1996 993 C4 vs 1995 993 C2

[kinein]

would you buy a 1996 993 C4 versus a 95 993 C2? and why? any concerns regarding the all wheel drive system?

[Vandit]

I live in Texas, I have no need for an AWD Porsche.

[geowar]

95....because OBD1 instead of OBD11

[Bill Verburg]

Originally Posted by geowar

95....because OBD1 instead of OBD11

Exactly

the '96 US was the first n/a implementation of OBD2, It used a 1 year only non upgradeable DME. If you never want to modify the car and local inspections don't entail interrogation of the DME by State computers it's probably going to be ok.

The 993 OBD2 cars are notorious for throwing CELs that are related to non-sense issues, nevertheless some states require expensive fixes in some cases.

The 993 awd is very simple and reliable

[kinein]

i live in california so basically obd2 is out of the question with it lighting up the check engine light for basically little issues compare to the obd1.

[pirahna]

I would choose a 95 over a similar 96.
I would choose a C2 over a C4.

[kinein]

yes i am sold on the 95 after input from others and little research

[hkspwrsche]

95 c2 = simple. 993 c4 drive train is not unreliable but again I prefer simple.

[kinein]

I will go with simple

[bri450sl]

My 1995 993 C2 is drop dead reliable. I've driven cross country on several occasions without a worry at all. Simply an outstanding example of German engineering.

[kinein]

so what do you guys think of a high mileage car that was taking care of over the last 8yrs. it has upgraded suspension, mileage is 157k asking 27k which is high but i am more worried about the maintenance over the years. i do want to offer 25k for it

another car of interest is 108k miles 24k for it. he bought it last year feb put it up for sale in oct last year. so i am hesitant for short time owernship. something isnt right about that. what are your thoughts.

[aigel]

Kinein,

I would stay away from a 4x4 unless you need it for bad weather.

The two cars you mention - does the first one with the higher miles have any documented drivetrain rebuilds (engine and / or transmission)? If none of that ever was redone, it is getting a little long in the tooth. You may be okay, but it needs to be factored into the price.

The second car you mention is too cheap. Of course it will be worth checking out, maybe it is a deal. Or it turns out it was bent into a pretzel before and the current owner just found out. It doesn't hurt to look and then carefully decide on how to proceed.

G

[kinein]

found the car i want to buy. its a 1995 993 C2 96k miles on it, car is from texas a dealer in tulsa bought it then the 2nd owner brought it to california,

993 has the following upgrades; ROW springs, Bilstein HD Shocks, 18" wheels, Wong Chip, Robin Sun Exhaust, Alpine/Fostgate stereo, HID lights, Turbo S duct and foglights, Carrera S fiberglass front bumper assembly, Tarret Engineering sway bar links, SS brake lines, Wevo Motor Mounts. This 993 runs great and looks brand new. recently had a compression check done on the car and cylinders psi readings are 180, 180, 180, 175, 180 and 180. has numerous maintenance records available- new brakes, clutch, steering rack, bushings, etc.

he sent me the maintenance records and i spoke to his mechanic. i am setting up a ppi at another shop in the area maybe pasadena, but if anyone knows of a place for me to ppi near alhambra let me know.

i will post pics of the car. its in great shape

[kinein]

he is asking 33k but we havent had the money conversation yet

[kinein]

[kinein]

[kinein]

i am ready to pull the trigger on this car. but what would be a good offer on this car

[TV74911S]

If you check in the Cars for Sale section two or three days ago, you should find a '95 w/85K+ miles that just sold.

It was an East Coast car, which, from the looks of it, seemed to be very well taken care of. The original asking price was $31K OBO. Despite this and a very appealing color combo (at least to me - Adventurine and tan or gray, can't remember which) that car sat for at least six months before it sold. Not sure if there were any hidden issues or if the price was just too high.

If you make an offer in the high $20s and come with cash in hand, I think you'll have a good shot at getting the car unless the dealer has put money into the vehicle and has connections offshore and can move the car to Europe easily. $33K seems a bit too high.

[KNS]

I think the Adventurine car that just sold was a nice car and pretty near correctly priced. I believe it sat so long because of the color - some people like it but others want nothing to do with a green car.

I think the black car may be a tad high in price but given its condition $30-33K could be right. The black interior is a plus. It's pushing 100,000 miles (which wouldn't stop me) but you could use that as a bargaining chip.

[aigel]

When was the car moved from TX?

I would be very careful if it was after all the storm / flooding that happened there in recent years. With cars going from state to state, titles may lose salvage status. It isn't a deal breaker, but definitely make sure there is a seamless carfax and that you get the PPI to focus on flood damage in addition to the usual items.

I realize that 993s aren't easy to come by these days, but I would not buy a car from outside of CA. TX isn't known to be the rust belt, but the climate there is also pretty humid and will corrode a car quicker than in CA.

As far as the price goes, I'd go in with a $25k offer and take it from there. That's after you know the car is good to buy. I'd try to not go over 30k in final price.

Good Luck!

G