993 vs 2002 996TT cc: other forum lol

RJ Gilliam · 05-14-2002, 05:50 PM

My Wife's boss is an old Porsche man from way back, he now wants to buy a 2002 996 Twin Turbo. I have gotten him away from spending 150k on a car and he has asked me what are the difference between the 993 and the 996. Besides about 70k dollars. Transmission? Horsepower? Is the 993 a Turbo? Single? twin? Comfort, ride etc. He also wants to know if there are any books out there that will help him in this buying choice. I know nothing about any porsche over a 1989 so I am really no help.

Thanks in advance..

cc:911 Forum (lol)

82SC · 06:57 PM

both are twin turbos...

the 996 is obviously water cooled
993 is air-cooled

both are 4 wheel drive

the 996 has about 20-30 more hp then the 993

the 996 interior is a little more friendly...top mounted pedals, cute boxster guages, etc...

The 993 is obviously more classic, but I would be careful in that if he is not buying the Porsche to admire the heritage he might as well buy the 996 with a warranty....

He may not be big enough of a fan to put up with the quirkinesses....the 993 is luxury...but is still spartan compared to the modern plush 996...the huge console for A/C, radio, navigation....

I would suggest he go to a porsche dealership and drive them both...but if he is the type of buyer wanting to buy the newest toy to show off at the country club, with all the latest...the 993 would not be the choice...and he may come looking for you when he sees the car puff oil smoke...

don't get me wrong, I would take the 993 in a heartbeat, but that is because heritage is more important to me then sheer performance and amenities...hopefully he does the right thng and his old porsche notions make him choose the last true 911...

how I wish I had to make SUCH a difficult decision

EDIT: I am assuming he ment 993tt vs 996tt

my ultimate car...993tt S or 993 2S with the leftover money do a 3.8L conversion, lighten the car, no power steering, reduce interior...gunmetal grey with lobster red interior...how you like them apples!!!!

Brian993 · Brian993's Garage

I am not positive but I dont believe the 993 is a turbo. Sorry I guess it is a turbo as well as a non-turbo.

speeder · speeder's Garage

First of all, 996tt's can be had w/ extremely low miles,(2001&2002), for more like $110k. Look on ebay, there are a ton of them. They sold a LOT more of those than planned, so difference between 993& 996tt's is more like $30-40k. 993 turbos are also twin-turbos, almost zero turbo-lag and 400hp. Biggest difference is that 993's are last of the air-cooled cars.

I've always been partial to 993tt's due to styling/ smaller size, but have to admit that 996's have been growing on me. (Porsche is clever like that

). Both cars have mind-blowing performance, (0-60 in 4sec., 190mph for 996), big reserves of safety, lots of comfort and BIG maintence bills when it's time. A clutch on either car is approx. $3500 parts+labor, and they eat clutches, tires and brakes if you drive them. All are expensive. But if he's got the $, I say "go for it!" A big part of price difference between the cars has to do w/ the fact of the 996's being under factory warranty. Watch for prices to drop significantly when the first ones run out of warranty.

speeder · speeder's Garage

BTW, RJ, I'm a DINKWAD, (dual-income, no-kids, with-a-dog).

WydRyd · 05-14-2002, 06:44 PM

RJ, firstly, you didn't say what model "993" he's considering

Is he referring to a 993 C2 or C4, C2S or C4S or is it a TT?

The C2/C4 is the 'narrow' body 993 (RWD and AWD respectively) whereas the C2S/C4S is the 'turbo body' 993 (S=Sport option I believe).

Anyway, if it were me, I'd pick the 993tt in a heartbeat also

The look of the 996tt still hasn't grown on me and personally, I also prefer heritage over the latest and greatest wiz bang techno gadgetry.

The 993tt has those classic, bulgy, aggressive, curvacious wheel arches. Which IMO, is much sexier than the 996tt's.

Maybe he should get a 993 TT 'Turbo S'. Now THAT is a car and a half

Each to his/her own I guess.

Moses · 05-14-2002, 06:55 PM

Just my opinion, but the 993 twin turbo is the finest 911 ever made. It remains light and air-cooled. Beautiful round hips scream "PORSCHE".
Did you see Ken Griffey's 993TT on E-bay? Drop-dead gorgeous.

The 996 looks like a German Lexus. Period. No curves, no appeal. Just my opinion.

89911 · 05-15-2002, 05:42 AM

Maybe it was the color, but at our latest PCA get together, a white 2002 turbo was there. Did nothing for me. The front end reminded me of a late model Supra. There was a black 98 993 2S there that was way more attractive. I know performance blah blah blah. Looks have to count for something, don't they. Else we would all be driving Corvettes!

MarkY · MarkY's Garage

Quote:

Originally posted by 89911
Looks have to count for something, don't they. Else we would all be driving Corvettes!

Speak for yourself.

89911 · 05-15-2002, 10:06 AM

Maybe you don't understand. If we didn't care about looks, we would be driving Corvette's. I guess from your reply, you like them?

MarkY · MarkY's Garage

Quote:

Originally posted by 89911
Maybe you don't understand. If we didn't care about looks, we would be driving Corvette's. I guess from your reply, you like them?

No... I don't. That's what happens when I post before I drink coffee. Sorry for the oversight. I agee with you.

speeder · speeder's Garage

Maybe you should have said, "looks, engineering and build-quality have to count for something, don't they? Else we would all be driving Corvettes". That would have made sense.

As for the looks of a 996tt, "beauty is in the eye of the beer-holder". Lot's of people think that a Harley, (or a Porsche), w/ lots of extra chrome is "beautiful". I think that they just made it ugly. Same goes for 22" chrome rims on SUV's, I guess. My eyes are getting used to the smoothed-out lines of the 996, now old 930's, (once my dream car), look like everything was added on as an after-thought, which it was, of course.

That ought to spice things up a little.

89911 · 05-15-2002, 01:35 PM

Quote:

Originally posted by speeder
My eyes are getting used to the smoothed-out lines of the 996, now old 930's, (once my dream car), look like everything was added on as an after-thought, which it was, of course.

That ought to spice things up a little.

My normal reaction to a 996 coming down the road is " Hey, it's a Boxter." Then it passes. "Gee, I guess that was a Carrera." Anyone else had this happen to them?

Moses · 05-15-2002, 01:44 PM

Absolutely!

(But the Boxter is prettier)

dheinz · 05-15-2002, 01:47 PM

Quote:

"Gee, I guess that was a Carrera." Anyone else had this happen to them?

All the time, especially top-down cabriolets.

speeder · speeder's Garage

Yeah, I've had that happen. But the front of the Boxster is the good-looking part, it's the back half where they lost it.

APKhaos · 05-15-2002, 05:08 PM

Had a 'Boxster' following me through 25 miles of twisties.
Was really impressed at the way he stuck with me........until we reached the end of the section and he pulled up beside me.......in a 996 cab with the top down!

Enough said!

pegasus9 · pegasus9's Garage

My normal reaction to a 996 coming down the road is " Hey, it's a Boxter." Then it passes. "Gee, I guess that was a Carrera." Anyone else had this happen to them?

I agree! The timeless lines are gone.

speeder · speeder's Garage

Yeah, nothing like in the good old days when their models looked different from one another.

"Hey that 912 is really keeping up with me! Oh, it's a 911. Dang, that's a fast 914! Oh, it's a "6".

Each new model they've ever introduced has gotten the same welcome from previous owners. "Deja vu all over again".

Brian993 · Brian993's Garage

I think its just modern porsche. Just be thankful they have created so much to satisfy so many.