996operator

Are the guys at the 993 board funny or they just bunch of guys hanging onto the last straw? I mean I love all porsche but they seem to love to make fun of 996 in particular. They seem to test drive it and say 996 is not a sports car like the 993 etc etc. But, isnt the 996 pretty much better in every area in term of performance. As, for the feel of the car. I guess instead of being fast they want to feel fast. If you want that then go and get a go cart.

So, let me see if any 993 guys out there would take on a stock 996 at the track.

I love all porsche but please 993 guys no more crap from a slow car crew.

Jim Sloves

I can understand that some are critical of the 996 but it's a great car. Clearly I think so because I ordered one yesteday.

I think the 993 provides a more visceral, exciting car to drive but the 996 outperforms it. The 996 is a more refined grand touring car with less of the rawness.

That's why I love my Ferrari 328. It's an '86 but it is one of the most fun cars I have ever driven.
But I don't go knocking the 355, 360, 550 or any car that is competent. And the 996 is more than competent.

Richard in Colorado

Agreed! <img src="graemlins/jumper.gif" border="0" alt="[jumper]" />

May I recommend your post to the 993 forum?

Richard <img src="graemlins/burnout.gif" border="0" alt="[burnout]" />

greg1234

They're all nice cars. They're just good at different things. Which is great, because it gives us plenty of choice!

996operator

Richard in Coloroda,

Sure go ahead so I can read or they can tell me that their 993 is so so special over my 996.

Like I said, I love all porsches but not all the porsche owerns.

Jim Sloves

[quote]Originally posted by Richard in Colorado:
<strong>Agreed! <img src="graemlins/jumper.gif" border="0" alt="[jumper]" />

May I recommend your post to the 993 forum?

Richard <img src="graemlins/burnout.gif" border="0" alt="[burnout]" /> </strong><hr></blockquote>If you mean my post, sure, go ahead.

Michael Elmore

996operator:

No, we 993 owners are neither being funny nor hanging on to the last straw. We who love the raw (more direct) feel of a sports car simply lament Porsche building the venerable 911 in a softer and cheaper version. Is the 996 faster? Of course, no question about that, but performance is only one of the many aspects of what the 911 has to offer. If performance is the most important thing to a potential 911 buyer, then by all means buy the 996. However, if the feel of the car is as important or more so, then the 993 is where your money should go. Also, many of the 993 guys wouldn't want a 911 that is constantly misidentified for a Boxster...nor actually sharing half the car structure with a Boxster. (Don't get me wrong. The Boxster is a nice car - just don't make the 911 nearly identical.) In short, the 993 was designed as a sports car. The 996 was designed as a GT car. Simply two great, but different, cars by the same manufacturer. For me it came down to the feel of the car and what it was designed for. I almost went the 996 route. I actually ordered a new C2. When it arrived, I looked it over, sat in it, and promptly declined it (and ate the deposit). I just knew that if I took the 996, that sooner or later I would regret not getting the 993. I am now so glad I made that decision as it was the right move for me. However, that's only my story. FWIW. In short, let's all just feel blessed to be Porsche owners!

Bins

Hi All,

I hope you arent taking this 993/996 thing too personally.

After all, Porsche couldnt have gotten away with air cooled engines for much longer anyway, with the stricter changes in so many regulations.

Dont get me wrong. I do very much like the 996s and 964s and so on as well as the boxsters and even the cayenne (its kinda growing on me)
And the Ferraris and the Mercs and even a few BMWs as well as a few others.

Opinions are just opinions and are from different perspectives.

I love my 993 but boy is it expensive to maintain.... but great to drive and to look at.

A toast to all.

Shark01

I started one of those threads because I have legitimate questions about which generation I should target. Quite frankly, the 996 fits better for me in a lot of respects. But it really bothers me that it isn't accepted by the enthusiasts, and the depreciation rates are frankly staggering. No flames intended, but I value the opinion of the hard core people here.

Loren

After owning Porsches for more than 20 years I consider myself an enthusiast! I have owned a 914 , a 911S (70's) and I now own a 996 . Certainly with every "new" Porsche there have been some that don't want to recogize it as a "Porsche". I'm sorry I don't consider those folks real Porsche enthusiasts. Most of the improvements in modern Porsches came from the develpoment that Porsche has done in new models (i.e. water cooled Turbo and GT2). I think this so called "ethusiast" group is gettting smaller by the day AND I'll be glad when we all recogize the huge number of great models Porsche has made... and will make!

Loren (99 996)

Arthur

Mike Elmore, I cannot believe your dealer took your deposit. I hope you realize that when they told you that they have to take your money to cover costs for storage, loss of potential income, inconvenience and all that manure, they sold that car 5 minutes to somebody else after you turned around and left. Frankly, I don't understand the concept of "deposit". When I bought my Acura Legend, F-350, and Dodge Caravan, I did not put any deposit down! In fact, the poor salesman at Acura even bought me lunch after the test drive. Can someone tell me why a deposit is required for Porsches, BMW's, MB's and other high marque cars? Heck, the dealers make enough money off of them.

Jim Sloves

Because then every shmo could order a car and then back out of it wasting the dealer's allocation?

996operator

Michael Elmore

So you still on the feeling issue. Didnt you read my comments from the get go. Want feel GO and GET a GO CART then you see what RAW is all about. How does it feel to know that your 993 couldnt handle a M3 and not even close to a 996. Does that make you feel raw? Hey buddy, you want more RAW. Go and drive your car at the track and see a nice 996 rear end or a 996 giving you the HIGHBEAM as to move it over. Then I bet you really feel raw. If, you are so into FEEL then I would stronly recommend that you trade in that 993 for a 73.

So, please dont give me or anyone else here a lecture about how 993 is this and that because most of us had one. Thanks for telling me what I am missing.

Speedraser

996 Operator,

I hate to get involved in unhappy discussions, but I have to chime in here. I have a 993. I have driven the 996, and I prefer the 993. In my opinion, which is what matters to me, I prefer the looks (in and out) and feel of the 993. To me, the 993 strikes an ideal balance between tactility and refinement. The 996 is biased too far toward the refinement side for my liking. As far as the "get a go kart" comment, it's a bit of a challenge to drive a kart on the street, so it's not a valid alternative. I also have yet to see a 996 that matches the 993 build quality, the difference being primarily in interior material quality.

Regarding the performance difference between the 993 and the 996 (at least until the '02), on the street there is virtually nothing in it. Look at the old road tests of the cars -- the acceleration figures are nearly identical until the speeds get REALLY high. Car & Driver tested two '95s: one did 0-60 in 4.6 seconds, the other in 4.7, 0-100 in 12.1 for one car and 12.2 for ther other. The 996 does no better on the skidpad or slalom, nor in stopping distances. The 996 is faster on a track largely because it is easier to drive at its limits -- not because its limits are higher. A driver, even a pro, can be closer to or on the ragged edge more of the time in a 996 (this is not a criticism), so he laps faster. If I were racing professionally, I'd race a 996. I fully respect the 996's abilities. Since most of my driving is on the road, however, I'll keep my 993.

For me, it comes down largely to this: you can have a lot of fun in a 996, but you have to go much faster in a 996 than a 993 to have a given amount of fun.

Let us all respect each other's choices.

Bins

Heck, If there was a modern good quality reliable smaller engined 911 out there, Id still have one. They are just so pretty. Its why I preferred a 993 to a boxster. I would definitely consider the new boxster coupe if and when its out.
Its not always about performance. Damn, Its just that Porsche want to stick with the affluent clientelle.