1994 Porsche 911

Imported from Germany in December 1997, this left-hand drive Porsche 911 993 Carrera S Tiptronic is still in the care of its first UK owner. “We were joined at the hip!”, the seller told us, going on to confirm that, as we suspected, this is a very reluctant sale; it hasn’t been driven much since 2017, and almost never since COVID. Life comes at you fast, sometimes.

Fitted with lowered suspension and a Carrera 4 spoiler before she bought it, it is finished in Polar Silver Metallic with a black leather interior, a classic combination that became so for the reason you see here.

The private number plate is not to be sold with the car, and it should be going back on its original UK number.

Showing just over 208,000kms on the clock, or 130,000 miles, it’s been a mainly summer car, something that helps explain its condition. Well, that and the thousands of pounds she spent getting it ready for sale…

Delicate and almost toy-like, the 993 series reminds us how bloated many modern cars have become – and how over-styled.

Take a look at the simple five-spoke alloy wheels, wheels that are as modest in diameter as they are faultless in condition; at 17-inches in diameter, a modern 911 Turbo’s brake discs are less than an inch smaller.

Professionally refurbished in February 2022, they’re also fitted with matching Continental Sport Contact tyres, all of which have good tread.

We will never get tired of telling you that experience shows that matching high-quality tyres are an infallible sign of a caring and mechanically sympathetic owner who is prepared to spend the appropriate amount in maintaining their car properly. Their presence does not, of course, preclude the need for a thorough inspection - something the vendor would welcome, by the way – but it does perhaps give you a shortcut into their attitude towards maintenance.

The rear spoiler, which is taken, we are told, from a Carrera 4, rises and falls at the touch of a button, adding stability and style in equal measure. There’s a rear wiper as well, something you’ll appreciate when the weather closes in during those long inter-continental jaunts you’ve got planned.

Shutlines are as tight now as they’ve ever been, which is to say you could slip a Rizla between the panels but probably not two.

The Polar Silver Metallic paintwork, so light and bright it looks blue in the photos as it reflects the summer sky, gleams. Turner Classics (of which more anon) carried out a fair bit of remedial bodywork in November 2021, easing wings to clean their joints, removing bumpers and lights to restore them, grinding out rust before repainting the affected areas (including the bonnet and boot lid) and then polishing and mopping the rest.

They also replaced the front and rear lamps and cleaned and refitted the rest, tweaking some for a better fit. They also fitted new rubber seals to the windscreen, rear screen, and sunroof. Plus, new numberplates, too.

Small things, perhaps, but it’s the small things that differentiate the good cars from the great.

As for the cost, you can see the bills online. They add up to thousands of pounds. But you can’t put a price on love, can you?

This meticulous examination means the window glazing is unmarked and the factory metal sunroof sits four-square in its aperture, opening and closing easily and sealing tightly.

It’s not all good news though because you do have work ahead of you. You’ll want to source a replacement cover for the nearside wiper mounting nut (#44) and the windscreen is cracked (#96). That’s it though, so you can rest easy.

The dashboard is simple and unadorned, the only stylistic flourish being the engineer-driven central rev counter.

This is a very understated sportscar.

Which means the simple, electrically-adjustable and heated black leather seats fit the car’s fuss-free ethos perfectly. They’re in great shape too, nicely worn-in and gently creased with only the one small area of real damage (#151).

We buy classic cars for reasons of romance rather than anything more rational, and seats like this tell tales of high-speed thrills, low-speed commutes, and hours and hours spent admiring Porsche’s rock-solid engineering. You could have them refurbished, or even replaced, but far better, we think, to conserve them, repairing them where necessary while maintaining their character.

Not that this is going to be an ongoing, widespread discussion because there really isn’t anything else to worry about.

The headlining is taut and undamaged and further proof, if further proof were needed, of Porsche’s obsessive nature comes with the installation of a zipper at its rear that allows easy access behind it.

The door cards are very good, as are the carpets, even if they could do with a clean (#209).

The rear seats offer the option of either two-up seating or a useful luggage platform, allowing the Porsche to flex with your day-to-day needs.

It’s also got built-in cassette storage, surely the epitome of late eighties and early nineties in-car cool? A modern Alpine headunit offers better sound than the factory fitted original as well as Bluetooth connectivity and a hands-free microphone, so it’s up to you whether you prefer enhanced usability and sound quality over authenticity. (Mind you, you can buy some very good retro-styled jobbies these days that combine both, so there’s always that option…)

The frunk contains a space saver spare wheel plus a tool kit.

Work you will actually need to do is minor. The trim around the ignition key is scratched and faded (#210). That’s it. You could live with a To Do list like that, couldn’t you?

The Tiptronic gearbox offers full automatic gear changing when you’re feeling lazy, with the option of driver-selection when you’re pressing on. The latter can be accomplished via the gear lever or the ‘+/-‘ buttons on the steering wheel.

The engine bay is more of a workplace than an art gallery, so there’s detailing work on offer if you fancy it.

The servicing work was done by Porsche initially before she moved across to Adrian Slowey at Pickup Motorsport, the well-known independent specialists. Their last invoice is attached but the summary is:

Refurbished brake calipers and new discs, pads, and new flexi hoses

• A new battery
• Clearing the sunroof drain tubes
• Fixing a U/S heater fan
• Replacing the damaged rear spoiler curtain

Turner Classics also carried out an oil and filter change in 2022 as part of a programme of refurbishment that included sorting out a small oil leak and replacing the front undertray.

There is also a small oil leak. The last MoT tester didn’t notice it but the vendor is keen to be as open and honest about her car’s condition as she can; she’s rightly proud of it and wants the new owner to treasure it as much as she has.

As you can see, it starts well, idles nicely and revs as only an air-cooled 911 can. The observant among you will also note the lack of warning lights on the dashboard and the healthy oil pressure it shows.

The 911’s MoT certificate is valid until February 2024, and it was a clean pass bar an advisory for a ball joint boot.

The recent Vehicle History Check is clear.

If you want your 911 to be Old School 911, then the 993 series is the pick of the bunch - this left-hand drive Tiptronic gearbox has an awful lot going for it. Lowered suspension and a C4 spoiler makes it a unique find.

In the care of the vendor for the past 20 years, it was a dream of hers to drive a Porsche 993 and listening to engine start up put a smile on her face everyday.

So much so, in fact, that she spent a small fortune in getting it ‘just so’ for the next owner.

As for what we think it’s going to sell for, we estimate somewhere between £34,000 and £38,000 should be enough to make it yours.

Viewing is always encouraged, and this particular car is located with us at the Bonhams|Cars Online HQ near Abingdon; we are open weekdays 9am-5pm, to arrange an appointment please use the Contact Seller button at the top of the listing. Feel free to ask any questions or make observations in the comments section below, or try our ‘Frequently Asked Questions’.