993 to what next?
Discussion
Im fortunate to have this
This
And this
And I can say 100% without a doubt, every time I reach for a set of keys - the RS is the last one I’d pick.
The Uk roads just aren’t suitable enough for it, and to get the best out of it you’ve got to put a lot into it. The other two are easier to drive by a country mile.
The 987 has been a revelation - it’s SO good.
But I’ll still take the 993 60% of the time because the aircooled feel/smell/sound is unique
This
And this
And I can say 100% without a doubt, every time I reach for a set of keys - the RS is the last one I’d pick.
The Uk roads just aren’t suitable enough for it, and to get the best out of it you’ve got to put a lot into it. The other two are easier to drive by a country mile.
The 987 has been a revelation - it’s SO good.
But I’ll still take the 993 60% of the time because the aircooled feel/smell/sound is unique
GTRene said:
and what were your findings? which gives the best drivers fun on today's normal roads?
The stock 993 was more fun on B roads, it moved around and I LOVED it, just needed a bit more power in my opinion. GT3 had CS suspension so it would dart around on crap roads and it felt dangerous, I did a trip to Hague and it was amazing on the roads, beautiful. My 911s is ex racecar so its even more hardcore on road than the GT3 but its sounds / drives / feels better than both, It feels like an occasion! Loud and brutal.. Saying that if I had the ££ I would have a 996 GT3 and old air-cooled one
I’ve had a 993 for 11 years.
It’s a Carrera 2 manual coupe.
I’ve had lots of Porsches come and go but the 993 is a keeper.
However, if it had to go I would say the (2001/2002) S54 Z3M
would be a fine alternative.
I’ve done 15,000 miles in 3 years in my Z3M and I have to say they are a blast, far more visceral and exciting to drive on a twisty B road than many Porsche alternatives.
And the Z3M has the advantage of being a rare sight on the road.
It’s a Carrera 2 manual coupe.
I’ve had lots of Porsches come and go but the 993 is a keeper.
However, if it had to go I would say the (2001/2002) S54 Z3M
would be a fine alternative.
I’ve done 15,000 miles in 3 years in my Z3M and I have to say they are a blast, far more visceral and exciting to drive on a twisty B road than many Porsche alternatives.
And the Z3M has the advantage of being a rare sight on the road.
Dan-GT3 said:
I went 993 to a 996 GT3.
Still analog feeling but a few modern touches.
I went 993 RS to Mk1 996 GT3, it was a massive leap from just about every perspective. The Mk1 996 however is the perfect blend of modernity with an old school air-cooled feel and a cabin that feels compact and intimate, whilst providing some mod cons.Still analog feeling but a few modern touches.
Probably a bit compromised for our increasingly poorly surfaced roads these days, so I'd invest in some higher quality suspension, or if you want to retain as much civility as possible, find a good Mk 1 or 2 manual 996 C2 and have Hartech build a 3.7/3.9 (Mk1) or 3.9/4.0/4.1 (Mk2) engine and let RPM Technik loose on the suspension, transmission, along with the exterior and interior aesthetics.
donutskidmark said:
I’ve had a 993 for 11 years.
It’s a Carrera 2 manual coupe.
I’ve had lots of Porsches come and go but the 993 is a keeper.
However, if it had to go I would say the (2001/2002) S54 Z3M
would be a fine alternative.
I’ve done 15,000 miles in 3 years in my Z3M and I have to say they are a blast, far more visceral and exciting to drive on a twisty B road than many Porsche alternatives.
And the Z3M has the advantage of being a rare sight on the road.
Lovely Z3 M coupe, I can understand what you say about the driving in it, have had some of those, if you got used to the driving and think its fine, you can upgrade them.It’s a Carrera 2 manual coupe.
I’ve had lots of Porsches come and go but the 993 is a keeper.
However, if it had to go I would say the (2001/2002) S54 Z3M
would be a fine alternative.
I’ve done 15,000 miles in 3 years in my Z3M and I have to say they are a blast, far more visceral and exciting to drive on a twisty B road than many Porsche alternatives.
And the Z3M has the advantage of being a rare sight on the road.
Poly bushings all round (they are not that stiff) coilovers and a bit lower (not to low) 18 inch wheels and tires, wheels a bit max out/ET and you get a 'new' car more connective, more direct, more drivers-fun without ruining the car.
have fun.
I went :
993
355 spider (still have)
2.7RS lightweight (sold 2 years ago)
997
996 GT2
993 GT2
Ferrari 550
Elise
Elise S2
993 Cab
993 RS
911 SWB
TVR Griffith
Audi Quattro SWB
Morgan +8
Am Vantage
Am DB7
993 C4
911 Iroc replica
911 2.2s / 3.4 RSR
Taycan Turbo
911 Supersport (G50)
Taycan Turbo 'S' ST
and a few other bits and bobs in between, always difficult to get away from 993's !!
Phib
993
355 spider (still have)
2.7RS lightweight (sold 2 years ago)
997
996 GT2
993 GT2
Ferrari 550
Elise
Elise S2
993 Cab
993 RS
911 SWB
TVR Griffith
Audi Quattro SWB
Morgan +8
Am Vantage
Am DB7
993 C4
911 Iroc replica
911 2.2s / 3.4 RSR
Taycan Turbo
911 Supersport (G50)
Taycan Turbo 'S' ST
and a few other bits and bobs in between, always difficult to get away from 993's !!
Phib
phib said:
I went :
993
355 spider (still have)
2.7RS lightweight (sold 2 years ago)
997
996 GT2
993 GT2
Ferrari 550
Elise
Elise S2
993 Cab
993 RS
911 SWB
TVR Griffith
Audi Quattro SWB
Morgan +8
Am Vantage
Am DB7
993 C4
911 Iroc replica
911 2.2s / 3.4 RSR
Taycan Turbo
911 Supersport (G50)
Taycan Turbo 'S' ST
and a few other bits and bobs in between, always difficult to get away from 993's !!
Phib
That is very well played. Bravo! 993
355 spider (still have)
2.7RS lightweight (sold 2 years ago)
997
996 GT2
993 GT2
Ferrari 550
Elise
Elise S2
993 Cab
993 RS
911 SWB
TVR Griffith
Audi Quattro SWB
Morgan +8
Am Vantage
Am DB7
993 C4
911 Iroc replica
911 2.2s / 3.4 RSR
Taycan Turbo
911 Supersport (G50)
Taycan Turbo 'S' ST
and a few other bits and bobs in between, always difficult to get away from 993's !!
Phib
The two on your list that I always yearn to go back to are 993 C4S and 550 Maranello. Enjoyed those immensely and would love another/either again.
My partial history from 993 onwards:
993RS Touring
964 Turbo 3.6
996.1 GT3
996.2 C2 Cab
360 F1 Spider
997.1 Turbo Cab
964RS & i8 Roadster
964 WTL Cab restomod & 991.1GT3RS & 356C hotrod & McLaren [720 coupe -> 720 spider -> (imminently) 750 spider]
If I could justify it, I'd buy a 993RS Touring again. Still a fabulous car, but now vastly overpriced for what it is (I paid about £40k for mine and sold it for £26k - some time ago). The 964 restomod scratches the "proper Porsche" itch for me, and remains a firm favourite, but sometimes you want the speed and ergonomics that come with a modern car. Or the masochism that comes with a properly old car...
993RS Touring
964 Turbo 3.6
996.1 GT3
996.2 C2 Cab
360 F1 Spider
997.1 Turbo Cab
964RS & i8 Roadster
964 WTL Cab restomod & 991.1GT3RS & 356C hotrod & McLaren [720 coupe -> 720 spider -> (imminently) 750 spider]
If I could justify it, I'd buy a 993RS Touring again. Still a fabulous car, but now vastly overpriced for what it is (I paid about £40k for mine and sold it for £26k - some time ago). The 964 restomod scratches the "proper Porsche" itch for me, and remains a firm favourite, but sometimes you want the speed and ergonomics that come with a modern car. Or the masochism that comes with a properly old car...
I have been down this road, or one like it, before. No right or wrong answers, but a few perspectives from my own experience...
1 - Do you want another Porsche and all the things that stands for? Usually solid engineering, don't need to worry about warranty, can be left for months at a time, low'ish key, very safe bet etc. Or, perhaps, do you want a change?
2 - What size of car do you want for the use you'll put it to? I have had cars that are too long or too wide for practical things like parking or B-roads. This limited when I'd use them and eventually led to them being moved on.
3 - What sort of cash do you want tied-up in it for the use you'll put it to? Sometimes I want to leave a car in a car park without worrying unduly or sometimes it's nice to not be to too worried about brushing the odd hedge or curbing the odd wheel.
I had a 993RS at the point in time where they were 40 grand cars rather than now - makes them feel more usable! I've had 964, 996 and until a couple of months ago a 997GT3. For the last 18 months I've also had a 718 Spyder, ie the GT4 in a prettier body/soft top. The Spyder was getting more use than the GT3 which was instructive, hence me selling the GT3. A friend bought a 981 Spyder at the same time and we both regard them as great cars that can be used everyday, small enough to be fun, almost a GT car (without as many compromises), acceptable luggage capacity for a week away etc etc. Have a look at those as they've been mentioned a few times already. They are a lot of smiles per miles.
I've also had Ferraris but found them more of challenge to use in my daily life so they didn't last, but I'm glad I did it. I feel I should own a Mclaren at some point, but never quite commit as I imagine I won't use it much. I've always fancied a V12 Vantage, but whilst the outside is beautiful I find the inside a bit dated these days with a sort of in between tech
On my practicality point, I'm thinking about getting an Alpine A110. It's small, light and very nimble, rather like an Elise with mod cons dialled-up - a proper driver's car. I say this as someone who's also owned an Elise and still has a Caterham. The Alpine is also usable for the everyday, ie not so precious I'd worry about it. There is a question about similarity to the Spyder, but I think the Alpine would meet my "fine to leave it at the station on the commute" test.
As you can see this is the sort of question I ponder on a daily basis. A quality problem!
1 - Do you want another Porsche and all the things that stands for? Usually solid engineering, don't need to worry about warranty, can be left for months at a time, low'ish key, very safe bet etc. Or, perhaps, do you want a change?
2 - What size of car do you want for the use you'll put it to? I have had cars that are too long or too wide for practical things like parking or B-roads. This limited when I'd use them and eventually led to them being moved on.
3 - What sort of cash do you want tied-up in it for the use you'll put it to? Sometimes I want to leave a car in a car park without worrying unduly or sometimes it's nice to not be to too worried about brushing the odd hedge or curbing the odd wheel.
I had a 993RS at the point in time where they were 40 grand cars rather than now - makes them feel more usable! I've had 964, 996 and until a couple of months ago a 997GT3. For the last 18 months I've also had a 718 Spyder, ie the GT4 in a prettier body/soft top. The Spyder was getting more use than the GT3 which was instructive, hence me selling the GT3. A friend bought a 981 Spyder at the same time and we both regard them as great cars that can be used everyday, small enough to be fun, almost a GT car (without as many compromises), acceptable luggage capacity for a week away etc etc. Have a look at those as they've been mentioned a few times already. They are a lot of smiles per miles.
I've also had Ferraris but found them more of challenge to use in my daily life so they didn't last, but I'm glad I did it. I feel I should own a Mclaren at some point, but never quite commit as I imagine I won't use it much. I've always fancied a V12 Vantage, but whilst the outside is beautiful I find the inside a bit dated these days with a sort of in between tech
On my practicality point, I'm thinking about getting an Alpine A110. It's small, light and very nimble, rather like an Elise with mod cons dialled-up - a proper driver's car. I say this as someone who's also owned an Elise and still has a Caterham. The Alpine is also usable for the everyday, ie not so precious I'd worry about it. There is a question about similarity to the Spyder, but I think the Alpine would meet my "fine to leave it at the station on the commute" test.
As you can see this is the sort of question I ponder on a daily basis. A quality problem!
SL550M said:
That is very well played. Bravo!
The two on your list that I always yearn to go back to are 993 C4S and 550 Maranello. Enjoyed those immensely and would love another/either again.
I have to say if I could go back it would be the 993 RS, I never got on with the 550. The two on your list that I always yearn to go back to are 993 C4S and 550 Maranello. Enjoyed those immensely and would love another/either again.
Having said that I wouldnt sell my supersport (G50) for anything absolutely love it (perfect 911 for me), I have normally been at 7 or 8 cars at any one time in my little collection, if I was going to add anything it would be a RHD pre 74 with a 3.2 and G50 box in it.
My problem is I cant stop driving my new Taycan, best daily available IMHO.
Phib
Had a daily driven 993 CarerraS from 2003-2009. Considered a change to a 996 GT3-RS but settled on a 360 Modena until 2011. Enjoyed that so much that I upgraded to a Challenge Stradale, which I still have. Epic car completely focused on doing one thing extremely well, unlike the 993 which is an all round great car. However, it doesn’t come close to the driving experience of the CS. Recently added a 308, not fast by modern standards, but a lovely thing to drive nevertheless. It’s a totally different experience to the modern stuff, which is exactly what I was after.
Edited by ThreesixtyM on Saturday 18th November 08:51
One of the more interesting threads of late, a great read. I think that people are starting ( or being more vocal) in identifying what is a great, fun car to drive. Some will see this as being the car that is driven for <1000 miles of sheer pleasure per year - and the enjoyments/appreciation of such vs those who have a 1+n car garage. (Which is a lovely position to be in)
In current times, perception is that electric is the way forward. I hope that many start to appreciate how special ice cars are, in the way they drive, what engagement you have and what it feels like, irrespective of the monetary value.
For me, as a layman, I drive a 996 c4s, a disco 4 and polestar. The Porsche is the go to - I’ve had cars older and newer which should be the sweet spot, but usually use the Porsche, even with a hound. Who cares what people think,(unless it’s really special!
In current times, perception is that electric is the way forward. I hope that many start to appreciate how special ice cars are, in the way they drive, what engagement you have and what it feels like, irrespective of the monetary value.
For me, as a layman, I drive a 996 c4s, a disco 4 and polestar. The Porsche is the go to - I’ve had cars older and newer which should be the sweet spot, but usually use the Porsche, even with a hound. Who cares what people think,(unless it’s really special!
keithcharles2 said:
Got a bog standard 1994 993 Carrera Coupe had for 20 years. Been thinking for a while now might be time for a change & fancy a convertible. Have a Taycan 4S for everyday use. Thought a 981 Spyder might be an interesting swap. Anyone mover from 993 to Spyder?
I’ve gone the other way, 981 Spyder to 993 C2, the Spyder was very accomplished, but I found it strangely uninvolving at road speeds (it was very easy to drive too fast), I find the short gearing in the 993 much more involving (and a bit slower which is probably a good thing)Gassing Station | Porsche Classics | Top of Page | What's New | My Stuff