Hello all-

I have begun the process of buying my first Porsche. I live in the St. Louis area and the weather is starting to break. I am looking for a 993 cabrio - classic styling and ragtop are what I am after. I have seen that PorscheDoc did a great job discussing the 996, but where are my pitfalls in the 993. Not looking at the Turbo, little out of my price range. Obviously a PPI is a must, but what are the top issues that I need to be aware of that could be catastrophic to a deal. Also, I have heard mixed emotions in regards to Victory Motors, but they seem to have some pretty quality cars and a good mix to choose from - any thoughts on them? Or any other good sources to chase down that perfect piece of performance. Great site- look forward to becoming another satisfied customer-

JK

 

I can't give you any info on the 993, I'll leave that to theexperts as I'm more versedin the 911/930, but I suggest you check Pelican & Rennlistwith respectVictory Motors... Not exactly good reviews ...Although,it dosen't really matter where you buy your car as long as the PPI checks out right. Good Luck with your search. You picked a nice model.

 

I would stay far away from Victory motorsports as you can. Lately there have been a lot of 993's available in the midwest here, and the prices have been quite low. PPI with a leakdown and compression test is an absolute must on the 993. The valve guides wear prematurely and will cause issues, so make sure the numbers are good. If you choose a 95, then you don't have OBDII or the Secondary Air Injection check engine light (well, you do, but there is no CEL in the 95's so you can ignore it). The ports in the heads will clog with carbon and trigger the CEL in the 96+ cars. It is quite an extensive repair, one is fairly affordable, the other requires a top end rebuild depending on how bad it is. I have seen heads that had to actually have the carbon in the ports drilled out. This is strictly an emissions thing, and no way detrimental to the engine, but the CEL is annoying. This is why the 95's are nice, as they don't have that setup. In 96 though you do pick up varioram which adds a little hp.

Double check the door checks to make sure they are good and tight. They like to break loose on the inside of the fender (pops the welds), and again, requires full fender removal to re tack it in place.

60k service is about 12 hours and a few hundred in parts, so if you are looking for something mid mileage, make sure that service has done. It is a major service that includes spark plugs, filters, etc.

I think if you wait and watch, you can find a nice example in the St Louis to KC area.

 

Agree with previous posts. I have a '95 Cab. and just had the 60k service done by an independent shop. Cost over $2,000.

All Cabs (all makes/models) leak some water depending upon the rain. So pull up carpets and see if damp under there. The only thing to be careful of here is if enough water gets into the front wheelwells - it can cause problems with the electronics under both front seats. My cab. leaks a few drops in a good rain onto the front passenger seat - so I just keep a thick towel on the seat when I don't have a passenger in the car.

If you buy the car at the right price (mine was bought for about $23k - with 55k miles on it) you can drive it for a few years and even including regular maintenance - for less than the cost of a new mid-sized car.

As others have said, you need a good pre-purchase inspection.