993 US & RoW comparison

LeRoux Strydom · 04-01-2005, 08:15 AM

I'm looking into the possible purchase of a 993. Earlier this week, I drove a '98 US spec 993 4S side-by-side with a '95 RoW spec 993 Carrera 2. I testdrove the 4S first, and was _very_ impressed. The sound & feel of the Varioram kicking on at 5000 rpm is electrifying. The RoW C2 however, felt noticably more peppy and responsive, which I ascribe to the lower weight (no 4wd) and the lower gearing of the G50/21 gearbox compared with the US G50/20 box, despite the Varioram advantage of the 4S.

Does anyone have actual comparative performance figures for these two cars, to either confirm or dispel my butt-o-meter measurements? Sometimes, what you feel subjectively is not always borne out by actual figures.

I have to add that the performance levels of both cars are very high, and the perceptive differences that I felt could have been very subjective. I believe that there is no difference in the power output of the M64/21 RoW and M64/23 US engines, the only difference being the presence of 4 O2 sensors (the source of the check engine light problem) and the electric secondary air pump for emissions control. This may be true of max power output, but maybe there are differences in the power output curves? Does anyone have power output & torque graphs to compare?

All things being equal, I prefer the 4S for the advantages of the Turbo suspension and brakes, not to mention the widebody looks.

Now I have to convince she-who-must-be-obeyed

.

Wish me luck.

LeRoux

Bill Verburg · Bill Verburg's Garage

The biggest knock on US 993 from '96 on is their use of OBD2 and SAI. The combination oof overly sensitive emission monitors(OBD2) and secondary injection that only runs for a few seconds on a cold start and will otherwise be prone to blockage thus setting off the CEL.

If I were in your position I would look foe any ROW version over any US.

The plum of course will be a 993RS

LeRoux Strydom · 04-01-2005, 11:16 PM

Bill

The '98 4S (US car) is a 1-owner, dealer-serviced car with 96k miles. The CEL illuminates when turning the ignition on, but then goes out as expected. Surely, if the CEL was ever a problem, it would have shown up already and been fixed, but the service records show nothing. The engine has only been out of the car once to replace a clutch.

I believe that the blockage issue is prevalent in California due to crappy fuel. Is the CEL issue also common in other parts of the US? What about Canada? This car has been driven on SA unleaded fuel its whole life, that could have played a role in the avoidance of carbon buildup and blockage of those SAI ports.

4s's are like hen's teeth here (just like 993RS's), and I do not want to let an opportunity slip here.

LeRoux

Bill Verburg · Bill Verburg's Garage

The CEl becomes an issue everywhere in the US, and on almost every OBD2 993, there are a few exceptions but they are rare and likely to become rarer w/ time.

Do as you feel best but do be aware of the potential