I am completely seeing what you're seeing TD and I ain't no architect

 

I actually don't disagree with you vjd3; although I think that you represent a minority, moving back from a 996 to a 993.

However, with the risk that Porsche lost loyal long term customers (that went with the company very close to bankruptcy), Porsche did win a lot of new customers with the Boxster and the 996 along with new competitive production cost that made the company very profitable. So tradition yes, but I'm glad that I can still buy a Porsche that is a Porsche rather than have them only around on the antique car shows or like Morgan - buy a BMW in a new German Morgan dress.

 

I've never liked the 996, it's slab sided appearance, those awful headlights and stories of catastrophic engine failures and the guys at my specialist mechanics can't stand them, and I mean from the MD to the floor mechanics!!!. so today my friend turns up with his heavily abused 97 model 996 and I took it out for a spin and I have to say I really liked it........and he really doesn't look after it at all (we are talking mould on the back seat potatoe chips on the floor and a broken wine glass!!!)so it rattles a bit but I liked the way it handled and the power delivery was pretty good for a tip.........yeah good.....it had a nice vibe too it even though it was shagged out.......would I chop in my 993 for one, that's a tough one....I know the 993 is a bit of an old ****ter in some ways but it has a certain 'charm' and I have total faith in the power unit (if not the aircon) which I didn't have with my 964(which blew, spun bearing!!) nor would I have with a 996. Values, well in the UK there are just so many 996's out there and the competition is fierce so I guess there's a bit of a price war, as it were, between 996 sellers, whereas the 993's are a little rarer it seems, I'd guess the same for the US

 

Pinky Lai still had some of the conceptual sketches for the 996 on his web site the last time I looked. Study them a bit, and your observation starts to really hold water, IMHO. It was a very sensitive, intelligent interpretation of the concept rather than a cartoon of the original. A temptation too many car companies can't resist. The market may not always be wise, but it is always right, so the 996 ends up a less than famous chapter in the 911 story, but I'm with you.

 

Pinky Lai's website: http://www.designnstyling.com/

 

TD you stated what I wanted to say, though with the maturity and the patience I lack. Personally, (and let me state I really do like all 911's just some more than others) I think Porsche took a step BACKWORD designwise with the 997. I suspect in response to a very vocal air cooled crowd. Too bad. At least they all drive like no other car on the road and that's really the bottom line for me. My favorite Porsche being built new now: The Cayman.

 

That is cool as hell. I didn't know anything about pinky lai. Wow. So, looks like I wasn't so far off afterall . . .

 

If it was a Silver cab, the story I recall at the time was a oil-water seperator failure. May have been a different incident.

 

Wow, I guess I'd better sell both my Harley and my 993, unless I can figure out a way to strap one of those innovative, new radiator contraptions onto them.

It's interesting that this thread designed to discuss why 993's hold their value better than 996's has mostly become an explanation by 996 owners why that shouldn't be the case. But it is a fact, so what's the point of crying about the unfairness of it?

 

Now I know why my Harley is air cooled. Those darn Wisconsin winters must be the reason.

 

A Harley engine is an antiquated design especially when you compare it to a modern water cooled V-twin. However, a Harley isn't sold on performance so it probably doesn't matter.

 

1) production volume
2) nostalgia

 

I'm sure you will find more than one Hardly-Ableson rider that will strongly disagree with your assertion.

Regarding the 993's air-cooled design, yes, it is rather old in nature but, amazingly air-cooled engines are still quite common in some of the high-performance light prop aircraft sold today, so given the intended purpose (air-cooled fun) the 993 smokes the 996 10-ways to Sunday.

 

You hit the nail on the head.

 

An interesting analogy but flawed IMHO. There are many reasons air-cooling makes good sense in light aircraft and just as many reasons that make air-cooling problematic in cars.

But as long as we are making up silly analogies keep enjoying your "P51" 993 and I'll keep enjoying my "F16" 996.