How not to buy a 993 - or?
Posted: Fri Jul 17, 2020 2:09 pm
I wasn’t sure whether this thread should go in to the Restoration section or here
I’m guilty of buying a 993 against all the good advice I have received on what I should look for and what I shouldn’t do. I chose the latter!
Although my passion is in the 60's models particularly the 912 I have loved 993’s ever since Nick Faure took me round a damp Castle Combe in a Blue 993 RS Clubsport at full chat. It was in 1998-99 at a Stroke association day, that sadly they no longer run.
The golden rule I am told by those more knowledgeable than I, is that with a Porsche 993 you should buy the best you can afford with full supporting history. My purchase didn’t quite work out that way and I would love to tell you that my theory for going the opposite way was well thought out when I bought this car - but that would be a lie.
I had a criteria of what I basically wanted in a 993 and my budget was around £35-40k. The list was and its my personal taste :-
1. Not metallic I wanted a Solid Colour of the Porsche range preferably a bright colour (love the Riviera Blue and Mexico Blue 993’s on this forum)
2. Had to be Manual
3. Only C2 (can't afford an S) and frankly prefer the narrow body
4. Black interior
First mistake I was bored in lockdown and I bid on and won unseen at an auction a 1994 Guards Red 993 C2 Manual with considerable miles on the clock with the most tatty interior I have ever seen. Oh errrm! it’s also a non-runner - that’s the bit I didn’t mention to my wife! The car looks to have had a few upgrades and I think the previous owner loved the car as he put some decent miles on the clock. It's also been to Le Mans 24 a few times from the sticker in the back window and various french filling station receipts.
I contacted Steve Winter at JAZ who is working on another project for me on my 67, 912 and I understand that JAZ know their onions with 993's and had Steve not been doing another project for me I would have tried Christian Unger whom I have heard great things about. Steve had originally tried in vain to put me off the car with it being a none runner, but it arrived at his workshop.
Another fact I took in to consideration was Ferrymans restoration post and his experience with the engine letting go and I considered that any car that is now 25 years old with over 150,000 miles on could possibly need a re-build in the near future. I’m not saying that is a hard and fast rule and I don’t have the experience to make that sort of statement but it was a consideration to me. Some 993’s I see have doubled that mileage with no problems but it was a possibility in my mind.
So even if I spent the top of my budget on a suitable car I could end up with an engine rebuild and in my budget all the cars seemed to be over or just under 100,000 miles.
This car popped up on one of the regional auction houses and mistake or not I paid around half of my budget on it and therefore I can afford a full engine rebuild if needed and the car is a manual C2S in a solid colour which is exactly what I wanted. The interior will need completely renewing and I have already purchased most of the parts to change from Classic Grey to Black. I will after running over the entire car as it has been sat in a lock up for 3 years renew all of the perishables in the suspension and braking system and possibly upgrade these as the car will be a daily driver with 80% road and 20% track use, so a visit to Centre Gravity is on the cards.
I get the answer tomorrow on whether it starts and runs and if it can then pass an MOT....!! it hasn't run since 2017 but fortunately it was kept garaged so fingers crossed. I haven’t even seen it yet so hoping I can pick it up soon running...!!
A photo - amazing the difference in colour on the shots outside and inside presumably from the camera exposure. I will do a full project report once I get hold of the car which should be this week. First off in my hands will be the interior as JAZ will be changing all of the fluids and giving it a full service and hopefully get the car running
I’m guilty of buying a 993 against all the good advice I have received on what I should look for and what I shouldn’t do. I chose the latter!
Although my passion is in the 60's models particularly the 912 I have loved 993’s ever since Nick Faure took me round a damp Castle Combe in a Blue 993 RS Clubsport at full chat. It was in 1998-99 at a Stroke association day, that sadly they no longer run.
The golden rule I am told by those more knowledgeable than I, is that with a Porsche 993 you should buy the best you can afford with full supporting history. My purchase didn’t quite work out that way and I would love to tell you that my theory for going the opposite way was well thought out when I bought this car - but that would be a lie.
I had a criteria of what I basically wanted in a 993 and my budget was around £35-40k. The list was and its my personal taste :-
1. Not metallic I wanted a Solid Colour of the Porsche range preferably a bright colour (love the Riviera Blue and Mexico Blue 993’s on this forum)
2. Had to be Manual
3. Only C2 (can't afford an S) and frankly prefer the narrow body
4. Black interior
First mistake I was bored in lockdown and I bid on and won unseen at an auction a 1994 Guards Red 993 C2 Manual with considerable miles on the clock with the most tatty interior I have ever seen. Oh errrm! it’s also a non-runner - that’s the bit I didn’t mention to my wife! The car looks to have had a few upgrades and I think the previous owner loved the car as he put some decent miles on the clock. It's also been to Le Mans 24 a few times from the sticker in the back window and various french filling station receipts.
I contacted Steve Winter at JAZ who is working on another project for me on my 67, 912 and I understand that JAZ know their onions with 993's and had Steve not been doing another project for me I would have tried Christian Unger whom I have heard great things about. Steve had originally tried in vain to put me off the car with it being a none runner, but it arrived at his workshop.
Another fact I took in to consideration was Ferrymans restoration post and his experience with the engine letting go and I considered that any car that is now 25 years old with over 150,000 miles on could possibly need a re-build in the near future. I’m not saying that is a hard and fast rule and I don’t have the experience to make that sort of statement but it was a consideration to me. Some 993’s I see have doubled that mileage with no problems but it was a possibility in my mind.
So even if I spent the top of my budget on a suitable car I could end up with an engine rebuild and in my budget all the cars seemed to be over or just under 100,000 miles.
This car popped up on one of the regional auction houses and mistake or not I paid around half of my budget on it and therefore I can afford a full engine rebuild if needed and the car is a manual C2S in a solid colour which is exactly what I wanted. The interior will need completely renewing and I have already purchased most of the parts to change from Classic Grey to Black. I will after running over the entire car as it has been sat in a lock up for 3 years renew all of the perishables in the suspension and braking system and possibly upgrade these as the car will be a daily driver with 80% road and 20% track use, so a visit to Centre Gravity is on the cards.
I get the answer tomorrow on whether it starts and runs and if it can then pass an MOT....!! it hasn't run since 2017 but fortunately it was kept garaged so fingers crossed. I haven’t even seen it yet so hoping I can pick it up soon running...!!
A photo - amazing the difference in colour on the shots outside and inside presumably from the camera exposure. I will do a full project report once I get hold of the car which should be this week. First off in my hands will be the interior as JAZ will be changing all of the fluids and giving it a full service and hopefully get the car running
