blake

I wouldn't venture from a 964 or a 993... I am personally not a fan of the 996/997 series. I just bought an '06 997 as a DD and to be blunt - it is kind of boring. My GT3 is more ***** to the wall, and my 964 has more soul. I'd prefer those both on a Saturday drive...

You can't go wrong with either the 964 or 993 - and both will hold their value IMHO...

My $0.02,
-Blake

windblown

I just love the air cooled Porsches and the 964 is where I landed; I am not positive but when I roll past many of our water cooled bretheren I think I see a little jealousy..? Sure it may not be the fastest but when I bump into my Wife on the drive home from work and the first thing she say is " That has got to be the most beautiful car on the road" I smile and say 'yea... you are probably right."

p.s. it was 85 today with the top down and I took every long way home I could find, it was perfect!!!

Frank 993 C4S

I'd suggest you spend the $5k because you'd have to discount that in case of a sale of your 964 anyway. Look at some 993s, drive some and make up your mind whether you like some of the subtle differences. The 993 is a little more comfy and modern, particularly the heating system. Be careful, post '95 vintage 993s can have SAI problems that trigger the CEL and could give you smog inspection troubles that could be expensive to fix. If you want the comforts of a water cooled 911, jump to a 997, the 996s are cheap for a reason an IMHO they're ugly.

alanp

In some folks eyes...the 996 holds value pretty well!

http://cgi.ebay.com/ebaymotors/Nice-...item20b82a2d0e

deadhead1960

I would suggest you first decide "coupe or cab." If cab is your preference I'd suggest "investing" in what you already own. "The devil you know is better than the devil you don't know." Both the 964 and 993 cabs have a similar profile with respect to how the car looks when the top is down. By definition, cabs are more of a "cruiser" and therefore you should be less concerned with how the car performs;either however are great examples.
If you decide to cross over into a coupe, it gets a bit trickier. Lately low to mid mileage 92-94 C2 coupes has been near impossible to find and when they do become available, they are usually being offered for "993 money." IMHO, for a spread of a few thousand dollars, you're better off with a 993. The build of the car is 90% new from the 964 and is generally regarded as more reliable, faster and better handling Porsche. When the spread between the 964's and 993's were greater there was an additional reason (price) to buy a 964. As has been mentioned, the 964 is a bit rawer than the 993, which is slightly more refined and having 6 speeds is nice too. It really all comes down to what you're wanting out of your Porsche experience.

hans57

Thank you and all others for the replies. This is exactly what I was looking for when I made the post. What a great resource the fellow Rennlister's are. There is simply not a better forum out there!

wolf76

So hans, what are you leaning towards? Is yours a keeper or are you going to start looking?


Chris

tcabler

I'd go to a 993 if I were you. The styling is gorgeous and you get a bit of an upgrade in performance and comfort. 993 prices are dropping and you should be able to find one in the mid twenties if you look hard enough. I actually found two 993s this past fall in the upper teens- 6spds with 90k mls. Avoid the 996. You have to be going about 100mph to even feel a hint of excitement. And the headlights look like they vomitted all over themselves.

TNR911

I found this post really interesting. I've only recently obtained my 964. I've a 997 C2S as my daily driver and now find myself actively searching for a great 964 or 993 to replace it. The 997 was my first 911 and I had thought that was driving nirvana. I now realize that the 997 and the 996 are really GT cars and not sports cars. That comment is not meant to lessen these great machines but for me at least the passion is missing. Money is always a consideration but I would go with what you feel in your heart. I think someone once said I've never seen a hearse with a luggage rack.

Frank 993 C4S

Well, here's your answer: (Stick with the 964):

Got a 964 Again after 6 Years

MAHack

[QUOTE=TNR911;8438797] I've a 997 C2S as my daily driver and now find myself actively searching for a great 964 or 993 to replace it. The 997 was my first 911 and I had thought that was driving nirvana. I now realize that the 997 and the 996 are really GT cars and not sports cars. QUOTE]


+1...I've had a 997 C2S as a DD since it was released in the fall of 2004 (a 2005, then a 2006). They are super fast, comfortable, and packed with every electronic gadget you can think of. But being GT cars, they don't stir the soul like the 964 does. The increased size and weight of the newer cars is really detrimental to the tossable feel of the earlier cars.

-Mark

BHMav8r

+1

964's are more visceral - you can enjoy the sports car feel at slower speeds.

997's pushed towards the limit is no where near legal.

hans57

I leaning towards keeping, especially well put was the quote "the devil you know is better than the devil you don't know".

blake

+1... Porsche addressed anemic sales with the 996 by moving to a classic GT car ride with more creature comforts. To keep the purists happy, they introduced the ironically-named "GT" cars (GT2/GT3) which were introduced in the 996 series. These are based on the 996 & 997 platforms, but deploy a different engine, suspension and less interior refinements. I would say that a GT3 does have the "soul" of older 911s, but there is something special about an SC, Carrera 3.2, 964 and 993 - and of course a '73 RS!

Gordon Attar

Hans

Personally I think the 993 widebody is the best looking Porsche available, and still think the 993TT is the ultimate one for me.

But currently I just happen to have in my possession a 993 cab in Iris Blue, a 993 Targa Silver and a spot on Slate Grey 964 cab(93 model). Looks wise the 993 Silver Targa with the bespoke leather interior wins, but the car I want to drive most is the 964 Convertible, I just love the sound and feel and being a bone dry 90k 93 model I'm not worried about an engine rebuild!

So if your engine is sorted stick with the 964

Regards

Gordon

PS if for any possible reason it hs to be a 996, spend the extra and go for the bullet proof 996 TT