Boxster S or '97 993 Turbo..... The Choice I Made

[Chuck W.]

So…… 4 years ago on May 1, 2011, I retired. At the time I had five cars including the Boxster and a 1997 993 turbo. To be honest, I enjoyed the Boxster more than the 993 turbo. The turbo was a very special car, but I enjoyed the mid-engine and top down driving of the Boxster more. So, in November of 2011 I sold the 993 turbo with 41,000 miles on it for $68,000. At the time it was a reasonable price.

Fast forward to today… my prior 993 is on eBay with 51,000 miles….

Porsche 911 2dr Turbo | eBay

The fact that in 3 ½ years the value of the 993 has gone up $50,000 is….. disturbing. There is no way that car is worth north of $100,000. No way.

But if I had to do it over again I would have hung on to it... and sold it now!!

[thstone]

Great story!

I agree, the prices for most air cooled 911's have become ... disturbing.

[Pdwight]

Wow what a increase in value, however at the end of the day it is still just a car....and we can't change the past......I sure would like to have made some different choices.

[rdass623]

asking price is rarely equal to sale price in such a situation. just my $0.02

[Pdwight]

The bid is up to 116.5K

Hard to argue with that

[KRAM36]

Originally Posted by Pdwight

The bid is up to 116.5K

Hard to argue with that

and the reserve hasn't been met yet either lol.

[bramwell]

Still 47 bids and no reserve yet.

[KRAM36]

Chuck, I'd like to say I feel your pain, but I've never sold a car that went up in value like that. Just unbelievable how much it's selling for now. Did you buy the 993 Turbo new?

[BIGJake111]

Reserve not met haha.

Same as KRAM I am curious when and how you got the 993.

[Chuck W.]

Originally Posted by KRAM36

Did you buy the 993 Turbo new?

Originally Posted by BIGJake111

Same as KRAM I am curious when and how you got the 993.

Not all that long. I only had it for 2+ years. I had sold a 993 cab to buy it. Loved the cab but it was a tip that I was not a real fan of. I paid $64,000 for the turbo but added the sports seat, Bilsteins and other mods.

According to Carfax, I was the fifth owner of the car. I sold it to a guy in NY and he only had it for six months. It is on at least the eighth owner now.

In 2000 the third owner took the car to Eurotech Bodywerks in Kirkland Washington for a complete repaint. There was a scratch on the side of the car and the owner (a VP at Microsoft) wanted the entire car painted. Oddly, the eBay ad doesn't mention it is a repaint.

When I had it for sale I was told the car's price was effected by the number of owners and the repaint. Doesn't seem so much now.

Like I said, it was a piece of art. Last year of the air cooled cars and the last turbo of the air cooled. Over 400 horsepower, all wheel drive and a beast. It stayed double covered in the garage on a battery tender and was taken out on special occasions.

IMHO.... there is no way that that car is worth that much. But, I have owned horses for the last 25 years. There is a saying that a horse is worth as much as you can sell it for. I guess these rare air cooled Porsches are being driven by demand. But, there almost seems to be a buying frenzy on these cars now. Like they are something more special than they really are. It is weird.

I can tell you that the Boxster is much more fun to drive. Mid engine, top down..... much more fun.

[Perfectlap]

Originally Posted by Chuck W.

So…… 4 years ago on May 1, 2011, I retired.

^That's it right there.

People who grew up learning to drive in the late 60's, 70's and early 80's are retiring now and a good part of them are doing so with stock options, and deferred income at a time when its very good to be cashing in poker chips. Seven years ago way different story.

This is why I was very skeptical about people nearing retirement unloading assets to keep up their quality of life in the years after financial collapse. Rather than a little belt-tightening and waiting out the tide's return, they sold things when the market was short of spending and credit and stocks were only partly into their recovery. Like many things not made of gold, 911 cars took a hit. Well the recovery exceeded all expectations and guys your age are flush with cash again jumping on the air-cooled bubble with both fists. Buy low sell high, problem is timing the market is tough. But I don't have to tell you that.

The problem is that much like the muscle car boom (and likely downturn) the younger generation of drivers coming up will want other things in high dollar cars, like bigger engines, better handling, more tech, more safety, less upkeep, more options on who can fix the cars. Actually they don't want to deal with cars being fixed at all...they just sell the car and get the new thing everyone is raving about like a 991 GT3 RS. At the end of the day air-cooled 911's are still competing with other things that are in those ball park prices, the big advantage now is that a big portion of the bidders are of a certain age that revere these cars....for now. I don't see millenialls for instance paying $100+k for a 993 Turbo in 10 years.

[BYprodriver]

Originally Posted by Pdwight

The bid is up to 116.5K

Hard to argue with that

Probably have Chuck listed as previous owner with a link to pictures of his garage!

I was reading the PCA OC newsletter last night, amazed at all the air-cooled 911's listed for $100,K ++.

[Porsche9]

Not to the same extreme but I feel the same about having sold the SC and C4. At the time I did not have the space for them so they got sold as my needs and wants changed. I did actually make a little money on my C4 but not the $10k to $15k extra you are seeing today for these cars compared to when I sold. Today I'd love to have a 964 or 993 again but at today's prices there are other cars for less that are also interesting to me. I think we will see price come down again.

[RandallNeighbour]

Our cars (of any age) are luxury toys, and when things get bad in the stock market or economy they're sold for far less than they're worth today.

I'm holding onto my money tightly until we find ourselves in another recession and some guy who's over-extended himself is forced to part with his dream car for dimes on the dollar.

[KRAM36]

Am I looking at the original sticker price right of $114,634.00?

Also a 1997 car with projector headlights? That has to be very uncommon.

[papasmurf]

I still have the Motor Trend article when in debuted in '95. They were talking about how it was faster than just about every car in production at the moment (except for top speed) and how it was embarrassing the ferrari's and lambo's of the day. They reported 0-60 in 3.7 which was and still is mind bending. I got to take a ride in a blk/blk '97 right after graduating high school. Park Place DFW had it for sale for 110k with 10k miles. It was the first time I had ever seen one in person and I had been visiting various dealers over the years trying to find one. I will never forget that ride. Prices for these are getting ridiculous as I saw some 964 3.6 turbos on ebay listed at 230k. There was a 964 coupe a few miles from where I live for sale about 5 years ago...sat for months in front of the guys house listed at 15k....should have pulled the trigger

[KRAM36]

Originally Posted by papasmurf

I still have the Motor Trend article when in debuted in '95. They were talking about how it was faster than just about every car in production at the moment (except for top speed) and how it was embarrassing the ferrari's and lambo's of the day. They reported 0-60 in 3.7 which was and still is mind bending. I got to take a ride in a blk/blk '97 right after graduating high school. Park Place DFW had it for sale for 110k with 10k miles. It was the first time I had ever seen one in person and I had been visiting various dealers over the years trying to find one. I will never forget that ride. Prices for these are getting ridiculous as I saw some 964 3.6 turbos on ebay listed at 230k. There was a 964 coupe a few miles from where I live for sale about 5 years ago...sat for months in front of the guys house listed at 15k....should have pulled the trigger

Well that has to make Chuck feel better with you passing on the 964 for $15k and they go for $230k now.

There has to come a point in time where this will help the value of our cars, right? Although I'm not selling mine, it's with me for life, I love this car.

[papasmurf]

now if in decent shape. The 964 turbo's listed at 230k are way overpriced IMO and they were accepting offers. Ebay is basically like the dealers personal website now days with so many cars listed simply as classified ads.

[Pdwight]

"Although I'm not selling mine, it's with me for life, I love this car"

I had always wanted a Porsche, in High School in the very early 70's all the boys wanted a Corvette, Camaro or a Mustang. My best friends parents bought him a used 911 we were very very poor, my friends family had some real money. When I wanted a class ring my mom ironed shirts for 5 cents a piece for two years and saved money to buy me a class ring that my dad said was a waste of money.I spent my junior and senior year ridding around in that car.....from that point on I have always wanted a Porsche. Fast forward 40 years later and I had picked out a Boxster S that I had saved to buy, after making a deal I arranged to go pick it up 4 hours away, as I was leaving that morning My mom widowed three times handed me a cashiers check for the amount and said this was the car I had always wanted but she could never give me in school. So call me a sissy but yes my mom bought me a car at age 58....so I too will always have this car.

Dwight

[KRAM36]

Wow, that was great of your mom! To think how much more special it makes that car to you, amazing.