Considering going from 84 Carrera to ...What to avoid?

I'm just considering going from an 84 Carrera to a newer version, and I know there are Porsches to avoid:
1) I drive my Porsche all the time on the 405 in traffic: Turbo is out.
2) I like to tinker with my car but would never do a major overhaul on it.
3) I can't afford problems that come out of nowhere and cost A LOT to fix unless they only happen once a year(which is why the 84 is good).
The 3.6 air cooled (are they 964s?), I've heard ought to be avoided...
I know there are posts on this matter...but I can't find any


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Kurt B
1984 911 Carrera Cabriolet
75 914 1.8

Kurt:

Both the 964 and the 993 use 3.6L engines.

As far as the 964s go, early (1990-1991.5) had SOME (not a lot) problems with oil leaking. They all need to have a distributor vent kit installed on the dual distributor, and the dual mass flywheel on models between 1990 and 1992 COULD have some problems. You could look at this list and assume they are lemmons, but they aren't...they just need to be checked CAREFULLY and with luck you could find one that either has had the problems fixed or they didn't exist. I myself wouldn't be afraid of buying a 1993 or 1994 964 at all.

As far as the 993s go, I haven't heard of any problems, but the cars are relatively new, and they cost a lot more.

You could look for a late 80's Carrera with the G50 transmission, too. They're much easier to maintain and the price of parts is cheaper.

Good Luck,

Bill Wagner

If you decide for a 964 you should get a 1993 model. They have improved flywheels. The 964 is a bit more expensive to own than the good old 3.2s yes, but it shouldn't be that big a problem. The twin distributer can be a problem, but it's possible to replace the drive belt and thereby fight a potential breakdown. You can get additional info on the distributer problem at: http://home.t-online.de/home/0217342163/

The homepage is in german, but it contains good info for 964 "want to be" owners.

Actually, many of the 92's have the upgraded fly wheel. They made the change somewhere in the middle of production. If the engine number is at least 01738, then it has the upgraded "LUK" flywheel. The engine number is stamped somewhere in the engine compartment (the owner's manual will tell exactly where).

I have a 92 C2 with the upgraded flywheel (thank goodness) that I am very happy with. I put mile number 37,000 on it this past weekend.

Just a quick rundown of some changes made from the 87-89's to the 964:
1. Larger 3.6L engine
2. ABS
3. Dual air bags
4. Improved oil cooling system
5. Spoiler that lifts up at 50 mph
6. Improved a/c system

Thanks for the ops guys. For the budget, we'll see if a 964 is possible. And yes, I'll demand proof that the flywheel has been dealt with first as well as the other list of fixes (i've see the list a couple of places). I am used to having a Cabriolet, and I don't want to give up that idea yet, so it may not be possible to find a 964 Cab in my price budget, we'll see. In any case, I'll probably keep the 84 around for a few more months.


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Kurt B
1984 911 Carrera Cabriolet
75 914 1.8

No offence intended Kurt but .... WHY?

I have an '88 obviously same model as yours and look at the others regularly. My thoughts are that improvements in performance are minimal for road use, improvements in comfort somehow take away some of the soul of the car (no offence meant) and the cost to change would easily maintain / repair any problems for a LONG time. Also your model has just about reached the bottom of its value whereas the others can only come down. In the UK I read somewhere that the 964 will eventually become the cheapest 911 variant to buy as it's neither a 'classic' 911 nor a 'new' 993 and it had a, probably unfair, poor reputation due to the distributor / flywheel problems.

As I said no offence intended to anyone (I love them all) just my thoughts.

Roy M

You have a very valid point. Although I've mentioned the 964s, I'd more closely consider an H20 porsche if I could afford one. I love to spend money on cars. Women too, of course, but I'd rather spend it on cars since women come and go.
If I keep the Carrera, it will just keep getting stuff. Weltmeister chips, exhaust, etc....and I'll never get out what I put in. So I was thinking, plan on an upgrade. A 964 is more affordable, but a 993 would be ideal. I'd have to see what they're running and see if I'm willing to make the sacrifice to have one. The mid 90s are dazzlingly beautiful cars, as opposed to the brand spanking new ones you can barely spot in a crowd of Rice burners (what the hell were they thinking to camoflage 911s like that??)
Even if I could afford a very new one, I'd save the cash and get a mid 90s--I think they're about the sweetest looking 911s around.

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Kurt B
1984 911 Carrera Cabriolet
75 914 1.8

Kurt,

I'd check out a book called the used 911 story by Peter Zimmerman. The book does a pretty decent and somewhat unbiased job of describing the ins and outs of the 911 from 65-98.

He does a good job of covering the general changes throughout the years, and tells of the 964's good and not quite good characteristics. Dual-mass flywheels, cylinder head leaks, oil thermostats, etc. In short, he says to look for models manufactured after approx. June 1991 to help avoid some of the above mentioned items. A definite step up in performance from the 3.2s according to him.

The 3.6 with twin plug ignition has more grunt, no argument there. My thoughts are the 964 packed on a few pounds and seemed to lose a little character as far as appearance. Great car without a doubt, just looks a little subdued. Maybe a little too smoothed out. No offense 964ers, these cars hustle nonetheless just like all the rest. Thought long and hard about one myself but instead I went with the 87.

Says the same thing about the 993s as others do- still quite new and therefore harder to pinpoint any minor shortcomings. Really good read overall.

Kevin
87 Coupe

Kurt - ARE YOU CRAZY???

I also own a guards red 84 Carrera Cabriolet. Its the perfect car! If you want power seats and power steering, keep your Cab and go buy a used 525i!

A few months ago I had the pleasure of driving a friend's 993 Cab. What a difference. Gone were all the sensory inputs that I am used to. The road was 'isolated' from my hands on the wheel. Not as much air hit the back of my head. Everything had a 'cushy' feel to it. It's just a totally different driving experience.

I've often though about upgrading as well, but always end up talking myself out of it. Nothing can beat the wail of my open-topped, air-cooled 3.2 on a cold morning!