Advice on 993TT Purchase

[cableguy]

I've recently been looking around at various 993 & 996 models and came across this very good looking, great colour combinated 993TT. Your opinions would be gratefully appreciated with regard to price, mileage, specification & future depreciation based on this car being used mainly as a weekend car.

www.pistonheads.com/sales/105944.htm

Many Thanks,

C.

[Ken993]

Looks very nice.

The depreciation should only be the dealer margin.

It's worth getting it checked to ensure all that it's 430 bhp are all present and correct.

[hoges11]

Have you seen the one at Northways? silver not the most exciting but his cars always seem to be good examples.

[phelix]

A few thoughts in no particular order:

- a colleague and his family have bought several cars from Harbour Cars and were quite pleased. HC tends to stick to very clean cars with a well-documented past.
- The price is high but it's a very late 993tt that looks to be in good condition. The color isn't for everyone...
- Low mileage is good but the car might still be in need of new shocks. I would look at the service receipts to see what was done to it over the past few years. You can easily throw £5K at a 993tt with shocks, turbos and a clutch when their day is up. If none has been replaced you should consider making a future provision for them. Might be 3 years but might also be 3 months.
- I would insist on a leakdown test to ensure the engine's internal health.
- The AA warranty almost certainly won't cover anything other than things really breaking as opposed to wearing out or leaking so it's good if the engine goes bang but not much else. At less than 10 years old I think that car is still eligible for a Porsche warranty; that might be worth looking into. It'll cost more than the AA warranty but is a "real" warranty.
- the 430 upgrade (different ECU and additional oil cooler), wheels and GT 2 spoilers will probably load your insurance premium.

[kennyboy]

It looks fantastic and I think harbour cars do put out excellent and well priced 993tt's.

things that I'd want to know/ask if I was buying it:

specific to this car:
1. was 430 pack from factory or fitted later - would want to see option code or receipts. Could also check for front oil cooler as this is part of 430 pack.
2. Powerflow Induction - what it is this and why is it fitted? not sure if would sit well with the 430 pack. If this has been fitted what else has?
3. Sports Exhaust - is it well known reputable e.g. cargraphic, techart, gemballa?
4. The car has been upgraded to be very sporting - has it been tracked?
5. Are the front and rear spoilers genuine porsche items?

the usuals:
1. check history
2. check air con works
3. check how old shocks are
4. check how old clutch is
5. check how old discs are
6. condition of turbos inc full .8 bar
7. edit 2! - Check for oil leaks.

edit - oh and to actually answer your questions:

as already mentioned yellow not for everyone but although would reduce number of buyers IMO the interested buyers might be prepared to pay for the condition and spec.
Price does seem £1-2k high for harbour though could be down to condition, if it's as good as it looks in the pictures then it's worth it.
Depreciation - as a weekend car the low mileage should not make it a problem.

Good luck, she's stunning.

Edited by kennyboy on Friday 29th December 14:18

Edited by kennyboy on Friday 29th December 14:19

[aceparts_com]

Looks mint - I see it on ebay. Get it leak down tested or dyno'd at the very least

Budget for new shocks etc.

[cableguy]

Thanks for the info guys.

I've spoken briefly with HC's who have confirmed 5 previous owners, front & rear valance/spoiler to be OEM fitted at a later date and the obvious that she's a top example.

I'll call to clarify other points mentioned before I make a decision to go and have a look.

Thanks again.

C.

Edited by cableguy on Friday 29th December 15:50

[thegoose]

OPC multi point check approx £250, warranty £895 (inc European wide breakdown cover), so ideal cover and you should get the cost of the AA warranty knocked off.

However, I recently saw a 1996 993tt which had supposedly been checked by an OPC a few months earlier (and all the work they recommended was then done) - I had it checked by a specialist (www.uniteleven.co.uk) and there were quite a number of items that no-one had noticed, so I would always suggest a decent independent inspection (Unie Eleven charge £40/hour and it took less than 2 hours). Items included LSD not working, various worn suspension components (worn so much there's no way they were OK when the OPC checked it) and geometry way out. There was a long list and the cost was likely to top £4000 and the car wouldn't look any different afterwards. The clutch was fine and the brakes new.

The car you're looking at is a later, lower mileage car being sold by a dealer who you've heard good feedback from on here, so it should be less likely to need much attention, but given it's quite a large investment it's worth the nominal cost of having it checked by someone that knows their stuff. The OPC check is only really worthwhile if you want to then buy the warranty cover.