Bins

I know that my 993 is around 9 years old now and any car over 6 years of age starts to develop problems.

However, cant I just get through 1 year of driving it without any issues except for servicing the car.

Okay its my fault that I dont drive the car as often as I should and Ive been a little unlucky that I bought a car with a few issues which have now been sorted.

But every year something else needs to be fixed/replaced.

It just feels like Im pouring money into the car to keep it in good working order (excluding the usual expected servicing requirements). I just get concerned about what could go wrong next.

All I want is to enjoy the car without the additional repairation costs for a while.

I did think of replacing it with a 97/98 model but I dont really know if it will make much difference.

Am I expecting too much reliability from this car?

ps, sorry for the rant. I just needed to get it off my chest!!!

Jeff

I feel the same way you do -- I expected a much more robust automobile. I love to drive, wash and look at it but am continually concerned about the next shop visit. At some point, I plan to move to a low milage 98' -- I won't be without a 993 regardless.

johnfm

Bins

what are the non-service issues you have sufferes & what mods have you done to the car??

Bins

The major issues Ive had so far have been :

brake caliper/hand brake overhaul

air conditioning - every summer I find another issue with it. At the moment I have an A/C tecnician perform a pressure test but nothing obvious yet. He gassed it up with dye. Should find out how bad the leak is in a couple of weeks, when the dye has had a chance to circulate.

The shields around the exhaust and exchanger need to be replaced. Ive split the work on it between the last service and the next service.

my power steering fluid was pretty much empty last month. I filled it up but Im not yet sure if theres a serious leak yet. Dont even want to go there.

I suppose the bigger concern is that one gets paranoid about whats going to be next...

No Mods yet except for the decorative clear/red lenses.

Kristoffer

I think you may be the exception! Knock on wood but other then mods I have not had any problems in a year & a half & even then they were minor problems that were covered ie. third brake light. I live in Florida were I use my A/C all year.

I'm sorry to hear about all of your problems

Good luck

Rick Lee

How many miles are on your car that you've had to rebuild your calipers? My '87 Carrera with 92k miles on her hasn't even had that done yet. In any event, mounting problems/needed repairs are a good motivator to learn how to fix it yourself. Caliper rebuilds are cheap and easy IF and ONLY IF you do them yourself. I'm about to buy a 993 with 28k miles on her, will drive her 900 miles home and that means the 30k miles service is coming up. I can't wait to do this myself and learn all about this car. Two years ago I didn't know what a torque wrench was and now I've literally held every piece of my Carrera in my hands. It's fun, rewarding and a lot cheaper than paying someone else to do it.

Bins

The cars got about 47K Miles on it. I bought it at 38K Miles - when the calipers needed an overhaul.

I ve had her for 2 years. In that time Ive spent around £3000 on servicing/maintenance (that I can remember 'cause I try to forget)

Dont get me wrong. I do expect around £1000 per year servicing/maintenance but so far its been far above that.

The odd thing is that the mechanics who have worked on the car have said its a fine example of a 993. They must mean the engine which so far has been great. Or do they all say that. <img border="0" title="" alt="[Wink]" src="wink.gif" />

Q

</font><blockquote><font size="1" face="Verdana,Tahoma,Helvetica">quote:</font><hr /><font size="2" face="Verdana,Tahoma,Helvetica">Originally posted by Bins:
<strong>
But every year something else needs to be fixed/replaced.

It just feels like Im pouring money into the car to keep it in good working order (excluding the usual expected servicing requirements). I just get concerned about what could go wrong next.

I did think of replacing it with a 97/98 model but I dont really know if it will make much difference.

Am I expecting too much reliability from this car?

</strong></font><hr /></blockquote><font size="2" face="Verdana,Tahoma,Helvetica">BINS,

Consider this...
A car costs "X" amount per year to own.
1) registration
2) servicing
3) depreciation
4) repairs

The first two items are reasonably constant over the life of the car.
The second two aren't

When your 993 was new, shiny and reliable, it was still costing you $1000's pa
-- in depreciation.
Now, it is costing you $$$'s in repairs.

You notice it more, because the repairs are a cash flow item, but.....
IS IT REALLY COSTING YOU MORE

Calculate the true cost of owning it over the first 3 or 5 years on a p.a. basis....
Budget that for repairs.
Are you ahead or behind ?

I have always found a new car, or keep old faith ful are the best.
To upgrade to a slightly newer model, you still cop repairs AND depreciation

took me 29 cars to come to that conclusion......

Bins

Hi Q.

29 Cars. Are you sure thats enough experience???

I suppose I havent lost much in terms of depreciation, depending if I were to sell privately (maybe 2K), to a dealer (4K), or part ex.

But like you pointed out its the physical cash flow thats noticeable.

The other thing is that this could have happened to any 993 that I bought, regardless of year.

By the way. Love the photographs, Superb...

Bins

Out of interest, is the guide cost of servicing/maintenance per annum similar in other parts of the world?

DamonsCarrera

Bins,

The power steering rack leak is a known problem (one of the few really) and mine had to be replaced at 26K miles.

The brake caliper/clutch cylinder seals will fail if you never change the brake fluid. My PO never did so I had to rebuild the clutch cylinder at 26K miles (car was 6 years old at that point) also, but I've flushed brake fluid ever year since then and no problems since. The brake fluid should be flushed ever 2 years according to Porsche.

Outside of that and routine maintenance my car hasn't needed anything more spent on it. Well, there was the electric harness recall but Porsche paid for that.

- - -

Rick Lee,

Congratulation on your 993 purchase. But make sure you read Robin's DIY on changing the plugs (especially the 12th one!). You'll find the 993 an easy car to work on once you know the tricks, but that one spark plug is the exception. Oh yeah, and make sure you get the special oil filter socket too!

-Damon

GARY 95 993

My 95 993 has 109,000 miles and I have owned it for one year. In that year I have put on approx. 12,000 miles. To date the only maint. required has been an oil change at a cost of $160 which I will do myself next time. However mods wheels, tires, turbo S tail, turbo S air ducts and a couple other items have cost me over $8000. To me maint. is not the problem.

laurence '97 C4S

I've owned my '97 since new. My expenses so far have only been for scheduled maintenance and tires. I mis-spoke, I needed to put in a new battery two years ago. In contrast, the Ferrari which I owned from new (before the 993) proved to be very expensive with seals needing to be replaced, among other things.

My hunch is, the cars that are requiring a lot of "fixes" were not maintained well (and driven hard) by their previous owners.

Speedraser

Bins,
My experience has been very different from yours. I bought my '95 a little over three years ago, with 34,000 miles. Now, at 51K, it has only cost me a total of about $100 in unscheduled repairs -- DME relay and fanbelt sensor.

fluid15

The 993 is suppose to be one of the most reliable Porsches you can buy, according to varoius Porsche shops and other owners. You heard about most of the known problems here. But a car is a machine and if it wasn't treated or maintained properly since new ... you will have problems. And some cars just have problems. I was so tired of pouring money into my 944 Turbo S I got out of that and bought an '87 911 which required nothing but oil changes. Simple & reliable - I miss that car. I sold it 4 years ago w/50k miles and probably couldn't buy it back for the same price.