993 low mid or high mielage
Thread Starter
Instructor
Joined: Apr 2010
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993 low mid or high mielage
993 here I come baby!!
I just need to find her now, only I cant really get myself together and decide whether I should be on the lookout for a high or a low mileage 993. Truth is I'd rather be conservative when buying my first porsche, and buy something well priced, maintenance free, that shows well (Silver 993 C4S)
Clearly the benefits of a low mileage car are huge. Car looks new inside and out. BTW low mileage to me is 50k miles. However I've been told that these cars need the most TLC (top end, SAI, valves, etc...) which sounds like more trouble than anything else. High mileage however, doesn't sound as appealing. I'll be selling my SUV with 40k miles for a new older car??
I've discussed this with Avid Fan, and he strongly advises me to consider high mileage. Any thoughts?
What about mid mileage car? Is their such a thing?
I just need to find her now, only I cant really get myself together and decide whether I should be on the lookout for a high or a low mileage 993. Truth is I'd rather be conservative when buying my first porsche, and buy something well priced, maintenance free, that shows well (Silver 993 C4S)
Clearly the benefits of a low mileage car are huge. Car looks new inside and out. BTW low mileage to me is 50k miles. However I've been told that these cars need the most TLC (top end, SAI, valves, etc...) which sounds like more trouble than anything else. High mileage however, doesn't sound as appealing. I'll be selling my SUV with 40k miles for a new older car??
I've discussed this with Avid Fan, and he strongly advises me to consider high mileage. Any thoughts?
What about mid mileage car? Is their such a thing?
Instructor
Joined: Feb 2007
Posts: 175
Likes: 2
From: Cornwall, UK
Well , my personal experience. I bought just over 4 years ago a 1 owner 993. 10 years to the day (actually 9 years and 10 months) with 22,000 miles on the clock. High temperature climate use so there were some minor oil leaks. I ran it for a year and then had Porsche pull the engine for a strip down inspection and reseal. Result, no significant wear at all. The dealer wAs great and showed me all he bits and explained nohingbneeded to be touched. So it was a simple reseal. After that no oil leaks, usage negligable oil to he point it's tough to calculate.
Buy a low miler. Ignore the worry mongers, you'll be fine. Mind you a reseal. Which you'll need means pulling the engine apart enough to look like major surgery.
Buy a low miler. Ignore the worry mongers, you'll be fine. Mind you a reseal. Which you'll need means pulling the engine apart enough to look like major surgery.
Rennlist Member
Joined: Apr 2006
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From: Rainforest (Vancouver, BC)
Condition, maintenance history, and a strong PPI rule over mileage. I've driven 993s with 130,000+ miles that felt/looked/ran better than cars with 40,000 miles. Maintenance is KING.
Rennlist Member
Joined: Apr 2006
Posts: 7,875
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From: Rainforest (Vancouver, BC)
Not if it's been well cared for. Front end resprays will have been done (maybe a couple times) and other items replaced. Maintenance applies to cosmetics as well. If you're in Vancouver (just guessing here) there are a few cars locally with big miles. You would NEVER guess by looking at them.
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Joined: Jan 2005
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I say buy low, sell high 
There is no right answer...buy the car you like in the condition you want and get a good PPI...
BTW, I am selling one of mine...just pick the one you like best and I'll keep the other Best of luck with your search!!!
There is no right answer...buy the car you like in the condition you want and get a good PPI...BTW, I am selling one of mine...just pick the one you like best and I'll keep the other
Best of luck with your search!!!
Thread Starter
Instructor
Joined: Apr 2010
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Thanks zedder, but I'm on the lookout for a C4S.
As for buying high mileage car in great condition, im all for it... But it sure wont be easy selling it if has 100k miles to begin with
+ it will be my daily driver. This is one of my concerns, i want to have the flixibility of selling it eventually.
As for buying high mileage car in great condition, im all for it... But it sure wont be easy selling it if has 100k miles to begin with
+ it will be my daily driver. This is one of my concerns, i want to have the flixibility of selling it eventually.
Last edited by doveq; Jun 16, 2010 at 12:40 AM. Reason: None
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I always buy low miles, but that's just my preference. Lots of guys here have high mile cars and just love them. Go and look at as many as you can and I'm sure one will stand out as the one to buy. The problem is there are very few for sale locally, so be prepared to travel.
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Joined: Nov 2001
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From: Boston
If you want a C4S, that's an OBD2 car. You'll have to watch out for the SAI problems, and, if you're getting upwards of 60k miles, might be time for valve guides as well. Personally, I would try to find a car somewhere between 50-70k miles that has had the top end redone, that removes the valve guide issue permanently (assuming the phosphorus bronze ones are in there instead of the OEM guides) and should take care of the SAI issue as well.
There are lots of really good looking cars out there with higher mileage on them. You have to do certain things to keep it up ... just redying the seats for a few hundred bucks will make the interior look brand new, for example, and a good detailer can bring challenged paint back to life. Front bumpers can be resprayed. Scuffed rims can be refinished.
Try to find a car that's been driven and owned by a Rennlister, if you can. I'd sell you my own C2 cab but it's not what you're looking for.
There are lots of really good looking cars out there with higher mileage on them. You have to do certain things to keep it up ... just redying the seats for a few hundred bucks will make the interior look brand new, for example, and a good detailer can bring challenged paint back to life. Front bumpers can be resprayed. Scuffed rims can be refinished.
Try to find a car that's been driven and owned by a Rennlister, if you can. I'd sell you my own C2 cab but it's not what you're looking for.
Burning Brakes
Joined: Oct 2003
Posts: 1,214
Likes: 251
From: Temecula, CA
Care is king. My 96k miler is cherry, looks and runs nothing like a car with almost 100k. It's all about how it was cared for. If you have done the maintance, fixed issues as they came and wash/detailed these cars like they deserve they will run forever. As Vic said look for a rennlister, or someone of the like, who has taken care of the car then buy it. You won't be dissapointed.
Instructor
Joined: Apr 2010
Posts: 142
Likes: 2
From: East BC
I am no expert, but have learned a few things in the years I was searching for my car:
- low mileage is no guarantee of good anything.
- I have seen low mileage cars with terrible seats (see how many people have changed or repaired their seats on this forum), terrible paint, requiring work.
- high mileage cars with the gamut already repaired and ready to roll.
- Find the car that meets your criteria and get a thorough PPI. Better to get the car that is a high miler and well maintained than the neglected low miler.
- low mileage is no guarantee of good anything.
- I have seen low mileage cars with terrible seats (see how many people have changed or repaired their seats on this forum), terrible paint, requiring work.
- high mileage cars with the gamut already repaired and ready to roll.
- Find the car that meets your criteria and get a thorough PPI. Better to get the car that is a high miler and well maintained than the neglected low miler.
Rennlist Member
Joined: Feb 2004
Posts: 12,312
Likes: 10
From: Roseville, CA
I'll stack my 129k'er up against pretty much anything for the driving experience. Oh, and see that RSA next to it? You'd get that thrown in the deal versus one of the three-dimensional art low milers.
Basically it depends what you want. I've owned the C4S for 5.5 years and other than 3 oil changes and an a/c resistor it only needs brakes now because I beat on it as a backup track car during the summers of '08 and '09. And I put some new tires on it when I got some 996 Turbo wheels. I did finally put a PSS9 kit on a little over a year ago; it kind of fell in my lap, so what the hell. It's nice. But even at 125K I could run the car equal to any Cayman/Boxster S on track I've come across. So even high mile stock suspensions, while soft and a bit bouncy, are driveable.
Basically it depends what you want. I've owned the C4S for 5.5 years and other than 3 oil changes and an a/c resistor it only needs brakes now because I beat on it as a backup track car during the summers of '08 and '09. And I put some new tires on it when I got some 996 Turbo wheels. I did finally put a PSS9 kit on a little over a year ago; it kind of fell in my lap, so what the hell. It's nice. But even at 125K I could run the car equal to any Cayman/Boxster S on track I've come across. So even high mile stock suspensions, while soft and a bit bouncy, are driveable.
Drifting
Joined: Oct 2007
Posts: 3,228
Likes: 16
From: Seattle, WA
Our cars are designed and engineered to run and run reliably just as long as it has been cared for at the recommended service intervals either by a competent owner or mechanic.
Irregardless of mileage, If the previous owner can provide orderly documentation in the form of receipts will provide a pretty good picture to how well the car had been cared for by the previous owner(s). I got (2) binders full from the PO of my car.
Owners of lower mileage cars typically demand higher prices than those with higher mileage. A good PPI with compression and leak down tests should reveal any immediate difficiencies providing you with a means of evaluating whether this particular car is for you and can help in negotiations.
Irregardless of mileage, If the previous owner can provide orderly documentation in the form of receipts will provide a pretty good picture to how well the car had been cared for by the previous owner(s). I got (2) binders full from the PO of my car.
Owners of lower mileage cars typically demand higher prices than those with higher mileage. A good PPI with compression and leak down tests should reveal any immediate difficiencies providing you with a means of evaluating whether this particular car is for you and can help in negotiations.
Instructor
Joined: Sep 2003
Posts: 230
Likes: 18
From: Berkshire, UK
You'll pay a premium for low miles so you've got to consider how many miles you're likely to do over the coming years. Putting many more miles on a garage queen will take away that premium. Suggest you find the colour and spec that you want with good history first then weigh up whether the mileage feels right for you.