993, Varioram or not?
Discussion
I've just bought a 993. Previously I had a Boxster S and before that a Griff. I thought the 993 may combine the best of both and decided to look for a really good one, no real budget constraints. I tried many 993's the first was a lowish mileage 2S, it did not feel as quick as the Boxster was uncomfortable and not really special in the way it went, I felt this about the other cars I tried also. Initally dismissed non varioram cars but finally tried one low mileage (27k). What a wonderful little beast. The non-vario engine is so good when it gets beyond 4-4500 rpm and really feels to go. I'm not taking about actual figures here but how it feels. I prefer the feel of a non vario car and suspect the ideal combination is non vario plus a supercharger.
The suspension on the car I have bought is standard, with 16 inch wheels and Conti tyres. I had the suspension setting checked and they were OK. It feels very good, the way it squirms out of corners and occaisionally breaks traction in 3rd, you don't get that with big tyres and stiff suspension.
Am I old fashioned or do major track based modifications make a 993 less enjoyable to drive on the road?
The suspension on the car I have bought is standard, with 16 inch wheels and Conti tyres. I had the suspension setting checked and they were OK. It feels very good, the way it squirms out of corners and occaisionally breaks traction in 3rd, you don't get that with big tyres and stiff suspension.
Am I old fashioned or do major track based modifications make a 993 less enjoyable to drive on the road?
I used to have a 993 C4S (turbo everything excpet the engine basically, which was the vario). It was a fantastic car, and i miss it, but...
I now drive a 993 C2 every day, a very early one (first registered 13/10/93 in fact). It's a narrow body, 2wd, non-vario car, and it's wonderful (see www.total911.com).
Ok, it's not as pure as a G50, but i think it's my perfect compromise.
VS
I now drive a 993 C2 every day, a very early one (first registered 13/10/93 in fact). It's a narrow body, 2wd, non-vario car, and it's wonderful (see www.total911.com).
Ok, it's not as pure as a G50, but i think it's my perfect compromise.
VS
Dr Strangelove said:
More torque lower down the rev range. The Vario will feel slightly more responsive. A bit more fun at road speeds and twisties. And the inlet plenum makes an interesting sound, and you get a little extra kick up through 4k.
>> Edited by Dr Strangelove on Friday 25th February 00:43
wonder why ajax said he felt the non-varioram was quicker then??
shadowninja said:
More torque lower down the rev range. The Vario will feel slightly more responsive. A bit more fun at road speeds and twisties. And the inlet plenum makes an interesting sound, and you get a little extra kick up through 4k.
>> Edited by Dr Strangelove on Friday 25th February 00:43
wonder why ajax said he felt the non-varioram was quicker then??
It must have been a feeling / illusion or the slower-feeling car had a problem. Varioram cars are a bit quicker and usefully "punchier" in the lower / mid to upper range on the move.
I agree. The non vario car comes on strong beyond 4000rpm and there is a distinct step in the output. The Varioram cars have more mid range poerand a more progressive power output as the revs increase. This is borne out by driving the cars and also by comparing the power and torque curves.
Absolutely nothing wrong or unpleasant about the non Vario cars. However, Varioram is a definite improvement. IMHO.
pp
Absolutely nothing wrong or unpleasant about the non Vario cars. However, Varioram is a definite improvement. IMHO.
pp
There is more difference between individual 993`s these days than between the Vario / non vario-ram models.
A good sharp `94 car will feel quicker and more responsive than an average `96 car.
Re: the 16 inch wheels road cars drive very well on 16 inch rims, the ride is more complient and the car feels more fluid and less harsh than 17 or 18 inch wheels. Again it will depend on the individual car. The problem is the cars look better on larger rims.
Henry
A good sharp `94 car will feel quicker and more responsive than an average `96 car.
Re: the 16 inch wheels road cars drive very well on 16 inch rims, the ride is more complient and the car feels more fluid and less harsh than 17 or 18 inch wheels. Again it will depend on the individual car. The problem is the cars look better on larger rims.
Henry
My first comments were about how the cars feel to drive, not absolute performance. It seems that the consensus is that non-varios feel quicker but are not and that smaller higher profile tyres feel nicer are more controlable at the limit but are ultimaely slower.
Which is more important, how a car feels on the road or how it looks on paper? Each to his or her own I guess.
Which is more important, how a car feels on the road or how it looks on paper? Each to his or her own I guess.
shadowninja said:
More torque lower down the rev range. The Vario will feel slightly more responsive. A bit more fun at road speeds and twisties. And the inlet plenum makes an interesting sound, and you get a little extra kick up through 4k.
>> Edited by Dr Strangelove on Friday 25th February 00:43
wonder why ajax said he felt the non-varioram was quicker then??
Because he is running on skinny tires. It also probably just felt 'livelier' as he may have had to give it some more (relatively speaking)right foot input...
AJAX50 said:
I prefer the feel of a non vario car and suspect the ideal combination is non vario plus a supercharger.
The supercharger kit replaces the entire inlet manifold as no ram-air effect is needed due to positive pressure across the entire rev range. If you have a varioram manifold, it is removed when fitting the supercharger.
I've had non vario, vario and supercharged 993s. The non vario N/A car felt very cammy since it had the pronounced step in delivery. This is due to the length of the inlet ports being tuned to give positive ram-air pressure at higher (4.5k+?) revs, and as a result there is a hole in the torque curve below that. The varioram manifold changes the inlet length based on revs and fills in the hole.
Whether the actual cams are different between the two cars, I do not know, and would be interested!
There is another factor between the cars. I believe that pre '96 cars have the 'type 21' gearbox which has shorter ratios on the top two gears compared to the post '96 cars which have the 'type 20' gearbox. As vario started in about '96 most of the varioram cars, therefore have 'longer' ratios at the top end. This might explain the diference found above 4-5,000 revs.
It was done to quieten the cars due to noise regs in Switzerland & the US initially, and was adopted world wide in '96.
But Henry's right (dammit!) the cars vary more than the specs! Have fun driving them!!
It was done to quieten the cars due to noise regs in Switzerland & the US initially, and was adopted world wide in '96.
But Henry's right (dammit!) the cars vary more than the specs! Have fun driving them!!
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