What is going on with 986 and 996 prices?

[Perfectlap]

Originally Posted by southernstar

Perfectlap, I agree with much of what you say in terms of the present situation. However, while your comments concerning roadsters/convertibles is true with respect to new car sales, once vehicles have become collectible it is almost invariably the roadsters/convertibles that become the most valuable. In fact, I can't think of a single exception....

I suspect that it has something to do with the fact that, once a car is purchased or kept as a 'collectible', it is rarely a daily driver and the practical disadvantages of a convertible top become much less important (with the exception of the Cayman they typically cost more, weigh more, have more interior noise, require more maintenance while having less torsional rigidity, safety, security and luggage space). Lets face it, most people drive their classic or collectors cars only on nice days - precisely when a convertible/roadster is in its own element!

^ I agree. I think the collector car market and daily driver market have very different buyers. Also, once a car has been produced into the tens of thousands you've pretty much show the collector people the door for at least the next 20-30 years. The only chance I think the Boxster has is if the 3rd and 4th buyers start seeriously neglecting/abandoning repairs on their cars and leave the enthusiast examples as the only cost-effective ones to purchase. I highly doubt the mechanical parts needed to keep Boxsters road going are ever going to get any cheaper. But even if you look at the air-cooled Carreras, very few have actually exceeded their original sale prices.