Porsche 964: the modernised 911, 1989 to 1994
The 964 arrived for the 1989 model year with the Carrera 4, the first production 911 with four-wheel drive; the rear-wheel-drive Carrera 2 followed for 1990. Beneath a deliberately familiar shape, almost everything was new: integrated bumpers, a rear spoiler that rises with speed, ABS, power steering, and coil springs in place of torsion bars.
The 3.6-litre M64 engine, still air-cooled, adopted twin-plug ignition: two spark plugs per cylinder and two distributors linked by a belt. The Carrera 2 could be ordered with the Tiptronic automatic as an alternative to the five-speed manual. The 964 family includes:
- Carrera 2 and Carrera 4, as Coupé, Targa and Cabriolet;
- Turbo, first with 3.3 litres, then with 3.6 litres late in its life;
- Carrera RS, lightened and track-focused;
- Speedster, with its lowered windscreen, at the end of production.
What are the common problems on a Porsche 964?
The 964 is robust, but it has well-documented weaknesses that the workshop checks every time:
- oil leaks: some M64 engines weep at the cylinder head gaskets or the chain housings, and the source is traced before any repair;
- twin-plug ignition: the belt driving the second distributor ages and can snap, leaving the engine on one plug per cylinder;
- the dual-mass flywheel, a source of knocks and vibration as it wears;
- on the Carrera 4, the ABS and four-wheel drive, whose electro-hydraulic control needs an accurate diagnosis before anything is replaced;
- the moving spoiler, power steering, sensors and wiring, more numerous than on earlier 911s;
- the body, galvanised, but worth examining around old repairs, bumper mountings and floor pans.
How does a 964 restoration unfold?
Like every restoration in the workshop, a 964 project begins with an inspection and an itemised quote. It can go as far as a bare-metal body: a blasted 964 shell protected with epoxy primer is among the jobs photographed in the workshop.
The 964 Carrera 4 restored in the workshop shows the result: a metallic grey coupé, on the lift in 2018 and back on the road in 2019, with new paint, cognac leather upholstery, a front luggage compartment lined in quilted leather, aluminium pedals, side lettering and Fuchs wheels.
A low-mileage 964 is not exempt from any of this: seals, belts and rubber age even when the car stands still. The overall method, from body to reassembly, is set out on the Porsche restoration page.
Servicing and the M64 engine
Servicing a 964 follows the manufacturer’s programme, with particular attention to the distributor belt, leaks, adjustments and brakes. Each service is also a chance to check the spoiler, the power steering and, on a Carrera 4, the four-wheel-drive system.
When the engine has to be opened up — persistent leaks, oil consumption, low compression — a Porsche engine rebuild is carried out after dismantling and measuring: barrels and pistons, cylinder heads, guides and valves, chains and tensioners, gaskets. The quote reflects the condition actually found.
The dual-mass flywheel and the clutch are dealt with together, with the gearbox out. The Tiptronic is carefully diagnosed before any decision is taken.
Interior and bodywork on a 964
The 964 lends itself particularly well to a fine interior: seats, door cards, dashboard, headlining and front luggage compartment can all be redone in leather, faithful to the original or in a chosen combination. Porsche upholstery is carried out entirely in the workshop, like the cognac leather and quilted compartment of the Carrera 4 above.
To go further, a bespoke build remains possible, in the spirit of the car: cabin details, wheels, lettering, colour. The body, for its part, needs well-fitted bumpers, even shut lines and paint true to the chosen colour.
What the workshop does for a 964
Established in Mougins since 2017, the independent workshop Original Classic & Luxury Cars handles servicing, mechanical work, bodywork, upholstery and full restoration of the 964. A single team follows the car; you receive photographs of the key stages and nothing is undertaken without your approval.
The 964 sits between the Porsche 930 Turbo and the Porsche 993, the last air-cooled 911. For a remote opinion, ask for a quote from photos and videos; if you are looking for a car, see our Porsches for sale.
