All good points. I had a 2007 4.3 and now have a 2016 4.7. Both great cars.
Ron

 

If I owned a 993 I would neither sell it nor drive it except maybe 100 miles a year spread out across the year. They will continue to do nothing but appreciate, so it is a very good financial asset. That would be especially true if it were a 993TT.

 

I don't follow the collector car market any more but it has been my impression that the 993 values have returned to earth. The turbos have certainly declined.

 

I agree. To me, 993 is no investment. Arguably, I don't consider any car, especially mass production, as an investment.

 

If you are going with a 4.3L car (such as mine) I strongly recommend a tune. It will really wake the engine up with significant power gains and improved throttle response and a higher redline. I used VelocityAP for mine.

 

They will both be classics of "the end of an era".

I lusted for a 993 for the longest time.

The coach work on both will transcend time. The Porsche is making that clear (larryg summed it up).

The Aston because normally aspirated V8's will soon be a thing of the past.

Try to keep the 993

chr

 

Having joined the Porsche Club back in 1978 and having owned a number of 911's over the years, the 993 I owned back in the nineties was the best of all the air cooled 911's. It was fast, looked great, handled better than any other air cooled 911, and was comfortable on a trip. And dead reliable!!

Do I wish I still had it? Investment wise, the '95 model would not have appreciated enough, at this point, to make me sorry I hadn't kept it. Having begun my Porsche ownership with a water cooled 924, I never had quite the air cooled allegiance of many club members. So it was an easy transition for me to the 996 and 997 as well as the three Boxster's I have owned. As was said in one of the 1999 contemporary road test of the then new 996, the 996 was an all around better car than a 993. I would agree with that assessment. The water pumpers are still great fun to drive.

That being said, I traded my 2007 997 on my 2007 Vantage V8. And I am so glad I made that trade. I absolutely love the Vantage. While the 911's are handsome, they don't come close to the looks of the Aston.

The build quality of my Aston is at least equal to any of the Porsche's. I particularly like that there is so much less plastic in the Aston. Whether it be the aluminum trim around the AC vents, the aluminum trim around the shifter, or the aluminum door rest support, if it looks like metal in the Aston, it is metal. That carries over to the engine bay as well with the aluminum cover over the radiator support and the aluminum intake. Even the interior rear supports behind the seats are so well done.

While a 911 with the sport exhaust has a fantastic sound, I much prefer the stock Vantage exhaust sound, especially the transition at around 4KRPM as the valve opens. Glorious!!

The 997 would probably have the edge on a race track but for street driving, I see very little advantage. The Vantage does feel heavier in a good way. Solid, very solid!! Very comfortable on a trip but toss-able on a fun road. I also love the exclusivity. As mentioned earlier, compared to any Aston, Porsche's are seen much more often.

As for values, by the time the Vantage is 20 years old, it's value should also be going up if for no other reason than the low numbers that have been built compared to other cars. Ten years from now I predict there will be a demand for normally aspirated, manual transmission cars that must be driven rather than guided.

BTW, I still have a Boxster in the garage for my Porsche fix!!!

 

Jerhofer,
Great post! I have considered an early Boxster+an early (4.3) Aston. I will be looking to drive a few Vantages here soon. My biggest concern with the Vantage is that it will feel a little too heavy or relaxed. Is the Vantage you're referring to the 4.3 or 4.7?

 

Generally....4.3 up to 08...09 models up are 4.7

 

It's a 4.3. I think it would be an easier transition from the 993 than from an earlier 911 with no power steering, no ABS, and quirkier handling.

Back in 1995, I had a student at Road Atlanta. He was a young doctor with his new 993 and his first time on a track. We were gradually working up to speed. His pace had picked up enough that he needed to change his braking point but he hadn't realized that, in spite of my warnings.

We were approaching a corner at a faster rate and he had not applied the brakes. I calmly yelled "Brake" (no intercoms). No reaction. I yelled "Brake" with a bit more emphasis. Still no reaction. I screamed "BRAKE!!!!". He finally got the message, slammed on the brakes and, with the ABS chattering, we entered the corner at a speed an experienced driver could handle but that was too fast for him. However, he did manage to work his way around the corner as the 993 was so forgiving.

When were back in the pits I was de-briefing him and talking about recognizing that higher speeds change everything. And I told him that it was a good thing were were in a 993 rather than an earlier 911.

I bought the Boxster for my wife. Her daily driver is a 2013 Fiat 500 Abarth. We have a motorhome and tow the Abarth behind it. So, in spite of having 3M vinyl installed on the nose, the front end still takes some hits. I wanted her to have something that didn't look like it had been towed 4' behind a motorhome!

I found a '99 with 39K miles, silver w/gray interior, that is in excellent shape. She has loved every Boxster we have had so I should have kept one of the other ones. When we were younger, we both used to autocross and do track events so she does enjoy driving a good car. It makes her happy to have it, although I probably drive it more than she does.

 

i agree. porsches are going to come down from their highs long term the 993 will increase in value