tcsracing1

I must agree, when getting into vehicles of specialty or lower then average production numbers, the "book" value method goes out the window.
the formulas used in book values are based on depreciation from new sticker price along with a few other things.
But there are too many variables, especially in 15 year old + vehicles.

It would be like NADA or KELLYS trying to publish supposed 1963-1967 corvette values....

it is just too specialized of a field.

As to 993 porsche dealers, they know that coupes tend to move faster then convertibles. Thus they pick and choose their convertibles wisely when taking on trades or inventory.

But anyhow, the posting is about OP's preference of either coupe or convert and not values.
The are both of the great 993 generation and as much as i love coupes, i have a 993 cab in my sights....

mcipseric

more cabs were imported to the US. So yes, there are more cabs in the US than coupes.

Chuck W.

I had my 993 cab for over six years. The top was down 99 per cent of the time. It was great driving with the top down; not so much with the top up. It depends on what you want and what you like.

cabrio993

Fact #1: All 993 bodies start as a Cab at the factory. At a later stage in the production line the body shell gets added a tin top, glass top, or rag top depending on the final car being built.

Fact #2: Cab is only about 100 pounds heavier than a plain vanilla Coupe and about the same as a C4 / C4s. However, this added weight is due to the motors / gears for the mechanism which sit low in the car. The Rag top is lighter than the Coupe frame + metal + heavy glass sunroof, rear window, and side windows which the Cab doesn't have. The Cab has a lower center of gravity than the Coupe which is desireable.

Fact #3: 0-60 time are EXACTLY the same. so unless you have figures that say the contrary, please share them.

Fact#4: Cabs are not less "precise" to drive than a coupe. That's just nonsense. I've driven Coupes with rollcages that felt a lot loser than my rigid and tight cab. It all depends on how the suspebsion is setup on either car. The Tub is as rigid on both platforms.

Fact #5: I'm a purist and I drive a Cab...go figure.

To the OP: Get the car that you are going to enjoy the most. If I could have my way, I would have a Coupe for bad weather days and the Cab for the good ones.

Welcome to the Madness!!

skl

Had both- it is what you prefer- if you live in Phoenix and never put the top up, then great. But the boot is a major PITA to put on and off if you're putting the top up and down a lot, and it looks horrible with the top down without the boot.

Decided if I wanted a convertible it would be something you didn't have to screw around with a boot.

goofballdeluxe

A cab makes less sense in, say, Minnesota. It makes much more sense in, say, Southern California.

Both are capable performers, but let's put in context: I saw a new Kia last night that had as much horsepower, and more torque, than the 993 N/A. The 993 N/A is no longer a faster car than most on the road, though it's no slouch.

Although these were outstanding performance machines when new, and still are probably more car than the average driver can probably utilize, the fact is that these days, most $25,000 sedans will match them performance wise.

If you're looking for a performance machine, look at a modern car or a 993TT. If you live in an area with nice weather 300 days a year, I'd take the cab.

vjd3

Oh, was I "shilling" my car on this post? Because it's in my sig and I mentioned that I personally prefer cabriolets but was selling mine because I was interested in buying a Turbo coupe?

The difference, deadhead, is as a paid member, I can list my personal car on here for sale.

You, on the other hand, have made a practice here and elsewhere of selling numerous cars by passing them off as your personal vehicles, when they're not. Whenever you are called on it, you disappear for a few days, then resurface.

All you have ever had to do is acknowledge that you are buying and selling cars on the side, then, since you are using Rennlist to foster your business by advertising numerous cars and parts on here (locking and editing old threads doesn't fool anyone), become a paid sponsor and you are perfectly within acceptable means to use Rennlist as a marketing tool, which is what you are doing. And people would stop calling you out on it constantly. And less savvy people would no longer have the misguided perception that they are buying a car from its enthusiast owner who has cared for it and knows it personally, instead of from someone who has had it briefly in their possession and is looking to flip it to make a few bucks. There is nothing wrong with flipping cars as a hobby or a business, but it's shady and out of character for this community to conceal the intent and nature of your dealings.

https://rennlist.com/forums/993-foru...ng-advice.html

Apologies to the original poster for the digression. The aventurine car looks to be a nice example and it's a terrific color with the cashmere interior. Best of luck with your purchase.

tempesta29

I appreciate your overall point but I can't say I possibly agree with the details here. What Kia are you referring to? And I can't imagine that most $25k sedans will possibly match the 993 performance wise. Sure, an Audi S4 probably matches it in terms of 0-60, but it certainly isn't your average sedan. My last car was an E46 M3, and it will no doubt be faster than a 993, but it will never be the absolute sex machine that is the 911.

I will be living in Texas, which ostensibly means cabrio weather, however it gets so hot for a couple of months that it could be a mistake getting the cab.

I originally was considering a 997, as you can pick them up used for a pretty decent price, however I keep reading about the simplicity and rawness of the 993, and there is something about the lines that are more classic that I love. I'm still on the fence as to cab vs coupe but I'm in no rush. Whatever I buy will be a Porsche 911. That much is certain.

Thanks for everyone's input. I hope to come back with some pics of my new ride in the coming months, and please don't feel shy about "shilling" your cars to prospective buyers. We're buyers. We want to know about cars for sale.

vjd3

Awesome, tempesta ... where in Texas are you going to settle? I can give you some real world data, then, because I moved from the Boston area to the Austin area last spring, with my 97 cabriolet.

It gets hot as hell during midday in the summer, of course; I have found that the AC in the 993 can keep up with the 95-100 degree temperatures, but not quite as easily as, say, the AC in our other cars -- an 06 Mercedes CLK convertible and 99 BMW 740iL. That's pretty traditional for the air cooled 911s, the 993 and 964 have by far the best AC of the bunch, but Texas summers take it to task for sure.

However, at least here in Austin where the humidity is not bad at all, summer mornings and summer evenings are prime convertible time ... perfect weather to own a cabriolet. And for the spring, fall and winter, you'll be in heaven with the cab here in Texas, I took some terrific drives through the Hill Country in my 993 with the top down and it rivaled summer and fall drives through New England as great top-down territory. I drove mine late afternoon yesterday, it was in the mid 80s (mid 90s during the afternoon), sun was on its way to setting, and I was perfectly comfortable with the top down and the AC on.

Now, I don't care if it's a coupe or a cabriolet, if you leave it parked outside during the summer in Texas it's going to be roasting when you get back in it and it will take a while before the AC can overcome that, but that's the case with pretty much any car. The AC in a 996 or 997 is going to be more capable, but I wouldn't trade the soul of the 993 for either one based on the weather.

There are other Texans on this forum who can probably chime in on that subject, as well. I asked the same question when I was about to move down here, and got good advice about keeping the car. But I think a cabriolet is a great choice here. I only wish the 993 turbo came in cabriolet form. I owned an 87 930 coupe back in 2000-2001, and sold it when I moved to Boston because it was not going to be a good daily driver in traffic. Its AC would not have been a good choice for Texas, either. But the boost is addictive and I miss it.

Speedyellow993

I love the Cab but have issues with it's lack of roll over protection.

If you are ok with that then the Cab is a great experience!

I opted for the Targa due to it's double aluminum bars . I figured it's much better then not having anything at all.

For track use..... the coupe is your winner.

As for values..... I have noticed that the Cabrios are the least expensive of the three, especially in areas with snow. Coupes have the easiest resale. No science to my Conclusions. Check AutoTrader and you will see for yourself.

goofballdeluxe

1996 Porsche: 282 hp/250 lb torque

2011 Kia Optima Turbo: 274 hp/269 lb. torque. Also gets 34mpg highway.

Of course, anyone shopping for a 1996 Porsche wouldn't be considering a Kia, but my point is, for about $25K, there are many new cars that can match the N/A 993 performance wise.

briefescape

This 95 993 is for sale @ $36 Cd with everything in perfect working condition

timothymoffat

I (very) respectfully disagree Sergio. To my knowledge, a 911 coupe begins life as a 911 coupe, always has and still does I believe. The Cabriolet models are of course "cabs" to start and the Targa models, at least since the introduction of the 993 Targa, are also based on cab shells.

To the OP, as you may have guessed, this is a subject that 993 owners, some anyways, are quite passionate about. There are pros and cons to both sides and we could debate $$$ value until we're out of breath but what matters most is what 993 will make you happy.

vincer77

The popularity of cabs and coupes ebb and flow like the tide. As has been brought up many times, the convertible versions of most classic cars are worth more than their fixed top siblings. I think that currently there is a strong attraction to cars with racing heritage. Since most 911s were raced in fixed-top form, the racing afacianados prefer fixed-coupe cars.

There was a time when Ferrari Daytonas were taken to shops like Stramann in SoCal to be converted into Spyders - cuz everyone wanted one. I am aware of some of these "Spyders" now are being converted back to coupes. But original Spyders are worth much more than coupes.

I like the feel of an open car. I love the wind rushing through my hair, the sound of the boxer-six behind and the sun beating on my head. A coupe never even entered my mind - except when considering a TT - and only because Porsche did not see fit to offer a turbo cab. Best of all, I got to benefit from the lower market price of the cabriolet.

IMHO, don't worry about the inherent value of cabs vs coupes. Buy what you want, and enjoy it.

In response to Cabrio993's comment on rigidity of the cab, I can definitely tell the difference in the handling of my car top-up vs. top-down. I do not have enough time behind the wheel of a coupe to comment on the difference, but a cab cannot be as rigid as a coupe - but again, I don't care.

zone5

I don't have a cab but I've spent A LOT of time in one. I'd rather have a cab than a coupe in SoCal or other temperate climates.

My 2 cents:
Rigidity is GREAT in the cab -- so much so that even though the coupe might be more rigid, the cab is so close that for 99% of driving, it doesn't matter.

Everyone says the classic lines of the coupe are messed up by the cab. I don't agree -- the cab lines are virtually the same if you look at them in profile. The cab just doesn't have the side rear window.

In my opinion, the 993 was the last 911 cab that looks really good, and totally in proportion, just like the coupe. I love the lines of the cab, especially when it is at euro-spec height. A lot of cabs don't look that great because the top "clashes" with the bottom -- like a red car with a gray top, for example. You can't mess up a coupe, they all have one uniform color. A silver cab with a black top is the ultimate in great looks, in my opinion, and this color combo was featured by Porsche in a lot of their ads for the 993.

I think of the cab as a coupe when you want one, and a cab when you don't -- the top is very good as a general matter, compared to most other convertibles -- seals well without a lot of wind noise and as a benefit, you can hear the motor a bit better especially with the top down. To me a well adjusted top in place with the windows up feels just as "snug" as a coupe. I forget I'm in a cab in those situations.

If you really are worried about a rollover, maybe you should not have a 993 -- if you're driving it that hard, a car with a more advanced stability augmentation system, like a 997, would be a better choice. Bottom line, if you roll a 993, coupe or cab, you are going to be dead or at best seriously injured.

I think the coupes are selling at higher prices than the cabs -- check Ebay and it is easy to see -- but I think that is a function of the wide-body rather than the top issue. If you compare narrow body cab against narrow body coupe of the same year, in equivalent condition, they are very very close.

Over time, the top-condition cars, cab or coupe, will be worth the most. Conditon and records will matter more than the body type.

Did Porsche really ship more cabs than coupes to the US? That surprises me.