355 the next 993?

I would agree, given that the 355 was the last F-car which was more eye candy designed than wind tunnel. BUT there are a lot of them about, and by the time they are few and far between I doubt we will still be able to buy petrol/gas or drive them!

 

The f355tbg the next 246 dino a car you keep forever.In my humble opinion.

 

No, the 355 doesn't have an inadequate cooling system, VW headlights, or an interior which was in style while the Bee Gees were singing Stayin Alive. The 993 nearly broke Porsche. They held on to some antiquated ideas WAY too long and the public figured it out.

The only reason it retains value is because of the rarity and as the last of the original 911s, guys with older ones like them.

The 355 is a logical progression to the 360, very well done.

 

The problem with 355s vs 993s is that the maintenance on the 355 is vastly more. And now that they are getting older the design warts are showing more; Valve guides, exhaust headers, who knows what next ?
Then there is the belt changes.
993s can be driven all day, every day.
355s will be sunny weekend cars IMO. But what a weekend.

 

let's see......0-60 in 3.7, all wheel drive, ice cold a/c in the Texas heat, no overheating problems, classic and timeless lines, 54k miles with no major problems and no major "Ferrari-Like" engine service, original clutch, no center console or plastic melting fiasco, twin turbos,--if that's antiquated..so be it..
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The Porsche 993 TT is one of the best cars ever built. No wonder you cannot find one that has below 50K miles for under $65K... While you can find a 2001 996 TT with 41K miles for $54K!!!!

That's a gorgeous 993 TT you have there Frank!

 

preciate it K-man! But the allure of the 355 is hard to resist as well...gotta have that sound!!

 

Well in my humble opinion, I owned a 355, 911 and a 365 2+2 and with changes in my life such as a move to NC, I sold the 911 and have kept both F cars. I just love my 355 and again yesterday took her for a drive and that engine sound is superb. However, as with Ferrari, not every Posche is just a porsche and some, particularly the older 911 are just simply great cars and when things settle I will be on the hunt for an old 911. As for investment, if only they made less than a thousand of them, I would agree it would be a great investment but that is not the case. BUT if you compare depreciation on your 355 bought now, it will be pretty low.

 

No offense, but you don't really understand your Porsche history very well. The 993 was very much a success for the company, and in fact, the company boasts that the car saved the company. Remember, when it was introduced both the 968 and 928 were being discontinued so the 993 was the only car the company even offered. You might be thinking of the 964 model which had many critics and was offered for sale at a time when the DMark had appreciated so much that sales to the US were a problem. It was also very expensive to produce relative to the 993.

The cooling system in a 993 is more than adequate for the horsepower it produces. I have NEVER heard of an overheating problem in a properly running 993. The shift to water cooled was aimed mostly at meeting emisssions requirements.

The 993 is not rare. More were produced in one year than during the entire run of the 355.

 

No, your history is off the mark. The Boxster started selling in Fall 1996, and it brought the company back from the bleak profit generated by the 993 which was a slow seller. Say what you will, the 986, 996, and Cayenne re-made the company into a force.

 

I had a 993 and it is a rock solid car, and probably the best looking of the 911 series. I tend to agree with those who say the 993 should have been the 'capstone' car of the 911s and then Porsche should have got on with something like the Cayman/Boxster concept instead of making the comfy, blobby 996. The 964 and 996 both had reputations for durability problems.

I would say the 355 is great to look at, but it has enough scary design flaws to keep people away. I hate to compare it to the 996/997, because IMO the 355 is infinitely better looking, sounding and driving, but if you forced me to make an analogy that would be it.

IMO, the 328 is probably the equivalent of Porsche's 993: generally admired styling, regarded as as the reliable model of the its era, old school cockpit design, succeeded by a vastly different car (348) that had teething problems and got mixed reviews, and built using the traditional methods for the marque -- body-on-frame, much hand assembly. (The 993 wasn't body-on-frame, but it feels vault-like like the earlier cars -- the 996 lost that.) Like the 993, it sells for more than its successor and predecessor. The horsepower and torque rating are in the same ballpark as well, IIRC.
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I thought the 348 was more of a raw drivers car than the 355. To me, the 355 was a transitional car into the 360 generation. Lots of growing pains, but they had to be made to progress.

 

Frank,

Gorgeous 993. I've always loved the car. If ever I was to buy a porsche, it would absolutely be a 993, hopefully one as pristine as yours!

 

I disagree with you Shark, the 993 was a huge success. The 964, stiff competition from Japan, and the poor economy were the problem for Porsche in the early 90s. No doubt, the Boxster was a huge success. Remember the waiting lists? You could buy a new Boxster for $40k and drive it for five years and it was still worth $30k+.

I love the 355 but a lot of expensive issues have come up and their prices have come down some because of it. I really dont see a new surge of support building for the 355. It is quite the opposite. The 348 is not the only 1990s Ferrari with issues!

By the way, an early 996 with less than 50k miles can be had for less than $30K. The interior on the 996 is not all that but it is a lot of car for the money.

 

I've had a 355, 360, now have a 360CS and also have a 993 twin turbo. Here's my take:

The 993TT is a much sought after classic, last of the aircooled, all wheel drive cars, and very reliable. Two car mags clocked the 993TT at 3.7 secs for 0-60 (road and track, automobile) one a 3.9 secs (car & driver). Moreover, Porsche is a world full of excellent tuners, with bona fide tuning packages boosting the 993TTs 400 HP and 400ft/lbs of torque, to 500+ HP/TQ -- as on my 993TT. A good 993TT costs as much or more than a 996TT. The 996TT is more reliable than the 993TT, but in porsche world, even the 993TT is considered "bullet proof". People may regret getting a 996 but rarely if ever regret getting a 993.

The 355 is a much sought after classic as well, but its not as fast as the 360, doesn't track as well, doesn't have the stability at high speeds due to far superior 360 downforce. The 355 is FAR less reliable than the 360 on many counts. Its better than the 348, but hardly bullet proof. The reliability problem with 355 stems from the fact its a Ferrari, the reliability of the 993 is because its a Porsche. I don't know anyone, nor have I heard enough stories to remember, who have bought a 360 then gone back to a 355. Its the other way around.

If you've gotta have a Ferrari, and you want a classic, then fine get a 355.

If you don't have to have a Ferrari, and you want a classic, then preferably get a 993TT and never look back.

If you can afford a 360 modena, fine, buy it, enjoy it, then get a 993TT.

If you can afford a 360CS, don't force yourself to choose between a 360CS and a TUNED 993TT because you'll agonize, they are both so equally good, but in different ways. Just get them both.

 

Jakermc is right. Porsche wouldn`t have survived without the 993.

Regards from Porschetown.

 

The Boxster was first introduced as a 1997 model year car at the end of 1996. The 993 came out as a 1995 model. If I remember right Porsche only sold about 100 928 GTS cars in 1995. I don't remember the 968 numbers by year, but only 5000 came to the US over its entire 4 year production run.

Thus, the 993 had very little company in model year 1995 and was the only model Porsche offered for model year 1996. The facts support my statement.

993 as a slow seller? On what basis? It outsold the 964, the model it replaced. Mission accomplished.

 

appreciate it Kami...pics always look better..it's not as pristine as it could be, but several 500 mile trips will do that to a nose..still, it's a absolute pleasure to drive and if I could drive it every day, I would...good luck on a purchase as they have finally hit bottom!

 

Have you ever owned a p-car? Probably not by your statements.

Numerous accounts have credited the 993 with saving Porsche. The 928 had been a failure in its attempt to replace the 911. The 968 was in its final death throes (the 968CS continues to receive accolades as great track car) as the Japanese coupes were entering the market (300ZX, Supra, RX-7). Porsche was essentially reduced to a 1-car line-up. All this happening in the early 90s where the largest market (US) was still recovering from the high flying 80s.

Porsche transplanted the Weissach rear multi-link suspension from the 928 to the 993 to eradicate the legendary oversteer. The all Aluminum structure continues today in the 997. The engine was a further development of the 964 (the engine case still has a 964.xx.xx part number etched). I believe Harm Lagaay (head of design - the 993 exterior was actually designed by Brit Tony Hatter under Harm) wanted to revise the interior as well but did not have the funds to do so - hence the nonadjustable steering wheel and other features carried over with minor changes. Same with the carried over rain gutters although the windows where flushed even closer to the bodywork to reduce drag.

Poor profits? Porsche actually reduced the price of the 993 vs. the 964 it was replacing. Until the 996 came along (and coincided with the late 90s dotcom/economic boom in the US), the 993 was the best selling 911 with the widest range (C2, C2S, C4, C4S, TT, GT2, RS, cabriolet, tiptronic).

Am I biased? Naaah....of course not (pic from a prior life - I miss "her" - sigh). Mine's a lowly C2 (with tasteful mods) but I loved her regardless.

Now, having said that, I do see similarities between the 993 and F355 in the sense that both mark the end of an era. 993 was the last of the air cooled 911s that traced back to the 901 show car (damn engine bay never changed in size as the engine grew from 2l to 3.6 resulting in the dreaded 10 hours to changed spark plugs!) The F355 was designed with form before function, a traditional (cramper) supercar interior, and sans-driver aids beyond ABS.
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I need to buy a 993- those pictures are amazing. I had a 964 for 3 years in the late 90's and it was awful. Repair bills to rival my 355. I have had several 996's and they were all ok. The 993 is a work of art and your pics are great!

 

There is no denying the 355s greatness, it broke HP per liter records when it came out for a normally aspirated production vehicle!! It has looks that are beautiful, functional and timeless!!

Valve guides and headers are (news flash!!) fixable and both were just a poor choice of materials. Even NASA has those types of problems. The 355's "issues" have been magnified by repair shops charging big money for basic fixes...... and yes a valve job w/guides is a basic fix, even on an f-car. Its not like any shop has had to recast an engine block in house from scratch....

Some shops (example: one up north) charge over $2000 just to R&R the engine!!. "Engine out" repair requirements have been a ferrari staple for who knows how long. So that is a ferrari issue not a 355 exclusive.

So now that I feel alot better.... I will go have myself a beer and admire my F355 !!!!

As I have said before.... 355s are not for the faint of heart.

 

well said...and I will have a Crown rocks and ponder my 355 purchase with the crappy top, lousy valve guides, bubble gum interior, worthless clutch, paper thin headers, mickey mouse cats, shriveled up dash, 30k service that rivals ALL the money I've spent maintaining my 993TT, a exhaust note that is unlike anything I've ever heard and a drop dead gorgeous body that has to be one of the best looking spyders ever IMO...............cheers gentlemen!

 

Fantastic post and correct on all accounts. I am having dinner with Peter Schutz next month and I am sure he'll get a kick out of the '993 was a failure' comment. While it was the first model introduced under Wiedeking, we have Schutz to thank for saving the 911. Beautiful pics by the way.

I have a 3.6L transplanted into my '83 911 chasis. Its a race car and without the A/C, stock intake, factory exhaust, etc. you can actually get to all 12 plugs with ease!

And yes, both the 355 and the 993 make the end of an era as the last model before the most significant design changes each factory had made up to that point (in their respective lines).