knorrena

I am a Porsche noob, and I tried the search feaature but I am so new I dont even know how to phrase what it is that I am asking. Thus I beg of your patience.

I prepared to buy either a 997 C4s or a 993 C2 or C4, but I need some help deciding. I want the 997 because I have read that the 993 C2 and for that matter even a C4 can be tail happy and swap ends in the hands of the inexperienced 993 driver. I drove a 993 C4 in winter conditions just last week and while it was a fantastic car and I should have bought it, I did not because I thought a 997 would be safer for my wife to drive and I want her to enjoy driving it too.

I drove a 997 C4s in winter conditions and it was ridiculously fun to drive. PSM made and my wife appear as though we were Porsche rock stars, and therein lies the nut of my indecision: do I get the 997 or the 993.

Where I think y'all can help is by providing me some data on how tail happy are the 993s and under normal driving conditions and what is the likelihood of my wife soiling herself driving the 993.

I am sure that many of you have had these same contemplations and that this topic has been revisited countless times; however, most of the subject matter I have come across centres on the crudeness and dated interior of the 993 versus the 997. If you know of other relevant resources please point them out for me.

Thanks for your patience,

Karl

axl911

Daily driving my then 964 and now 993 in Texas for over 12 years. As long as you are not pushing 100%, they behave pretty much like normal cars.

ilko

Under normal conditions there is zero tail wagging on these cars. You never feel like you steer with the throttle pedal unless you push it to the limit. That being said, the 997 is much easier to drive and comfortable, as well as agile. It's the better car in every respect, but it ain't a 993 if you know what I mean.

tcsracing1

the 993, 996 and 997 are not as tail happy as people assume. Porsche spent a lot of money developing the 993 rear suspension to correct the old tail happy characteristic of the 911.

Based on your winter driving I would suggest going with a 997.

The 997 is newer and therefore should be easier on maintenance. (The 993 is no longer a spring chicken and wear items can become due for replacement sooner then later).

The 997 also has a longer wheel base which can also make winter driving a little more predictable when slipping sideways.

My decision wouldnt be based on the handling characteristics as there is not enough issue to warrant a concern.

The 997 is a modern car and better suited to year round use.

Kika

My wife routinely drive my 993 and has no problems. Any car driven beyond one's capability is dangerous, in general, women are more sensible with respect to driving.

Assuming suspension and alignment are all up to snuff, the 993 is a great driving car. Certainly not as tail happy as the 78-79 era 930s, which could really be a snappy when the boost came on.

Has she driven a 993? What are her thoughts/preferences?

Here is a thread about Women 993 drivers: https://rennlist.com/forums/993-foru...ving-911s.html

u7t2p7

It all depends (pun intended). The right side of the brain screams 997. PASM, more comfort, better a/c, faster, more bang for the buck, etc. The left side of the brain says 993. Better looking, old school feel and smell, easier to wrench, relative exclusivity, etc. Ultimately both you and your wife need to drive both and then decide. One caveat to this; if the Porsche is your/her daily driver and you live in an area where it snows a lot, go with a 997. Either way you'll a seperate set of snow tires/wheels for the winter season.

993KT

You mentioned a lot of things you like about the 997, but nothing about the 993. I think you have decided already. There is nothing wrong with that. 997 is a modern car with a lot of comfort and safety features. The performance the 993 simply cannot touch. The 993 is a classic car with a lot of characters but tail happiness is definitely not an issue. The old Taurus wagon or a mustang is way worse from my driving experience.

jstyer

The "tail happy" nature of later 911's is GREATLY exaggerated. It's literally one of the most stable cars I've ever driven as far as rear traction is concerned. A stock 993 is much more likely to push into a wall than spin into one.

BrianinCT

I have a '96 993 c4 never had the back end slide out much, despite my driving tendency to take corners way to fast.. Ps even have a set of snow tires for the occasional winter fun .. If I had a vote (which I don't, it's your ride!) I'd always go with the classic

tcsracing1

Another option for a few dollars more would be a decent 996C4 and a well used 993C2

six gun

In a word...NO

Robert993TT

If the wife are an experienced driver I see no real reason why not to buy a 993 if its the car you really lust to own and use.

With that said I would probably buy a 997 if I had someone else than myself in the household using the car in winter condition based on the fact that the 997 has PSM and the 993 does not.

The 993 is a easy car to drive even in the most slippery conditions with winter tires. It handles just like any other car if you drive it within its limits.

Unexpected things happens that are out of the drivers controls. In those cases PSM can be a lifesaver. That would be the No 1 reason to buy the 997 leaving all other considerations that the 993 being a classic car aside.

rsabeebe

the tail happy characteristic, the 'swapping of ends', is greatly over exaggerated and is really more related to driving a 911 very hard, typically under track conditions. the stability of the car is really not the issue; it's getting into a corner too hot, try to carry too much speed and then either have to get off the gas or apply the brakes, which transfers the weight over the front wheels and that's when the back end gets light and wants to swing around or swap ends. under normal driving conditions, you'll likely never even get the sensation that the car is inherently tail happy. it's just not an issue.

i just moved from a 997 3.8 S to a 993 C4S, but everyone brings different 'needs' to the table.

PRSWILL

My 85 Targa got loose a few times, especially when it was wet- I turned it almost sideways one time jumping on the gas too hard in damp conditions- wasn't wet, just that Seattle pizzle crap that plagues the NW in the fall.
My 993 C4S is LOCKED to the ground compared to the older 911. Feels very stable. Enjoy.
Someone once told me that if you're gonna buy a Porsche for a daily driver, get the newest one you can afford cuz they just keep getting better. If that were the case for me, I'd own a 2006 C4S. But I am an air-cooled enthusiast!

Have Fun!

pirahna

No problem what so ever.