nikon's attention for sure...but there is something delightfully crude and thick about those 964 front and rear fascias and prominent fenders that demand respect. I used to dislike the 964 when new but now think it's kind of cool.

deadhead1960

I'll chime in strictly on the value comparison between the two. Several years ago before the prices spiked on 964's and when 993's were selling at a premium, the cost differential was fairly substantial; in most cases at least a $15k spread between a 964 and a 993. Not anymore. Try locating a MY92-94 manual coupe with under 60k miles; very difficult and when they do become available they are typically priced in the mid to high $20's. I think NB 993's will follow suit with a price jump (given the number exported to Europe), however right now IMHO the better value is a 993.