Good options for a '05 S?

[eslai]

That's the argument for buying any used car though. You can always look to the aftermarket.

Seeing as how I've played in that realm quite deeply before though, I can say that the aftermarket can also suck. Sure, you could throw nice suspension work at the 986, but it won't ride as nice as the 987 with PASM. You can throw on headers and hi-flow cats and pop in a looser air filter, but then you've got a louder car with a completely different torque curve than a 987, one that may also potentially fail smog tests (California is harsh).

Then there are those that just don't want to even come close to messing with their cars.

But you're talking about finding a new, untitled '04 986. In that case, why would you want to buy it and pump it up to $50,000-$55,000 with mods when the base 987S starts at $51,000? Does it really make sense for someone to take the resale hit on a purchase like that?

One of the things that people care the most about (as far as cars are concerned) is how their car looks. If someone has fallen in love with the 987 body style, I doubt there's much that can be said to convince them to buy a 986 instead, eh?