Archimedes

What's funny is, when that car came out, I thought Porsche was done. Off the rails, building ****, becoming just another car manufacturer. Boy was I wrong.

sl951

It will certainly help them keep it's value.
Performance numbers becomes less important for the used P-car market, especially if it's older than say 5 years.
If you're chasing performance numbers you buy the newest version.
In the used P-car market you're looking for the driving experience and the emotional connection (style/sound/feel). In the long run I'd say 981 with the flat 6 will have the stronger connection with users vs. the 981 with turbo 4.

sjfehr

The value of air cooled cars is sky-high right now, too. I guess enough old purists still believe all the water cooled cars are terrible to keep the prices up? Same will likely be true of the 981 no matter how good the 718 turns out.

Phil G.

Not so. See my post above. I had a 996 4S and loved it. Then the 997 came out - which was a more powerful, better looking, and overall improved car. Which is why the value of the 996's tanked. Conversely, the 981 in my view is just right - classic, beautifully designed and powered with the wonderful NA six. Although the 718 will be faster, it's not as pretty, it's more gimmicky, and with a turbo four it may sell well, but us "old purists" still revere the more classic Porsches with sixes. I don't delude myself into thinking 981's will ever be collector cars like the 993's, but they should retain their value well going forward.

sjfehr

Which is exactly my point. We're waxing poetic now, whereas back when they first came out there was incessant whining about the water-cooled engine on the 986/996, nannies on the 987 ruining the car, and then the whole outrage over electric steering on the 981. But when people bought them, they loved them. And within a few years pretty much everyone realized just how damned good a job Porsche did.

The engineers at Stuttgart aren't not perfect, but they're not stupid either. They know how to make a great car.

mopar bob

sjfehr is correct. When the 981 came out all folks on the forum were saying was that the electric steering was the end of a true Porsche. Now it's one of the best that they made. At the time the 981 came out with that dam electric steering it was going to keep the resale of the 987 very high as no one will want a 981. I think the whole thing is very funny.

Marine Blue

I will argue that the 996 & 986 values tanked primarily due to the RMS/IMS issues.

As far as the electric steering, I don't think that complaint has gone away but the other improvements that Porsche has made far outweigh the reduced steering feel.

Archimedes

Love my 981S, but there's no way it's ever gonna be a collector car, and it's gonna depreciate just like any other car. 718 is not going to have any positive or negative effect on its value.

Phil G.

Agree that the 981S is no collector car, but only time will tell if the 4 cyl 718 will influence the future value of the 981. The 718 hasn't even been reviewed or road tested yet.

n4v4nod

zirrah

Fair argument, but honestly most 986's are owned by non-enthusiasts that haven't a clue what an rms/ims is. That was the beauty of the car, it had mass appeal with its styling and price point and reached a whole new realm of buyers that Porsche had yet to touch. But let's be honest. The headlights did it. And the cheap-*** interiors. And the Toyota door handles. Not the rms/ims.

erik_plus8

Here in Sweden some people (well, actually only one person...) are now reporting trouble getting allocation for a 718, with October deliveries being reported. This seems very strange to me. I can imagine production rates being kept lower in the beginning but it's not like the customer base has been queing up outside dealers, GT4-style, right...? Is PAG overly careful with expected reception in the market or is there really a strong demand for this car...?

fast1

I had a 996 4S and loved it. Then the 997 came out - which was a more powerful, better looking, and overall improved car. Which is why the value of the 996's tanked.

Actually 996 values tanked before the 997 was introduced: just too many quality issues. The 996 does outperform the 993 however, which just goes to prove that performance isn't everything.

fast1

Happy you enjoyed your VW

Phil G.

Pretty snotty response. My TT was anything but a VW.