I'm closing in on 4 years with my '95 993. About 25,000 miles in that time. It is a daily driver. A Cabriolet with Tiptronic.

Frankly, every time I consider selling/trading, I remember the driving pleasure of this car. This is my 7th or 8th used 911 starting with a '72 911 Coupe. They've just gotten better and better. I've looked at trading up to a 996. That is a GT car not a sports car. Too refined - missing the "ragged edge" driving experience of the 993 (which compared to earlier 911's is much "tamer".) No dreaded oversteer, all the amenities (A/C that actually works), ABS, air bags, great sound system, power top.

My only complaint is that here is the Pacific Northwest, all convertibles leak. I've found that just keeping a towel on my lap when driving in the rain catches most of the slow drips. I find if I apply Scotchgard to the top every few months, the beading water seems to keep the leaks down.

I know Porsche can't go back to air cooled cars. But the complexity of their more modern products just doesn't interest me. If I wanted a more refined GT car, I'd buy a BMW M3 probably with the SMG or Dual Clutch tranny. The traffic in greater Seattle is fierce and a clutch would simply be too much work.

As the car and I both age, I'm thinking this will be a keeper - even if it someday becomes a Sunday Garage Queen.

 

So keep the 993 and add a 996 coupe tip for your DD duties. They're getting very cheap now, especially with a tip. Focus on examples with documented engine replacement under warranty. Just don't call it "trading up."

 

Sounds like you answered your own question. You are keeping a 993. Now, if you sold the cab and bought a coupe, your water ingress issues are solved. With the windows down and the sunroof open, its still a brilliant ride!

Or, there are other options:
https://rennlist.com/forums/993-foru...-for-sale.html

 

I'm in Vancouver and my cab never leaked. Maybe you need a new top/seals?

I would keep the cab and add an M3 SMG. I'd do that over a tip 996.

 

For a variety of reasons, I have not driven the Dung Beetle since mid-August. While painful, I take comfort in knowing that it's safe & sound in the garage. That damn thing is part of our family and it's here to stay.


Andreas

 

Your top should not leak that bad, there is something wrong with it (seals, whatever). I like the suggestion of a hard top that can be attached, I would go for that if I had a convertible in the winter.

I think that lots of us go through the thought process of keeping the car but usually most stay within the Porsche family, or drift out for a while then come back.

Cheers,

Mike

 

Am I "misremembering"? Didn't you guys do a DIY top install......or was it that you made your own cab top boot?

If the former, I'd definitely look at the seals issue mentioned above. These cars were designed for you use in some pretty nasty weather in the Spring and Fall seasons of northern Europe. Not much different from the Pacific Northwest.

Find a way to keep the car. Really nothing else like it.

 

I'm curious about the "dreaded oversteer." Absent me overheating rear tires Monday (full tread RA1s), it's neutral to slight push for my car that's pretty much on the ragged edge of setup. And no way, no how is anyone who's responsible pushes that hard on the street.

 

Keep it and get yourself an "urban assault" vehicle that you are comfortable sitting in traffic in as well as don't care how close people park next to you in a parking lot.

 

Your top should not leak. Does the car sit outside?

There are sealing products for the top, & good cleaning, & sealing can fix all the leaks.

 

Skywachr - you have a good memory. I made my own boot, the top was installed by the local porsche dealer - before I purchased the car. Funny thing, when I first brought the car to my local indepenent service place, the tech. working on the car said: "I used to work at the dealer that installed this top and I did not install it (he was commenting that it had not been correctly installed). He adjusted it including the cables for the power top. Re the leak, I brought it to a convertible specialist in Seattle - who fixed a leak at the right front corner (where the top meets the windshield). It was fine for about a year, now it has a slight drip at the left front corner. Frankly, not worth the three hours to go back and have another adjustment made.

Re Race 911's question about oversteer, all rear engine cars (with over 60% of weight on rear wheels) if put on a slippery surface and you do something stupid - like stab at the brakes, you can induce oversteer. The 993 appears to have tamed some of it. You can even induce oversteer on a front engine car by again, slamming on brakes in the middle of a high g turn. I don't typically drive that way and am always aware of my surroundings (including surface friction of the road).

 

I had a 97 cab. Got fed up of the leaks. The top was in great condition, used to get odd leaks where the top clamped to the rest of the car. Depended on how heavy it rained and whether or not she was parked level. I also had the intermittent latching issue which was very annoying.

I sold it and bought a 1 owner 23,000 mile 96 Targa. No regrets. No leaks from the Targa roof and really great in the summer when you open the glass roof and windows. 4 and a half years on and I still have the Targa with no intention to let it go. I used to drive it year round in Hong Kong. Since I moved it back to the Uk I now only use it April to October and Garage it over the Winter.

So Targa or Coupe is the way to go IMO

 

Well, that's it. Overdriving for conditions has nothing to do with the characteristics of the vehicle. 40MPH on some freeway exit doesn't bother any production passenger car, let alone a 993 in any form. Not something that I'll try in one of my 15K GVWR delivery vehicles though.

 

Except when you open the driver door when it's raining, it dumps a hatful of water right onto the bolster of your all-leather seat. Giving you a nice wet puddle to sit in.

 

Yeah, I laugh at the guys who go to all the trouble to remove the rain gutters on their 993 coupes so they can enjoy the water running off the roof and onto the seat when you open the door in the rain!

I pointed this out a few times, but as usual was ignored..

Cheers,

Mike