Bates

I bought an '89 C4 last year with 47,000 miles on it. Pulls very well in each gear and SOUNDS great. My Father-in -Law caught the bug and bought a 2005 Boxter S...doesn't sound or drive like I expected. Too much of the Porsche aggression has been removed, though it is the faster car.

Have any of you owned both (964 & 993), driven both, etc? Clearly there is a price difference and I am told maintenance is about the same annually. How is the driving experience different? 993's still maintain the nostalgic look, eliminated by the 996. I'm not a track guy...at this point.

Any year to avoid?

Thanks for the help.

SCMomentum

Rob,

You'll get an earful from both model's faithful. Beauty is in the eye of the beholder. I think you'll find most on this board are EXTREMELY passionate about the 993....looks, driveability, etc. Passion is a good thing...so look at them both, drive them both...and my guess is that you'll be struck with a certain level of "passion" about the model you enjoy the most. Best of luck.

Dave

Scott 1996 993c2

Both are nice cars . . . so many possibilities when considering all the mods that may be incorporated into these cars by now. Drive many of each model and see which one grabs you best. Have fun and enjoy!

Scott

ceboyd

It seems very mixed... I talked to one guy who hated his 993 and couldn't wait to get his RS America (after having formerly owned an RS America and regretting trading it in for a 993)... YET I talked to another guy who had nothing but nightmare issues bringing his 964 up to 993 spec (engine stuff) and ultimately sold the 964 to get a 993 and couldn't be happier with the 993 instead.


I happen to love the RS America myself but ultimately like the 993 more!


I think it varies GREATLY from individual to individual!

Tom W

I have both and have tracked both. I prefer the 993.

Marv

They are very much alike in many ways. My first 911 was a 1990 C4, then I bought my 1996 C2. I prefer the 993 because I don't do the yearly valve adjustments anymore. Additionally, although the 964 has more of a classic 911 silhouette, the added plastic for the bumpers and side skirts are a little cheesy to me. They tend to warp slightly and the fit and finish is not as good looking as the earlier 911s. The 964 bumpers extend out visually and do not flow with the body quite as well.

The 964 C4 is not, in my opinion, a very good all wheel drive technology. It works, but it is heavy and uses a complex hydraulic system to function. The 993 is better. The two wheel drive versions are more equal. Be warned if you want to put a light weight flywheel on these cars the 964 engine control does not handle the flywheel correctly and may stall on you when you come to a stop. Having the AC on exasperates this problem. I hear this is not the case for the 993.

You probably know all the maintenance issues with the 964 (flywheels, brake hydraulics, oil leaks, etc. I had every problem that could happen to mine except the cylinder to head oil leaks). By now most owners have fixed these shortcomings, so you have a good chance of not enduring that pain.

The 993 is supposed to have a superior suspension and a little more horsepower. Inside they look the same, except you get a 6-speed instead of the 5-speed transmission.

Both are good cars, but all things being equal my preference has a slight bias for the 993.

pjc

The newest 911 is usually the best - that's why they change it! I can hear howls over the 996 problems but... the 996 is faster, smoother and easier to drive than previous models; on that basis the 993 IS generally a better 911 than the 964.

PJC

turbo138

My wife gave birth to a baby boy in January this year, so I sold my 930 as I need to move to a family saloon car. I told myself we had enough fun with the Porsche which I owned for 6 years. I booked a BMW 5 series, got home, removed all the Porsche pic from my PC screensaver & replaced with BMW pic, sent farewell email to all my Porsche friends.
One of them replied saying that I made a very stupid move, many Porsche owners did the same & they all came back with another Porsche.
I told my wife that we should consider a 964 which is very aforadable & buy another family car.
So we went to see a Midnight blue 964, was very happy with it's condition.
We was told of a 993 for sale, maybe we should take a look before deciding.

Moral of the story here,
Once you own a Porsche, you cant live without one.
Never compare 964 & 993, you will end up buying 993 like me !!!

ZombiePorsche44

Both are very nice cars but in my opinion 964's have a bit of a dated look to them and aren't as refined as a 993.
The other thing to keep in mind is performance, back in 1994 when Porsche took it's new 993 to test, a completely street stock (with A/C & stereo) 993 was actually faster at the Nring than a 1992 964 RS which is a huge statement of the 993's performance & handling.

If you really drive both and compare, you'll buy a 993...........

ZP44

TomF

Aesthetics aside, I prefer the way the 993 drives. The 964 is very good, but the 993 brings the best of all worlds together without sacrificing it's "911-ness" as I feel the 996 does. It really comes down to your personal tastes. If you are talking pure track performance, there are only a handful of drivers here who can actually push these two models to their limits and discern the true performance differences. I am not good enough of a driver to even approach those limits.

ZP44 is exactly right- the Nring accomplishment of the 993 is huge.

agdamis

Not this debate again!

I will not be as polite as the rest of my friends here at rennlist. The 993 is far superior.

1) It is a better motor that is easier and CHEAPER to service.
2) Much better resale value as it is the last and best air-cooled.
3) Much better resale value as it is arguably the most beautiful.
4) Multi-Link suspension
5) The car Porsche bet on for the company's future and we know how that turned out as they are alive and well today.

964 guys can argue until they are blue in the face short of the RS America and the 3.6 Turbo there is no contest. Buy a 993 and do not look back.

JasonAndreas

The resale value and suspension are definitely an improvement but the engine is not better or cheaper to service.

Robin 993DX

The key is what's your budget?

Rennen

I like the 964 over the 993 because...well...I've never driven a 993 and I own a 964. That's my only reason.

foxford

Resale value?? I'm not so sure...

1995 Porsche 911 Carrera - $27,995
Dealer: Dodge of Naperville
Call: 866-895-2896

About This 911
Mileage: 55,236
Body Style: Coupe
Exterior Color: Red
Interior Color: tan leather
Stock #: 06D5036A
VIN: WP0AA2999SS320696 Engine: 3.6L H6
Transmission: tiptronic
Drivetrain: RWD
Doors: 2
Wheelbase: 89"

I think the resale on this particular car leaves a lot to be desired.