asofine

^ Depends what he likes.

Does he want the best bank for his buck (as a $/hp proposition) with a Porsche badge on the hood? If so, the 996 turbo.
Does he want very modern creature comforts and an easy DD? If so, the 997.
Does he crave "connecting" with the mechanics of his car and a seat in a snug sports car? If so, the 993.

goofballdeluxe

"Nice" is a relative term, no? Any pre-2009 997 with possible IMS failure issues would not be that nice to me. Nor would a tip. Nor would over 50K miles. Especially when I could get into a really nice 993 for the same money. Perhaps you can get a 997 in the $30s, but that car probably wouldn't pass my "nice" test. But that's me.

My neighbor is a gearhead? That's easy. The 993. It appeals more to gearheads, I'd imagine. Plus, he could actually do the maintenance on it, if he knew how and wanted to.

Now, if he wants a cushier, more luxurious car, doesn't "get" the appeal of an air-cooled car and wants all the electronic nannies/gizmos for a daily driver, then a 997.

matt777

Because we like to discuss Porsche's even with troll's in the mix. Don't pat yourself on the back too quickly. You're not that great.

matt777

If anything 993 prices are actually on the rise driven partly by the price increase in the older air cooled cars. Check out what 356 and pre '73 911s cars go for and even 912s. All of the water cooled 911 cars seem to be prone to never ending depreciation like any other car of its era.

mjsporsche

Why do the discussions seems to focus on the investment grade nature of 993s? Better than Apple stock (which has taken a tumble of late)?

It seems like the depreciation argument against newer water cooled Porsches (and most everything else out there) is not about performance but about financial considerations. Heck....buy a freaken Ford Pinto for $500 and you do not have to worry about depreciation.

IMHO, if water-cooled Porsches were so uninspiring, am I correct to believe that all the advancements in Porsche racing programs are water-cooled motors?

993s are great cars. And so are the newer Porsche products.

doberdog

As modern Porsche's march towards more electronic intervention, there will always be a group of people who want to return to the simple roots of the brand. This is where the 993 comes in. It is the pinnacle of design, plus the last of the air-cooled motor. Judging by the amount of traffic the 993 board gets and the prices the cars are fetching, this will not change. I bet that in ten years a good 993 will be worth a lot more than today. We are at the bottom of the depreciation curve now, especially in light of the economy.

2ndof2

matt777

Why don't you read the first post of this thread before posting? If you don't want to talk and read about depreciation just move on.

For most of us this is a hobby. Depreciation is an issue. More so for some than others. Most new cars are uninspring when it comes to their character. We can define character another day. I never said the new Porsche's weren't great cars.

race911

Water/water-based cooling isn't the issue. The M96 (and variants) engine IS the issue.

If the basic 996 rolled out with a detuned GT3 engine, we'd be rolling along with a purely aesthetic discussion. Or, if the 993 continued on unchanged into the 1999 model year and beyond, save for that water-cooled engine as installed in the 996 GT3, I suspect most of us would consider that a premium, desired model.

timothymoffat

You nailed it Ken. I'd still have my 02 996 if I wasn't paranoid about the M96.

pfbz

...

tcsracing1

All are very good points. But as you know, driving it makes it all worth while. Fantastic experience.

WBYonder

One thing that no one has mentioned is that it seems to me like there are more low-mileage air-cooled 911s, and 993s in particular, going back to German/European buyers. While I'm not a dealer and plugged into these things, I have not heard of anything post-993 being sought after, while I have heard or known of several 993s bought and shipped back across the Atlantic.

This should be an indicator of, and/or an effect upon values of these earlier cars, far more than the values of later water cooled 911s.

tcabler

The 993 is not the apotheosis of the 911. The 993 after the 964 further alienated and insulated the driver from the road. It further removed the driver to road interface that the true 911, especially the 3.2s had in common. The 993 has more in common with the 997 than people are willing to admit. I submit that the 993 was not the pinnacle but rather the prelude to the 911 becoming a luxury touring car. The pinnacle was truly the G50 3.2.

matt777

Good point. Many dealers are sending air cooled 356s and 911s across the pond never to return. This will only thin out the population of cars somewhat in NA.