In the last 12 months the Porsche 993 sold for a median $137,000 (287 U.S.-dollar auction sales) and the Porsche 996 for $36,000 (503 sales), so the 993 costs $101,000 (281%) more. As of Nov 2, 2026, the 12-month trend is +7%/yr for the 993 and +16%/yr for the 996. Below: ranges, trend, manual share, mileage and a like-for-like trim comparison, all from real sold auctions.
993 vs 996 side by side
| 993 | 996 | |
|---|---|---|
| Model years | 1995–1998 | 1999–2005 |
| Median sold price | $137,000 | $36,000 |
| Middle 50% range | $89,200–$226,000 | $26,900–$60,800 |
| Low – high | $40,700 – $967,500 | $4,600 – $500,000 |
| USD sales (12 months) | 287 | 503 |
| 12-month trend (mix-adjusted) | +7%/yr | +16%/yr |
| Last 3 months vs prior 3 | +11% adj. / +25% raw | +5% adj. / 0% raw |
| Market signal | SELL | HOLD |
| Manual share (known gearbox) | 96% of 236 | 88% of 478 |
| Manual / automatic median | $142,500 / $56,246 | $37,000 / $24,000 |
| Median mileage (where stated) | 37,500 mi of 148 | 41,000 mi of 235 |
| Median model year sold | 1997 | 2002 |
U.S.-dollar sold auctions in the last 12 months. Manual / automatic medians need 5+ sales of each; mileage is taken from the listing where stated. Not an appraisal.
993 vs 996 price chart
Quarterly median USD sold price at online auctions (quarters with 3+ sales; bigger dot = more sales). The latest quarter is to date. Hover a dot for the figures.
Like for like: 993 vs 996 by trim
| Trim | 993 | 996 | Difference |
|---|---|---|---|
| Carrera | $87,500 110 sales | $29,375 218 sales | -66% |
| Turbo | $313,000 36 sales | $81,000 98 sales | -74% |
| Carrera 4S | $187,000 43 sales | $40,250 43 sales | -78% |
| Carrera 4 | $108,000 19 sales | $27,748 58 sales | -74% |
| Targa | $104,993 15 sales | $31,925 16 sales | -70% |
| Turbo S | $766,750 6 sales | $136,996 10 sales | -82% |
Trims read from listing titles, with at least 5 sales on each side. Difference = 996 median against the 993 median.
Which should you buy?
- Price. At the median, the Porsche 993 costs $101,000 (281%) more than the Porsche 996.
- Little overlap. The cheapest quarter of 993 sales ends at $89,200, above the top of the 996's middle half ($60,800): a typical 993 costs more than three in four 996s.
- Trend. Over 12 months, 993 prices were rising, about +7% a year; 996 prices were rising, about +16% a year; the 996 has the firmer trend.
- Want a manual? 226 of 236 993 sales with a known gearbox were manual (96%), against 422 of 478 for the 996 (88%).
- Mileage. The median 993 sold with 37,500 miles and the median 996 with 41,000 (sales with a stated mileage).
- Trim matters. Like for like, the gap is widest for the Turbo S (-82%) and narrowest for the Carrera (-66%).
- Choice. The 996 had more sales in our sample (503 against 287), so there are more comparables to price a car against.
In short: on budget alone the Porsche 996 is the cheaper way in, and the Porsche 993 costs about 281% more at the median. The numbers can't tell you which car you'll enjoy more; a pre-purchase inspection and the individual car's history matter more than either median.
What to check before buying
Porsche 993: Check for secondary air injection (SAI) faults, valve-guide wear and oil consumption. Manual coupes, Carrera S/4S widebodies and Turbos carry large premiums over Tiptronic cabriolets. Service history and paint originality matter a lot at this price level.
Porsche 996: On non-Turbo/GT3 996s, ask whether the intermediate shaft (IMS) bearing has been upgraded and check for rear main seal leaks and bore scoring. Turbo and GT3 models use the Mezger engine and are valued very differently. Budget for a specialist inspection with a borescope.
Full price guides
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Method
Every figure on this page is computed from our sample of completed, sold public auctions after removing parts, replicas, restomods and other non-car lots. Medians use U.S.-dollar sales only; we don't convert currencies. The window is the last 12 months unless a row says otherwise. Sub-generations are assigned by model year (see the methodology). Trend and signal use online-auction sales only, adjusted for trim and model year. It is a sample, not every sale, and not an appraisal. Sold-price data from Old Cars Data auction records. Full methodology.
Frequently asked questions
Is the Porsche 993 more expensive than the 996?
Yes, in our sample: the 993 median was $137,000 against $36,000 for the 996, a 281% difference, from 287 and 503 U.S.-dollar auction sales in the last 12 months.
Are 993 or 996 prices rising faster?
Adjusted for trim and model year, the 12-month trend is +7% a year for the 993 and +16% a year for the 996. This describes recent sales, not a forecast.
Which has more manual cars, the 993 or the 996?
Of sales with a known gearbox in the last 12 months, 96% of 993s (226 of 236) and 88% of 996s (422 of 478) were manual.
Published Nov 2, 2026. Figures as of Nov 2, 2026, rebuilt weekly from the latest sample.