wick650

Well, after hearing a few horror stories I am a bit worried about finding the "right" Porsche for my budget. I need a reliable car, this will be my sole form of transportation that I need to depend on. I do not have any buddies who work on Porsche's, nor am I capable of doing any repairs myself.

My question is, if reliability is my central concern, should I spring for a higher mileage 964, or go for a nice 911?


Any thoughts are appreciated, thanks for your time

Jack667

Buy a nice 964 or 993 (probably 93-96) with 40-50k miles. Buy the best one you can find. get a ppi. full doc. clean with no gotchas.

Smokin

I'd also look for one that is pure stock. Modifications (if they were done incorrectly) can have an impact on reliability.

Gary R.

Yes, right here! You mention "964" like it isn't a 911 model.. maybe its just me.

For $27K you can buy my 1991 911 (964) with 40K miles!! I would drive it around the damn globe without a second thought. I even have a new spare DME relay in the glove box!

wick650

thanks for the responses, I guess I should start my search with 964s




Sorry if this sounds ignorant, but is there a clear progression in terms of reliabilty in later models i.e 964s and 993s? Should I stay clear of earlier models?

Jay H

Most all 911's are (or were) reliable cars. Assembly tolerances are tight, materials are top notch and they are designed well (though with quirks, but we like our 911's with quirks). The pre 964 models drive much more raw than the 964 and newer models. I highly suggest driving a 911SC/3.2 Carrera and then jump into a 964 or 993 for comparison if you can. However, the 964 and newer cars have more creature comforts and safety equipment (better A/C, airbags, ABS, etc) that might make them more desireable to you than an earlier car.

The 911 really advanced technically starting with the 964. These (and newer cars) are much more complex than the earlier cars. So, even though these cars are still very solid cars, more complex cars can have more things go wrong. Every model of modern 911's (2.7, 911SC, 3.2 Carrera, 964, 993) has their problems. Most, if not all, of these documented problems can be remedied with a reliable, permanant repair. Though, some are expensive procedures.

Many of these cars are getting to be old cars. Even the newest 993 is now 7 years old. Age takes it toll as well as mileage. The biggest factor with these cars is condition. Look for the best example you can find when you narrow down what you want.

Many people still drive these cars daily, so it can be done. Make sure you budget $1500 to $2500 per year for maintenance and repairs if you can not do too much DIY work.

Good Luck,

Jay
90 964

springer3

You can tell from this forum that very few of us regret purchasing a 964. Since you don't plan to DIY, do you know an honest and competent mechanic in the area? An expert mechanic will keep it tip top for very little effort. A dishonest or unskilled mechanic will quickly make an expensive and unreliable mess of a 964.

Where are you located?

Marc Shaw

It is surprising what you can do with a little time and a great deal of help from this forum. I knew very little about cars and even less aout 964's before my purchase. Some would argue I still know very little ( ) but I have learned a great deal and developed a lot of confidence to do DIY tasks that I would not have dreamed of doing before -- all from hanging out and getting help and support form this forum.

It turns out to be a lot of fun and you get a real sense of satisfaction from doing it yourself! Besides, you are not just maintaining a car, you are maintaining a Porsche!!

Marc

Chris M.

As above, drive some pre-964 cars and then drive the 964 and 993. I think you'll find that the 964 and 993 would be better daily drivers. Also, if you live in a hot area, the A/C on an SC or 3.2 may not be able to keep up. For $35K you can get a low mile 964 and have $ left over; probably not true for a 993 unless you want a cab.

c

wick650

I'm located in Santa Barbara, and the Bay Area most of the year. thanks for the info guys

Monique

With your budget, you can go for most models.

IMO, the more representative Porsches are the air cooled ones and as you go into older ones, they get harder and more raw. You could get an early 996 for that money but it would not be my thing... air is where its at!

Will keep its value better than the water coolers except perhaps the GT3 and 996 TT. These last 2 are out of your money though

Monique

There are some nice 993s in the classifieds.

jimq

It may be a good time to move on a 993 as it seems by reading post on the 993 side the cars arent exactly moving very good for the "wish" prices being asked. Might be able to get a good reasonable deal on one now.