OT: 993 purchase, will I regret it? |
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OT: 993 purchase, will I regret it? |
tommy914 |
Jan 16 2005, 10:30 PM
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#1
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Life is a journey, enjoy every turn. Group: Members Posts: 1,103 Joined: 15-September 03 From: Ridgeland, MS Member No.: 1,165 Region Association: None |
I've got my eye on a 1996 993 with 30,000 miles.
What should I watch out for? |
Porsche Rescue |
Jan 16 2005, 10:31 PM
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#2
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Saving and Enjoying Old Porsches Group: Members Posts: 2,978 Joined: 31-December 02 From: Bend, Oregon Member No.: 64 Region Association: None |
Cops!
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Porsche Rescue |
Jan 16 2005, 10:33 PM
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#3
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Saving and Enjoying Old Porsches Group: Members Posts: 2,978 Joined: 31-December 02 From: Bend, Oregon Member No.: 64 Region Association: None |
Had a '95 for a couple of years. Great car and very fast. '96 is supposed to be better because of "varioram" (whatever that is!)
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Joe Bob |
Jan 16 2005, 10:35 PM
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#4
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Retired admin, banned a few times Group: Members Posts: 17,427 Joined: 24-December 02 From: Boulder CO Member No.: 5 Region Association: None |
You have to learn to eat Quiche, drink coffe lattes with pinkey extended.....sex change required if it's an automatic....
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Brando |
Jan 16 2005, 10:36 PM
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#5
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BUY MY SPARE KIDNEY!!! Group: Members Posts: 3,935 Joined: 29-August 04 From: Santa Ana, CA Member No.: 2,648 Region Association: Southern California |
Variable intake runner length. I think Mazda had it on a few track cars before it got banned?
993 huh? You won't regret it. IMHO, the best 911 model ever built. Go turbo! |
vortrex |
Jan 16 2005, 11:48 PM
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#6
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Senior Member Group: Members Posts: 1,687 Joined: 24-December 02 From: SF, CA Member No.: 4 Region Association: None |
I had a '95 993. great car all around. there is a wiring harness issue with that year that was fixable under recall, so make sure they did the update.
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machina |
Jan 17 2005, 06:42 AM
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#7
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Advanced Member Group: Benefactors Posts: 2,030 Joined: 21-June 03 From: Miami Beach, FL Member No.: 848 |
wish I never sold mine, (1997 C2S) you won't regret it. Lot of car for the money now.
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seanery |
Jan 17 2005, 07:29 AM
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#8
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waiting to rebuild whitey! Group: Retired Admin Posts: 15,854 Joined: 7-January 03 From: Indy Member No.: 100 Region Association: None |
best looking of the modern era 911s, awesome motor, too.
The wiring recall was pretty widespread, I watched my mechanic in LA fix several of those over a 4 year period. |
buck toenges |
Jan 17 2005, 09:09 AM
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#9
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Senior Member Group: Members Posts: 553 Joined: 25-November 03 From: Fort wayne In Member No.: 1,388 Region Association: None |
Good cars, my 95 c4 cab is nice although a bit heavy. I would look into a'96 c2 over a 996.
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Gustl |
Jan 17 2005, 12:57 PM
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#10
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914 enthusiast & historian Group: Members Posts: 11,519 Joined: 16-June 04 From: TIROL / Austria Member No.: 2,212 Region Association: Austria |
it's called VarioCam this system manipulates the timing of the intake camshaft by a chain the engine runs better and gets better torque over rpm ... I wonder if you get the point (IMG:http://www.914world.com/bbs2/html/emoticons/wacko.gif) |
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vortrex |
Jan 17 2005, 12:59 PM
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#11
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Senior Member Group: Members Posts: 1,687 Joined: 24-December 02 From: SF, CA Member No.: 4 Region Association: None |
it's actually called varioram in the states.
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7391420 |
Jan 17 2005, 01:01 PM
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#12
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Member Group: Members Posts: 353 Joined: 6-August 03 From: boston, ma Member No.: 988 |
The last few years there's been a ton of articles and letters in Excellence on the 993's having some sort of valve guide problem resulting in oil blow by of some kind which causes the check engine light to come on? I'm not sure about the particulars on this, but I remember that some west coast shops were saying that many of these cars will require valves and top end work (4-8k worth!) at 60 or 70 k miles?? anyone else know the specifics?
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machina |
Jan 17 2005, 01:05 PM
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#13
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Advanced Member Group: Benefactors Posts: 2,030 Joined: 21-June 03 From: Miami Beach, FL Member No.: 848 |
valve guide problems have been around since the 84 carrera
every car has its little defects but the 993 is a safe bet, just find a nice low mile example. varioram started on the 993 in '96 and all have had it since. Uses intake with different size and length chambers to flatten the torque curve. You can really hear it wail at around 5k rpm when it kicks in. |
horizontally-opposed |
Jan 17 2005, 04:02 PM
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#14
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Advanced Member Group: Members Posts: 3,432 Joined: 12-May 04 From: San Francisco Member No.: 2,058 Region Association: None |
As noted above, it's VarioRam for the 1996 993s, which added the same technology introduced to the 911 line in the 3.8-liter 993 Carrera RS. All 1996 3.6-liter NA engines got the same feature, which varies the intake runner lengths to tune the torque across the powerband.
The technology was introduced in the 1992 968, and slated for the last 928s (possibly) but the OBD II requirement killed any chance for a 1996 968 or 928 -- which is why Porsche went to just the 911 for the 1996 model year. VarioCam came in with the 986 and 996 motors (and then the "real" flat sixes in the 996 Turbo, GT3, GT2) and allows the cam timing to be altered. In very basic terms, two versions of VarioCam have been introduced so far -- two-stage and "infinitely (within a range, of course) variable." The 1995 993 motors are known to be less problematic with regards to the cylinder heads (because 1996 also introduced OBD II and the Check Engine light that means you MUST do a top-end refurbish in order to get the car past smog). Hard to say, but the big thing with 993s seems to be finding a car that was not trundled around town -- you want a car that was brought up to full operating temperature and really run to prevent any coking up in the cylinder heads' passages. As with the 1984-89 3.2-liter valve-guide issues, not all 993s will need cylinder head work or valve guides. A fair number seem to (judging by all the correspondance and attention), but it's hard to figure out how many quiet owners who never had a problem there are for every loud one who did have a failure... Get the car, you'll probably LOVE IT!!!! But the best mod may be Euro 993 RS suspension. Almost 914 like.... (IMG:http://www.914world.com/bbs2/html/emoticons/biggrin.gif) (IMG:http://www.914world.com/bbs2/html/emoticons/clap.gif) (IMG:http://www.914world.com/bbs2/html/emoticons/boldblue.gif) (IMG:http://www.914world.com/bbs2/html/emoticons/aktion035.gif) pete |
machina |
Jan 17 2005, 04:14 PM
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#15
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Advanced Member Group: Benefactors Posts: 2,030 Joined: 21-June 03 From: Miami Beach, FL Member No.: 848 |
except for that extra 1000 pounds (IMG:http://www.914world.com/bbs2/html/emoticons/biggrin.gif) |
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Mueller |
Jan 17 2005, 04:20 PM
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#16
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914 Freak! Group: Members Posts: 17,146 Joined: 4-January 03 From: Antioch, CA Member No.: 87 Region Association: None |
i have a '91 C2, nice car and fun to drive....I now wish I had payed the extra money for a 993...they are that much better (IMG:http://www.914world.com/bbs2/html/emoticons/smile.gif)
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horizontally-opposed |
Jan 17 2005, 05:20 PM
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#17
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Advanced Member Group: Members Posts: 3,432 Joined: 12-May 04 From: San Francisco Member No.: 2,058 Region Association: None |
[QUOTE] except for that extra 1000 pounds
(IMG:http://www.914world.com/bbs2/html/emoticons/chairfall.gif) And 200 extra horsepower. (IMG:http://www.914world.com/bbs2/html/emoticons/biggrin.gif) pete |
machina |
Jan 17 2005, 05:28 PM
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#18
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Advanced Member Group: Benefactors Posts: 2,030 Joined: 21-June 03 From: Miami Beach, FL Member No.: 848 |
depends on whose 914 your talking about (IMG:http://www.914world.com/bbs2/html/emoticons/happy11.gif) |
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Howard |
Jan 17 2005, 05:33 PM
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#19
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Incontin(g)ent Member Group: Benefactors Posts: 5,785 Joined: 24-July 03 From: Westlake Village, CA Member No.: 943 Region Association: None |
Kinda bending the topic, but 996's seem to do much better than 993's at our short track series. Why is the 996 teated so poorly at most Porsche sites? Headlights and wasserboxer stuff?
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IronHillRestorations |
Jan 17 2005, 06:20 PM
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#20
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I. I. R. C. Group: Members Posts: 6,726 Joined: 18-March 03 From: West TN Member No.: 439 Region Association: None |
993's are great cars. Pretty much all of the issues have already been pointed out by other posters. If you are really serious pay for a PPI at a Porsche dealer or well respected independent, it's money well spent.
Before you jump though, did you know John Swanson has his car for sale??? |
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