I am looking for a 96 or 97 C4S and was wondering how I can ensure that a given car is a genuine C4S from the vin number. Two cars that I have looked at in the last year or so have not had the C4S option code (M491) listed on the options sticker under the hood, yet they were unquestionably both C4S's and not conversions. Although I have never seen a "conversion" I am confident that there are some bogus ones out there somewhere.

Is there a way to identify a C4S from the VIN, as in a Turbo? Any other things to look for other than big reds, etc...?

 

Tom,

The M491 option code does not apply to the 993 cars. It applies to the '84-'89 3.2 Carreras.

I am not aware of any way to determine a widebody 993 (C2S or C4S) from the VIN. You should take a look at the Porsche Red Book by Patrick Paternie. MBI publishing. It provides option codes and VIN by year for 911's.

Photos of the side and rear is the best way.

Steve

 

Look at the options sticker under the VIN number, you will find a 3-digit number following "993."

993 140 = Carrera 4S
993 130 = Carrera 4 Coupe

 

M491 actually applies to 964s and 993s as well - it's listed as "Turbo-look" for 964s, and "Turbo-look / Carrera 4S" for 993s. M495 is the code for a Carrera S. edit: looking at the pic above, though, it rather looks like it wasn't always used... but nevertheless, it's in the list

The most obvious difference between an S and a normal car, after the wideness, is the front bumper, IMO. The S bumper is taller and goes down much lower, and IRRC the covers that go underneath the bumper, one on each side, aren't found on S cars. The S and Turbo cars also have a little front spoiler thing underneath the front bumper.

It's not like S cars are *particularly* rare, so I can't see why anyone would go to the trouble of a conversion, to be honest - not to say that no-one has, of course.

I believe that as far as decoding the VIN goes, you can call PCNA and ask them what the car was delivered as.

 

That is correct. These are option codes used during manufacturing and do NOT appear on the options sticker.

 

Thanks everyone for all your help.

Viken, you continue to be a warehouse of great 993 info!

 

Another quick question- what does C38 indicate in place of the US-spec CO2? I am assuming that this is a version of the car for another country, but I don't see this on Robin's/ Viken's extensive list on P-Car.

 

As far as I was aware, country options just had M-codes like everything else. However, a google search turned up a PDF ordering guide for a 996tt, in which country codes are given starting with a C - C38 is the code given for Russia. However, the M-code for Russia is M073 and as far as I can tell, that code wasn't one of the 993 ones - it first appears with the '97 Boxster - so I'm not sure what to make of that.