968 buying guide

968

BUYING GUIDE

Fancy a stunning Porsche drop-top on your drive this summer to make the most of
the alfresco motoring months? Well weve the car for you: the Porsche 968 Cabriolet.
Words: Richard Middleton Photography: James Lipman

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f the Met Offices prediction of a barbecue

summer bears truth then the prospect of a
rare and sexy Porsche cabriolet on your drive
for less than 10,000 is sure to whet your
appetite. And with so many great Stuttgart
bargains on the market theres never been a
better time to buy. But with such a tempting
array of alfresco Porsches to choose from the
decision isnt that straightforward, so were here
to make your decision easier.
At face value its hard to ignore the allure
of Porsches Boxster. A modern, mid-engined
roadster that continues to set the class

benchmark. However in this price range youll

be dealing with high mileage 2.5-litre models
and theres somewhere else we suggest you look
for your slice of Stuttgart exclusivity. Perhaps a
911 cabriolet tickles your fancy. And who could
blame you. The cabriolet has been part of the
flagships model range since its inception but
good examples dont come cheap and if youre
unfortunate enough to buy a bad one, your
Porsche dream will quickly turn into a
nightmare. What do Porsches front-engined
cabriolets have to offer? The 944 is a great car
but its successor, the 968, is our choice for

some summer fun. Between 6-10,000 buys

you a 3.0-litre rear-wheel drive sports car with
predictable handling, which we think happens
to be one of the most attractive cabriolets that
Porsche has ever produced.
Although often overshadowed by their rearengined counterparts the significance of
Porsches front-engined models shouldnt be
underestimated. It was, if you like, a financial
RSJ necessary to support the survival and
continuation of the engineering giant. The 968
represented the evolutionary pinnacle of
Porsches four-cylinder transaxle models and in

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968 buying guide

WHAT TO LOOK FOR
Porsches 968 is a robust car but if it hasnt
been afforded the care and love it deserves
then you could be inheriting someone elses
big bills. A thoroughly documented history is
preferential and if the car has accompanying
receipts of the work carried out all the better.
The 968 isnt a car that can be run on a
shoestring budget. Mick from Paragon Porsche
estimates you should allow around 1000 to
1500 a year to maintain a 968 properly,
however if the previous owner cut corners
you may have to shell out a lot more in your
first year. Buying from a reputable specialist
removes some of these associated risks.

1992 the Cabriolet and Coup models hit the

showroom floors. Originally developed as the
944S3, Porsches new model shared many parts
with its predecessor. Harm Lagaay, recently
returning from BMW (his former employer),
was given responsibility for designing the 968s
front end and through subtle design cues he set
about trying to create a family identity with the
911 and 928 Porsches. Although the 968
showed clear traits of its siblings it would never
be accepted in the same light as its stablemates.
It was no secret that money was tight at
Porsche during the 968s development you
only had to look at the large panel gaps, a
consequence of using the 944s chassis tooling.

ENGINE & GEARBOX

At 100,000 miles the engines camshafts may
need replacing. The timing chain sprockets,
which are part of the cams, wear out but
inspection involves removing the cam cover.
You should factor in around 1800 to
replace them together with chain, tensioner
pads and gaskets. Ask when the cam and
balance belts were last changed, which should
be every 48,000 miles or four years. Check
for oil leaks from the sump and the front of
the engine, which can contaminate the cam
and balance belts. Checking the water pump
area for staining and leaks is also advised.
When the 968 hit the showrooms it came
equipped with a full stainless steel exhaust
system. Its not common for cars to have
excessive corrosion or loose, rattling baffles,
although replacing the whole system for a
genuine article can cost around 1000.

SUSPENSION & BRAKES

However, despite Porsches financial situation

the brochures claimed the 968 used 82 percent
new components; however, stood shoulder to
shoulder with its forerunner the kinship was
obvious. But with convex styled front wings, a
rounder nose and polyurethane bumper
mouldings it proved enough of a change for
Porsche to justify the 968 as a completely new
model. Lagaay may have waved his creative
wand over the cars exterior but upon stepping
inside it was clear which gene pool the 968
came from. The interior of the 968 was carried
over from the S2 albeit for the standard fitment
of airbags for both driver and passenger, but
with new side skirts which stretched round and

up to the rear arches and Porsche stamped in

between the entirely red light clusters pitched at
the rear the new model crafted its own identity.
Redesigned body colour door handles and
teardrop mirrors completed the new look.
Where the flagship settled upon a rearengined setup the 968 would use a more
conventional layout. Whether Porsches new
cabriolet would be powered by either four or
six cylinders was ultimately dictated by the
purse strings so a reworked version of the S2s
four-cylinder engine was chosen. Under the
instruction of Ulrich Bez the 968s engine would
be more powerful and more efficient. The most
fundamental change, however, would be the

Lagaay may have waved his creative wand

over the cars exterior but upon stepping inside
it was clear which gene pool the 968 came from

RUNNING COSTS
Front brake discs: 139.39* each
Front brake pads: 116.15
Front sensor wires: 10.11 each (supplied and fitted: 500.15)
Rear brake discs: 105.14 each
Rear brake pads: From 116.15
Rear sensor wires: 10.11 each (supplied and fitted: 431.65)
Clutch: 624 (supplied and fitted: 1049.28)
Full Service: 395
*Prices exclusive of VAT

Check the front camber bushes for wear and

for any play in front struts and lower steering
column. If there is a bit of movement in the
front struts but there are no signs of fluid
leaks then this isnt really a problem.
Also pay attention to the fuel and brake
pipes at the rear for signs of wear and
corrosion. Whilst youve got the car up on
the ramps make sure the wheels spin freely
and inspect the condition of the brakes and
calipers. The aluminium calipers wear steel
thrust plates to prevent against heat damage
but over time these plates suffer from erosion
as debris gets stuck behind them. If left the
plates will be pushed out causing the caliper
to seize and bond. Not a big job to rectify but
itll set you back a couple of hundred quid.

BODY AND INTERIOR:

The 968s body was fully galvanized but there
are still some areas that youll want to check.
Concentrate on the rear bottom edge of the
front wings and the sills as theyre particularly
prone to rust. The thin seal between the
plastic skirting and body often shrinks and
falls out but its a cheap and easy fix. The popup lights are also known to fail to retract.
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968 buying guide

the 968 Cabriolet is not a difficult car
to live with or look after, and with proper
maintenance it is well behaved and robust
implementation of Porsches VarioCam
technology, which altered the timing of the
inlet camshaft to provide more power, less
consumption and a stronger top end. The
high-revving four-pot also benefited from
forged and lightened rods and pistons and an
increased compression ratio.
Even by modern standards the 968 produces
a respectable 240hp at 6200rpm accompanied
by 225lb ft of torque at 4100rpm. Its a figure
thats reinforced on the road, the 968s motor
feeling strong throughout the rev range and
gaining a second wind when the VarioCam
timing comes into play. 0-60mph arrives in 5.9
seconds and flat-out youll reach 165mph.
Mated to the powerplant was either a four-

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speed Tiptronic from the 964 or a six-speed

manual, most opting for the manual box. But
it was the way the 968 handled that impressed
contemporary testers. Dynamically speaking it
had the perfect layout for a great sports car: the
engine seated up front, the power going to the
rear wheels and superb balance making it one
of the most predictable handling cars from the
Porsche line-up. Evolution in the chassis
department from its predecessor was marginal
though. Thicker and stiffer anti-roll bars, new
cast alloy control arms and new dampers were
afforded but the 944 Turbos brakes were
carried over, assisted by channels under each
side of the nose and deflectors attached to the
suspension that directed cooling air into the

OWNERS VIEW: COLIN EDGE

centre of the ventilated discs. Sixteen-inch Cuptype five-spoke alloys were standard; optional
17-inch wheels were also offered.
Through no fault of its own the 968 would
never be accepted by Porsche as a company
milestone such as the 356, 911 or 928. After
four years of production it ultimately didnt
make the contribution to Porsches bottom line
the company would have hoped for, but it was
nevertheless a great car and presents a fine
used buy. Its a handsome chap too, with the
roof up but particularly so with the roof down.
Although selling far short of its expectations at
3927 only 218 cabriolets made their way into
the UK, making this one of the rarest and
desirable rag-tops for under 10,000.

My association with Porsche dates back to

the 90s when I owned a Carerra 4 for seven
years. I guess like many other owners I rather
dismissed the four-cylinder front-engined
models as not being proper Porsches.
Following the C4 I drove an old Audi as a
daily and then set about finding something
to have fun in when the sun shone.
I toyed with the idea of a 944 Cabriolet,
then a 964, but then it dawned on me that
the rare and reliable 968 Cabriolet was what
I needed; it was verging on being a classic,
yet had (some) modern features. Statistics
show there were less than 4500 rag-tops
built, with half of those bound for the US.
As you can see from the photographs my
car is in its original Mint green hue, which
does stand out in a crowd. The car was on a
stand with two other Mint green Porsche
models at the 1993 Motor Show.
In addition to the evident spoilers front
and rear, it also sports Classic grey leather
interior and 17-inch Cup alloys.
Owning and living with the car is a joy,
although there have been some big bills to
bring it up to its current condition, much of
it optional rather than a necessity. Although
it reached 15 years old recently it does have
some modern features such as a six-speed
gearbox and ABS. Where it obviously loses

out is in the electronics department which

dominates the modern car, although
sometimes it can be good to live without it.
At least the hood is electric!
There is a lot of specialist advice and
support at hand, including Porsche Hatfield
for parts who cannot be more helpful, to
RPM in Cheddington whose level of service
exceeds any I have known. The car has also
had very minor paint correction at Craftwork
in Chelmsford, and leather restoration at
Barton and Sons in Luton. Dont just use the
local so-called Porsche specialists, look at
where people care and take time and trouble
for you and the car.
The truth is the 968 Cabriolet is not a
difficult car to live with or look after, and
with proper maintenance it is well behaved
and robust. It may involve a little more
maintenance as with all cars of this vintage
but it brings a smile to my face when I
drive it, and it is entirely manageable.
I do not use the car all the time but it has
never failed to start and perform as you
would expect a Porsche to do, and if you buy
a 968 to drive and enjoy you will be rewarded
with appreciation on your investment.
Thanks to Paragon Porsche for their help with
this feature.

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