| Specifications |
Porsche 993 C2
By 2002 the 951 was getting on in years, so I decided to retire her from daily driving activities. I bought an ’00 BMW M coupe thinking that would be the perfect replacement. However, it quickly became clear that this was not my type of car. Too many issues, too many design flaws that in my opinion put form over function, and a general feeling that when a road turned
twisty, it didn’t deliver the goods to the degree I expected. Ultimately it always felt like an underachiever, so I sold it after 10k miles and returned to the 135k mile 951. Once the miles on that car began approaching 160k, I decided that mandatory retirement age was nearing, and I needed to make a change.
I've always loved the 993. It's gorgeous, sounds great, well built, and fun to drive, but for years it was also priced accordingly. Since buying the M coupe, the prices had come down enough that the car was now affordable, so I began the search for a ’95 C2. The ’96 and later cars have a few more horsepower and thanks to the variorum, more midrange torque, but they also have an issue with the SAI ports that can lead to failed smog checks, and an
expensive repair bill. The ’95 suffers from the same SAI flaw, but because it runs OBDI rather than OBDII, it doesn’t
throw an error code that results in an immediate smog check failure, and therefore doesn't require the repair. I prefer the C2 to the C4, because although I live in the Pacific Northwest and theoretically could use the extra traction, the all-wheel drive system adds weight and dilutes the driving experience a touch. And as I have made clear elsewhere, dilution is not my cup of tea.
Much to my surprise, the 993 has exceeded my high expectations. Sure, it could use more power, particularly below 4500rpm (the varioram would certainly help here), the ergonomics are crap, ventilation is adequate at best, and it does suck gas for the performance on tap, but it is a fun and rewarding drive! The car really involves the driver and seems to revel when thrashed to within an inch of its life – two qualities I demand in my cars.
Prior to purchasing the 993, I also looked at the 996. Objectively there is no comparison between the two. At the time, the cars cost about the same (the ’99 996 was actually a little cheaper than the ’95 993) yet the 996 is roomier, quieter, has vastly better ergonomics and HVAC, more features, much bigger trunk, better weight distribution, and is noticeably quicker. The downside for me though is character. Although a very nice car, the 996 doesn’t feel special in the same way as the 993. Surprisingly it also feels heavier to me, despite the fact that the scales say differently. Whether it is because the turn in is faster in the 993 thanks to less weight over the nose, or because the smaller cockpit lends an air of intimacy, is immaterial to me. I like small light cars, and the 993 feels smaller and lighter. While I can easily see how most people would prefer the 996, it just didn’t engage me to the same degree as the 993. Now a 996 GT3 is a different story, but also a different price bracket.
The 993 is a car that demands it is driven with a truly engaged right foot. Whether to accelerate through the gears to hear the glorious sound of the air-cooled flat six racing to redline, stomping on the brake pedal to experience the binders incredible feel and power, or using it to control the car’s attitude via the throttle when tackling a corner, the 993 requires a limber, willing ankle. That last aspect deserves a few more words. Even at low speeds, the throttle comes into play when cornering and keeps you an integral part of the process. Lift a bit to transfer weight up front and help the car to turn in or press down to transfer weight to the back end and keep it in check. Fun!
Shortly after purchasing the car, I took it to a PCA Skills Day. The story about that event is available here as a PDF.
twisty, it didn’t deliver the goods to the degree I expected. Ultimately it always felt like an underachiever, so I sold it after 10k miles and returned to the 135k mile 951. Once the miles on that car began approaching 160k, I decided that mandatory retirement age was nearing, and I needed to make a change.
I've always loved the 993. It's gorgeous, sounds great, well built, and fun to drive, but for years it was also priced accordingly. Since buying the M coupe, the prices had come down enough that the car was now affordable, so I began the search for a ’95 C2. The ’96 and later cars have a few more horsepower and thanks to the variorum, more midrange torque, but they also have an issue with the SAI ports that can lead to failed smog checks, and an
expensive repair bill. The ’95 suffers from the same SAI flaw, but because it runs OBDI rather than OBDII, it doesn’t
throw an error code that results in an immediate smog check failure, and therefore doesn't require the repair. I prefer the C2 to the C4, because although I live in the Pacific Northwest and theoretically could use the extra traction, the all-wheel drive system adds weight and dilutes the driving experience a touch. And as I have made clear elsewhere, dilution is not my cup of tea.
Much to my surprise, the 993 has exceeded my high expectations. Sure, it could use more power, particularly below 4500rpm (the varioram would certainly help here), the ergonomics are crap, ventilation is adequate at best, and it does suck gas for the performance on tap, but it is a fun and rewarding drive! The car really involves the driver and seems to revel when thrashed to within an inch of its life – two qualities I demand in my cars.
Prior to purchasing the 993, I also looked at the 996. Objectively there is no comparison between the two. At the time, the cars cost about the same (the ’99 996 was actually a little cheaper than the ’95 993) yet the 996 is roomier, quieter, has vastly better ergonomics and HVAC, more features, much bigger trunk, better weight distribution, and is noticeably quicker. The downside for me though is character. Although a very nice car, the 996 doesn’t feel special in the same way as the 993. Surprisingly it also feels heavier to me, despite the fact that the scales say differently. Whether it is because the turn in is faster in the 993 thanks to less weight over the nose, or because the smaller cockpit lends an air of intimacy, is immaterial to me. I like small light cars, and the 993 feels smaller and lighter. While I can easily see how most people would prefer the 996, it just didn’t engage me to the same degree as the 993. Now a 996 GT3 is a different story, but also a different price bracket.
The 993 is a car that demands it is driven with a truly engaged right foot. Whether to accelerate through the gears to hear the glorious sound of the air-cooled flat six racing to redline, stomping on the brake pedal to experience the binders incredible feel and power, or using it to control the car’s attitude via the throttle when tackling a corner, the 993 requires a limber, willing ankle. That last aspect deserves a few more words. Even at low speeds, the throttle comes into play when cornering and keeps you an integral part of the process. Lift a bit to transfer weight up front and help the car to turn in or press down to transfer weight to the back end and keep it in check. Fun!
Shortly after purchasing the car, I took it to a PCA Skills Day. The story about that event is available here as a PDF.
