comparing 911's

[nfl72]

I just sold an 89 911 coupe. I also just purchased a 98 911 cab. Over the past 13 years I have had 4 Porsches. I mainly drive them for fun. I certainly don't have the knowledge or expertise that most of the forum users have and that is why I am seeking knowledge. I have done a lot of reading and research but much of the stuff you read you can't trust as truth.

What are the main differences between the 85-89 911's compared to the 98 I just bought. Both pros and cons. It seems the 89's are bringing more money. Are they considered to be a superior car?

In my mind the 98 seems like a much tighter car and seems to ride much better when just riding around. I did also have a 99 and a 2001 911. I rolled the 99 doing a very high rate of speed (125). That is why I purchased the older 89. Its a fun car to just drive without having to put your foot in it all the time. It also looks cool!

Any thoughts on the differences between the 89 and 98
would be greatly appreciated.

[mattC2993]

I've owned a 993 coupe but not the earlier car. There is lots of info on the upgrades that came with the 993 like the rear suspension design for one. I don't like the gearing on the 993 and the suspension is known to wear out by 30K. Airbags and ABS are nice to have. Most of what I learned on these cars came from Rennlist. All in all its a very nice car.

[SalParadise]

No matter what people seem to believe, the next generation 911 is almost always the better 911 (if better means a less rough-edged car).

The 964 is a much more civil automobile - it has to be, it was a testbed for most modern computers, safety features, and emissions. The 993 is surely better in my mind on so many things over a 964. The 996, though it has it's failings in both styling and mechanical, is still a very good car. So is the 997.

I have driven many 911s. If you have any 911 form '65 to '89, they are all an improvement on almost the exact same platform and have the same feel. I remember when I drove a '89 Carrera 4 when new and I was like 'Wow' this thing is really, really refined. And then came the 993 and I couldn't believe the refinement still.

I have little experience with a 996/997, but all prejudices aside, I bet they are probably the best if given the chance - but to many hobbyists like myself, I have a lot of hangups on aircooled cars so I haven't approached them with an open mind.

[thamlin000]

I had a stock 95 993 coupe and now I have a slightly performance modified 77 911S.

My 993 could be driven everyday and on long road trips. Great a/c, great heat, Power steering, smooth shifting, good stereo, low wind noise, comfy seats, smooth ride; very similar to my current DD which is a IS300 5-speed. Of course the 993 was a lot faster.

I've never driven a 911 3.2 but comparing an 89 911 and a 993; the big difference is torsion bar suspension in the 89 is a lot more stiff and will ride much different. It's just older technology, similar to my 77 911S. Also, no power steering in te 89.

My 77 would not be a great daily driver. It is a more raw and fun but much slower. The ride is stiff; It is lowered, Weltmiester sways, Konis, turbo tie rods, lighter flywheel, short shift, SSIs, magnaflow exhaust, no a/c, manual windows, no P/S. More wind noise at hwy speeds.

[NYNick]

I have a 78. My son has an 88. I've owned a 68(912), 99, an 2003, a 2007 and an 09TT.

You can't compare the water cooled cars to the air cooled, not just because the engines are different. THE ENTIRE CAR(S) are different.

My 78 is really fun and must be pushed...push push push. My son's 88 is just an animal that is really fast. I love that car and it's 3.2.

Your 98 is a classic. Last year 993. Drive the p#$S out of it.

[nfl72]

lots of good info, thanks. any ideas on how the value will hold up on the 98?

I bought my 89 coupe for 20k, drove it for 9 years and put 30 thousand miles on it. it sold for $56K, in one hour on autotrader. did I just get lucky or does the 98 have a chance to do the same thing?

[mattC2993]

The 993s in general already made their run but who knows for sure.

[specialtyoneinc]

Originally Posted by nfl72

lots of good info, thanks. any ideas on how the value will hold up on the 98?

I bought my 89 coupe for 20k, drove it for 9 years and put 30 thousand miles on it. it sold for $56K, in one hour on autotrader. did I just get lucky or does the 98 have a chance to do the same thing?

Aircooled 911's were unappreciated for a long time. They finally started to get more main stream recognition in the collector world around 2013-2014 and prices started going bonkers across the board for anything Aircooled.

I wouldn't be planning on getting rich off a 98 cab. Looks likes a nice car! Drive & enjoy it and you should get back what you put into it when it comes time to sell.

[NYNick]

Originally Posted by nfl72

lots of good info, thanks. any ideas on how the value will hold up on the 98?

I bought my 89 coupe for 20k, drove it for 9 years and put 30 thousand miles on it. it sold for $56K, in one hour on autotrader. did I just get lucky or does the 98 have a chance to do the same thing?

You did very well. Doubtful your 98 Cab will return that kind of ROI, but if we knew, we'd all be rich.

[nfl72]

Don't get me wrong, making money on used Porsches is great. But the real enjoyment is having the ability to drive them whenever you want to. Of course its nice too to be able to pull right up to the front of the bar for parking as well.

I spent all day yesterday detailing the car. It was the first time I tried using just my hand with the zymol wax. It did turn out pretty good. It will look very nice sitting in front of my single-wide for my superbowl party today. In fact I can't decide which wheels I like the best; the ones on the car or the ones on the trailer!

[pmax]

Originally Posted by nfl72

I bought my 89 coupe for 20k, drove it for 9 years and put 30 thousand miles on it. it sold for $56K, in one hour on autotrader.

Black/champagne is the best color combo

It would be even better when lowered to the correct height and the wing is deleted.

[soundbehindyou]

I have had two low mileage 3.2's, one an 87 targa and one an 88 cab. Great "original" Porsche drives, as I loved the "volkswagen-like" rumble and pushing the car into the high RPMs to make it move. Also loved looking ahead at the bow of each protruding front fenders as it hugs the road. AC was horrible and load...basically did not do it's job.
Now I have a 97 C4S and still get a bit of the volkswagen rumble and feel of the road with a bit of a diminished rumble drive. But the sports car feel is still there and the AC can cool the car without your earplugs on. A bit faster also and just fast enough to get your jollies without threatening your license at every drive.
So, as you already know....they are all good, but the 993 I believe is the peak of "old-school" without the "driving a Ferrari from your living room sofa" as was an 02 Turbo I had for a while.
We all should be able to have five or ten in our garages!!

[nfl72]

pmax suggested lowering the car to the proper height? What does he mean by that? Also on my 98 cab. Is it okay to put spacers on the rear wheels to give it a wider stance. I like the look of meatier tires on the rear.

[mattC2993]

Check the archives here and perhaps Rennlist. There are tons of threads on lowering the car from the abnormally high SUV height (US models with std suspension).

[ASD]

I like the wing myself

[MrBonus]

I am the previous owner of a '97 993 C2S and I currently own a '89 911. The 993 was definitely a car that "bridged the gap" between the build quality of the older cars and the more modern, plastic designs. I always felt like the '89 felt more substantial and solid whereas there were more plastics used on the 993 and certain design elements like the large pillow steering wheel would not age well.

I think the driving experience is far more modern in the 993. The multi-link suspension in the 993 made it quieter on the highway, smoother over rough pavement, and the power steering made it easier to drive. The air conditioning also actually kept me cool. It also pushed harder on hard acceleration and 6 forward gears made the power band more usable in all driving situations.

However, for all the convenience and comfort of the 993, if given the choice to throw around on some back roads, I will take the slower, louder '89 every time.

[JackMan]

I own a 1989 911 and a 2008 997.1 C4S. You are way more involved in the driving experience with the 1989 than you are with the 2008 997 C4S. Both provide different driving experiences from touch and feel to smells. Both are awesome machines. So which one do I drive, when and why? I live in NE Ohio and these are late spring to late fall cars because of the snow and salt on the roads. When the weather is cooler, sub 75F, I drive the 89 911. Above 75F and I drive the 997... why? The 997 has real air conditioning.

[nfl72]

I see some guys on autotrader selling 95 to 98 with asking prices of $89,000. They do have low miles and appear to be in great shape. Are they just dreaming or will they actually bring anywhere close to those numbers?

[NYNick]

Crazy numbers and I'm betting special coupes. You'll do fine with your last year 993 cab, just not as well as a coupe....for the time being anyway.

[nfl72]

NO they were all cabs with 20 to 40,000 miles on them at auto trader.

the 98 I bought is a one owner with 30,000 miles on it. it was stored at the heated dealership every winter with a trickle charger on. I have all the records from day one. The lady that owned it changed the oil every year although it only had 300 to 500 miles on it some of the years.

All original paint with very few stone chips of any kind. the convertible boot has never been installed. The top is perfect.

It did have about $7,000 repair bill done in the winter of 2011, for an oil leak where they disassembled down to the case. All totaled there are maintenance receipts from the same repair shop that total over $19,000 going back to 2008.

The older receipts are on an old system and have to be researched by hand as they are not computerized. They are working on that for me as we speak.