It’s amazing that even among some of the most desirable models of collector cars, there can still be examples that take forever to sell. This clean 1995 Porsche 911 Cabriolet is part of the esteemed 993 generation, a model generation of the classic air-cooled 911 that seemingly never went down in value after being introduced. However, this car has a major Achilles’ heel that could represent an opportunity for an open-minded buyer since it has just two pedals and a Tiptronic transmission. Find it here on craigslist for $75,000.
Thanks to Barn Finds reader Curvette for the tip. Here’s a topic for debate: does the gradual omission of the manual transmission from modern day sports and supercars mean that the value of three pedals is going to increasingly decline? In other words, will there someday be an entire contingent of buyers who could care less about the fact that this is a Tiptronic Porsche? While I don’t think the desirability of the manual transmission will ever fully go away, it stands to reason that a sports car with an automatic won’t be the penalty it once was.
This 993 might have sold already if it was a coupe; some buyers who can’t quite get into the manual, two-door hardtop space would concede on the transmission and simply live with two pedals in exchange for a fixed roof. The convertible forces would-be buyers to agree to both a soft top and the two-pedal option. In the case of this 993, it does have a desirable color combination working it its favor of black on black. The interior is in good condition overall, with some wear and tear on the seats. The seller reports that the mileage is currently 103,800.
That’s actually a lot of miles on a 993. Sadly, many die-hard collectors see low miles as essential to any potential purchase of an investment-grade vehicle. The 993 in the late 90s produced 272 b.h.p. and 243 lb.-ft. of torque. The performance will still be lively, even with the Tiptronic gearbox, and since a convertible is likely more of a cruise anyway, perhaps it’s not the end of the world. A significant amount of recent maintenance has been performed, including “…new upper/lower valve cover gaskets, hydraulic valve lifters, timing chain cover gasket,” and much more, so if nothing else, the next owner will get to own a 993 with many headaches already addressed.
I remember in the ‘90’s physically gagging the first time I saw a 911 with an automatic shifter sticking out of the console. I’m not a manual transmission snob, I’ve owned vehicles with both. But, a 911 above any other car to me is a 3 pedal car. Full stop.
To this day it’s a let down when I see a sweet Carrera and then see it’s an auto. In my lifetime, an automatic 911 no matter the generation, will never garner any interest.