tim252

Hello Everyone:

I have wanted a 993tt for a long time and plan to purchase one; however, I am concerned that if I buy a car that I can not afford to maintain it( I make a decent salary but far from well off). I read posts of SAI or worn valve guides or people who say it is not hard to drop $5000.00 for repairs. I have always heard that parts are based on original MSRP not value today. I have some questions I am hoping people on the board can answer

1.Is there any advantage to buying a lower mile vehicle due to wear and tear then a higher mileage one?
2.My second choice is a C2S--Apart from Turbo's and all wheel drive system is there any more maintance issues versus C2S?
3.Is the all wheel drive system and Turbo's reliable??
4.What is the average yearly bill you seem to pay every year to keep your car on the road.
5.Is a good PPI going to be able to uncover nearly any problems with the car??
6.Porsche dealers telling me not hard to spend 5 to 10 thousand on these cars(parts are very expensive) They are saying you should really look at 996 or 997????

Thanks for all your help guys

Peter S 993tt

1 Ok - On average (not counting clutch which was 5000 alone) I spend about 5000 per year on maintenance alone - oil leaks, belts, etc.
2 Now - I have to say that the C2s has lesser maintenance because for example you don't have to take apart the exhaust system to get to the valve covers to change the gaskets for the leaks.
3 AWD is rock solid. Was never an issue.
4 5000 as I said before
5 it should
6 The dealer won't have any in stock. Also - they are right about one thing - the parts are expensive, but they are interested in making money off of you so they can sell you a 996tt and then charge you to fix it. If you buy a 993tt - they probably don't have one in stock to sell and will still charge you. Also - since it is the last of the air cooled cars and is 9 years old - there aren't that many mechanics at the dealer that can fix the cars - I take mine to a specialist.

I hope this helps.

Peter S 993tt

I forgot to mention - you have NO IDEA how many guys have stopped me in 996tts and told me they had my car and wish they never sold it. Nuff said.

C2 Turbo

Tim,
These are great cars and once you ownone you would wonder how you lived with out one.Here are some pros and cons of buying an older model ( 964 Turbo/993 TT ) vs ( 996 TT/997 S )
964 T/993 TT
Pros:
Classic shape
Last of the air cooled motors
Solid build quality
Cons:
Older cars so they will need maint
Tend to leak oil
Tend to have bit of turbo lag esp 964 T
A/C desn't work that great

996 TT/997S
Pros:
Reliable easily upgradable engine
Water cooled
Freezing A/C
Driver friendly cars
Cons:
Higher initial cost but lower maintanence
depriciating value esp 996 TT
Made in zillion numbers so no exclusivity
However having said that i have owned my 1991 C2 Turbo for almost 2 years now and so far maintanence wise i have only spent $1200 for bad fuel fliter,fuel sending unit and for a fresh set of plugs.The key to avoid the disaster is to have a thorough PPI at a shop that is familiar with the model you are buying..
I have always said i would rather pay bit more upfront for a well maintained car then buying a cheaper car and then paying later getting things fixed,if you know what i mean....
Hope this helps.

strato58

tim252 you sound similar to me. I just purchased my 993tt in May...so far its been rock solid. My peace of mind comes from an aftermarket insurance policy...if anything goes wrong its most likely covered including wear and tear and worn valve guides....
My biggest expense so far has been an oil change (aside from gas)....
Its a great car...don't let the fear of ownership costs keep you from it.
Best Luck
Bob

jmcd33

I have spent about $20K on repairs & maintenance (clutch, steering rack, oil leak repairs, wheels & tires) , and about $20K on cool stuff (turbos, ecu, cats, stereo equipment, radar stuff) in the past year. It really depends on how meticulous you are about things being correct. (e.g. will you buy new wheels when they inevitably get scratched and bent?) I am a bit quick to take it to the shop, but lots of stuff was a must have. I think the $5K estimate is waay low. Dont get this car if you dont have a piggy bank that you can consistently and regularly tap into.

C2 Turbo

Can we say no PPI here as $20,000 for repairs/maintanence in the first year is definately not normal and spending another $20,000 on cool upgrades is again not a normal/usual thing,so please don't mislead the guy here.
If PPI checks out the compression/leakdown,oil leaks,brakes,tires/turbos and A/C to name few big items and if it all comes out fine then why would you need $5000 on maintanence/year

fc-racer

I've found my 993 Turbo to be the most reliable Porsche I've owned. Previous cars are 89 944 Turbo S and 91 911 Turbo. I've done more track days on the 993 than my other two cars combined and it has never let me down. In fact, I sometimes feel like it cries when I'm driving away from the track, it likes the hard use; I think my 993 is into S&M... :P

tim252

Thanks for Response:

First:20,000 grand this year---This sounds seriously high???Never heard a number like that?
Second: Is $5000 a year a realistic number from other 993tt owners.

By the way I am not interested in 996 or 997. If I can't afford a 993 I won't buy a porsche.

Thanks again for your responses

tlark

$20k in maint. issues the first year is indeed NOT NORMAL.

1) Lower mileage cars, perhaps but you still have to remember some issues will have to be addressed b/c of time. These cars are no coming uyp on 10 years of age. Higher mileage can be the same, however if daily driven they could be better cars. It depends on how you look at it and how much the purchase price is. Higher miles, lower price, lower miles, you will pay a premium perhaps.

2)C2, of course, less maint. cost, but the same statement could hold true as stated above.

3)Very reliable.

4)I've had no unexpected bills after 14 months, 4 DE days and a total of 2500 miles. Oil changes is it and about $3500 in DIY suspension (shocks/springs) ,MAF, diverter values that needed changing b/c the age of the car. Car had 22k miles when I bought and it and the shocks were past due. Thus my point about lower mileage cars. I could have found a little higher mileage model that would have had the suspension already done, its your choice.

Now I have spent about $7,000 in mods that were not needed but that me, b/c my wife tells me I am sick......

5)Most likely.

6)Thats a joke, although I would expect that coming from some salesman ****** I've spoke too as well. Plenty of inventory (996) around and hey, lets sell the guy a new car at the same price (997) must be there mind set. I could have done a 996tt but I want to be happy with it at the end of the day and the air cooled was where it was at. They are good cars all around, done get me wrong but your paying for it, get what you want.

CP

Tim,

I have a RUF BTR which is a C2 with a single turbo. I have spent quite a bit on my car but I have a lot of deferred maintenance issues to deal with. One thing though. even if you have a tt that passed PPI and have a good turbo, you have to know how to use it to avoid triggering problems on your own. Not necessarily the whole truth 100% of the time, but these are useful tips:

(1) Fully warm up your car before hard driving. That means short trips all the time are bad for a tt.
(2) Allow the turbo to spin down for 2 minutes (more if driven hard) before shutting down the engine. This is not necessarily a cumulative wear and tear item, just one super-hot shut down can ruin your turbo.
(3) Run the engine hard (high revs) every so often (after warm up). If you're constanting driving between 2k to 3k rev count would not be good for your car.
(4) Add a bottle of Techron and run the tank dry before each oil change. This can help flush your engine clean with each oil change.

Otherwise, I'd say with tires (15k miles for the rears) and other maintenance, $5k per year average is probably adequate. My personal case is much worse than that, but I know I have an abnormal case.

Good luck with your hunt for the 993tt. It is an absolutely awesome car.

Oh one last point. If you got a C2 (for maintenance considerations) but really want the tt, you will eventually spend more trading up. I'd buy the best tt you can afford to start.

CP

Air Kuul TT

Pong,

Do you remember us having this very same conversation last year (almost exactly). And with your wisdom, I ended up with a 993TT. Yippee!!!!

CP

Tony,

I surely do. I was thinking about you as I typed my post.

When will your car be back? Before 11-12 I hope.

CP

Air Kuul TT

Pong,

I hope.... yes I hope. I was there last week and the engine is all done and the car is with Claudio (mechanic) now. He's hopes to fire her up next week. However I have a few other things that he needs to do (other mods). So I might be cutting it close... I'm also getting some new shoes coming around the same time.

I've missed alot with my car this summer but you know my current situation about my dad so this is very much secondary.

CP

Tony,

I understand. I hope dad is recovering, just like your tt.

CP