Porsche 911 (993) Carrera 4: PH Carpool
This PHer got in before 993s went berserk and is rather enjoying the experience!
Car: Porsche 911 (993) Carrera 4
Owned since: March 2010
Previously owned: Peugeot 205 GTI, BMW 325i (E30), Renault Clio Williams, Mazda MX-5, BMW Z3, Lotus Elise, Porsche Boxster S, Audi TT, Renaultsport Megane R26
Why I bought it:
"I love convertibles. My second car was an Escort cabrio. In the late 80s it was an awesome car to own, although that may seem hard for a modern PH audience to believe. I've had a load of convertibles over the years but I always fancied a 911. As with everything, there is much to learn about 911s. In the early 90s I used to pass a red 964 then a silver 993 in traffic nearly every day. I struggled to identify the difference between them then, although I knew the 993 looked prettier and more modern. Around the time the big banking crisis hit in 2008 I decided to try and find a 993.
"I wanted a coupe as, to my eyes, the convertible lost too much visually without the fixed roof. I didn't want an automatic and perceived internet wisdom was to ignore Targas and four-wheel drive cars in favour of a rear-wheel drive one, preferably wide body. That same wisdom of the web also advised against buying the first example you see...
Wide body 993s do look good, don't they?
"I viewed it in an underground garage where it was buried amongst exotica. A plain narrow-bodied Carrera, black with black leather. Air-con, desirable hollow spoke wheels and showing just 30,000 miles. It sounded beautifully gruff on start up, I remember too the faff on having to insert an immobiliser key before starting the engine. I didn't drive it. Anyway, that car had languished within the PH classifieds for months at the time. It was up for £35K. In hindsight I should have bought it. For me taking on a car that one man has owned and looked after from new is worth a premium. At the time I was all too conscious I hadn't looked at any others and the history file was unavailable on the day I looked at it. I was very much aware the world economy was shaky and vaguely troubled about spending more money on a used car than I'd ever previously considered. By the time I was done procrastinating, it had sold.
"I looked at loads after that. During this time I learnt that phrases like 'the car has a full service history' or that the car is 'in time warp condition' are actually subject to interpretation, rather than being statements of fact. I drove miles to look at one car to see a hole in service history for five years whilst the car was apparently being used in France. Loads of poorly painted cars or cars clearly needing a lot of work, too.
"Remember that 993 prices hadn't surged at this point. Good cars were available at well under £30K. I viewed another PH advertised car the day the advert went live. The owner had been overwhelmed with interest having priced his at £27,000 with less than 50K miles. By the time I got there it was like an open day at a show house and he was asking for sealed bids to start over £28K.
Eventually the right car became available at the right price. A black narrow body C4 manual with full and extended red leather, air-con, hollow spoke 18-inch wheels and a host of other options. Also there was every invoice from all the services it had had from new, receipts for work done (including £2K spent on a suspension refresh in 2006) and the original order form and invoice. To this day I'm pleased with the leather headlining and stitching on the airbag. Considering that red leather, I'm lucky the car came with a black upper dash and steering wheel. The Germans offered some 'interesting' two tone interiors during this period. A time when snow washed denim, clamshell phones and the Spice Girls were the on the fashion high point."
What I wish I'd known:
"How did anyone buy a used car before the rise of the Internet? 993 owners seem to fall into one of two camps. Those who can and those who can't. Wield the spanners, that is. If you can carry out work yourself 993 ownership will be a joy. The cars are resolutely analogue and some describe them as giant Meccano kits. No use when you are reliant on the skills of others, like me. Information on the 993 abounds, 911uk especially has a particularly deep knowledge base. The beards are truly luxuriant there. These cars were expensive in the mid-1990s and servicing can be lumpy today. Main dealers will relieve you of close to £1K for the big service including plugs although there is room for negotiation within the network.
"An entire industry of specialists has grown catering to every niche of the 993 world. There are specialists in suspension geometry, remapping, leather retrims using original Porsche hide and everything else you can think of. Suspension bushes, arms, dampers and springs all seem to need attention at around the decade mark. The cam gasket and rocker covers leak and will need doing if not done. My car needed a clutch and flywheel at 54K. Research also reveals you can save money by doubling up on some jobs. Front bumpers pick up stone chips so when you decide to repaint, get the fan and oil temp resistors changed at the same time as they are easily accessible whilst the bumper is removed. I've used a particularly good independent garage in Sussex called Precision Porsche. Really enthusiastic blokes with a top drawer body shop - Impact - next door. Makes that sort of job easy."
Things I love:
"Unlike many other cars a 911, any 911, doesn't rely on trick induction or a shouty exhaust to allow the engine a voice. The air-cooled motor sounds special every time you start it and at high revs, really sounds unique. Some people bang on about the wide bodies being the variants to have. Believe me, you have to be massively into 993s in order to be able to tell the difference. All 993s have the hips and they remain, to my eyes, the prettiest 911 ever made.
"It's brisk without ever feeling really fast. A 991 feels like a spaceship in comparison. This means you can find opportunity to push a bit without getting immediately into territory that gives the judiciary unpleasant choices to make about your future. The 4WD system on my car is unobtrusive. The Internet tells you that RWD is the way to go and anything else betrays the essence of 911. These opinions get regurgitated regardless of truth. I'd wager most people couldn't tell the difference between RWD and 4WD unless driving in extremis.
"I took the car to Germany earlier this year with many of the other beards from 911uk. In their mother country, on the autobahn, these cars make far more sense than they ever could in the UK. It's massively liberating to be able to pipe along as fast as you fancy. At a GPS-indicated 120mph the car felt flat, stable and comfortable. It also had a good bit more to give. At that level I really didn't. We visited the Porsche factory and the assemblage of mostly 993s drew some appreciative comments from the Stuttgart crowd, which was nice. If you own a performance car it makes sense to take it somewhere you can drive fast without fear."
Things I hate:
"You could drive one of these every day in the same way you could ride a BMX to work everyday. Some do, but given the choice would you want to? The steering, gearchange and pedal action are all deliberate and not operated without effort. Visibility is excellent all around and if you live in a part of the country where traffic is sparse then it might make sense. Otherwise, south of London, keep it feeling special by having a daily car. Even if that's the 0718 to London Victoria."
It's sticking around for now!
"Once, the trip computer showed 30mpg. That was on a steady commute to Cornwall. Over a combination of roads including motorways it has averaged out at low-20s. It can be insured as a classic car on a limited mileage policy cheaply. As they are all old cars now you will find things to spend money on. Having the bumper painted made the 20 year-old headlights looked a little faded so I bought new ones. That made the indicators look a tad faded so I replaced those too. Then I moved to the rear! Which is where it started getting expensive. The upside of this is depreciation lies dead at my feet. I don't anticipate my car rising much further in value any time soon but it's not losing value either. That is a very good thing!"
Where I've been:
"As mentioned, we've bonded in Germany and visited a festival of all things Porsche at one of Europe's biggest annual gatherings for the marque at Dinslaken."
What next?
"Values for these cars are in a weird place. Prices for a good 993 have converged with prices for any number of other desirable 911s - a 997 Turbo, a 997.2 Carrera S or maybe an early 991. It's massively tempting to try something else - I've thought about it more than a few times - I'm just not ready to part with it yet."
Really really upsets me when I see the price of these now and think back to a few years ago when I was deciding between a new C63 and a 993 turbo, which were both the same price...
it draws nice attention (sometimes a bit much), it drives superbly well, it sounds fabulous, it cost £270 pa to insure on a large agreed value, and its gone up in value since i bought it. whats not to like!
i'll hang onto mine for a few years yet, as the marketing blurb says, its the last of the aircooled and they dont make em like this anymore!
Only one mistake.....
'I used to pass a red 964 then a silver 993 in traffic nearly every day. I struggled to identify the difference between them then, although I knew the 993 looked prettier'
I realise I will be the only one on here- probably the planet- but in my view the 964 is a far better looker.
That personal bit aside, they really are fantastic, useable, enjoyable cars which are great fun to learn to drive properly and live with over a long period.
Enjoy it depreciation free.
993 is my favourite era of 911, though I think I'll need to settle for a 996 for my first. Eventually! Having said that, I bet the pinnacle of the air-cooled wins out in a cost-benefit analysis overall.
Slightly confused by the photo caption declaring wide-bodied 993's to be great when the OP tells us his is a narrow-bodied car?!
Love jumping into mine and firing it up, always feels like an event. Unfortunately don't get to use mine so much as I would like, my current daily Golf R is not helping. I'm going to get mine on the track next year on some PCGB days, it's turning into too much of a garage queen
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