The 993 came as standard with leather seats and build quality is reckoned to be among the best Porsche has ever achieved. Worn leather is easily repaired or replaced, but make sure the electric seat adjustment works properly and inspect the headlining for tears or marks. Sports seats were an option from 1996-on and are identified by their plastic backs. The leather upholstery can bulge out from the edges of the sport seats, but it’s easy to push it back into place.
Porsche offered a bewildering choice of interior colours and trims through its Exclusive programme. Many of these now look very dated and can badly affect the price of car when sold, so standard is best when buying.
Sparse interiors mark out the RS and GT2 models, with the RS using Recaro race seats, race harnesses and a Matter roll cage.
The standard Carrera 2 did not have air conditioning as standard, but it’s a desirable option. A Blaupunkt CD stereo was fitted and a CD autochanger was an option that fitted into the front luggage compartment. In the front luggage compartment, check the carpets for damp and make sure the compressor for inflating the tyres is present and working.
Heating and ventilation in the 993 is vastly superior to previous 911 models, but make sure the heater blows hot air effectively once the engine is warmed through. If it doesn’t, the heat exchangers could be rusted and are expensive to replace.
The electrics are generally reliable but try every button and switch to be sure. The RS had a simplified electrical loom to save weight, so it tends to have fewer gadgets.
