rome

I suggest driving a 993 which has had its suspension done. The original Monroes, after10+ years, will leave you with a "floaty" feeling. After the upgrade, the car feels just about as "planted" as a new 911.

rickdm

You can tell from the picture what I drive, but let me offer another opinion. The 993 is a great compromise, you get the air cooled character while still getting a modern car. On the track or on a perfect weekend day the 3.2 is awesome, but hit traffic on a 100 degree day and it is not much fun. I have no intention of selling my 3.2, but I have a buddy with a 993 and I am impressed at how much more sophisticated the overall car is; ride, shifting, AC, power....just a great car.

911Dave

Only a cabriolet can be "triple black". Triple black = black paint + black interior + black top.

butzip

I stand corrected. It's black on black or double black then. Geez....

Ed Burdell

I'd love to add a G50 3.2 alongside my 993. Everyone who's had a 3.2 raves about them.

Dan in Florida

[QUOTE=rickdm;5813299]You can tell from the picture what I drive, but let me offer another opinion. The 993 is a great compromise, you get the air cooled character while still getting a modern car. On the track or on a perfect weekend day the 3.2 is awesome, but hit traffic on a 100 degree day and it is not much fun. I have no intention of selling my 3.2, but I have a buddy with a 993 and I am impressed at how much more sophisticated the overall car is; ride, shifting, AC, power....just a great car.[/QUOTE]

Good comment. I own both. As was posted, the 911 is fairly raw; you know exactly what is happening at all times and the challenge is to control it without the more recently installed power assists..........its all up to you and that is the challenge. It's a great street car, but, for me, it's the perfect track/race car, and it competes in one of the most competitive, and largest, classes in PCA Club Racing (Class E). Of course I'm biased, but the racers who drive those cars are par excellence and the podium finishers are among the best in club racing. The 993 is totally different: a much more refined suspension system, more comfortable as a street car, much preferred by my better half, and yet a very awesome machine, easily modified for the track.....but, not to forget, considerably more expensive to maintain. If you do decide on the Carrera, by which I mean the 911, don't confine yourself to the G50. It's a very good transmission, but the 915 is very durable and it may be easier to maintain. And, in the event you start down that slippery slope to racing, it's hell on wheels in the lower gears.........stock class. Think track, and think turns....think about winning..........good luck.

avidtest

I love my 993. However, I desire a 3.2 track appliance to pair it up with (or maybe a 964). I bought my 993 with the majority of mod goodies already on it. If it were stock, I'm sure I would not be so smitten with it. I could probably more easily live with a stock 3.2 (although I wouldn't - it would get modd'ed too).

In summary, if you want raw and loud, the 993 can accommodate - it just takes a few more dollars - (an upgraded suspension is a must, and is a good place to start). If Porsche would have delivered the 993 in Signal Green.....sigh.....p-car nirvana....

Edgy01

Have been driving and owning Porsches since 1974. I have driven every era of 911 from early long hood 2.0 litre to the current 997 3.8. I wound up ordering a 997 simply because I recognize that the older cars are suffering from age issues. These can be sorted out by a reasonably skilled person. Each generation of 911 has special characteristics which can make it your favorite. Go drive as many cars as you can. You will soon sense the changes that Porsche has undertaken to improve these cars. Many prefer the harsher rides of the older cars while others prefer the amenities of the newer ones.

As you have read earlier, the 993s are commanding top dollar as collectors are trying to grab up what they consider to be the last of the air-cooled Porsches. I happen to prefer the slightly older cars which featured either 3.0 or 3.2 litre engines. But always remember some basic advice. Buy the newest 911 that you can afford. Always budget sufficient funds to handle those little surprises that will crop up in a car of this age. There are dozens and dozens of very nice 911-Carreras out there; simply insist upon a good papertrail so that you can assess the owners as well as the cars. Some owners merely drove them into the ground. Others wind up with a list of buyers lining up to buy their cars when they are moved to sell. You can quickly become a 911 expert by driving as many as you can, talking to other 911 old-timers, and spending time here on Rennlist!

Good luck.

Edward

Own a 993 daily driver for going on 8 years now, and an 82SC for 4-5 years now. Verdict is love them both ...for completely different reasons.

If you are thinking of daily or nearly daily driver and you want real HVAC, the 993 is the clear winner. No major mods necessary. Just a decent suspension upgrade and you've got 95% of that 911 "connectedness" to the road while enjoying the modern conveniences ...the 993 really is all 911 to the core.

If you want that old-school visceral thrill and more of a "fun car" (because you have a driving appliance for most of the time), then an SC or Carrera are incredible machines that spell "fun" in caps, bold, and italics! Honestly not a car I'd prefer over the 993 if using it daily. But as a time machine into the glory of Porsche's racing heritage (and not breaking the bank), these cars are hard to beat!

Edward

Crimson Nape Racing

wrongo, you can have a triple black coupe - triple black = black exterior + black interior + black headliner. I had one with black interior and white headliner.

Norske

You should post the same question on the 993 board. I have owned both. They are different, but not much. I like the 993's power steering and better AC, and the 3.2 Carrera's just don't have enough power or torque for me, (of course I never have enough HP).

rw229

As others have said, it depends on what you want to use it for...

I started with an '85, upgraded to an '87 for the G-50 trans (not a big deal IMHO) and then to a 993. I thought it was a natural progression. While the 993 was a sweet car (with working A/C), I found the it to be a little too refined for my purpose. As a second car (toy) I missed the smell, noise and seat of the pants feel of the the older cars. I now own an '83 SC. That said, I suspect the under appreciated 964 may be a nice compromise between the SC/Carrera and the 993.

911Dave

Uh huh. And if you have a black exterior, black interior, and black floor mats I suppose you would call that triple black too? No, sorry. Triple black is a specific term that only means one thing, and the headliner is irrelevant.

andrew911

Simlar to me- started with a 78 911sc, moved to 87 911 and then 93 964. The 87 was definitely a big step from the 78- had the 78 gearbox rebuilt and stil was no where near as good as a shifter as the 87, plus the 87 had more torque.

The 964 improved more on the shifter (sweet feeling- someone likened it to moving the bolt of a fine rifle- I don't have a rifle, but I think I know what feeling they were describing), and the 3.6 of the 964 has much better torque than the 3.2 and is just fast enough for me 0-60 5.5. Handling and ride are perfect balance for a 911 to me, and it's a great drive. I drove a 97 993, and didn't notice much incremental difference in power or handling. Steering feedback in 964/993 is very good- way better than the average car or sports car, but nothing like the unassisted (albeit jumpy) steering of the pre 964 cars- the pre 964 cars have the best steering feedback of any car I've driven. Some may not like feeling every rut in the road/pull left or right on certain roads, but it's 2nd to none.

mnmasotto

One thing not mentioned much is maintenance. The 3.2 cars are much easier to work on than the 993. Changing the oil on a 3.2 is a short process. The 993 has two filters. The larger filter is harder to get to and the whole process took me about three times as long. Don't forget the SAI's on the 993. Changing plugs is much more time consuming. However, no valve adjustment with 993. I rebuilt the A/C on my 3.2 and it works great.