DC from Cape Cod

There are not many....I would be surprised if over 3% of all 993's have had this problem.

mrsullivan

interesting post from another Porsche board.... I dont know how correct this is, dont know the poster, etc....I just thought it was interesting...I am trying to learn as much as I can....maybe the answer at some point is just to turn off the computer and take a risk! :-)


Post from Another Porsche Board:

"The 993 engine issues have been covered on the PCA tech Q&A site. In summery, they suffer from premature valve guide wear and clogged secondary air passages. The fixes are not cheap and the root of the problem is a design flaw. The PCA tech advisor seams to think that it is inevitable in all 993's. The RMS issue on the other hand is a big unknown. It's either fixed by a new seal or a new engine and only Porsche knows how many cars have been affected. That said, it seams to be an uncommon failure.

If you thus believe the PCA tech site, all 993 engines will eventually need a rebuild to fix valve guides as well as regular maintenance to prevent clogged air passages. The 996 RMS issue does not appear to be preventable and it affects a minority of 996's. Will we ever know the true numbers?"

DC from Cape Cod

I asked 2 Porsche dealers/mechanics and 1 independent about this same issue and I was told the same by all of them. The 996 RMS issue was far more wide-spread.

Granted, there are many more 996's out there but you sure read about many more RMS problems.

I look at it this way....I don't believe that there is any certainly that it will affect me...and if it does, I will fix it. I love my car far too much to let something like this prevent me from enjoying it.

Besides, never believe everything you read......this is the internet.

99D3C2

Besides if the engine goes...time for a 3.8 kit. Can I get an amen?

DC from Cape Cod

Sounds good to me!

lowblow

What is this obsession with LOW MILEAGE. My 96' has 58K. Is that high?. Should I be looking to replace it?.

How can a car be described as bullet proof and then be condemned if it doesn't have under 30K miles.

Get over it!!. And another thing, (I feel like Dennis Miller!), What's with the one owner ****! These cars are not USUALLY owned by kids. They are usually well cared for.

I'm the 3rd owner of my car. I have detailed records of it's past and truly believe that each new owner was extremely excited to be fortunate enough to own it and cared for it accordingly.

I believe that there are alot of us that get bored with our vehicles much quicker than after 8+ years. I would rather have a car owned by 3 meticulous owners than 1 complacent one.

Just my .02 cents!

Mike

PedroNole

lowblow-

Amen!

mac993

There are many examples of high mileage 993's running around. The article I was talking about before was about 2 high mileage 993's (both with 175,000+) and how the 993 is the most trouble free and reliable 911 ever (inlcuding the 996 line). As with any high performance sports car regular maintance is required, but properly maintained the 993 is as solid as they come. The reason the CEL issue is as talked about as it is, is because it seems to be the one major issue with the 993's. As stated before it only happens in a small amount of cars and up until the last year or so the only true fix was a top in rebuild. But now many top name shops are using the chemical flush with much sucess. The vast majority of the CEL issues are due to the clogging of an secondarty air passage (which by the way happens on '95's as well but the OBDI just doesn't read it as a fault) used to help lower emmisons on cold start-ups, this causes no long term damage as described to me by my shop, but just causes problems when trying to pass somg. A small percentage of 993's suffer from valve guide wear but it is the exception not the rule.
The fact remains the the 993/964 engine was highly developed and race proven. And is by most all accounts "bulitproof"

FWIW my 993 is daily driven. Has 76,000 miles (had the CEL issue for 2+ years, did the flush some time ago) and runs like it is new. I could not be happier.

Just my $.02 of course.

mnmblu

I can't offer any technical advice but I must say after reading this thread, I am glad I have a 95.

lowblow:

Right on brother, glad someone finally said it. I'll bet my car looks better than the VAST majority of 993's with half the mileage. I have 53K on mine and it's just now breaking in.

Dr. No

jbuchsba, would you describe these tweaks and the ballpark cost?
Thanks

Speedraser

Mr. Sullivan,

I think you should ignore the year and buy the best car you find in terms of condition, equipment, colors, etc. There is no difference in performance among the years. In fact, the quickest cars road tested seem to be the '95s, based on the contemporary magazine tests over the years.

The '96+ Varioram does make a noticeable difference in mid-range torque, but I don't find it significant, personally (I have driven both). One only need use the gearbox more in a '95 - no hardship IMO, but others may disagree.

If performance is important (you said the 15 hp may matter), you may want to reconsider the widebody. The best-performing non-Turbo 993 in the US (since we didn't get the RS, sadly) is the standard Carrera. It is a little lighter and has a little less aero drag than the 2S, it is considerably lighter (less aero drag too, of course) than the 4S, and the RWD has less mechanical drag than the 4WD.

All 993s are great. Happy hunting.


BTW, jbuchsba,

What suspension differences are you talking about in '95s that cost less than $5K to get to '96+ spec? I never heard of this. There are VERY SLIGHT differences, primarily in the alignment specs. The only other detail is the steering rack brace for use with 18" wheels, which is very cheap -- I think somewhere around $45.

chris walrod

Good luck in your search for the 993 of your dreams. Dont discount the 1995's as they are great as well. Now if your heart is set on a widebody, ignore the previous sentence as they were not available (USA iteration) in 1995.

Drive as many as you can. This will help you determine whats trash and what is a clean example. Dont worry too much about higher mileage, or too many previous owners. As pointed out above, I would rather have a three owner, documented car, vs a one owner with spotty records..

Most of all, HAVE FUN, ask all the questions you need. Just dont say "I dont plan on tracking this car ever" I think I said that when I first got my car...

Monique

Porsche is hiding the RMS (Ruined Motor Syndrome) as much as possible. Last week, at my small "stealer", there were 2 X 996's and 2 X 986's awaiting engines.

There is one point I don't get. On one hand you mention M3 and 996's... because of lower maintenance costs.

But whatever the maintenance costs for a 993, the total will not reach the 10's of thousands you will get soaked for depreciation on the two other types.

Mathematically speaking, this is a no brainer. IMO of course.

jbuchsba

Love the names ....anyway, bought a 95 coupe (in my avatar pic) from owner #2. Cold air, BB headers/he's/mufflers/chip custom programmed for the car itself, H&R coilovers, suspension bar (45$ is less than 5k.... ) from him. The car had just had the 30 k service at 35k. Excellent paint. All records were exchanged. Just a super car...so I didn't have to do anything (which is sort of a lot less fun). He bought a new 2004 996TT and his wife made him sell (his story, and I believe him. He also added cup wheels and new michelins to 993tt sizing and a 993 turbo aero kit with aftermarket sideskirts (they look a lot like an RS Cup/RSR to me....not sure where they are from).

Anyway, it blows away any stock 993 even the 98 4s I drove (it should) and it seems about as fun as a 3.6 normally aspirated car can get.

Now if someone could help me know how hot I need to have things to check the oil without overfilling her, please let me know.

The pca.org site did not suggest that the chemical cleaning was as good as people here say it is...if so, then it seems that a newer car is always better....but if you get a 993 like this...go for it. It is red with brown leather. My only complaint is that the driver's mat seems to move a lot. I actually have always liked custom rubber mats in my cars...is there a source for those?



J

Monique

Nice looking wheels. Same color as mine.

Regarding the oil: engine fully warmed and idling. (First mark on oil temp gauge).

Check several times... not always obvious how much oil is visible on the dip stick.

Re the driver mat: mine moves a lot too. Live with it. Part of the "no cost" options.