Ok, I rode in a fellow Rennlisters '84 Carrera 3.2 yesterday and was very impressed with the build quality of the car. The car had a whopping 242,000 miles on it and it was very tight. The door hinges were tight, no rattles, doors closed very positively and sounded really "tankish". The steering was really tight also, didnt have any play in it.

I could go on about but I am at work, dont want to get in trouble.

So my question is, since I have never been around a 993, is the build quality the same or better?

 

I went from an '88 Targa (sold it with 142K miles) to my '95 993.

Doing quite a bit of work on both cars, I'd say build quality is comparable. Some things like the fuel tank, headlights, and manifold components have gone from metal to plastic, but it's still really a tough, well-designed car.

But it's really all in the maintenance - staying on top of bearings, bushings, door straps, suspension, etc. If you let things wear out it will become a rattletrap just like any other older car. Of course, it will be a well-built rattletrap.

 

993=best built. Be sure.

 

FWIW, I've owned two mid-80's vintage Carreras and as Colin said, my experience with these cars is that their build quality is similar to the 993. I have found my 993 to have a slightly tighter feel (absolutely no rattles, etc.), but it may be just its relative age.

 

It's hard to compare build quality of the late 80's carreras to the 993's but I think they are close with the 993 being just a smidge better due to the better quality controls implemented by Porsche in the mid 90's.

The good thing is, they are both probably better build quality than the 99'-00' 996 series of Carrera's

ZP44

 

If you watch this video in it's entirety, you will have no doubt that the 993 is amongst the highest quality 911s ever built...

http://coochas.com/porsche/Resources...0Evolution.wmv

 

I know I will get bashed for this but the 94's were the last of the "hand Built" Porsche's. Although the 993's are very well built and still IMO better than the newer cars the detail and level of energy put into in the earlier models was much more. Although the 964 and 993 are not very different I can see areas where Porsche cut corners on the 993's that where not done on the 964's. When Porsche brought in the Japanese to streamline their production methods for the 993 model they eliminated the German engineering and exacting approach to quality out of the equation. No longer were cars required to be pulled from production to have panels messaged and fitted but at the same time the cars lost a certain individuality they had before.

The build quality of the 993 is still top notch but not quite the same as the previous models. How else could Porsche offer the 95 993 for $5k less than the 94 964 C2?

 

production efficiencies and margin reductions...that is how they were able to drop price...

something you cannot argue with is the 993 reliability over 964... it is night and day. i actually prefer the look of the 964 turbo to almost any other Porsche body style... however, many PCA-types and local Porsche mechanics warned against reliability problems with the 964, so i went with a 993... the prices reflect this with 964 prices (sans 3.6 turbo)

i cant say that i know about the hand-builty/not hand-built part, there seems to be a lot of hype out there about this topic...

hope this post wasnt taken offensively... they are all wonderful sports cars and they are all 911s!

 

I respectfully disagree. For example, take a look at the ashtray door and the door panels on 964 (and earlier cars) and compare them to the ones on a 993. The 993 parts are superior. Also, the fit and finish of the 993 exterior is a little nicer than the 964. Example: better intergrated bumpers and no fading reflector between the taillights. Finally, the interior of the 89 and earlier cars is definitely more crude. Example - the console area and exposed wires under the dash on the early cars.

These are nit picks (except the early console which I hate). These cars are all made very well.

 

I would have to agree^^^

I work on both and find the 993 to have many nice touches to it that improves upon the previous model. All of the air cooled cars are great!!

 

I am not trying to offend as I know neither is anyone else.

The quality issues of the 964's were design flaws and only were an issue on the 90-91 964's Porsche resolved the oil leaks and Dual mass flywheel issues by then. Otherwise the 964 is one of the most reliable 911's second to probably the 911SC. The SC was one of the most bullet proof 911's ever. My 93 C2 is still rattle proof and solid as a rock after all these years as many 993's I have been in are beginning to make noises by 40k miles. The window seal issues on the 993 are also a problem and if you look at the materials used the 993 begins to use plastic in place of steal and aluminum in several areas. Take your leaky plastic valve covers for example. I also find the quality of the seating and leather work to be superior in the 964.

I am not saying the 964 is far superior however being around and working on 911's of all years for over 25 years the earlier models are built better.

All the air cooled cars are built like tanks and I would not put them in the same category as the newer cars. Although I will say that my 928 GTS was a car that took much more effort to build and fit and finish is superior to both the 964 and 993.

 

My phrasing should probably of been, do the 993's have the same "robustness" as the Carrera 3.2's? I am sure that the interiors were improved on but I am interested more in the chassis/body construction, the "tankness" is what I am curious about.

There is no doubt 996/997's lack the "tankness" feel to it. Although, I have been through just about every nook and cranny of the 996 and am impressed on the build quality and layout, it just doesnt have the Mercedes-Benz feeling to it that I noticed in the '84.

The doors characteristic closing sound is the most impressive compared to a frameless-windowed 996/997, along with the finger pull door latch, feels like you can hang the car by its door handles.

I am just curious if I get a 993, will I have the same over-built feeling when driving and working on it as the older models? Thanks for all the inputs so far!

 

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very nice

thanks

craig

 

All the air-cooled cars are typically well built compared to the later water-cooled cars which have been built down to a price. Having said that, even the 996s and 997s are very well built in the same way that old Mercedes are better built than the recent ones.

 

Well said

Yes my 964 my friends 993's and my old SC all have that same solid feel. Close the door on any of the air cooled 911's and that thud is there, no mistaking it for a newer models.