Deekster

Hi Gang,
I currently own a '72 and '83 911 and am looking to sell each and get a '95 993 instead. At first I was looking at a '00 Boxster, but decided that the 993 was much more car. I have been looking online for a while and found a '95 993 cab with 85k miles for $29k. It has all the records, etc. but it is not local and I have not seen it in person.
This is a first in many areas for me. This will be the newest and most expensive car I ever bought. I am used to doing all my own work on these cars and not sure how expensive this car will be to run. This will be my first cabriolet. My 72 is a targa and dont really mind it but it leaks, rattles, etc. I have also never purchased anything that's half way across the country. I have read up on the car and tried to gather as much info on this model and long distance purchases. This will So I'm looking for a little feedback on the following :
How do these cars wear - the high miles worry me. I dont want to do an engine job in a couple years (or anything major if i can help it)
Value - does this seem like a reasonable deal?
Expense to run - what kind of typical maintenance costs can I expect.
Cab vs coupe - any real draw backs with the cabs? Will it leak, rattle, etc.?
And finally the car is a turquoise blue and drk blue int. I like the color, but I get the impression that it might be a hard color to sell (if I or when I sell).
I would really appreciate any responses - if I decide to purchase, I am sure I will be a regular here.
-Donovan

In this price range

Tim Ashfield

Hi Donovan

Not qualified to comment on price or long distance purchasing in the US being in the UK.

Lots of people here run high mileage cars with little adverse feedback and I am sure they will chime in.

Colour - unusual combo as you say. I think if you like it buy it - however if you think it will be difficult to sell on, factor it in to the negotiations as the current seller is in exactly that position now.

Sorry I can't help with the rest but no doubt others will add their comments and an archive search on mileage, cab v coupe will no doubt provide some information for you.

Best of luck with your decision!

waybrig

Donovan,

I'm by no means an expert, having just bought my first this winter. However, here's a couple thoughts: As far as mechanical reliability, the 993 is probably the best of the air cooled 911's. Maintenance is a little cheaper too with hydraulic valves which need no adjutment. As I'm sure you already know with your other 911's, maintenance history is extremely important. Also, with a cab, I have heard estimates of the top having a life span of ~6 years. Mine was replaced before I purchased it. Cost for non-factory was ~$1600.

If you're worried about re-sale I would be worried about miles more than color. Personally I wouldn't have much problem buying one at around that mileage if I knew I was going to keep it forever. However, I wouldn't consider buying one with 120,000 miles which is where you will be shortly if you buy that one. For an extra 5-10 grand you can pick up a 95 with less than 40K miles, put an additional 40K on it, and still be in a range where it should be relatively easy to sell.

Also, regarding long distance transactions, see if a fellow Rennlister is in the area of the car. Most of us jump at the chance to go check out another P-car. I bought mine long distance using the same technique.

JPS

If everything checks out, seems like a pretty good price. Do get the PPI though, and do factor in A) new clutch soon if original and B) if you are in there, you will likely want to upgrade the flywheel or even go to a lightweight flywheel, and upgrade the pullies, and C) you are in Minnesota...guessing winter sort of harsh...cab is fab in California, but Minnisota?

Mine doesn't leak at all, but you have a significant portion of your roof that is just cloth...torsional rigidity is less, and you will occasionally get a rattle of some sort...not a biggie.

Mild concern is the added maintenance of the top. They do get hammered. I just spent about 2 hrs this weekend masking off the entire car with newspaper (except for the roof), and spraying on waterproofing treatment. They say to do this twice per year.

I LOVE my cab. If the roof is up it is usually because it is below 40, or...well, that's about it. I don't drive it in the rain.

Net net I realized when buying mine. Do all the homework you can (PPI included), and think about if you let the car go...does your stomach tie in a knot? If so, go write a check. If not, keep looking. Who cares about resale value? Someone will buy it and if it cost you a grand because the color was different, who cares? That thousand bucks added three years to your lift from the happiness that car will bring you.

Deekster

Thanks for the advice.
I have decided to hold off on this car. Mainly because of a couple good points that were mentioned here.
1) mileage - the possible $$ needed soon is a concern (clutch, top, etc.) Plus, I did not want a 100k + car and still have payments.
2) coupe vs cap - I am leaning toward a coupe. This will be my summer car to drive 100% of the time, rain or shine. In Minnesota that means 4+ months of possible 50F or less weather. And considering I hardly ever take the top off my targa, maybe a coupe is best. JPS - I agree - cab in MN might not get much use.
3) color - It became less of a concern after reading all the responses. Thanks guys!!
4) resale - I agree and really appreciate all your feedback on this point. I'm sure it's natural to consider resale, it's just a hard habit to break.
Thanks all !!!
I am sure I will let you know what I end up with.

Stevarino

I wouldn't let a cabriolet scare you off if it will be your primary summer transportation - heck, even it it will be used in winter. I'm fairly certain that Porsches are designed, built and actually driven in a climate similar to Minneapolis (assuming), Minnesota - you know, Stuttgart, DE. We Californians can be at times a bit provincial.

The top is lined, well-framed and very quiet. However, with the top down you benefit from that flat six symphony like you really can't in the Coupe'.

I'd second everything else the folks above wrote, especially the PPI. In addition, search the archives. There's a wealth of information available to folks just starting their search.

Good luck.

Mark in Hermosa

Donovan:

Is that cab in Southern California? If it is the same, it is at a so-so car dealership here.

Miles aren't an issue if you get a decent inspection, have decent records, and take decent care of your car going forward (much like anything).

911-TOUR

My 1995 has 78K on it now, I bought it at 60K. I budget $1500 a year in maintanance and tires (not mods, those are gravy) and that has been about right over the 2 years I've owned the car.

That said, I paid 5K more, probably, than most people on this board would have said the car was worth...but it was the cleanest car around, I knew the owner, and has had no major mechanical problems (knock on wood) to speak of. One bit of advice I'd give if I were looking for a low maintainence car, look for one that's been driven 6-10K miles a year - these cars don't do well sitting in a garage, far worse than other makes. They're meant to be driven.

Just remember, you pay for what you get. <img border="0" title="" alt="[Wink]" src="wink.gif" />

Happy Hunting!

sean

cmoss

These cars can sometimes have a "carbon build-up" problem. This can be $$$ to fix ($6K - $10K). Do a search using Carbon Build-Up.
Good Luck,
Chris

Deekster

Mark - yes the cab is in southern CA.
The guy from the dealer seemed nice and easy to work with, but there did seem to be some flags. One was that the car had been hit in the front bumper. I guess from moving it around in their lot. They said they would have it fixed before it was sold. I appreciated their honesty. They could have just tried to fix it and then not say anything. However, they then tried to use the price to fix it in the negotiations of the car. Didnt seem quite right since it was not shown in the original photos.

Cab vs Coupe - This is still an open topic for me. As I mentioned I am still leaning toward a coupe just because of my purpose for the car and climate. However, I would certainly not pass up a cab that had the right color and mileage combo.
The local dealer here brought up a couple good points about cabs in this area. He said that the tops usually last the life of the car here. Considering that the cars are stored in the winter, the average mileage per year is like 5k-10k. Mostly driven with its nice out and the top is down. I guess the top hardly sees the sun or elements. Here these cars are not typically not used as a daily driver, but more like as a weekender.

There were some interesting points mentioned above about the lower mileage cars. Some new points to consider. In my price range, ($30k-$34k) it seems that the mileage ranges from 50k to 85k. I have not seen any noticeably lower mileage cars.
Sean - $1500 per year budget? How many miles per year do you drive. What does the $1500 go towards?
Thanks guys - Donovan

adsc4s

I think cabs are great and if the weather is good, there is nothing better than top down motoring where you can really hear the motor in back. However, for me, my cab was much louder with the top up than my coupe.

I also try to budget a specific amount per year. Last year, I went way over. So far this year, it has only been $500 to replace the rear tires.

DrZ

Hey JPS try Wolfstein's Raggtop next time. Easy two step process w/o the need to mask. Waterproofing lasts 6 months. Excellent cleaner as well. Costs around $20.

williet1342

Hey... I've got several vehicle descriptions written down by the computer, so while I look for mine I notice others that are possible leads for others. In one case the car lead I gave the guy he is doing the PPI this week. Anyway, keep me in mind too if you will. Re: 1995-97, Coupe, TIPTRONIC, Black or Midnight Blue. Regards. (Prefer light colored interior. <img border="0" alt="[cheers]" title="" src="graemlins/beerchug.gif" />