best value atmo - '02 996 or '94 993?

best value atmo - '02 996 or '94 993?

Author
Discussion

uglysailor

Original Poster:

18 posts

136 months

Thursday 13th February 2014
quotequote all
Hi

I've been considering a 996 for a while and intend to buy one shortly, having narrowed it down to a couple of good ones.

However...a really nice 993 just appeared on the radar at a price I can just about stretch to afford, and now I'm torn between the ease of use of a 996 and the real-deal sense of the 993.

Looking to get what in all essence will be a daily driver - I have a daily 10 mile run to work, with twice weekly 30-100 mile jaunts to clients. Approximately 10.000 miles a year.

I'm not in the UK so prices levels are not what you guys are used to, but please chip in with your thoughts advice on the choice I now have.

1994 993 Carrera 2, 100.000 miles. Fully serviced, immaculate condition overall, only seen summer use the past 9 years. Private seller asking £28.000

2002 996 Carrera 2, 80.000 miles, for sale through Porsche dealer, asking £22.000

There are a few 1998 996s available from private sellers for around £15.000 as well, but nothing specific I've narrowed down yet.

I've read all the 993 vs 996 stuff, this is more a question of which can be considered the better value at the moment.

1994 993 for 26-28K, or 2002 996 for 20-22K - what would you go for?

Cheers.


Edited by uglysailor on Thursday 13th February 17:39

river_rat

713 posts

217 months

Thursday 13th February 2014
quotequote all
£22k on an ultra low mileage 996 to then use a daily??

Madness IMHO.

Buy a sorted one with 60/70k miles for £12,000 surely?

Oh, you're not in the UK..... banghead

Edited by river_rat on Thursday 13th February 17:21

uglysailor

Original Poster:

18 posts

136 months

Thursday 13th February 2014
quotequote all
Ooops...

decimal problems - corrected above. Should be 100k & 80k miles.

James44

267 posts

183 months

Thursday 13th February 2014
quotequote all
you probably know the answers ...

In terms of car you get for the money - 996
In terms of future value - 993
for everyday use - 996
to feel in a porsche the way they used to make them - 993
bills - running costs probably higher for 993

Price differential looks about right, but holy smoke £22k for an 80k mile 996? where do you live????????? You could almost halve that in the UK. Are you in Europe? if you are happy with RHD, come buy one here and take back. even LHD ones come up for about same price as RHD ones

You mention daily driver, for me that would lead you to the 996.

Solarized

442 posts

155 months

Thursday 13th February 2014
quotequote all
Try both and see what you think.
993 can easily be a daily but IMO these cars are to be savoured for high days and weekend blasts.

mollytherocker

14,384 posts

223 months

Thursday 13th February 2014
quotequote all
Have you driven both, they are very different!

You are asking which is best value. It depends what you value!

uglysailor

Original Poster:

18 posts

136 months

Thursday 13th February 2014
quotequote all
Yes, have driven both and agree they're different. I do like the 993, something about it gets me where it counts, and I like the old-school interior etc.

I can however see the greater practicality of the more modern 996 as a daily driver. I think James got it right above, and I think it sounds like the 993 is the better value of the two cars I mentioned, but that I should really be looking for a cheaper 996.

As I said, the 993 is a bit of a stretch on the current budget, but then again if I do really want one now is probably the time to do it, I'm probably not going to find one for the same money in 2 or 3 years...

Confused? You bet...

James44

267 posts

183 months

Thursday 13th February 2014
quotequote all
suggestion - go for the 993 for weekends and nice days to commute. Also buy a cheap old peugeot diesel for crap days and boring long drives.


uktrailmonster

5,161 posts

214 months

Thursday 13th February 2014
quotequote all
I'd choose the 996 for your intended daily usage, but I'd probably pay a bit more for a C4S. They look a bit more special and the 4 wheel drive is useful in bad weather (depending on your location of course)

andy102

130 posts

183 months

Friday 14th February 2014
quotequote all
I would get the best 996 you can for your money and enjoy driving it every day. I run an early 3.4 as a dally drive for a few years and the costs were minimum compared to running a weekend toy 964.

Whatever you decide, get it inspected first.

hopeydaze

307 posts

164 months

Friday 14th February 2014
quotequote all
Based on current market conditions the 996 will depreciate significantly over say 3 years whereas the 993 is unlikely to suffer much depn. even I suspect if you add 10k miles per year.

In the long term this saving is likely to more than offset the maybe higher maintenance cost of the 993 mentioned by another poster above.

stevewak

518 posts

144 months

Friday 14th February 2014
quotequote all
To put the 'high maintenance costs' of the 993 into perspective, it's only work that's needed doing once (properly) on nearly 20-year-old cars with one or two issues that have to be sorted out. Averaged out over a 5-year (say) period of gradual restoration it's not cheap, but when done I really don't see a 993 costing that much p.a. just to keep going. You can still drive a car with a bit of windscreen rust or put up with cranky a/c and a heavy clutch. Factor in zero depreciation and it's a good buy. They are not tear-your-head-off fast but more than quick enough for the road.

Orangecurry

7,625 posts

220 months

Friday 14th February 2014
quotequote all
uglysailor said:
...I do like the 993, something about it gets me where it counts...

As I said, the 993 is a bit of a stretch on the current budget, but then again if I do really want one now is probably the time to do it, I'm probably not going to find one for the same money in 2 or 3 years...
Own question answered.

You prefer the 993, and the 'value' of it is (and always will be) higher than a 996.

It's already broached the psychological 100k, so drive it and enjoy it.

uglysailor

Original Poster:

18 posts

136 months

Friday 14th February 2014
quotequote all
James44 said:
suggestion - go for the 993 for weekends and nice days to commute. Also buy a cheap old peugeot diesel for crap days and boring long drives.
Or a 993 for weekends and nice days, and a 996 for crap days and long drives :-)

Nurburgsingh

5,335 posts

252 months

Friday 14th February 2014
quotequote all
28K for a 100K mile non vario 993...

Holy-moly best go and rethink my pricing. Clearly the only way is UP!

uglysailor

Original Poster:

18 posts

136 months

Friday 14th February 2014
quotequote all
Nurburgsingh said:
28K for a 100K mile non vario 993...

Holy-moly best go and rethink my pricing. Clearly the only way is UP!
It's actually much closer to £25K with the current exchange rates. Looking around the rest of Europe (France Germany Italy Spain) that seems to be a pretty good price I think, wouldn't you agree?

Will spend the weekend hum'ing and hah'ing - 996 modernism and low purchase price, or the 993 mojo and an extra £8k on the loan.

The 993 in question is in fantastic condition with only 3 owners since new. Knowing me, I think I'm gonna buy it :-)

balamory

99 posts

137 months

Friday 14th February 2014
quotequote all
Wise move ! 993 all the way


uglysailor said:
It's actually much closer to £25K with the current exchange rates. Looking around the rest of Europe (France Germany Italy Spain) that seems to be a pretty good price I think, wouldn't you agree?

Will spend the weekend hum'ing and hah'ing - 996 modernism and low purchase price, or the 993 mojo and an extra £8k on the loan.

The 993 in question is in fantastic condition with only 3 owners since new. Knowing me, I think I'm gonna buy it :-)

PHC

38 posts

138 months

Saturday 15th February 2014
quotequote all
996 tt is the alternative to a 993

Personally I wouldn't buy a non turbo 996 other than gt3 which wouldn't be as good a daily driver as a tt.

uglysailor

Original Poster:

18 posts

136 months

Sunday 16th February 2014
quotequote all
Just found out the £25k is a Tiptronic, not what I was looking for really...

However, it looks like it will hard to fins anything manual in as good shape at that price level I reckon, or should I be looking to talk the price down further? If so how much? Planning to go and drive it on Tuesday.

mollytherocker

14,384 posts

223 months

Sunday 16th February 2014
quotequote all
uglysailor said:
Just found out the £25k is a Tiptronic, not what I was looking for really...

However, it looks like it will hard to fins anything manual in as good shape at that price level I reckon, or should I be looking to talk the price down further? If so how much? Planning to go and drive it on Tuesday.
If you want a manual, a tip will not do. At any price.

Many people like tips, and there is a decent market for them. If you like tips, go for it.

But if you want a manual, don't compromise. There are other details you can compromise on.