Tips For New Owners of 1995-98 (993) Porsche 911 Carreras
Just a couple of important things that you ought to know when thinking about buying a 993 (or having just purchased one), especially if you’ve never owned an air-cooled Porsche 911 before.
“993” is the common nomenclature for 911s built between 1995 and 1998. 993 was Porsche’s inhouse project codename. Similarly 996 refers to 911s built between 1999 and 2004. Porsches built before 1999 were air-cooled, meaning there are no radiators or radiator fluid – those built after 1999 are water-cooled, like most modern cars.
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It takes about a mile to warm up an air-cooled 993 the morning, also it often takes about the same time for the brakes to be up to full pressure (so don’t worry when you see the brake light stay on for a couple minutes). But you don’t need to worry, even when not at full pressure the brakes work just fine.
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Note: You don’t need to warm a 993 up in the winter, just get in and drive – you actually risk overheating it if you try to warm a 993 up.
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The rear brakes sometimes squeak when they are dirty with brake dust. However the stopping ability of any 911 will blow you away.
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Like any Porsche, a 993 likes to be driven over 3000RPM, unlike the average car that you would normally shift at 2500-3000RPM.
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You need to pay attention to 3 oil gauges on a 993, and the most important one, the oil level gauge, can only be read when you are stationary in idle. Also the dipstick is useless because the gauge is more accurate. Typically, a 993 will consume about a half quart every month or so (assuming it’s driven regularly).
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When adding oil to a 993 only add a half quart at a time. Stick with whatever brand of oil has historicially been used in your car – I’ve heard changing oils can cause the seals to shrink and thus oil leaks. Porsche recommends Mobil 1 (SAE0-W40). Also keep a quart in the trunk for low oil emergencies.
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993s that are not driven regularly are more apt to have issues with engine leaks, due to gasket drying and shrinkage, and valve clogging due to fuel sitting stationary.
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The correct tire pressures for 993’s and 996’s are 36 Front and 44 Rear. Be warned, most tire store technicians will tell you they should be at 40 psi both front and rear but this is incorrect per the manuals for both 911 makes.
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The window switches only last about a year. The good news is they only cost about $35 to replace. When they begin to fail, the windows will stutter or stall.
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The batteries in the key remotes last a little longer and are also inexpensive – $14. As the remote batteries weaken, the distance you need to be close to the car to unlock the doors will shorten. With a strong battery you’ll be able to unlock the doors from 20 feet away or more.
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993s have 2 buttons for AC, one is full blast out of the main vents only and the other is auto temperature direction adjustable. The OEM Heat/AC Controllers are known to fail. To replace a Control Head runs about $1,000. The best source for used Porsche parts that I have found is Parts Planet at 1-800-783-4911.
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For more information and/or technical questions, it’s imperative that you join the Porsche Club of America. For a $42 annual membership you will benefit from a 10% service discount on labor at most Porsche dealers, as well as expert online technical assistance. You’ll also receive a monthly copy of Panorama magazine.
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You’ve probably heard correctly that there is no cup holder, or right arm rest. This is true, and the ignition is on the left side of the steering wheel like most Porsches.
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Why you should never lift off the accelerator during a high speed turn!
“Driving a 993 at the limit is all about smooth weight transfer. This is a hard concept to grasp because 99% of your time driving you are well within the limits of the car, so whatever incorrect driving technique you do does not have any bad effects. But when you are driving at the limit of your car, you can easily spin it causing harm to yourself and your car. If you are in a turn and you lift off the throttle abruptly you will transfer the weight to the front wheels and off the rear wheels. Since most the weight is in the back a Porsche 911, this is going to allow the heavy rear end to keep going in the direction it was before you lifted (remember that high school physics about an object in motion tending to stay in motion?). The result is you spinning. The rear end will keep moving because there is not enough weight on the tires to provide the friction needed to keep it in place, because you transferred the weight to the front tires. Only do an abrupt lift, and only do heavy braking, when you are going straight.“Staying on the gas during a turn is one of the hardest things to learn. It goes against every ounce of common sense. When you are going too fast into a turn, the last thing you want to do is go faster. But you have to fight that urge because you will spin otherwise.”
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My last bit of advice is that you take your time getting to know your new Porsche 911 (993) – don’t push the limits until you’ve spent at least six months getting to know your car.
Please leave any tips for 993 owners I’ve forgetten to mention below as a comment.
Search Cars.com for your new 993!
P.S. I sold this Porsche (1997 911 C4S) in July ’09 with 89,000 miles on it for $39,000. At the same time, I purchased a CPO 2003 911 C4S (996) with 41,000 miles for $39,000.
8/26/09 – Click here to read my “Confessions Of A 996 Driver” rant.
Written by Perry & Co. Denver Real Estate Professionals’ COO & Director of Relocation Services Jon Larrance.
Filed under: Leading Real Estate Companies, Luxury, Who's Who In Luxury Real Estate | 50 Comments
Tags: 911, 993, 996, 997, Carrera, Jon Larrance, Luxury, Porsche
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I bought a used 1998 911S Coupe last summer. It is my 5th 911. This is the last year for the air-cooled 911. At this point in development, it seems they got everything right (compared to my previous 911s). The HP is just about right for a car this size, I think a turbo would be overkill for the average driver. Like my other 911s, this car takes awhile to learn to drive. It is fast and 100mph comes up quickly, but you don’t know it unless you look at the speedometer.
Comfort is 5+, controls are easier to read and use and the shifter is perfectly placed. The clutch, well, it feels like a 911 clutch. Different but hard to describe. Part of the learning curve. I love this car and glad I got one before the air-cooled version became an “old car”. I have friends with 1999+ 911s and they are not the same. The water-cooled engine is quieter but the cooling fan on the air-cooled engine is part of the legendary sound of a 911. The styling changed and the part I miss the most is the way older 911 hoods look, with the flat center leading to the air intake. Mine has that and I love that look. The color I have is “Forest Green” with fawn interior. No wing on the back because they have an electric “wing” that comes up at 40 mph. Interesting, because you can’t see it from the car and I have never seen it! I have had it serviced twice (now = 37000 miles) and the only thing wrong the 911 shop I take it to could find is worn out wiper blades.
The S option? It has the wider body like the turbo, different suspension components (I am told) and the words “911S” on the engine lid. If anyone knows more about this option, please write me. Finally, I get LOTS of questions and comments when I drive it anywhere. People who love Porsches, love this car. As you can tell, I am very proud to own this great 911. Write me at for comments or questions.
Thanks Benjamin for the additional information for those considering buying a 993!
Your 911 certainly sounds like a beauty – a true classic. I’ve always been partial to the Coupes over the Cabriolets. Funny that you should mention the air intake on the hood as just the other day I was noticing/reflecting on that very thing. I am partial to it as well and it certainly would have been good of Porsche to continue that styling cue. For more on the differences between 993s and 996s please click here to read my “Confessions Of A 996 Driver” rant.
FYI, S versions also have additional horsepower over non-S 911s – around 20 additional HP in 1998 (S = 285) I believe.
See you down the road!
Jon
For those of you with tire questions. Here is a great evaluation done by Car & Driver. Click here to see comparisons of nine high performance tires. “Could any of these affordable summer tires have possibly knocked off the expensive Michelin PS2?”
Jon
Great tips! I especially urge any driver of a tiptronic/automatic model of the Porsche 993, living in a city with traffic, to either find regular ways to practice spirited driving (let you car stretch it’s legs). Attend to letting your RPMs run up even a bit higher than 3000 rpm in second and third gear as set in tip/manual mode. I’ll take mine up to 4000 here and there, but each driver should do what’s comfortable for them. In the automatic mode, the car upshifts at 2000 rpm. This will leave your motor and emissions equipment a mess if you never let your engine roar. Driving these cars delicately can be dangerous for them mechanically. Driving them too fast before you know and understand each other can be dangerous to both of you. In a manual or automatic it is so important to drive the cars with “spirit” (Porsche’s owner’s manual used to use this word), which doesn’t mean recklessly or above the speed limit. Just like a thoroughbred animal they need to be exercised. Run.
Of course you know this: Porsche didn”t put cupholders in due to the high performance nature of the car- you should be driving not drinking coffee. But, you can find cup holders for 993s on the internet that individuals fashion that can be attached easily (no harm) and one model Porsche did make for 911 (a later model?) where a cassette holder/slot between seats goes (slides right in).
My 1997 silver/black 993 “S” model’s classic lines and wide stance make me press my lips together in awe everytime I see it. Then I get in and drive, and my jaw drops.
Thanks again for the tips!
EK
I can testify first-hand about the whole ‘lift-off oversteer’ effect. I had just purchased my ’95 993 Porsche Cabriolet and was taking the Brumos U course at the Gainesville (FL) Raceway road track.
There’s a decreasing-radius left-hand sweeping turn that I didn’t get enough speed scrubbed off going into.
1) Car started to go wide, so I lifted off – just a little. Problem was, my 911 was already right at the limit.
2) Back end started to swing out on me, so I counter-steered and came completely off the gas.
3) Front tires caught, rear end broke loose and I did this spec-tac-u-lar 540-degree spin off the course into the mud – stopping about 15′ shy of the the standing water.
Had to get towed out, of course – and they wouldn’t let me run the 1/4 mile because of all the mud on the car. But it was a blast!
Fun story Bob. Thankfully you were on a private road track the first time (hopefully last) that you experienced snap oversteer, also the mud may have kept you from rolling. Regardless, I’m sure you were unfazed given that it happened in Porsche rather than in a car not truly built for speed.
Thank you for the great tips!
I own a 1995 993 911 Porsche Carrera Coupe. The 1995’s have the “jug handle” airfoil and taillight strip above the normal, retractable wing and the “S-style” wide body/hips, but I think it has the 276 hp engine. Mine is midnight blue, has a moon/sunroof and is beyond beautiful to look at and a pure pleasure to drive.
Although the wing automatically goes up and down, if you just hold the button, it will go up and stay up, even after turning the key off until you manually put it down again. Then you can get out and admire the car with the rear wing up.
Most 993’s have removable/replaceable body panel seals on the wide rear fenders which can be dinged with rocks and gravel.
I’ve heard you can remove the windshield wiper delay controller and the wipers will then rest on the passenger side, although I have not done it yet.
Again, thanks for a great article!
ACL
Great tips. I have recently bought a 1997 993 carrera 4s with only about 2,000 miles and the car is great. It only has 282 hp and I was wondering what mods would be best for my car. Any suggestions?
Question, on my 1995 993 Cabriolet, there is a center toggle switch on the 2nd row of the console. located between the spoiler switch and the top switch. What is this for? Craig N.
On my 1997 Coupe that switch was for the rear wiper. Granted not all 993’s came with rear wipers and probably very few Cabriolets did.
Anyone else know what this switch would be for?
I have been told I should not leave the top down on my cab, but put it back up after each outing. Anyone had experience with leaving the top down for an extended time?
Got a chance at a nice 1998 911 Carrera for 42K. Silver with blk inside.
Do you think this is a good buy?
Hi Jerry,
Sorry for the delay in getting back to you. Yes, based upon these search results on Cars.com that seems like a reasonable price, assuming it has 65,000 miles or less.
Hi Jerry,
I have a 1998 911S, rear wheel drive. I follow the prices in Panorama and 42K is a good price for good condition 911. If it is a 911S, the price can be higher (turbo style body work etc, different than a “straight” 911). Condition can be everything. A lot of road chips on the nose is probably the most common reason the condition goes down. Drive it, have a good Porsche mechanic look at it if you like it, even if you have to put down $100 for the mechanic to do it. And Carfax it, very important. It is the last of the air cooled and will probably hold it’s price for quite a while.
Ben Lankheet
I have owned a beautiful red ’95 993 Cabriolet for about 9 years now…….Love it!
Although I have had very few issues with the car over the years, I have had a very small (about the size of a quarter a week) oil leak for a few years now. The leak has stayed very minimal, but ever since my last oil change, I have noticed the oil has begun to leak a little more. Plus, instead of the one spot, it looks like it is now leaking from two or three. The car currently has about 80,000 miles on it.
My question is what is estimated cost am I looking at to repair? I know there is no way to tell for sure, but reading some of the posts, it looks like leaks on the 993’s are relatively common, especially after an oil change due to gasket drying and shrinkage.
Thanks for any info or advise you can give!
I have a 1998 911 Cab w/ 50,000 and has same leaking problems. Cost about $1,500 to fix, not worth it, this is 3rd and they all leak. Also with the windows switch you can order it online for $5 , ship is $6, total $11.and takes 60 seconds to replace. Do not go to mechanic for this. Unplug and plug in. You can do electric seat for $40. and not much work, just go on web and print instructions.
All Porsches leak. (period). With all the technical wizard stuff that goes into building these great cars, you would think they would have fixed this by now. I have a 1998 911S with low miles (31000) and no leak as of yet. I have had (4) 911s and they have all leaked after 40,000. It is nothing to worry about, just keep it filled up, the leak is minor and the amount of oil lost is trace. Now your garage floor is another matter….
Ben
Gorgeous car! So expensive to maintain. I guess if you have the dollars, it’s worth it!
I purchased a 1997 993 about a year ago. It is white with blue interior and just had the 90,000 mile service completed. It doesn’t leak, at all. Uses a little oil but nothing to be concerned about. It was purchased from a friend’s wife after his death. The car is very special since my friend of 50+ years had driven it.
He did not get an Owners Manual when he bought the car. Does anyone know of a source for an Owners Manual.
Bryson Kiser
Retired
Glenn E Brandon Jr Birmingham Al. I have a 1995 993. I don’t drive it often so I have the smal oil leaks. The Barber Motor Sport track 5 miles from home I want to take me 993 out on the track questions. Does it being tiptronic matter on a track. And do small spacers on all 4 wheels creat a danger or help handling. Thank you Glenn
Hi Glenn,
No worries about the Tiptronic. As far as spacers go, I’d contact Joel Reiser at PCA to get his expert advice but you should be fine as well as they are sufficiently tight (believe me you’ll know if they are not as you’ll get intolerable vibrations).
Did a DE at Nelson Ledges Road Course this past weekend in my, new to me, ’95 Carrera and experienced “snap oversteer” for the first time ever. I owned a ’69 911T for many years, in which I did autocross and track time at IRP, also held a SCCA National license and raced a CP 240Z for years, 39 years ago.
At Nelson, I braked too late and got on the throttle too soon, only to realize that I was running out of track to the left on turn 13, a very tight right-hander leading on to the front straight. I lifted and around I go, 180 degrees. Fortunately I stayed on the track. No harm, no foul, but lesson learned.
BTW, love the car which is far and above the 901’s I was familiar with.
Steve Klonowski
I’ve owned by 1996 993 C4 since Feb 1999, so I have some practical experience and comments. Overall the author provided a good intro…. But, 1) my 993 does not leak after 14 years. The only drip that started recently was the drivers side lower valve cover gasket, which I just changed, but otherwise the engine is dry, dry , dry. 2) Window switches last much longer than a year. My first one failed after 13 years, and took 2 minutes to replace. 3) Oil for a 993 is 15w50, not the 0w40 quoted in the article. Look in the owners manual. 4) Rear brakes do not make noise, No way. 5) Brake light takes 30 seconds or less to go off on my C4…until the reservoir is pumped up. Not sure any light should be lit on a C2, since it does not have a reservoir to be pumped up. 6) car is fun to drive after all these years.
i’ve just bought a ’96 993 turbo and am just getting used to the clutch, esp in first gear. compared to the audi rs4 i’ve driven these many past years it feels odd to engage just at the end of pedal play. is this typical of all 911s (i took a newer turbo out for a drive a few weeks ago and don’t remember noticing this)?
It does sound as if you may be needing a new clutch especially if you have more than 55,000 miles on it. Also there is a retrofit little spring that will make the pedal easier on the leg muscles. So it would make sense to have it looked at by a Porsche certified mechanic.
I have owned my ’95 993 since 2007, before that it was my father’s car. It had 38,000 miles on it when I took ownership, I has been my daily driver and now has 105,000 miles on the clock. I have done a few upgrades over the years, Bilstein suspension, MY02 wheels. I am currently preparing to replace the clutch (which is the original) and address a minor oil leak. All in all it has been a fabulously reliable car requiring very little other than regular oil changes. I still love staring and driving it. The 911 is timeless!
I just recently purchased a 1996 993. This is my third air cooled 911. The clutch does take some getting used to although I don’t remember the other (older) 911s being as difficult to master as this one. It may have something to do with design upgrades over the years. It has been a few months, but once I stopped focusing on my technique and started to enjoy the driving experience, everything fell into place. One day, I just realized the clutch wasn’t an issue anymore. Clutch replacement aside, I suspect that one day you may find it has become second nature as well.
When I initially commented I seem to have clicked the
-Notify me when new comments are added- checkbox and now each time a comment is added I recieve four emails
with the same comment. Is there a means you are able to remove me from that service?
Kudos!
Hi Tisha,
I looked and I see no way of me removing you for the comment followers list. You need to go to “Blogs I Follow” in your Control Panel (In WordPress.com it’s the sixth or so link down on upper left.
Or go directly to https://YOURWORDPRESSBLOGNAMEHERE.wordpress.com/wp-admin/index.php?page=subscriptions&option=comments
or in your case https://minhochapter.wordpress.com/wp-admin/index.php?page=subscriptions&option=comments
Just acquired a 95 993 C2 Cabrio 6 speed with 64K on the clock. A shop messed with the top control unit and ended up removing it and converting it to manual. I have the part they removed. Hopefully my wrench can get it working normally again. The PO checked the oil level (cold..) :( before I picked it up and overfilled the oil (by 2 quarts). What a mess. The splash pan under the motor seems to have collected the remaining overflow. A mess for the shop. Hopefully this foe-pa won’t effect the motor. Wrench is on that as well. This morning, preparing to take it to the shop. I found the battery was dead (and it’s a new one)! It obviously has a power drain somewhere… Other than that the car is cosmetically good w/some needed interior work and TLC. White w/grey top and leather. If there are any secrets about possible battery drainers or top guidelines (diagrams) I’d love to hear about them.
Donny N AZ
I just got a 98 C4S No tool kit or jack Anyone know where i CAN get them James
I have a 98 C4S Silver I love most the way the cockpit looks especially from the side rear.. Its got some quality the new 911s have lost along the way.. Mines Got a green interior Has anyone ever come across this?? Think its calle Nephrite green
im having squeaky brake problems, it’s pretty loud, i had it cleaned already, still there… i don’t know whether it’s the type of brake pad used, or really a 993 quirk, i recently bought a 95 w 74K kilometers (yea i live in the tropics) other than the squeaky brakes, im pretty happy with it :)
how do i address this?
Hey Nic,
I had a similar experience with my CPO 996. First off, the previous owner of mine had replaced the brake pads with aftermarket Pagid brake pads. When properly broken in Pagid pads should be fine. However, in cases when the new brake pads are not properly broken in (like not on a racetrack by an amateur) they can warp and cause incessant squeaking. In my situation the only thing that fixed the problem was by replacing all the brake pads with new OEM pads. Hope that helps.
Jon
Help. New Female Porsche enthusiast. I bought my first 1998 911 cabriolet, 99k miles. It’s been very expensive to fix just about everything even though when I bought it, the Porsche mechanic said ‘it looks great’. I’m in Colorado, I bought it in Seattle drove it here. I had 3 small oil leaks at first but over the winter they nearly saturated a huge cardboard piece I put under the car. I’m wondering if the change in altitude shrank the seals which the previous owner had replaced a year prior. Even though I had a trickle charger on it, the battery was dead so I bought a new one and installed it yesterday. It’s been sitting for 3 months. I took it out on a test run and it stalled (into oncoming traffic!) as soon as I let off the gas. After some hardcore praying I was able to fire it up but it acted like it was getting bad gas. This happened twice in 2 miles. I got it home, let it run for a bit so I could get an accurate reading on the oil. It sputtered in and out of consciousness again as if getting bad gas or the filter is clogged. It began to fun fine after 3 to 5 minutes. Added oil to correct mark according to manual. Now I need to drive it to the mechanic but I’m afraid it will stall again. Can I use a gas cleaner or something on it? It was garaged so I doubt it’s moisture in the tank. Or is it?
Baffling. I think the best advice would be to get it to a reputable Porsche mechanic as I have not heard of anyone having issues like your’s. A change in oil has been shown to cause leaks. In fact, a higher altitude, if it mattered, would expand the seals. The fuel filter could be an issue with the stalling.
Recently my mechanic told me that even if I don’t drive my car 3000 miles a year I still need to change the oil in my 1995 911 because the air cooled motors water gathers in the oil reservoir and he seen as much as 2 cups of water in them when you let them set without changing the oil
I have owned 97 993 coupe since 2007. I got it from a used car dealer in Miami, Florida and the moment I left the dealer drove over 90MPH on the hwy it triggers a CEL, “ABD ABS anti lock” . I tried so many approach/mechanics and advices from different forums, spent $$$$ from sensors, alignment to replacement of new computer, none could solve the issue. but it only comes up on high speed so I learned to drive slower than 90 and learned to lived with it. then last week when I needed a new set of tires. I found a set with beautiful rims i craigslist cheap but in great new condition. Then.. wallah!. drove it to over 90,then to 110.. the CEL disappeared!. I still couldn’t believe it. It was the RIMS.. Now I’m 100% into keeping this car since i thought about selling it so many times.
I have a 1995 C4 911 that has about 28,000 miles. It makes me HAPPY. Very fun to drive. It has been very reliable. Guards red with a black interior. I have Michelin snow tires for winter use and I must say it handles great in the snow. I love having friends take it out who haven’t driven a Porsche and hold down the accelerator and watch the expression on their face. Everyone needs to include the Porsche driving experience on their bucket list. Battery replacement has been my only complaint but hopefully a battery tender will remedy this problem.
I just recently purchased a 1996 993. I found out my 993 air con is not working at all. Some friends told me, the air con cannot be fix and I wonder why?
Does anyone has the air con problems? What is the common matters?
This is the most erroneous post I’ve read in so long! The gauge is more accurate than the dipstick? You know nothing about 993’s.
I have a 993 S which is in mint condition has a turbo s fixed wing looks great
In arena red had it 6 years now and still love it,had loads of oil leaks all sorted by me easy fix new brakes all round done by me easy fix and the best thing is it’s only done 135000 miles drives like new
“…P.S. I sold this Porsche (1997 911 C4S) in July ’09 with 89,000 miles on it for $39,000. At the same time, I purchased a CPO 2003 911 C4S (996) with 41,000 miles for $39,000…..” Wow, I feel sorry for you! The 993 is an appreciating asset, especially the C4S…
Ivan,
This comment made me think and prompted me to do some research. As it turns out the reality is that if I would have never driven the 993 and kept it in pristine condition, today I could sell it for exactly what I paid for it in 2004 – $52,000. So…
Jon
P.S. Last month I sold the 996 for $28,000 and bought a 2009 997.2 Targa 4S (for $68,000).
Appreciate this page, your post, and all of the comments. I must say though, $52k for an 89k mile C4S is low. $70k is closer to the current market. 40k mile cars are currently right around $85k. I’ve been watching these cars daily for 3 years and look at probably 5/day.
Cheers
Yes, that car was sold back during the recession in 2009.
Often when I search for 993 on google, this comes up, and I’m reminded of how inaccurate that it is. I’m a 993 owner and automotive engineer, and I disagree with almost everything written in this article.
-It takes much more than a mile of driving for a 993 (or any car I have ever driven) to properly warm up.
-Getting the brakes up to “full pressure” is nonsense. The brakes work fully immediately when you start the car and have engine vacuum (not pressure). If you have racing brake pads on the car, they may not work as well until they are hot from repeated braking events, but is not related to pressure. Also, the brake warning light should NOT stay on for a couple of minutes.
-A 993 should not overheat if you warm it up. If it does, there is a problem with the car. Most likely your engine far, or oil cooler fan is not working. Also, why would it be more likely to overheat in the winter when it is cold outside?
-The front brakes can also squeak. Why only the rears?
-There is no benefit to shift a 993 above 3000rpm (unless you are trying to go fast). I always keep mine below 3000rpm until it warms up fully on the oil temp gauge.
-The oil pressure and temp gauges are most important, not oil level. The car can be a little bit low on oil, but still be safe to drive. If you are not developing enough oil pressure, or if the temp is too high, that’s when you can damage the engine.
-The dipstick is more accurate than the gauge
-You should gauge you oil consumption based on miles driven, not per month.
-“Valve clogging due to fuel sitting stationary” is nonsense, but I do agree that you should drive your car and not let it sit for too long.
-Porsche does not recommend 0w40. It recommends 10w40 for cold temps, and 15w50 for warm temps. I use 15w50. Also I wouldn’t worry about changing brands of oil, just changing from non-synthetic to synthetic.
-My 993 with 17″ wheels recommends 36/36 tire pressure.
-The window switches should last much more than a year if you use OE Porsche parts. Also, if they fail, the window will just stop working, not stutter or stall.
Thanks for your comments. Given that I sold my 993 more than six years ago I can’t really argue with most of your comments. Also I appreciate that your experience with your car may be different than mine. My experiences were based on a 1997 C4S (driven about 8000 miles per year in Denver, CO between 2004 & 2009). It’s also possible that some of the things I said were updated from Porsche well after your manual was written – like oil type – my recollection is that 0w oils were not developed until the 2000s, years after 993s were built. Click here.
Your question of “why would it be more likely to overheat in the winter when it is cold outside?” is simple to answer in that people are more likely to let their car warm up for longer on colder days. In doing so, they “risk” overheating their air-cooled engine. I believe your manual clearly states this one.
Yes, front brakes can also squeak, but mine did not.
I didn’t say there was a benefit to shifting over 3000rpm. It’s just a feel thing (for me and most 911 drivers I’ve spoken to). The car just feels better at higher RPM. (Side note: Yes, I do like to drive faster.)
And regarding your last point, you are right, “The window switches should last much more than a year.” But my Porsche OE ones never did. I had to replace mine yearly. Maybe they are making better ones now. As a point of semantics, I said when they “start to fail” they will stutter or stall. Naturally, when they do finally fail, they will stop working.
Regardless, I appreciate you taking the time to contribute to this comment thread. The more opinions the better.
See you down the road!
Jon
Thanks for your response.
The article is written as if it applies to all 993s, not just your specific experiences with your car. That being said, I still don’t think most of it is accurate for any cars.
I’ve read the original owners manual as well as a lot of modern literature about these cars, and I’ve never seen 0w40 recommended. Porsche just came out with a new “classic” oil for air cooled 911s. They actually recommend 10w60 for cars 3.0L and above, but I use Mobil 1 15w50.
I understand your comment about warming it up in the winter, and I did misread that part. Still, the car should be able to idle for a long time without overheating. If it overheats during idle, then there is something wrong with the car that needs to be addressed immediately.
Understand the comment about shifting over 3000 rpm. My 95 is probably even slower below 3000 because it is a non Varioram car.
And if the windows are stuttering or moving slowly, it is most likely a problem with the window regulator or motor, not the switch.
I am looking at a 1997 993 c4s, with 63000 miles, is not in an Excellent condition but more like in GOOD Condition under Hagerty’s evaluation. My question is what will be the price range for this car, given that is the right color combination. Any feedback will be appreciated.
Thank you, Luis