2004 40th AE v. 2004 TT X50 (collectibility)

I would pony up a little extra and go with a 993 coupe. More car, IMHO.

The 996 has the misfortune of being stuck between two of the best iterations of the '911'.

 

What Bullfighter said....neither.

If you are that patient with a 10-20 year horizion, wait for the inevitable bubble pop (will probably come at some point in the next couple of years) and scoop up a 993 then- the clean ones are great cars, but overpriced given the number produced...someone will have to sell at a considerably lower price to move the car to pay for more important things (anyone remember 2009?). The 993 convertible I was looking at this winter was high $50s- my wife got wind and said at a pretty similar price point a 355 converitble was more appealing and easliy worth the few extra bucks, so I had to cease negotiations and "downgrade" to a Ferrari I have to hand it to her- the 355 is much more exciting then the 993 would have ever been!

Since you use the terms like "soar" and future value, my honest opinion is cars are generally not good investments and I'd advise no purchase. If you want to drive and enjoy the car, they I'd say sure go get one but don't expect it to appreciate- great if it does but this is ultimately a luxury item/toy. Again, I have visions of just how ugly it got in 2009 and you need to go into these things with eyes wide open if you are trying to make an investment case to yourself.

 

I feel the same way. At that price point, get the Ferrari.

 

996 GT3 or GT2. Can't go wrong with a Porsche GT car. Here is my Speed Yellow 2005 GT3. 996's are undervalued right now and are the first water-cooled 911's. After the GT cars, I would pick a turbo.
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yep.

IMO the only 996's with collectibility potential are the GT3, GT2, and Turbo S (the turbo S due to rarity, equipment, and "end of era")

 

The Deal of a Lifetime is the 996 TT with the legendary Metzger engine:

Something else dies with this car (996TT/997TT) too: the Hans Metzger-designed flat-six motor. For some years this engine has only been used in Porsche’s Turbos GT3 and GT2 cars, all other 911s, Boxsters and Caymans using an entirely unrelated, much cheaper to manufacture, direct-injection flat-six. The Metzger engine is ancient: it was first fitted to a road-going 911 – the 964 – back in 1989 but its competition roots are older even than that. Yet this is the engine that brought Porsche its most recent Le Mans win, in 1998. It has survived so long because it’s just about indestructible. If you’re lucky enough to own a 911 powered by one of these motors, you might think its red line is somewhere you should visit sparingly. If so you’ll be interested to know that one of the routine tests to which this engine was subjected during development ...was to be run flat out and non-stop for 3000km. That’s London to Moscow and halfway back at full throttle.

Wait and see if you can buy one in 10 years...

Regards.

 

nobody can get that name right

 

That "T" gets lots of people

 

Turbo X50 or Turbo S

 

996TT with the X50 option (extra30 bhp over standard TT) and the Turbo S have identical engines, with the same power.
Turbo S comes preloaded with all the nice 996TT options you could have ordered according to your wishes on any 996TT. And you get an S moniker at the back...

Any 996TT is awesome; the desirable X50 option just makes it even more so!
996 Turbo S was a last production year marketing gimmick.
It brings NOTHING new to the table.

Enjoy.

 

anything AE sucks.......

 

GT2s are at 100K now with 3's just behind.
If you really want a driver not an investment any 996TT is a great deal.
S or X50 with ceramics are the sweet spot.

 

Lots of owners prefer the nonx50 and add a chip where the smaller turbos spool up quicker with less lag.
I agree though, anything mezger at this point is hot.

 

As a practical matter and bang for the buck your right.
On the other hand people don't buy Porsche turbos for practical reasons typically

There is a guy on Rennlist that's rebuilds turbos with next to no impeller to case tolerance.
Put in bigger intercoolers + chip.
Sha ZAM !!!
Throttle response + mega boost = best of both worlds.

But as far as collectability in this kinda sorta price range; GT3 unquestionably.

 

Spend a little more and get a 993? Any 993 worth buying (read no narrow body or any tip tronic) will be considerable more the air cooled market is just stupid right now. Given the right 996 can be a very good car none will ever be collectible that don't start with a GT...

 

Respectfully disagree.

996TT, the first water cooled 911, will be more of a collectible than a 993 turbo in less than a decade.
Simply an infinitely superior car that easily embarrasses the air cooled turbo.

If you drive both turbos one after the other, you will see my point.
Markets always correct in the longer run...

We shall see...

Regards.

 

No argument here on the 996 being a FAR driver superior to any 993, in everything except that one not measurable element… hand built quality and being the last of the air-cooled. With the 997 so much better than the 996, I personally doubt too many of the 6's will reach collectible status. But yes, time will tell.

 

One of the worst posts I've ever seen. I would bet my house that you are wrong.

I have a 993TT and a 997TT. The 993TT is so much more special, interesting, and fun to drive. And the 997TT is a much better car than the 996TT.

speed means nothing in this situation.

 

+1

It's not about lap times or 0-60. The 993 Turbo is something special.



Mark

 

Amazingly crude and contradictory response.
We are talking opinions here; opinions, by definition, can not be good or bad/right or wrong.
That is why we distinguish between facts and opinions.

Your 993 according to you "is so much more special, interesting, and fun to drive" for the exact same MECHANICAL reasons that a 997TT is so much more boring to drive spiritedly than a 996TT.

I have had all three; and a few more starting with my first NEW 1986 3.2 Carrera.

993TT is an anachronism; interesting for historical reasons. It can't even cool itself on a hot day, let alone support its AC!

997TT treats its driver as an optional extra; huge capability but little need or allowance for spirited driver involvement.

996TT provides the perfect balance, is bulletproof, and is the most easily AND highly tunable for your level of required performance.

The above are my considered opinions on this issue.

Enjoy.

 

Geez, where to start? First, you ignore 2 LARGE factors in collectibility.....RARITY & DESIRABILITY

4X as many 996 as 993
And the 993 is considered FAR more desirable as the last OIL COOLED car (can we stop with the air cooled BS, air serves the same duty in both cars)

The better car doesn't always win long term.....I mean does anybody consider a 275 a better car than a 458? No, but it is more valuable than 6 458s.

I had a 996TT for 8 years, great car.....too bad I could only get $26k for it

Do not think either 996 or 997 Turbos are collectable.....only GT2 & 3.

An example of a TRUE collectible is the car I replaced the Turbo with, '99 Lamborghini Diablo Roadster (one of only 142 cars worldwide and widely coveted).

 

The 993 and 997 look better than the 996 (IMO). That said, I think the 996 will eventually be appreciated as the last lightweight "sports car" 911 that is modern enough and comfortable enough to drive daily.

 

And being the ugliest 911 ever, not just the headlights but the front end, the interior, and the proportions.