Good Bye 996
 

After almost two years, I sold my 996 last weekend. Bought it for $10K (see http://986forum.com/forums/general-discussions/44227-986-wrecked-got-996-today.html) and sold slightly less.

The buyer was a good friend who is the ex-editor of Petrolicious.com. Odds are very, very high that he will be writing or filming a story featuring his new 996 sometime in the next few months.

Though it has more miles on it, the car is in substantially better shape than when I bought it. Still has the original IMS bearing (knock on wood). It could use a set of new shocks but otherwise is in very good running order.

I really enjoyed the 996 but since I bought the 78 911 SC, the 996 sits in the driveway undriven and somewhat unloved. It was time for someone else to enjoy this car and time for me to start looking for my next Porsche experience.

http://i1114.photobucket.com/albums/...ps367c0ceb.jpg

The pertrolicious guys are the absolute best! The tone of motoring they capture is the tone we should all have. Always liked the story and color of your budget 996, glad to know it is going to a good home.

You sold that for less then $10k? What a deal he got!

Not really as much of a steal as you might think. Blue Book was $7,500. 996's sell for a dime a dozen just like Boxster's - especially high mileage cars. Don't believe the listing prices and don't believe the forums; 996's are selling at 99-Cent store prices.

And just like a Boxster (which it is!), the cost isn't in the purchase price, the real cost is keeping things fixed. Look at the list of items that I repaired - if I paid a shop to do all of that work, it would have been close to 50% of the value of the car. And it still needs $2,000 in shocks and suspension re-fresh parts + whatever else might come up. And at nearly 150K miles, that engine won't last forever.

Nice too se someone going back to old school from newer generation! One friend of mine keeps saying that older 911 look as old toilets :matchup: I should show him this thread and shut him up.. Permanently ;)

Work of Art!

http://media.collectorcarpricetracke...77254792/2.jpg

While the old cars hold their value and may even go up maintainance costs isn't any better. Doing a proper air cooled engine rebuild is not for the faint at heart. These cars are getting really old and need almost constant attention to keep in good running condition.

I for one am looking forward to the 987/997s to sell for 99 cents store prices.

Enjoy your Carrera. Even though they are money sucks they are a hell of a lot of fun and offer an experience that really does not exist anywhere else especially compared to new Porsche's.

You don't think that's a lemon?

no chance i will part with my 996 anytime soon. these cars are such a great deal . with A PSS9 suspension this car is great fun also .


http://986forum.com/forums/uploads01...1425159817.jpg

The aero kit greatly improves it's looks. Life's too short to drive ordinary cars...:cheers:
So that's aero 1 on a 2001?

that is correct . The 996 is a good looking car with the correct upgrades . It is also amazing how much faster the 3.4 is than the 3.2 .

Not at all. The repairs he did are pretty much standard maintenance.

I do know someone who like to makes a lot of sour post. :rolleyes:

Such a beautiful car, hard to believe the value is so low.

Sorry to hear that Tom ;/

Next time you have a car that becomes 'unloved', think positively mate... just burry the damn thing lolll

http://www.innamag.com/wp-content/up...015/01/126.jpg

http://www.innamag.com/wp-content/up...015/01/210.jpg

Source: Underground Home Parking Solutions

Curious to hear your opinion of the 996 vs. your air cooled 911 Tom. Totally different animals I know but why did you choose to keep the SC vs. the 996?

Excellent car!

If rear engine is your thing, I believe time will show the 996 to be one of the best Porsches in the second hand market. The engine does not require rebuilding as a regular part of long-term ownership, the car is reliable, durable under the right conditions, there are no rust issues, the car is practical in hot climates (as the AC works) as well as in cold weather climates (just slap on some winters). For weekend warriors its a faster car than most can handle at 10/10's and can put a mortal within mere seconds of a pro. A few mods like you've done will make it look like $70K car to the average person. If the odomter goes up another 10K miles...who cares, the re-sale isn't a barrier to enjoyment. If you put it in a wall at your next DE, there are literal thousands waiting to take its place. What's missing here? Nothing.

p.s.
997's will become $10K cars before you know it. The production numbers for all these water-cooled cars are just too high for the used car buyer to absorb.
There are some great deals in Porsche world coming our way. If a 997 C4S with only 30K miles can probably be negotiated down to $23k then it's only a matter of time..

Awesome! Love it!

I have both a 914-6 (3.0L) and my Boxster - the old air-cooled is just more of a thrill to drive than the Boxster. Sure the B has more power and modern features...but the 914 just puts a smile on my face that the B can't match. It's light, nimble, and unassisted when driving. Plus a whole lot easier to work on. My Boxster feels disposable...I can go get a 911, Cayman, or another Boxster and have a similar car. NOTHING is like my 914.

interesting point of view . I think it will be some time before we see cheap 997 cars . nice 996 examples such as the C4S are still north of 30K . The 997 cars seem to be much more solid and have a more desirable look as well .

check out the list of mods. the P.O. did along with a new LN IMS bearing (double row) , clutch and water pump just before i bought the car.

1. Champion motor sports 19" RG5B wheels
2. PSS9 coil overs , corner balanced
3. Front and rear gt3 sway bars with tarrett drop links
4. Suncoast headers
5. Fabspeed X pipe with 200 cell cats.
6 Porsche PSE mufflers
7. Evo motorsports intake
8. IPD plenum
9. Softronic ecu tune
10. B&M short shifter with Techart knob
11. Dectane LED tail lamps

996's are nice cars but to say they are in the same league desirability or value wise to a 997 is a joke. Your example of 997 pricing is for a Flood Car with a Rebuilt Title also..............:rolleyes:

Good eye professor. But there are several 997.1's in the mid to high $20k's on that site. Pardon me for not linking to one of those. :rolleyes:
And that's on Autotrader where prices are always on the high side vs. private sellers. Which means the $25K 997 from a private party is already out there with more to come. If you think an additional $10K make for "another league" of value and desirability then you must excite easily.

The same market forces that drove down 996 prices will drive down 997 prices. There's nothing special about the 997.1. Why? because it comes down to the engine.
997.1's have "glorified" m96 engines according to the actual engine experts. As with all Porsches, the value of these cars comes from the scarcity of the engine not necessarily the merits of the engine itself. There's nothing scarce about a used m97 engine much like there's nothing scarce about an m96 engine. I suppose if interiors and round headlights are that important to a used car buyer, good on them, but these non-engine areas will not prop up the value of 997 in the face of so much supply for long. It's simply supply and demand, your camp's sliver of sliver subjective view of "desirability" isn't going to stop those market forces.