DougM

Just curious regarding higher mileage cars with over 100k miles? What really is the value of these cars? I have been reading posts that people say to buy the $40k plus cars with lower mileage. I am not scared of a higher mileage Porsches. I do the work myself and know what to look for when buying. However, I read on here every time a post turns to a mileage issue, there are cars with 150+ still going strong. So what are people realistically paying for these cars these days? I haven't seen them for sale. A seal grey 100k plus car just sold on EBAY with a buy it now of $26,000. Was a daily driver since 35k and still on that clutch if not the original. Spoiler hydraulics bad so permanently fixed in the up position. Good deal or not????
Both high and low mileage cars burn through the wear items such as clutches, brakes and tires at the same pace. I figure get a higher mileage car at a lower price as long as it has been well maintained can be a better deal if you have a budget and don't care about the extra cosmetic issues that come with a higher mile car.
I am sure I can keep talking myself into the next price level all the way up to a 2012, but I don't want to spend that kind of money.
Today I thought I had a deal but backed out. A 2003 slate grey X50 with 70k for $34,000 which is a little more than I want to spend. Seller does not know he has an X50(I ran the VIN through Porsche for options). I knew it needed brakes all around. However, there was a previous PPI and I called the shop. On top of brakes, it needs new clutch package, accumulator, slave, plus some seals. Basically a trans out job so I passed.
I have another in my radar with all records since new with just over 100k. Priced under $30k with godd color and options. Appears to need nothing at the moment.

DougM

One other note in justifying a 996tt purchase. I originally thought about a 996 C4s. I want the wide body look. I guess the two cars share all the same issues except for motor and trans. The Metzger motor is far better than the 996 with less issues and as long as second gear pop is taken care of, all else remains the same. From a maintenance standpoint, they are similar and the price difference is very small so I dropped the 996 c4s from my search. Or am I wrong on that thought? I really do not need the extra HP/TQ. I currently have a Cayman S that I like a lot, but I want to get kids in the back. After a few higher HP cars, I have decided that it is more fun to drive a slow car fast than a fast car slow...

01wj

I don't know if mine is considered high miles or not, but mine had just under 59k on it and cost $35.5k. It was actually in pretty good shape, had the 60k service done. I did spend about $1400 for some minor things and I blew the y pipe off and that had to be replaced, but that was about it. Oh, also, I dropped another $1k into it to get rid of the chrome wheels, but that was due to just personal preference and wasnt a "necessity"

Kevin

Once cars reach 100K it will generally cost you more money per mile of use. These cars aren't like Honda's or Toyota's.. You might be saving monies on the purchase price but the miles you put on will COST you in parts and labor. And the labor doesn't change, infact it will go up if the car comes from the snow belt.

01wj is your car a Tiptronic?

Ck986

So long as the car is taken care of you should be ok. I doubt a good car will sell for less than 30k. The cars priced below that level that i have seen always have a story.

jumper5836

The C4S is a great car, not fast like the Turbo but then again I haven't driven a stock Turbo. The C4S is much better for DD fuel consumption. I think the engine in it is fine for a DD in a warm climate. It is not a great engine when driving with cold starts under freezing conditions and oil starvation is an issue under prolonged extreme cornering.

01wj

Mine is a manual

Tuxiemama

The fastest Porsche in the world currently has nigh on 80,000 miles... one guy here has 430,000 miles on his..... My old man who was an auto engineer used to say a car doesnt hit it's stride until it had done 60000 km (40k miles) fwiw

Maintain them and they will last and last

"02996ttx50

car isn't broken in until 30 k miles! at least my 993 wasn't I'm sure this ones the same.

I'm at 123k and EVERYthing works perfectly fast.

DaveCarrera4

DougM, you and I have the same philosophy on this point. These cars will ALL need the same eventual maintenance, because they all have the same weak points, which you've done your research on - great job there. I bought an 86k mile '02 car this past spring. The extensive service records show $10k in maintenance at Porsche or Mercedes dealers. I paid $32k for it, which is below average. Flawless except for stalled spoiler wing. Has needed nothing. Somebody else paid for the inevitable up front maintenance.

I moved up from a very fun and pretty fast C4S. Which I upgraded to from a sorta fast 964 C4. Get the picture? Made money on prior 2 cars, essentially driving them for free. I thought the C4S would be all the car I ever needed, turbo wide body, lower insurance cost, etc. then I went to a HPDE track day. A year later, I decided to get a turbo....more speed out of the apex! I essentially got a year older Turbo for not much more than a grand more than what I sold my C4S for, fewer miles and the famous Mezger GT1 motor. No more worry about IMS bearing failure.

Not looking back, the 996 turbo is THE Porsche deal right now! Not sure it will last. The 964 was just a so so 911, get them for a song...then look what happened, they jumped $10k in price almost overnight. That said, I've gathered advertised price data on 80 TT cars earlier this year, PM me for the data. For example, average advertised price on a 50k mile car is around $41.5k. A 100k car is $34.5k.

LordVicious

You guys are finding some great deals out there. I just payed $37k for a 60k mile 01', although the car shows flawlessly. One thing I will say is that 996tts' seem to come in 2 distinct flavors, heavily modded (and abused) track cars, and generally unmolested drivers. I suspect that some of the low prices reflect the former. Beware those cars. They have had the living snot beaten out of them and maintenance costs down the line will reflect that.

rmc1148

You get what you pay for = read the after purchase posts of the discount buyers. If your going to build a track car then mileage is not that important as you will redo the engine/suspension etc. There was just a post from one of the experts telling the hard truth about miles on a car. Most people buy high mileage because its cheaper then try to make themselves feel good telling others its the best coarse of action = true only if that's all you can afford.

up4speed

I just purchased my 2001TT with 17,500 miles for $42K.
I thought I paid a little high, but I guess not. It is a wonderful car that basically needed nothing (except the spoiler issue. I put the fixed spoiler kit in it) and looks basically new!

"02996ttx50

..and my current one falls right smack in the center,. hi miles WELL maintained ( and i do stuff on it nearly WEEKLY need it or not )

..and while I've had my share of small stuff ( alt/ spoiler re-bleed,, one rad replaced cpl batteries untold numbers of tires etc etc gee wow ) this car at 123k miles & 550 +/- rwhp has been stellar, and i mean i gush about it daily but its truly a hi mileage phenom. lol fingers crossed
.

oh yeah, there was that one little trans opening which was painless and allowed me tom instal an lsd. so all you garage royalty, i'm looking for ya

rmc1148

A car with 17k miles that needs nothing is worth 42k and I would say well bought.