adcampo

I've been thinking of getting a 993 for a few years now. I like the idea of the mechanical feel of a 993 and maybe it will keep me interested with some DYI tinkering, nothing major. This would not be my DD.

I've always had modern cars and like the features of them.

I currently have a 991.1 S cab PDK and thinking of swapping it for a 993 6mt coupe. I understand it's comparing apples and oranges, but has anyone gone from a modern car to a 993? I'd be interested in hearing your perspective.

myles engler

So not in the same boat of going from a 991 to a 993 but I went from a 340i (2014) 6mt m-sport to an 89 3.2 and I'll share my thoughts.

The car will feel slow, slightly floaty, and infinitely more tactile and rewarding. If you are driving around on the roads you'll just flat out have more fun. The car will be rewarding and enjoyable at far lower speeds and will get your adrenaline up at much lower speeds. When you get your corners and shifts right on a spirited drive, you'll feel much more accomplished than in your current car. Nothing comes for free in the older 911s and therefore they are more rewarding and engaging. All of this being said there may be some creature comforts you miss on a cruise, but my guess is these small annoyances will not be noticed until after you're first few drives, and won't be noticed again after that.

I say you make the switch and enjoy every air cooled minute of it.

Myles

adcampo

Thanks for the perspective Myles.

raspritz

There is simply no way to compare a base 993 and a 991S. Different animals entirely. For a decade my DD was a 997.1 C4 cab stick. I also own a '67 911 (racecar) and '69 911T (toy car), so I'm very familiar with air-cooled cars. Shopping for a new DD last year, I had the opportunity in one session to drive (in this order) a 997.1 C4 cab PDK, a pristine 993 Turbo with 7000 miles on the odometer, a 997.2 C2S, a 991.1 base, a 991.1 C2S, and a 991.1 TurboS. Quite a progression! There was a lot of sentimental appeal in the near-mint 993 Turbo, but compared to ALL of the water-cooled cars, it felt like driving an antiquated toy. I bought the 991.1 TurboS, which is a rocket. So, I get it that you are not looking for a DD, but I just can't figure out that you are setting up a comparison between a 991.1S cab PDK and a base 993.

Edit: I disagree with the comment above. I swap between old air-cooled and modern water-cooled Porsches all the time. The air-cooled are not intrinsically "more rewarding" or "more fun" than modern cars. They are just completely different and, to be honest, outdated. For perspective, I am a quadruple-licensed race driver, including an FIA international license. My early 911s are great fun, especially to race in a vintage setting or to take on a cruise; what I put in is what I get out, both good and bad. But their limits are very low-level by modern standards, and they are jarringly unreliable. The TurboS can give me anything I ask for and much more, and it compensates for a lot of my mistakes besides. I do not have the ability to approach its limits in any dimension, and that is a total blast in a completely different way.

Breitling747

I too am in a similar boat. Currently in a 2015 C4s with manual transmission and thinking of going backwards into an air cooled for less power. Yes, less power as I think I'd have more fun at lower speeds in an older car. I was leaning towards an SC or later year Carrera but have recently contemplated a 964 mainly due to some improved creature comforts and power steering. The 964 is a lot heavier, more power and has power steering so not sure if my desire to go backwards would be backwards enough with the 964. Would appreciate people's views and counterviews to those expressed by raspritz.

Brusso

I have actually spent time in both cars. I would say it's more like deciding I want to drive a classic car versus a modern car. Its all about the experience you are looking for. Just as an example, I spend most of my time with my wife in her new X5 M so when I take out my car I want it to be very different in feel. Smaller sports cars have always been my second car. It sounds like this will be your third car..... not a DD..... get what you want because sometimes change is good. Life is too short not to enjoy what you drive when you need to get out of the house and put your right foot down!

wru

raspritz is spot on in his comments - they are totally different.

For reference, I have two early 911's, a 964, 993 C4S and two 991.2's, a GT3T and a TTS. All of these cars are dramatically different, while having many similarities that keep them a 911. One is not "more rewarding" than the other, to me at least. For a daily, it's hard to beat a TTS - it's plush, god awful fast, but a very comfortable car to drive in traffic. The touring is well, a GT3 without the obnoxious wing, and is a manual - not the most fun in rush hour. My 964 is heavily modified, and i wouldn't want to daily that with recaro pole positions, but i can assure you that car is a hoot. The 993 wouldn't be bad to daily but the AC and the radio suck by modern standards, and it's still a 25 year old car - stuff goes wrong with it. Only mods to mine are PSS9's and Fisters, and i updated the headlights to morimotos. The two early cars are beyond what you asked, but i will say if you put a gun to my head and only let me keep one, it would be one of those two.

If you haven't driven the 993 i'm sure the local club would have someone willing to let you swap for a chance to spend an hour in your 991 - someone is probably having the exact opposite thought as you, because well, cars. The 993's are fun and would be a big delta from what you are used to with your car. The 993's are also holding fairly well - you could always buy one, keep it for a couple months and decide, and worse case you're out the taxes, which might be cheaper than trying to get back into a 991 should it not be what you're longing for after all.... i'd bet you end up wanting to keep both.

Breitling747

thanks for sharing your insight!

wru

@Breitling747 if you need the AC, stick with the 964 minimum. If you don't, go straight to a long-hood for miles of smiles driving a slow car fast.

Breitling747

I started the thought process by thinking that I'd like to go for a long hood for beauty and smaller engine. Aside from the limited availability and high price for a decent shape on, I was worried about rust. So then I thought, I should get an SC/Carrera and backdate it (I know that it's a trend and I'll be labelled a follower). This was until I started talking to a few people who have expressed their views on the 964 being far superior than the G-body cars. Wish I could test drive a nice long hood, but not much availability here north of the border. I've only had my C4s 5 months and driven less than a thousand miles, but am wishing that it was smaller. I know that it's not much difference in size than the 997, but it feels so much larger than my previous 997 C4s.

Breitling747

p.s. I could live without AC but it would fall into just a nice to have category.

wru

The good thing about the G body is they are still attainable. The 964s are tough to find a great example without paying up!

HelpMeHelpU

As someone else said, do yourself a favor and drive SEVERAL 993s, as each one is different. That you are a DIYer is very good, because it helps. 993s are finicky and things happen from time to time, often without explanation.

993s look like a classic Porsche sports car is supposed to look. Driving one is a different story. I have owned one for nearly two years and enjoy driving it for many reasons already stated above, namely the thrill of driving a slow car fast, which makes more of the car more accessible more of the time.

To me, it's remarkable that 993s sold for as much as they did when they were new.

If you buy one right, you should be able to get out of it for little loss, if you decide you don't like it. But do drive several.

Breitling747

Just so there is no confusion, I would engage a shop to do the backdate. My skills, or lack thereof, are limited to installing the Numeric short shifter on my 991.1, and it took me 3x as long as it should have. Thank you for your advice as well!

Dave Fulton

Just my personal feelings for what it is worth totally subjective. I bought a 83SC G car 26 years ago now as an interim car to have maybe 5 years max and flip for something else. It is still in my garage to day way over 100K miles later. It was my daily driver living in Florida for many years. I now live in Tennessee with all sorts of fabulous two lane twisty and or mountain roads all around me that the car was made for now no longer a daily driver. But I still take it out on a moments notice to just because it is there and still get a thrill driving it. Not a garage queen by any means.

I have driven everything 993's 991's turbos GT2's 3's all the never water cooled cars. Yes they are more comfortable and more creature comforts than mine but to to me way less feeling of being one with the machine. For me personally now 66 yrs old I would drive mine anywhere anytime. I am an old motorcycle guy still ride so my car is my 4 wheeled motorcycle when I do not want to worry about weather or get dressed up with all my battle gear. Every time I drive a newer one and get excited or spoiled, as I am browsing the car mart as we speak. I drive mine and it still puts a huge smile on my face when I fire it up and go for a ride. I personally love the non power steering, have no issues with the 915 transmission once you know how to shift it works like butter and a feeling of accomplishment like an old pair of shoes. I get a real seat of the pants feel of the road through the wheel and stick shift.

For me driving a slow car fast is way more rewarding than something that has all the electronic or modern things that make it easy to drive fast but you also do not get the rewarding driving experience for my type of driving. Put me on a track like Barber in Birmingham, Sebring or Road Atlanta and that is another story but for the back roads I will keep what I have.