Alfaguy2

I just don't see much of a difference visually so what are the main differences?

niche

Funny, that's my thought on 996 vs 997

ADias

Very different cars. You will find this link useful - The complete story of 911.

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PJorgen

And this is posted in the 997 forum because...?

RudyP

Because he knows he'd get his head ripped off posting this question in the 964 or 993 boards?
Because only a 997 driver couldn't tell the difference visually between them?
Just some guesses. Note that Im a 997 driver so not trying to disparage anyone who owns a 997.

signature65

no offence to the OP, but anyone who can't tell the difference between a 964 and a 993 hasn't looked at enough P cars. There is not a single interchangeable body pannel except maybe the roof.

If the OP is looking to buy a 993/964 make sure you do your research and choose the car that best suits you.

FWIW 993's will maintain value much much better than a 964.

alexb76

Great site! Thanks for sharing.

ADias

That is true but it baffles me. The 964 was the inflection point in the 11 evolution but the 993 is the start of the new larger 11 completed by the 997. The 993 is an evolutionary model, same for the 996. The difference being that the 993 kept the air-cooled boxer. Between the 964 and the 993, I prefer the 964, value notwithstanding.

signature65

Exactly! i love em both but the 964 was truly the last of the original 911. The 993 was an all new car.

Jack667

I had a 964 for 11 years and I put 100k miles on it, plenty on the track. The 993 always seemed like a better car to me, but I couldn't afford it at the time of purchase. There are many similar parts, and - to me, the 993 is closer mechanically to the 964, than the 964 is to the 911 ( ie a 1989 911 for example). So, IMHO, the 1989 911 is the last 'real' 911, and the 1998 911 (993) is the last air cooler 911. The 964 is a tweener. A great car with some a few bugs in the early years, and more true to 911 looks than a 993, but most people would say the 993 is the more beautiful car.
It's only in the last few years, maybe after the 997 really sunk in, that the 964 is recognized by enthusiasts (or just me?) as the end of an era - the end of the upright headlights and a few other design cues

timothymoffat

Really?

ADias

Well put. I agree with that, that's why I said that the 964 was the inflection point of the 911 evolution.

stevepow

I was gonna say the difference is 29.

Edgy01

To me the last of the 911s was in 1973, when the long hood cars were ended. After that they grew big bumpers and lost all the chrome trim!

w00tPORSCHE

Wow...I don't know what to tell ya. Really you can't tell the difference. Please get "the used 911 story written by Pete Z. You have a lot of reading and drooling to do like most if not all of us. My contention is that the Carrera 3.2 is the last 911 to show case the classic appeal that could be traced back to '63 and to this date remains one of the easiest 911's to own. When it went out of production...it was very much an end of an era. It was the last 911 to feature the iconic Fuch's wheels. The 964 and 993 were much more modern cars.