FerDeLance

Hi
I'm in the market for a 911 and my search has taken my all the way from 997 C2s to 996TTs and now 993s. I always preferred the 993 but the WB was always the one to get when I look at the depreciation that 993 NBs. I've owned over 30 cars in the past and am now looking for something which could be a daily driver, but that I can keep long term too. I'm currently hooked on the 993 Targa - I have 2 young boys and I know they will love the glass roof. They often ride in my bro-in-laws 997 C4S and they love 911s in general.
The WB 993s are now crazy money especially when they are just a wider rear arch and upgraded brakes on the C4S, compared to the normal C2 or C4; however the market seems to sustain this pricing. But for how long? 997s are reasonably priced now and despite being mass produced and water cooled, they offer significant more modern motoring and I feel they will take some 993 buyers. Also the high pricing on the WB is definitely being overhyped by the dealers (they are the only 993s to buy etc) and that can last only as long as the market will put up with it.
This is not an exact science but I wanted to gauge your opinions on what would be a good investment as well as a good buy; I can't afford to drop a load in depreciation so am looking for a sound buy from both a fun and business perspective. Considering I will probably pay 50% less for a NB, but that doesn't work if they will depreciate more whilst the WB become more expensive and collectable.
Thanks in advance!

deekay911

I don't believe any 993 will be prone to any kind of large depreciation. They already have classic status and will continue to be harder to come by as time goes on. Don't get me wrong - I don't see it as an investment, but unless you severely abuse it, you won't lose much, especially if you enjoy doing your own maintenance.

911Dave

None of them are an investment. Values may fluctuate mildly but they're all pretty stable. WBs are more expensive because they're more desirable, and it's the same with every series (911, 964, 996, 997). that will always be the case. Unless you abuse the car or modify it significantly, you won't see much depreciation OR appreciation on any 993, WB or NB. Best advice is to pick the one you like and fits your budget. The price differential between NB and WB cars will likely remain about the same regardless of what happens to the 993 market in general.

Mercedesben

I think that the widebody cars have the most collector value followed by narrowbody coupes.
Targas and cabs will be a little less desireable. I have driven a couple 993 targas that really loosen up and squeak so if you go the targa route make sure you get a quiet one. Tiptronics move the car into a less desireable area as well.
just my .02
My money bought a 6 speed narrow body coupe. I like the widebody but I could not justify the extra expense.

2Many Cars

The Targa market is pretty thin because there weren't that many made and there are plenty of owners who hold their cars a long time. If you are patient you'll eventually find a good car at a good price but if you're in a hurry expect to pay up for a good car as dealers know there aren't a whole lot of good Targas on the market at any given time. It's obviously important to buy the best car you can but this is especially true with the Targa as the roof system is fairly complex and while a good one will be trouble free, if it's been boggered with it can be expensive to put right.

fullbooker

I agree with Dave that I do not feel the purchase of a 993 can be looked at as an "investment." Buy the best car that you can find/afford and drive it for the joy! You probably won't be hurt any worse on resale as any other car, maybe come out better. I love my Targa/tip and would have no hesitation recomending the same. Be warned, though, that maintenance costs are high, so DIY whenever you can helps keep it affordable. Hate to think what you would pay if you took the car to a dealer for every little thing.
Anyhow, good luck with the hunt.
Phil

Kika

I doubt any of the 993s will become a collector, save the Turbo S or maybe the last one off the production line, so if you define investment as something that will make money, then the answer is none of the above.

993 prices will probably hold steady so you will not likely lose a lot unless you abuse the car. While it is true that there are smaller numbers of targas, I believe the pool of potential buyers is also very small and the supply and demand for them is roughly the same as coupes or cabs.

I recommend buying the car that you will get enjoyment out of, whether it is a coupe, cab, S model or turbo. all 993s have gone through a majority of their initial depreciation already, so I wouldn't worry about that at all.

Having 3 kids myself, although since my oldest is 18 and technically an adult, I really have 2 that qualify as "children", but at 16 and 14, neither fits in the back seat of the 993 anyway. The did up until maybe the age of 8 or 9, so if you are thinking of keeping the car for any period of time, it will only be a short time that they will fit back there anyway. But having said that, If that is a major factor, consider a cab, most kids love to have the open air and be able to look around. They will suffer in a cab more so than they would in a coupe IMHO.

FerDeLance

Thanks for the advice. I meant not lose too much or stay stable, rather than appreciate in value. That would represent an investment as most other cars lose value.

I made a mistake when I owned a Honda (Acura) NSX when I lived in the UK, I sold it to a TV show who gave it away as a prize and did a big feature on them as the model were being killed off. The market then went up and I could never buy one for what I sold it for back then.

Sounds like any _good_ 993 will do the business for me, I don't think the WBs values will continue to rise so a NB coupe or targa will be for me. Manual transmission and silver or black. Searching..

Mercedesben

When I purchased my 993 earlier this summer I had pleasure of owning one nine years ago. So I am wxtremely familiar with the model. This has been my 10th Porsche purchase. In addition my father has had his 96 993 coupe for years and I was tempted by that car every time I saw it. (he will never sell his)
I had to make the choice of 2002-03 996 or 993. The financial question was the same $ but the stability of the 993 market drove me to purchasing another 993 vs a still depreciating 996.

97Targa

Good luck in your search. We've owned ours for about 10 years now. And it still brings a smile to my face every time I drive it.

H.H.Chinn

It's difficult to predict what will and won't be collectable in the future. It's probably safe to say that our 993's will become more and more desireable when they're around 40 or 50 years old about where the 356's are now. Buy the best example you can afford, drive it, maintain it, and have a great time with it. Keeping the 993 complete with original parts is like a 356 with all matching serial numbers of the engine, tranny, and chassis will always be most desireable for those wanting to preserve or restore these cars in the future. They will be forever the iconic "Last of the Aircooled" Porsche.

nile13

They are not investments. They are cars.

parsonii

i love the targa. but f you want to limit your depreciation ...buy a 95 with a black interior, hard back sport seats and call it a day.