993RS

The 996 a newer car? Sure. But look at and get into any 993. Recently, a non-knowledgeable neighbor thought my car was new. It is 8 years old. The interior still looks like new.

The 996 does not attract me emotionally. Any 993 does. Drive both, and then follow your heart.

The better build quality of the 993 offsets the age factor.

husky

i guess nothing beat the look and sound of 993 thats why porsche adopted the lines of 993 in 997 and the air-cooled sound in the 997s model, so even porsche is telling you which model is more popular (between 993 and 996)

so i guess you have the answer now!!!

paradisenb

For me, Porsche ceased to exist in 1999. The company morphed into a main stream, 'what ever sells best for the highest profit' company, a la BMW and MB. As a business model, great move. From a driving enthusiast perspective, they sold their soul. I no longer have the respect and admiration I held for Porsche through the 993 model. It was almost disciple-ish.
I doubt I will ever own a new, street only, version of the 911. We’ll see what the 998 brings.
The 996, with a warranty, would be a nice daily ride. You will have lots of smiles. You will be driving a Porsche that borrowed it’s prestige from it older siblings. This car has yet to earn much on its own. And now that it has died, it never will.
I demand more from my toys. If I want cush I will buy a BMW. This is a very personal thing. Drive both. Which car pushes your buttons? Buy that one!
This said, if you like the styling of the 996 and can swing a TT or GT3, buy those. They are great cars that have earned and deserve respect. If I could stomach the styling I would buy one. But alas, no sexy curves.

TrackJunke

The first Porsches I drove were Boxsters and 996's. I now own a 993. My father has a 996 c4 cab. The 996 to me is a great car, it is slightly faster than my car and much easier to drive. However, I would not buy one unless it is a gt3. The car does not have soul like mine. The fact that it is so easy to drive is part of the problem. The sound is not there either. I look foreward to getting in my car every time I drive it. I would not replace my car with anything other than a turbo 993 (never driven a 996TT) or a gt series car.

Rob 97 993c2

Keep in mind, most here are 993 fanatics. I agree with everything there. Depends on your timeframe. long term, 993 prices are leveling out and you can find a nice coupe for a good value that should have little decline going forward. The 993 will always have character and look uniquely porsche.. the 996 will not. There is no question that a 996 gt3 is a 'real' car and deserves the respect of everyone here, but that may not be what you are after.
Depends on your love of creature comforts, the 996 is more user friendly and the 993 is quirky. If you love the quirks and they equal 'character', get the 993. if you want more technology, get the 996.
Remember, porsche has never been good value as $/hp, so there must be a reason why you want a porsche. So, if you do then get the 993 b/c it is the epitome of porsche.
Despite all the 993 'issues' we talk about here, the cars are very well made. Just find a well-cared-for example and i dont think you need to worry about it being 4 years older - the build quality is better.

Flying Finn

Most of the ral life fasts are already covered pretty well (and I agree) but I wanted to try and explain why in my opinion 993 is far better car than 996. So, here's my scientic analyzis:

996 is like Michael Bolton while 993 is like John Fogerty.

Both can sing, no question about it.

Bolton has a finely tuned voice, albeit kinda raspy, is meant, and pleases big audiences.
Those who like it get satisfaction but nothing really earth shaking, too much "made".

Fogerty isn't meant for everyone but those who prefer his style of doing things, get goosebumps when he sings "...have you ever seen the rain..."

pjc

Don't get me wrong guys - I love my 993 but lets not get carried away with false statements like "the 993 engine is made by one man", suggesting the 996 engine is not - not true, they were both made in the same way - a single technician follows an engine that is sitting on a conveyor belt - at each 'station' the next part and the correct tool awaits him thus, in one complete cycle of the conveyor belt a technician will complete an engine before it goes off to the dyno.

It is true however that the 996 engine and gearbox (Boxter is the same) is, according to Porsche a throwaway item - how long before some enterprising guys start to offer a rebuild service?

The 993 was in the same sentence both the saviour of Porsche (sold so many - not rare at all!) and also cost them megga bucks to build, compared with the 996 which shared the parts bin with the Boxter (a lot of Boxter engine parts are stamped 996) and was built to a price.

In the end is depends what you want, the 993 is at best 6 years old and at worst 10 years old - and lets face it they do rust and the mechanics are not infaliible (but are repairable) whereas a 996 with low mileage, if you do not intend to keep it long is a pretty good buy with prices dropping.

PJC

husky

although i do not own a 996....i wanna share my driving experiences on 993 and a new porsche...cayenne

i took delivery of my new cayenne v6 in sept this year and on the same date i dropped my 993 for a complete repaint

cayenne is a very nice car (a bit unpower) easy to drive very comfortable with lots and lots of latest technology mine is equipped with psm (as standard), pasm, keyless, bose sound system, etc...so far i have done almost 3000km and i reckon its a great car to drive

but wait til i got 993 back 2 weeks ago......in these 2 weeks i only drive my cayenne once simply becos i need to carry 5 passengers........

i wanna say that despite the benefit of driving a brand new porsche...cayenne i still reckon 993 is one of the best porsche ever...

and i simply cant take my hands off it

vjd3

Flying Finn, I think you just brought the price of the 996 down a few points by making that Michael Bolton comparison ;-)

The 996 engine is not really built like the 993 engine ... much of it is cast, which has led to numerous problems early in its life, some of which linger ... casting flaws which lead to the roundness being out of tolerance and the subsequent RMS failures is a good example ... and the assembly process was deliberately made much less labor-intensive -- far less hours to assemble a 996 engine versus a 993 engine. This is why the cost of the engine is so much less ... the price of a new 996 engine from the factory is about what it would cost you to do a top and bottom rebuild on a 993 engine. And yet, the price of the car has risen. Hmmm.

I think the new Porsches are terrific cars, but they are not the same as the old cars ... no way.

Vic
95 C4 cab

Jastx

IMO, the complexity of cars today makes them "not keepers". Unlike the 356s and 911s of the past, today's car's with plastic everything and tons of electronics are not restorable, at least not affordably so. The 993 is almost beyond the limit too, just inside the line. Anything newer is just to drive and throw -- not built to last beyond the warranty period.

Between the 996 and 993, if you want decent car to drive as a car for a few years then move on to the next one, a 996 is as good as any as long as it's in warranty. If you want a car not just as a daily driver but as a passion to keep for a long time, 993 is a better choice -- '87-89 Carrera even better. Just my 2 cents...

Oh yes, as mentioned above, even 993s have amazing design flaws that will affect the car if driven in inclement weather regularly -- rust, in the corners of the windows and possible elsewhere -- this is despite their galvanized treated body. Yes, the bare body they display at the factory has lasted for years but every surface is open to the air and can dry. Not so the areas under your window seals that collect water and stay permanently wet. Even with the best of normal care, a daily driven 993 is going to rust. Just know what to expect going in and what expenses you might incur if you use it as regular transporation.

Flying Finn

First I though of comparing Celine Dion (who did worst ever version of AC/DC's "You SHook Me All Night Long") & AC/DC but thought that would be too much...

vjd3

Ha ... Kenny G and John Coltrane is what comes to my mind.

Vic
95 C4 cab

David in LA

All I know about 993s is that when I get in may car, driving is fun again

JimB

Just so I understand. So...

1) Feeling like you are going fast is better than going fast?

2) A great looking body/chassis is better than one that is lighter, stiffer, lower, wider and more aerodynamic?

3) Classic looks are more important than a functional interior?

Is this the argument?

Just stirring things up. I've got one of each and luv em both.
Jim

wombat7

hmm... JimB you've got me thinking now....

1) I would rather have a car that feels more connected to the road than one that feels like i'm riding in "truck". I had a nissan 300ZX turbo that definately felt disconnected from the road, then i got the 944 and feel connected to the road. I like the feeling of the car communicating to me.

2) At first, I did not like the looks of the 996, but it is growing on me. What are the road holding, weight, ride height, spring rate stats for both the 993 and 996?

3) I don't know what it is about the interior of the 996, but i think it looks cheap. the 993 interior looks classic and like it actually had some time and effort put into the manufacturing. I think the 996 interior looks a lot like the interior of a Lexus IS300.