GTR 993

I have found a 1991 911 Turbo with 4X,XXX miles on it black inside and out for mid $30,s with good service history and is very clean. The car is located right down the road from my house. I also found a 98 C2S with 7X,XXX miles for mid $30's with a clean title good service history Arena Red with tan interior no upgrades. I need to make a decision in the next couple of days what would you do??

I love the 993 and want a widebody car but the other car is a Turbo that is very clean with low miles. The interior as you know is nearly identical as the 993 same shifter not the long shifter like the 80's models. I believe from memory the 911 has 315 hp vs 272 hp. I wish I had the money for both but unfortunately I do not so I need to make a decision. What is the downside of owning an older Turbo? What should I look out for? And if I decide to buy the 911 Turbo can I still stay with the 993 Forum? Its so much nicer over here..........

John S.

Buy the 993 then tell me where the Turbo is so I can buy it.

Seriously, I've been looking for a C2 Turbo for a while. They're not easy to come by. The price you speak of sounds reasonable to me. The thing is, many Turbo owners aren't willing to sell at reasonable prices. The C2 Turbos are supposed to be pretty solid. I wouldn't worry about it if it has been well maintained.

As for the C2S, the 993 widebodies are very cool. The '96+ 993's have 282 bhp but I can't imagine the driving experience being much different than your '95. I would think the Turbo would be less tractable around town, but not so much as it would be a big deal.

They're both cool cars, but low mileage no story Turbos are not easy to find.

ca993twin

Just a thought, as I have no experience with either car... if you plan on modifying a car to extract more HP, the turbo has enormous potential. If you'll be satisfied with close to stock HP numbers, the 993 should be much easier and more pleasant to drive. Bottom line, is there is no wrong answer... both are great cars at good prices. Keep us posted.

vjd3

If the car's to be a daily driver for you, I would go for the 993. If it's a weekend or fair weather "fun" car, get the Turbo ... you will have a blast in it. I had an 87 911 Turbo and I can't imagine driving that daily in traffic, etc; when I moved to the city I got a 993. Even though the 91 Turbo is a bit more refined, it's still the same 3.3 motor, and they run hot on warm days, you can have detonation problems if you up the boost or use lower octane gas, etc. But the adrenaline rush when the boost comes on is very addictive, you will almost certainly start modifying the car (and making it even more impractical as a daily driver) ... ah, the joys of the Turbo.

Tough choice, but a nice one to grapple with :-) ... and they're letting me hang around (so far) with a waterpumper, so you're a cinch with an aircooled Turbo.

Vic
99 C2 cab

GrantG

Don't forget that the 965 has WAY more torque even if the HP is similar. However, I'd take the 993 anyways - better looks and handling, IMHO, and the extra power of the 965 is hard to access in anything but a straight line, unless you're a very good driver. I don't care for turbo lag either...

Mike in O.C.

If it were me, and the choice was between those two cars, I'd choose the Turbo. The turbo, mileage, color, and closeness of the seller are all pluses. I also love the rear spoiler. Don't forget, this car is also a "wide body."
I think that the mileage on the 993 is too high for a 1998. If you really want a C2S, I'd look for a better example.
I'd think that you would always be welcome on this forum. But if you buy the turbo and have questions, they would probably best be asked on that fourm.
Good luck.

DJF1

To be honest my dream car is still the 965 Turbo 3.6! Awesome good looks and performance to match. If I did not have a race car I would have splurged on the Turbo... One day though... So go for it! You can still hang around with us

viperbob

DJ,

Like this 3.6 Turbo??? It is my old one and was highly modified putting our close to 500HP.. RSR suspension, turbo mods, intercooler, exhaust, Euro CIS with some tweeks, light flywheel / clutch setup, regeared for 173 MPH max which I was close to hitting (actually about 162) going up the hill at Watkins Glen...




I'd get the C2 Turbo, and you better hope you have a good mechanic close by that likes and knows these cars 'cause they ain't like no other C2 that they have ever seen.....

David in LA

I'd get the turbo....you can always get a 993 later and a clean 993 will always be much easier to find than a C2 turbo.

Mark in Baltimore

Bob,

That's a great shot of a very hot car.

Edward

Obviously the 993 is a special car that we here all love. But a 911 turbo is always something MORE than special!!! As much as I love the 993TT, there is something about the "old" body in Turbo form that seems so viceral, so pure, so athletic: beauty in strength is how I've always seen it. I think the 3.6T exhibits what I've described best, but certainly the 91-93s still exude that "I'm a special car" flavor more than most. Besides, as David said you can always get a clean 993 later should you decide change or add to the stable. Of course all this is IMO, but you asked
Get what "drives" YOU, and forget what we all think. And BTW, you're in a wonderful position to be in...congrats on whatever you decide!

Edward

DJF1

I'm drooling man!! Lots of negative camber and power galore! A recipe for intense fun! I'm not sure about the GT2 wing back there (I'm sure its functional) but from your description it must have been an awesome beast!

viperbob

Thanks DJ.

The GT2 wing looked really cool on the back. I did not have the carbon fiber element painted, and it really looked nice on the Polar Silver. And yes it was functional. That was about the only piece of the car that survived intact after hitting a wall sideways after a suspension part failure at Lime Rock at a Buck Twenty.. These things really can fly BTW...

bjb

GTR993

I own a 1997 993 (C2) and a 1992 C2 Turbo. I bought the 993 first and liked it a lot. I then bought the Turbo (with 28000 miles, stock). I initially wasn't very fond of the turbo. Until you get that turbo spooling, it is pretty sluggish, and with the stock setup, the turbo doesn't spool up until at least 3600 RPM. Then it is pretty fast, but not overwhelming. The N/A 993 is definitely a more responsive car and more pleasant to drive on a daily basis. Then I took the turbo to a local Porsche independent for some modifications - Full B&B header and exhaust, hotter camshaft, lightweight flywheel/clutch, 1 bar boost spring. That set me back over $10K, but made a huge transformation in the car and my enjoyment of it. It is more responsive at all RPM, and absolutely silly fast once it gets spooled up. It's now a blast to drive, but it drinks gas, still has a slightly less responsive feel just tooling around town, and is pretty loud. (I like it loud, and wouldn't have it any other way, but there are times when it's a little over the top. My wife doesn't complain too much in my 993 with RSR mufflers, but practically refuses to ride in the turbo). The net result is that I still drive the 993 more than the turbo.

Other random thoughts:

The turbo interior is nicer (my 993 doesn't have full leather).

The radio/CD in the 993 is nicer than the radio/tape in the turbo (both stock units).

Both cars are black on black. The turbo gets far more attention. That wide rear and the ridiculous spoiler are what got my attention and why I decided I had to have one.

I now love them both. Probably the 993TT is a perfect blend of the characteristics I like from each, and that's a possibility for me in the future. I think I agree with vjd3 above - if it's a weekend fun car, I'd go with the Turbo. If it's to drive every day, I'd go with the 993. However, you must drive them both and pick the one you like better.

BJB