NO RESERVE 1997 Porsche 993 Carrera Cabriolet 6-Speed Garage Find
Vehicle Details
- Year: 1997
- Make: Porsche
- Model: 911 Cabriolet
- VIN: WP0CA2993VS340522
- Mileage: 59,939
- Transmission: Manual
- Title Status: Clean
- Color: Ocean Blue Metallic
- Seller Type: Private Party
- Location: Washington, DC 20001
- Lot #: V-0033745
The final iteration of Porsche’s air-cooled 911, the 993 Carrera equips a 3.6-liter flat-six Varioram engine as well as wider fenders and a more aerodynamic shape than its predecessor. This 1997 Porsche 993 Carrera Cabriolet comes finished in Ocean Blue Metallic over a grey leather interior and features a 6-speed manual transmission. This Cabriolet is said to have been acquired by the seller in 2007 from the original owner and was driven for 4 years before being placed in garage storage. This 993 is now being offered for auction by its seller out of Washington, D.C. while showing approximately 60k miles on the odometer.
This 911 Carrera comes finished in Ocean Blue Metallic with a blue power cabriolet soft top. Equipment includes a rear brake light spoiler, black-finished brake calipers with white Porsche lettering, and 17” Cup 2 wheels with colored Porsche crests mounted with Toyo tires. The seller notes patina is present along with signs of road wear and a rear fender crack. A collection of detailed images is provided in the gallery along with paint meter readings and a clean CARFAX report.
The cabin presents grey leather-trimmed 8-way power-adjustable driver and passenger sport seats. Equipment also includes cruise control, automatic air conditioning, power windows and mirrors, and a central locking system. A four-spoke steering wheel frames a 5-dial instrument cluster featuring a center-mounted tachometer and a clock to the right.
This 993 Carrera is powered by a 3.6-liter flat-six Varioram engine rated at 282 HP. The rear wheels are driven through a 6-speed manual transmission, allowing acceleration from 0-60 MPH in approximately 5 seconds. In addition to being the first 911 generation to offer a 6-speed manual transmission, the 993 also featured a new alloy multilink rear suspension which enabled more direct and stable handling while improving ride quality. The seller notes that this vehicle has not been driven in approximately 12 years.
This sale will include a toolkit, a spare tire, and a clean title.
The seller would like you to know: "I purchased this 1997 993 Cab in 2007 from the original owner who lived in Bethesda, MD. The original owner is a Porsche enthusiast (his other Porsche at the time was a then-new GT3) and this 993 was in perfect condition when I purchased it. This 993 was my daily driver for several years from 2007 to about 2011. I had the car serviced at Porsche of Arlington (as did the original owner) and also by Rennsport, a then-independent Porsche facility in Northern, Virginia. I stopped driving the car in 2012 and it has not been started since then. The car has been garaged from 2012 to present. This car is in completely original condition except for the aftermarket stereo/CD player and amplifier installed by the original owner. The paint is 100 percent original. (I will take extensive paint meter readings.) The top is original. The wheels are original. Other than the radio, there are no modifications to the car. The car even retains the original, factory-installed rock guards. The car has never been in an accident. The Ocean Blue Metallic exterior color is stunning (my personal favorite). The grey interior is in good shape. I have the original grey mats and will include them with the sale, but the new Porsche navy blue mats are nicer. There is a crack in the rear spoiler and the paint could benefit from a professional detail. There is one deep scratch on the front driver's side that happened while the car was in the garage. No part of the car has ever been repainted or even touched up. This is a stunningly beautiful car. I have all the original books and some of the service records. For anyone living in or near the DC Metro area and wanting to see the car prior to the end of this auction, please just let me know. I would be happy to show it. I will answer any and all questions fully and to the best of my ability. Thank you for your interest."
Auction Results
- Sold for: $44,500
- Auction End: Oct 17, 2023 07:01:38PM UTC
- Number of Bids: 30
Comments (94)
Sold for $44,500
I’m a retired lubrication engineer and know quite a bit about these cars. As long as there is no coolant in oil, you can safely drain the old oil and fill with new oil. Then you would run the car about 500 miles and drain again. You may have to do this 2 or 3 times. I’m not 100 certain about the storage conditions of the car, but engine oils have seal swellers and conditioners, the engine seals may not be pliable anymore and more than likely you are going to have to drop the engine and do a re seal. All the other fluid need to drained and refilled.
Bid in the amount of $44,500
Bid in the amount of $44,250
Bid in the amount of $44,000
Bid in the amount of $42,250
@Sfwya Hi @Sfwya. It’s a fair question. The answer is that I am a single of father of two kids, ages 11 and 9. I stopped driving the car just after the birth of my daughter and largely stopped thinking about the car after the birth of my son. There was nothing wrong with the car when I stopped driving it. Life just took me in a different direction. My kids and I moved across town this past summer and so now the car sits in a garage 20 minutes from where I live. Realistically it’s probably another 5 years or so before my life would accommodate driving this car again with any frequency. That’s why I am selling. Hope this helps. Josh
@Sfwya If you read the comments, you'll see that the seller explains the situation that led to the car being parked for a long time. I've never heard of motor oil turning hard just from sitting. The seller also notes that the motor is not locked up.
That said, I agree that no one should outbid me either. Lol.
@Myothercarisa911 thanks for explaining. My friend was also talking about how engine oil may have hardened up all this years and car may need rebuild? Anyway, I wonder why did owner set it aside without even starting it once in all these years?
@Sfwya @Sfwya, the car has been parked for ten years. The gas is undoubtedly bad, and if you try to start it without draining the tank and replacing the filters, you risk sucking that bad gas into the entire fuel system. "An ounce of prevention is worth a pound of repair." The seller did the right thing by not starting it, IMHO.
What is the reason why we don’t have video of engine running? What can go wrong?
Bid in the amount of $41,993
Bid in the amount of $40,000
Bid in the amount of $36,600
Bid in the amount of $35,993
Bid in the amount of $34,500
Good morning. Welcome to the final day of this auction. Prospective bidders, especially folks new to this listing, might find it helpful to review the questions and answers here along with the pictures. There has been a lot of good discussion on this car over the last week. I thank you all for your questions and interest. Friendly reminder that this is a no reserve auction. The car will sell today to the highest bidder. This is a great car and I think a terrific, and probably unusual, opportunity. I am available all day to answer any final questions. Thank you. Josh
@djngt3 hi @djngt3. yes. forgot to mention. thank for reminding me. i tried the key fob this afternoon. needs a new battery.
Hi Josh, Did you get a chance to see if the Key fob is still working for lock/unlock? Thanks, Doug
@joshkern good afternoon. just following-up here to let everyone know that pictures of the window seals and pictures of service records are now live. thanks!
Bid in the amount of $33,993
Bid in the amount of $31,000
As an act of contrition, here is a bid and it would be my pleasure to own at this price but it should go for more!
Bid in the amount of $30,000
My apologies, if this car has a plastic gas tank , disregard what I have said. No reason not to start it but I respect what the seller indicates but it will probably fire with some fresh gas.
Bid in the amount of $27,000
@joshkern Thank you Josh.....much appreciated!
hello all. i just got off the phone with a prospective bidder and want to share some additional information with you.
first, some of you have asked whether the engine rotates. it does. i put the car in second gear and gently rocked the car and the engine rotated. the engine is not frozen or stuck. i was confident that was the case given how the car was stored, but now you can be 100 percent certain of this.
second, the prospective bidder and i went through the service records. the car had the 45k service (at around 47k miles) including new breaks. the “new” brakes now have about 10k miles on them. also, the break fluid is full and clear.
third, a review of the service records reminded me that i had asked the dealership in 2009/10 to have the top operate manually. it still uses the electronic system to lock in place when the top is in the up position (when the top is closed). the motor for the top is still there and can be reconnected.
fourth, i just uploaded pics of the battery pan and also the oil cap. if you don’t see them now they will certainly be live by tomorrow morning.
fifth, the foam and rubber seals around the doors are in very good condition. there appears to be one small crack in the seal on the driver’s side, but it’s small and appears cosmetic. i forgot to take pictures of the seals. will do that tomorrow.
i recognize we are getting down to the wire. thank you, all, for your interest. please continue to ask questions and i will do my best to answer them.
@djngt3 hi @djngt3. thanks for your interest. i have one remote key. i assume the remote still works though might need a new battery. i’ll confirm tomorrow. josh
@Coldbru 993s have a plastic gas tank, so rust isn't an issue.
Sorry, meant to say new front fuel pump and rear fuel pump. Basically the entire fuel system from the gas tank all the way to the fuel injectors needed to be replaced on my car. Not saying that is the case here but when you store a car with little fuel in the tank for the long term, it’s almost a certainty that tank is going to rust.
Always store a car for the long term with a full gas tank.
I recently purchased a 930 that is a 24k original mile car that had been sitting for approximately a decade. The seller thought he was doing a car a favor and stored it with an empty gas tank. As a result, the inside of the gas tank rusted. What it required was a replacement gas tank, new front fuel filter, new rear fuel filter, fuel, injectors, rebuilt fuel distributor, rebuilt warm up regulator, an host of other bits and all the labor. About 25K later I had a beautiful running 930. The seller is wise not to start the car because if the gas tank is rusted on the inside, and there is fuel in there, by starting the car, it will suck it through the whole system and you’ve got a terrible mess. Best to leave it as it is, and bring it to a competent Porsche shop, that would limit the potential damage.
@Myothercarisa911 Hi @Myothercarisa911. You are correct. Thank you for the clarification. The crack is next to the exhaust and really not conspicuous as it’s below the bumper.
Questions: How many sets of keys/remotes? Do the remotes still work to lock and unlock the power door locks?
Thank you,
Doug
The description notes "rear fender crack" however I don't see it in the photos. I do see a crack in what I would describe as the rear valence. Can you please give more details on this "rear fender crack" and photos? Thanks.
Bid in the amount of $26,750
Bid in the amount of $26,500
Bid in the amount of $25,911
Bid in the amount of $25,000
Thank you !
@johnrichwagen: feel free to ask any question. these are all good--probably helpful for other prospective bidders--and i am doing my best to answer them.
the driver's door check strap is clicking. i had completely forgotten about this and was reminded of it only earlier today when speaking with a prospective bidder. i uploaded pictures of the driver's door, but if you want i can take close up pictures of this specific area. i still need to upload a few pictures based on your other questions so this isn't a problem. just let me know. josh
Hopefully last question, how is the drivers door check strap? Clicking at all ? Or cracked surrounding the bracket? kind of a known weak spot on these cars.
@johnrichwagen Hi @johnrichwagen.
I didn’t intend for the car to sit for any meaningful length of time and so i didn’t prep it for storage. there is no gasoline in the tank. i just installed a new battery. i don’t have the factory radio. (the original owner installed the aftermarket radio.) but i do have the alpine faceplate for the existing radio. i don’t know for sure about the engine rotating freely. i assume it does given the condition of the car when i stopped driving it and that it’s been garaged ever since.
Bid in the amount of $24,500
Water
Never asked about watet
@Doc18015 There is no water or water radiator in the 993 motor. The motor is cooled by air and oil.
One last thing, Any prep prior to storage? Gas treatment? Oil treatment? Put on jacks? Battery disconnected? How much gas was in the tank? You may not know this , but does the engine rotate freely ? Also, you may have already mentioned this , but do you have the factory stereo?
@joshkern good morning. i just realized that by storage unit you probably meant the garage and not the storage unit in the car (the boot). i don't see any rodent damage or droppings in the garage. i rarely go into the garage and the garage door is closed when i am not there. sorry for the misunderstanding.
@johnrichwagen hi @johnrichwagen. i don’t see any rodent damage or droppings. i uploaded several pics of the storage unit and it looks very, very clean. please let me know if there is anything in particular that you want to see. josh
Sent you a private message. Thanks.
@fjinva i could show it most any time this weekend except for sunday after 5 pm. just let me know when you want to come.
Any rodent damage , or droppings in the storage unit?
@joshkern How can I schedule a time to come see this in person? I am in Richmond, VA and could come up this weekend.
@Myothercarisa911 The car has never been smoked in.
@johnrichwagen @johnrichwagen. Thank you for your interest. The last time the car was started was in 2012. The car was running great when I stopped driving it. No issues and no noticeable oil leaks. In terms of required maintenance, at the time I stopped driving the car there was nothing past due; however, I don't recall getting the 60k service performed so it's due for that service.
@fjinva Thanks for your interest and questions. There does not appear to be any gasoline in the tank. I'll smell the gas/tank tomorrow and take pics of the underside of the cap. There is little oil based on the dipstick. I'll take pics of where the oil was on the garage floor--I would say the spot was about 2 inches in diameter. The rubber seals around the doors and trunk look good to me. Everything seems to close tightly. I will take pics of everything tomorrow. Josh
Has the car ever been smoked in? Tobacco or weed or crack? No judgments; it's tough to get those smells out of the convertible top. Thanks.
How was it running when parked ? Was there there any required maintenance, or issues you were aware of at that time? What was the last time the car was started ?
Bid in the amount of $23,993
@joshkern Could you tell me what is the status of the fluids? How much fuel is in the tank, and oil level based on the dipstick? What does the gas smell like? When you take the oil cap off, is there any rust or deposits on the underside of the cap? A picture of where the car dripped oil while stored would help also. And a picture of the rubber seals around the doors and trunks.
This is a tough one. Great looking car and a potential bargain, but an engine rebuild or even a reseal is very expensive.
@WReiter Hi @WReiter. Pan appeared to be in great condition. I didn't notice any issues. I will remove the battery, more carefully inspect, upload photos and report what I see. Stay tuned.
When you removed the battery after so many years, what was the condition of the pan underneath? A photo or two of the area with the battery out would be helpful. Thanks!
Bid in the amount of $22,911
Bid in the amount of $21,911
Bid in the amount of $20,161
Bid in the amount of $19,911
Bid in the amount of $19,200
Good question. Before I listed the car, PCARMARKET asked me to take pictures of the car with the top up and down. So, without thinking, I went to Auto Zone and, for about $250, I installed a new battery--the one and only service I can perform on this car. The new battery allows me to raise and lower the rear spoiler, but it appears that I can't put the top down without starting the car. And I was told that I should not try to start the car without at least getting an oil/filter change. After putting the battery in, I decided (right or wrong) to sell the car in as-is condition without spending additional time (and money) to get it running, detailed, etc. I recognize that it almost certainly would have been better (for me) to prepare the car for auction, but I just don’t have the time for it (which is why I am selling).
If the battery is completely dead from sitting for twelve years, how are you raising/lowering the rear spoiler? If using a jump box, will the motor at least turn over using the starter?
@Myothercarisa911 Thank you for your interest @Myothercarisa911. Precisely. I spoke with PCARMARKET before listing this car. They are very strict about their process. I cannot now pull the car from the auction and I must sell the car to the highest bidder.
Bid in the amount of $18,181
@joshkern Are you saying that no matter what, you will accept the highest bid, even if the highest bid is much lower than the value as reported by Kelly Blue Book et al.? Is there no threshold it must pass through before you sell the car?
Bid in the amount of $15,250
Bid in the amount of $15,000
@YAFA Absolutely! I would love to show it. The car is garaged in Washington, DC. Please share your contact information and we will make arrangements. Thanks. Josh
@joshkern would you be open to do a pre bidding inspection in the next days? I would like to understand what's the condition for the car. Thanks
@Myothercarisa911 hi @Myothercarisa911. unfortunately (for me) that is not the way this auction works. this car is committed to go through the auction process and, with 100% certainty, will sell to the highest bidder.
because it is my intention to sell the car, i decided, with some reservations, to move forward with a no reserve auction so that prospective bidders have the benefit of knowing that the car will sell.
Bid in the amount of $12,000
@1969911Ss Hi @1969911Ss. Funny. I had the same exact question and asked PCARMARKET about it. Their answer--it's not my garage find, it's the new owner's find. That was a good enough answer for me to leave the title as is. And, importantly, I am trying to present this car as authentically as possible and so I think garage find makes sense.
@Doc18015 Hi @Doc18015. Thank you for your comment.
This car was my daily driver from 2007 to 2011. When I stopped driving the car in 2012, after the birth my daughter, it didn’t occur to me that the car would sit for even one year, let alone 10. Then in 2013 I had my second kid and by that point I just wasn’t thinking much, if at all, about the car. My last three cars (since 2012) have been a station wagon, a minivan and another minivan and I’ve been perfectly fine parking them on the street while this 993 stayed in the garage.
You are almost certainly correct that I could have maximized value by getting the car running prior to this sale and it certainly occurred to me that this would have been the "smart" thing to do. For relatively little money I could have also had the car detailed, addressed the scratch...but I am really trying to present this car as honestly and authentically as possible.
In the end, I figured that this all-original car--about as original a 993 as one could find--would bring a fair price in its current condition and at my stage of life that was enough for me.
Josh
@Edelman @Edelman. Thank you for your interest. I uploaded pics of the cracked spoiler and scratch. I don't yet see them posted though. Will ping PCARMARKET now. Josh
@bbs993tt Hi @bbs993tt. The car was in good mechanical condition when I stopped driving it in 2012 with no noticeable oil leaks. When I rolled the car out of the garage last month to take pictures there was oil on the garage floor. I understand that these air-cooled engines typically leak oil, but I am not a mechanic.
@WGris Hi @WGris. Thank you for your interest. No attempt has been made to start the car in approximately 10 years. I am not a mechanic or dealer. The car was my daily driver for over 4 years (2007-2011) and it was in good mechanical condition when I stopped driving it. There were no issues. Please let me know if this answers your question. Thanks! Josh
what's the difference between a "garage find" and a "barn find?" One day you walk out and find a car in your garage?
Why was it stopped in 2012 and stored? Why did no one prep it for long erm storage? I have purchase stored autos before and can state that the risk is extremely weighed towards high with many problems, regardless of the storage conditions. Be prepared to possibly encounter a frozen engine (have PPI to determine if stuck); inspect all rubber components for aging, cracking, inspect cooling system ...lack of circulation can cause many expensive problems in P cars; all brake functions as well as all brake lines probably should be replaced; steering rack leaks, tires all need to be replaced, engine has all associated problems of water pump replacement, etc.
The seller would have been better off addressing these problems, sorting them out and then selling. Cosmetics are one thing.......all other are significant issues that need to be addressed. Survivors most often cost much more than driven counterparts. I do wish the seller well but sorting this car would bring much more money.
Do you have any sense for the mechanical condition of the car? Has it been leaking oil from sitting so long?
Pretty 993 Cab for sure. Has anyone attempted to (safely) start the car?
Bid in the amount of $10,000
Can you please provide pictures of the scratch on the front fender, and the scratch in the rear spoiler
Bid in the amount of $5,000
Hello All. Welcome to the auction of my 1997 911/993 Cabriolet.
I've included most of the details about this car in the Seller's Notes. I am the second owner. The car has been in my care for the last 16 years (since 2007). In 2011 I had my first child and, though I didn't realize it at the time, my Porsche days were over. This car has been in my garage and has not been started since 2012.
This car is all original. And the Marine Blue Metallic with Navy Blue top is stunning.
My family moved this summer to another part of Washington, DC and so it's with a heavy heart that I have come to realize that it's time to let this car go. I will answer any and all questions fully and to the best of my ability.
Josh