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+--- Thread: Older Turbo or newer 996 (/showthread.php?tid=1052)
- ccm911 - 03-03-2008
I am seriously thinking of upgrading my 1984 Targa to a different car next year, and have kind of focused on two possibilities. As I am not planning to take the car to the track, I would be more looking for something to take out on the weekends for the occasional beating.
I am thinking of the following: Buying an older, well maintained Turbo, or buying a 1999 or 2000 996.
The Turbo really sounds fun, and I think that prices have stabilized enough to not punish me when the time would come to sell. But...the 996(even though I hate the shape) would be newer, and a heck of a lot more comfy for some longer distance highway sprints. But, if the car was like $75K new, and is down to the mid-twenties now, would I lose a ton of money when went to sell?
Tough, but fun choices.
- Darren - 03-03-2008
IMHO, the 993 is our club's DE car of choice these days.
The 996 is a great car but I wouldn't get a pre-2002 version. The motor is way less powerful than the stated 20 hp difference -- I think its the whole area-under-the-curve torque thing.
The pre-2002 also lacks a lot of rigidity compared to the 2002+. Very few people believe that point when I talk about it but the truth is that if you ride in Kam's car (2000) and ride in my car (2002), you will see a remarkable difference, even though they have the same suspension. Trust me on this one!!
So in my opinion, forget about the <2002 version of the 996 and get a 2002+ or get a 993.
The fact that so many people in the club are tracking them makes the 993 an even better option. Lots of cheap parts around when people upgrade, a wealth of knowledge about setup, great people to ride with and ride with you who know the car, and easy to tell where you are in the skill curve by pacing with other people.
That all said, the 996 is a much better daily driver.
- Brian Minkin - 03-03-2008
Chris,
As you are not planning on tracking the car the best value and therefore the least depreciation over the next several years would be an early 996. They have taken a huge hit in depreciation already. They have plenty of power for street flogging and are far more luxurious then your targa. In my opinion your targa is still more fun to drive however a 996 is easier to drive. A 993 is the ultimate "Air Cooled" but they command a high price tag even with high miles and a lot of flogging. If you end up needing an engine the 993 replacement or rebuild cost is double what it costs to put a factory crate engine in a 996. In fact the cost to rebuild or replace your 3.2 is probably more.
The same applies to early turbos. Yes they have become affordable, probably will have high miles and the repair costs are very high. And rest assured they have had a hard life and will need TLC.
For highway cruising and flogging around on back roads I would go the early 996 route.
- APXD 30 - 03-03-2008
Keep your Targa, buy the Trak Ho and get back into DEs.
- michael lang - 03-03-2008
Chris, if I was in the car business (which I am), I'm hearing that you really want to buy the 930 and are looking for the back up to justify such a purchase but what you are really telling us is that you know inside the 996 is the better way to go for what you want the car for. Yes, we all know the mystique that the 930 has but the 996 is no slouch either. One of my clients brought by his C4 Tiptronic to my office for a testdrive and I thought it had pretty good snap for a daily driver. Brian made a very good point in that most 930's that are on the market have been hung up wet and will need some love (read that as $$$) to make them nice cars again. In my opinion, the 930 to buy is the '89 for its G50. All the others are nice but if you're buying a weekend play toy it's probably not a bad idea to have the 5 speed. The problem is the '89 930's are still selling for RSA or 993 money. Enjoy your targa, buy a car that you fall in love with and just enjoy it. 930 or 996 it really doesn't matter, you're probably not going to go wrong either way.
- catchacab - 03-03-2008
Chris,
Porsches are like Lay's Potato Chips, you can't just have one. So, get both, a 930 and a 996.
Not to stir the pot, but you can find good deals on 986s.
- Terry - 03-03-2008
Chris, you didn't ask about 993s and got suggestions anyway, so I'll add to them. Be careful when looking at 993s to check on the secondary air injection system (hereinafter "SAI"). The little holes inevitably fill up with hard carbon, the SAI stops working, and the engine throws a CEL somewhere between 50,000 and 90,000 miles. The SAI does not affect drivability or performance (it's an emission thing) but the car won't pass inspection and the only real fix is to drop the engine, pull the heads, clean out the ports, replace the check valve (they all rot out), replace the valve guides (while you're at it, and they are probably leaking oil) and put it all back together. Total is around 6 grand. So try to find a car where this work has already been done or look for low mileage and plan ahead.
- Brian Minkin - 03-03-2008
This is only an issue on 993's with OBD2. Late 94 and early 95 production have OBD1 and this is not an issue on those engines. Different head design.
- Darren - 03-03-2008
Brian's point about the cost of motors is a good one -- the 996 motor is much cheaper to replace than other cars.
I don't know why I was assuming Chris would be back to the track...I mis-read his original post. (I think I was hoping he would be back to the track)
Turbos are a PITA in my opinion. Things break on turbos. They are great when they work right, but annoying the rest of the time.
I think the best part of a 996 on the street is PSM, and that alone makes it the best street car.
- ccm911 - 03-04-2008
So what I am hearing backs up what I had thought all along. Turbo=Big Dollar repairs.
Actually, Brian ht the nail on the head when he said my Targa was more fun to drive. I love driving th older ones. And the body style is so much better. The reason I am looking to update is quite simple. That darn Targa sounds like there is a Jet Fighter idling in the passenger seat when I hit 80 to 100 on the highway. It deafens me! Maybe a good choice would be to find an older Coupe in good shape. It has got to be quieter.
And Darren, I'll come back to the track when I can afford a Miata to go racing. And then I will hunt down that Acura...
