Shrooman

Jumping into my first Porsche after years of BMW ownership. Keeping the X5M, but need help on which way to proceed with my Porsche.

Should I go for a 1997 Carrera S or S4, or go for a low Milage 2007 C4s. I have little experience in Porsches so I thought I'd toss it out to the pros. The 993's are expensive these days, I can grab a nice 2007 for much less money but have no idea about the difference in the experience between the two.

Any feedback is appreciated. I prefer the old school dash in the 993.

Tnx

stpatsday

Interesting dilemma you propose. Nice you have the x5m too. Having experience of owning both 993 and 997, allow me to ask where you live and what kinds of roads/driving you plan for this porsche?

phoneyman

Where you live is important. I was looking at a 997 and 993 and ended up deciding on a 993. My father got a 997.2 around the same time and I've had the experience of both for limited miles. It totoally depended on my life situation at the time as I had more than one car. If you have full access to another DD and are old enough to appreciate the older style car, go for the993. If you will drive a lot and want something comfortable, get the 997. As simple as that for me to decide.

Aneumann

I have a 993 tt and never had any problems it's bullet proof but yes if you want comfort go for the 997

kr994

Your old school dash preference is a good start but...

eddie_993

Why don't you just settle for the middle option, the 996? I kid, of course.

Where are you located? Maybe someone on this forum will be kind enough to give you a ride. Once you drive in both cars you will most likely know right away which one is for you.

Shrooman

I live in Northern California…Bay Area.

Spyder_Man

I'd test drive both to get a feel for them. Personally I'd go for a 993 while you can still find one at a decent price. A coupe C2 just sold for $29,500 in Sonoma about a week ago. Keep your eyes open for similar deals.

The 993 probably won't have great air conditioning by modern standards (if fully functional). Here in the Bay Area we can get away with no A/C often, but I've been surprised how often if used it this season. With a cab you'll have better airflow with the top down and this won't be as much of an issue.

993 and 997 are wildly different. One difference is 993 values are rising and 997 values are falling. A 993 will likely need some work done on it to get it into reliable DD status. A 997 will likely need nothing at the start other than a possible service and tires.

Just some thoughts.

993Brendan

If it was going to be your only car, I'd say 997. Given that you have a sweet DD, I'd go 993. I own both and they are different experiences, but I think the 993 is the better financial gamble at this point as Spyder_Man points out above.

993Dave

I've had both. You can't really go wrong either way. The 997 is every bit the modern, comfortable GT, albeit one with outrageous sporting capabilities. It is great for both canyon carving and commuting. As others have noted, though, if you have something else you can DD at least some of the time, get a 993. Factor in maintenance costs of what is nearly a 20 year old car, but also consider there is nothing like it made today, including other Porsches.

Nice dilemma to have!

Boober

Obvious advice is: you won't know what you prefer until you drive them. Being your first Porsche, you will likely gravitate toward the 997. It's just a more broadly appealing car. The aircooled 911's appeal to narrow tastes; people who crave the old school experience of an aircooled 911. One bit of advice though, search for 997.2 models (2009+) as the dreaded IMS was eliminated as well as other very nice improvements were introduced. Good luck!

OverBoosted28

The 993 is pretty much a bank vault. It may not be as cushy (soft) as a newer car but it's simplicity rewards with feedback. Unless you're buying a 997 GT3, get the 993.

Knight

Well said.

Buy a 993 once you've done some research, it's typically not a car you get for the sake of getting a Porsche. You have to appreciate what it is and enjoy ownership of it, cause at 20 years old it will need work and $ = a relatively new 997 just drive with pretty good reliability. And that may not make sense to some when for a 993 S model widebody you pay the premium for it.

Since your coming from a BMW, it would be like asking do you buy a M3 E46 or M3 E30? Completely different focussed cars and very similar in that one is rising in value vs the other.

For majority of us here, simple answer 993 without a doubt!

rayng

how many miles are you putting on the car? how long do you plan to own it? would you consider buying both? 997(tt) is a great daily driver. the 993 is less so but a different feeling car: more analog, more mechanical, more intimate. the 997 is a thoroughly modern car with more room, modern interior and better reliability. drive both and you should know.

Ash

If it's a weekend-only car - I'd say the 993. If you were planning on doing daily commutes driving around the city with our horrible parking, potholes, hill climbs, etc - the 997 is a bit more of a civilized place to be. Not sure if you're in the city but I find driving the 993 around SF a bit taxing. It's a lot more comfortable in a modern car....sitting in traffic watching your oil temp gauge climb is always fun .

That said, there's a quality to the driving experience of a 993 that can't quite be explained but it's a special event when you can get it out on an open road.

Either way, you're not going to lose out - both Porsche's...both great choices