REDLINE ALLEYPorsche 911 993 Carrera buying guide
1994 to 1998. A 993 suits a buyer who wants the last air cooled 911 and will pay for a specialist inspection and steady servicing.
Big jobs
- Heat exchangers. The heat exchangers can rust and are expensive to replace.
- Corrosion round screens and lights. Bubbling round the front and rear screens is reported, along with rust at the headlight apertures, bumper brackets and rear chassis legs. Poor accident repairs cause much of it.
Workshop jobs
- Oil leaks and smoke. Leaks from the lower cam covers are common but simple to sort. Any oil leak in the engine bay is a cause for concern, and smoke on a cold start is a warning sign.
- High oil temperature. High oil temperature on a test drive can point to a faulty cooling fan or switch.
- Gear linkage. If the gear lever does not engage smoothly, the linkage is the most likely cause.
- Front lower control arm bushes. The front lower control arm bushes wear and are a common replacement, often with new dampers.
- Door check straps. A broken door check strap creaks when the door opens and is fiddly and can be expensive to put right.
- Sunroof and air conditioning. A faulty sunroof is costly to repair, and a new air conditioning compressor and pipework runs to four figures.
Questions for the seller
- Has it ever had engine work, or the heat exchangers replaced?
- When were the front lower control arm bushes last done?
- Does the sunroof work, and does the air conditioning blow cold?
- Is it a C2 or C4, and manual or Tiptronic?
- Has it had any accident repairs?
Sources
Researched 2026-11-03. General guidance from owner and specialist sources. Check the specific car with an independent inspection.