Models · Porsche
Porsche 911 Carrera 964 buying guide
The 964 Carrera, built from 1989 to 1994, brought the air-cooled 911 a 3.6 flat six, power steering, ABS and the option of four-wheel drive. It launched as the Carrera 4, with the rear-drive Carrera 2 following, in coupé, cabriolet and Targa forms.
The versions
- Carrera 2 and Carrera 4: 3.6 air-cooled flat six (M64), 250PS, with twin-plug ignition
- Carrera 4: permanent four-wheel drive, the first 911 to offer it as a series model
- Coupé, cabriolet and Targa bodies
- 5-speed manual, or 4-speed Tiptronic automatic on the Carrera 2 only
What to check on a 964 Carrera
3 model-specific things to look at when you view one. They're a starting point, not the full inspection.
The dual-mass flywheel
What to look for: Listen at idle with the engine warm for a rattle or knock from the back of the car, and feel for lumpy idling or hesitation pulling away. Ask whether the flywheel has been replaced and with what.
Why it matters: Dual-mass flywheel failure is the best known 964 fault, and early Tiptronic cars use one too. Many cars have had theirs replaced by now, often with an improved or single-mass type, and paperwork showing it is reassuring.
Oil on the engine and the undertray
What to look for: Look up at the engine from below with a torch, around the base of the cylinders and at the oil lines running to the oil tank. Look at the underbody panels too: oil soaks into them before it ever drips on the floor.
Why it matters: Oil leaks are very common on 964 engines, with early cars known for leaking at the cylinder head and cylinder base seals. A light film is normal for the age. Heavy wet oil means a seal or gasket job, and evidence of head stud or gasket work in the history is worth looking for.
The distributor drive belt
What to look for: Look in the history for a replacement of the distributor drive belt, the small belt that turns the second distributor for the twin-plug ignition. A warning kit or vent kit may also have been fitted.
Why it matters: If the belt fails, one set of spark plugs stops firing, which can damage the catalytic converter and, in the worst case, the engine. Specialists say serious damage is uncommon on a car whose belt has already been replaced at least once.
Also in the full guide
- Starting and the fuel relay
- Windscreen frames and scuttle
- The cold start, test drive and paperwork checks for the exact version you're viewing
The full guide to the 964 Carrera
The CrankSight guide walks you round the car on your phone at the viewing, with every check for the exact version you're looking at: what to look for, where to find it, and what anything you find is likely to cost. As you go it builds an assessment of that car, and if you view more than one, it lines them up side by side.
£29 for the model, used on as many cars as you like, delivered within 72 hours or your money back.
General points for the model, last checked October 2026. Every car is different, so treat this as a guide to what to look at, not a verdict on any car. CrankSight is independent and has no connection with Porsche.