I am considering a used 911. The Idea being to get a good low mileage car, and not loose a fortune on it when it is time to sell. I only put about 7000 miles a year on a car, so it will not be a high milage car whan I get rid of it. I have a preference toward water cooled, as I want something with a more modern feel. Is there any difference in the models (from base to turbo) that would make one retaine more of its value than the next?
Your best value right now would be a Boxster S like mine or a 996 as they both have fully depreicated and can't go much lower. The turbo's are still dropping and not likely to go up. Your only bet to possibly gain value right now is the 993 turbo(air cooled).
I agree 100% with L8Braker... If you are looking for a 996, I would get one with the Aero Package...those (in my experience) do a little better on resale than the "basic" 996.
What's with the Turbo? I see a bunch of them for sale. I thought that the value on these would hold up better. I have ruled out the Boxter, as I am not a rag top guy.
Too refined. It's TOO good at everything. I looked hard at one, even borrowed a buddies for a week and finally decided it was not raw enough for me. If I wanted superfast and quiet and comfort I'd get a CL600 and be done with it. Most of the people I know who had the 996 Turbo got rid of it because they were bored with it. Best Value for a water-cooler? Proabably a standard 996 coupe. If lack of depreciation is your primary concern, get a 993 C4S or Turbo.
Actually, I kind of want refined. I want to be comfortable if I have to to drive it for a few hours. I have a 328 for when I want a raw sports car.
Most used 911s have flattened out in their depreciation curve, so you won't loose much on that. The bigger concern is buying the wrong car and spending a fortune trying to make it right. Pick a good example and have a Porsche expert give the car his blessing before buying. I think the 87-89 Carreras are a particularly good choice.
this is a good commentary. the 84 -89 carreras have continued to maintain a solid value when well maintained. they are raw but refined enough to be a great choice. they will also out run a 328 in all categories! while not as sexy as the 328...they are tremendous drivers cars and are dead reliable. the 86-89 turbo may be "The" best value of all porsches. they do have the sex appeal and look like they going to nbeat up on all comers when on the road or even sitting still! nice examples are to be found at $35k and up. incidentally, they have been in that range for years and will likely remain or even go up a bit in value. you may even find the a/c to be up to the task in jersey!? i have had all the porsche road going cars as well as a few race cars...i keep coming back to the 930. pcb
I agree that the late eighties 911's are hard to beat. I have several friends who have put more than 200k on them with no trouble whatsoever. I recommended the 996 Aero because he mentioned that he was interested in a watercooled version... I agree that the 930 is by far one of the best choices....I picked mine up 5 months ago ('88 with mods) and absolutely love it...
i agree except that i am not convinced that the 996s have stopped depreciating and the prices are still dropping...the 996 is the unloved 911, with the 993 prices actually firming up and starting to go up a little...to me the 993 is far more engaging to drive and better looking than the 996,esp the pre 2002 996...the 997 is everything the 996 should have been with better looks, handling, chassis, engine , exhaust note and interior, ..therefore, the 996 has been caught in the middle......also, look at the numbers being sold...supple is outnumbering demand, and any time that happens, prices will continue to drop....
You are 110% correct!!! I have seen 996's sell for less than 993's. In some cases, I have seen 996's sell in the high 20k range. If he was not leaning toward a "water-cooled" 911, I would recommend a late 80's 911 or a C2S widebody 993. Both of these cars have bottomed out depreciation wise and are dead reliable. Personally, I would NEVER choose a 996 over a 993 or 80's model 911. The driving experience in the 996 is too refined, whereas the 993 & earlier 911 feel more like a true Porsche, and they are brimming with character....
One again, I want a refined car, I have the 328 as a raw car. I "need": Modern, reliable, sporty, comfortalble. The car will be a daily driver, with a 7 mile round trip each day. I view the 993 and ealier cars as race cars for the street. I think, the new ones are more of a GT car, or to put it another way, a poor man's Ferrari 550.
The 993 is actually a nice blend of sport and comfort. My '96 had all the power items (steering, seats, windows, mirrors) that make daily driving a piece of cake. I had a tiptronic which purists hate but frankly there are people who always prefer an automatic. I wouldn't compare a 993 to a 328, having had both. The 328 is just naughty. The 993 is an almost normal car you can take anywhere. I think 996's will keep depreciating for some time. There are rows of them at the low rent used car lots here in San Diego. The '87-'89 cars are great for what they are, but I agree with you that they're a bit unrefined for a daily driver. Not to sway you, but have you considered a lightly used BMW 330Ci (coupe)? I had an 02 325Ci and it is (1) refined, (2) a blast to drive, (3) sharp looking, IMO and (4) dealers are everywhere. I liked my 325, but the 330 obviously has a bit more punch. I was fortunate to find one with 4400 miles on it - traded in on an E-class at the Benz dealership where I bought my SLK.
My current daily is a BMW e90. I bought it because I thought it was sporty, and the wife would be able to drive it. She hates the BMW (too stiff) So.......... on to the next car.
I had a 2002 Yellow Turbo with, shock, a Tiptronic. One freaking hell of a car that you can drive everyday or cross country without a thought. Trust me on this, if you use this as your bidness car, the Tip is a saving grace. Not only does it help in rush hour crawl, but have you ever tried to use a cell phone with a stick? Plus, I'll let you in on a secret regarding the Tip. You can downshift with your right foot. Try it, next time you drive one. Just punch the gas quickly and then let up, bang -- downshifit. If you punch it even harder it will do two downshifts. Dale
Fred, My first post here, but as the owner of a '97 993 C2, I thought I might lend an opinion. Most of what has been said and that you think is correct. While the 993 is a beautiful and bulletproof sports car, it has a raw edge to it - kind of a late '80's 911 with better a/c, suspension, soundproofing, etc. It takes some work to drive - it's not a luxury blvd cruiser by any means. The hands down best 911 value is a 996. Prices are dropping like a rock since the 997 (a 993 visual clone) came out. You can steal a two year old 996 - I was thinking about buying one as a daily driver, but can't get past the hideous front end cosmetics. That being said, the 996's get good reviews from the guys at Rennlist (F'Chat 'ish' Porsche site) as far as handling, comfort and power. I thilnk the first few years had a chronic rear main seal issue, so address this and/or buy as new a 996 as you can afford. Hope this helps. Mike Cap Auburn NY 1997 C2 Arena Red
I've been looking for a 993 Turbo (the local Porsche dealer will call when one is traded in, LA Times, Photo Buys, Ebay ...). They seem to be rare - should I be looking into a Porsche equivalent of F-Chat? Thanks,
You should give us an idea on price range. If you want the best value in a Porsche, and you want refinement, get a late 944 or 968, or even one of the last 928s.
Watercooled Refinement? Porsche 928GTS. A Porsche 911 that will hold its value? Not a watercooled one.
A 928 S4 or GTS will undoubtedly be the best value for a Porsche. The only problem is that it's not a 911.
So when will I be able to buy a 996 with <50k mi. for $20,000? Like 4-5 years? I'd snatch one up at that price
I'd guess sooner, but the early ones ('99-'00) I believe had the rear main seal problem and generally aren't the best of the lot. In the $20K+ range you're probably looking at the base 996 with standard cheap-o interior and significant miles. I believe they revised the car in '02 (I know they improved the cabriolet top significantly) so you might do better looking at a moderate mileage '02. I don't they're "keeper" cars, but would be fun to knock around in if you could a cheap one through the CPO program.
