Maintenance $$$ - 3.2/G50 vs 993

[BruceC]

Forgive me if this has been answered before - I didn't have much success with search.

Is there a difference in basic maintenance costs between a G50 3.2 and a 993?

Thanks.

Bruce

[anthony]

The 993 hydralic lifters and doesn't need valve adjustments.

[Rick Lee]

I own/owned both and DIY everything. Maint. is not the problem. Mods. are. Some folks can get by on either car with $250 a year in simple maint. I've managed to blow about $5k - $8k on each car. With the Carrera it was in upgrades while doing repairs. With the 993, it's been mostly mods. 993's are very low-maint. if you keep on top of them. If you go to the dealer for everything, 993's will kill you.

[Ronbo]

Originally posted by anthony
The 993 hydralic lifters and doesn't need valve adjustments.

This is true, but that advantage is mostly offset due to the PIA oil changes on 993 vs. the 3.2

[BruceC]

Thanks, guys. I'm not really a "mod" kind of guy. [There's a joke in there somewhere.]

Beyond maybe changing the wheels and tires, I would rather have a 911 that Needs Nothing. Well, I might swap out the seats. And the bumpers on the older style body could use to be updated. Oh, and a chip. Gotta do the chip thing. These cars can be lowered, right? Maybe some mild suspension changes wouldn't hurt. No, I'm not at all interested in mods.

[Rick Lee]

Well, which car do you want to mod? If you want to chip a 993, you'd better get a '95, as the Variorams are very difficult to chip and it's not really necessary anyway. 993 oil changes aren't that bad. I've done it twice on a lift and once on jack stands. 993's can be lowered with H&R or Eibach springs, but their stock shocks suck, so you might as well upgrade all at once, since it requires an alignment each time to tear the suspension apart. Carreras are a tad easier to work on, but 993's are totally DIYable.

[Jim Richards]

Originally posted by Ronbo
This is true, but that advantage is mostly offset due to the PIA oil changes on 993 vs. the 3.2

Highly overblown. 993 oil changes are no big deal. The first one will be a little slow, but after that, you'll know how to knock out oil changes in no time. You have to buy 2 filters and crush washers, so it'll set you back an extra 10 bucks or so relative to the 3.2s.

Lowering a 993 costs some $. It's not like the 3.2s and earlier cars that you can just adjust. It requires new suspension parts to lower the 993.

[maxnine11]

"It requires new suspension parts to lower the 993."

the 993 only requires different springs to lower it ( sometimes different sway bar links) BUT, the stock, crappy original Monroe shocks/struts do not fare well with lowering springs. So besides lowering springs at about $350, it is very wise to also go with Bilstein HDs at about $1100. Then add $$ for labor to install, align, and corner balance etc. Now Jim's 'cost' quote becomes clear

max

[Jim Richards]

Good $ details, max.

[hkspwrsche]

What about rebuilds and valve guides and general wear and tear on them?
I have heard the clutch should be ready for replacement around 70-80k.
Any other concerns? Rebuild prices the same?

[Jim Richards]

I can't imagine much difference in rebuild costs, or clutch replacement costs, except that the labor (effort) to drop a 993 engine is about 15-20% more than a 3.2L. I've done the engine/tranny drop on both, so this is my own anecdote. By the way, the clutch on the 993 can be replaced without the engine drop, which I don't think is possible for the 3.2L. So, in that case, the 993 might be a bit cheaper.

It all boils down to which car you like more. All Porsche's cost $ to own and maintain.

[anthony]

If you find a 993 with the sport suspension option you may not feel the need to lower it. And with the stock 272-285 horsepower I would feel much less of a need to mod a 993 compared to a 3.2 Carrera.

[Rick Lee]

Anthony, I thought the same thing, but I'm telling you, 993's are every bit as difficult to resist mods. as are Carreras. I mean they're BAD. I thought keeping a 993 stock would cost me less per month than I was throwing at the Carrera. Boy was I wrong, because it's impossible to keep a 993 stock. I won't spend any money on HP, but tires, suspension, Big Reds, ext. mods, Fabspeed pipes, the list goes on and on.

[Jim Richards]

I was able to resist. Of course I have the 73E to go nuts on.

[Rick Lee]

Yeah, Jim. For all the hazing I get for fixing what ain't broke, I think you'll have spent more making a perfect early car into a track monster than I have spent making a perfect 993 even more perfect.

[JP911]

Nobody has mentioned the rear tire issue. I have read that the early 993s went through rear tires very quickly. However, if the suspension geometry is tweaked to match that of a later 993 I believe this can be corrected. Replacing those big, fat 17 or 18 inch performance tires on a regular basis could get pricey.

[Rick Lee]

You're right JP. I have 18" wheels and will be happy to get 7k miles out of my $300 a piece Pzero rears. Just got a set of cheap 17" track wheels today and am going with RA-1's to spare my Pzeros at the track.

[Jim Richards]

The 95's should be set to the later 993 alignment specs. I don't believe that rear tire wear is that big of a problem vis-a-vis the 3.2 Carreras.

[maxnine11]

If you find a 993 with the sport suspension option you may not feel the need to lower it.

The optional M030 suspension on US cars has stiffer springs, but the same 4x4 ride height as the standard springs. The orange-red shocks and struts that are part of the M030 package are also built by Monroe, and have about the same short lifespan as the standard dampners.

max

[Bill Verburg]

Just about all the parts for a 993 will be more expensive than their 911 counterparts, but quite often you are also getting more value at the same time.

Routine maintainance will be roughly comparable but try getting even the heater fixed w/o a hammer