944 prices going up or am I smokin something?
#31
true! there is a much smaller base of people that are even familiar with the car. those of us in the know tend to think they're worth more than the actual demand would dictate. However the ultimate determination of the price is what an individual is willing to pay for what he wants, obviously. i think the price fluctuates a bit seasonally, also
#32
I have an Excellence copy with the 924/944/968 series market update from last year. They noted a slight increase, but they also noted that the Turbo was becoming less desirable in relation to the other series models because of the age and "mechanical complexity."
One thing I've always noticed in the difference in how the 951 and 930 are treated as they age. They're both from a similar era and I mean come on, there's an article about how the 951 beat the 930 around a track in 1989.
The general rule (this is just my observation) for a nice 930 is that the engine and tranny have probably seen a rebuild, everything rubber has been replaced and/or upgraded, etc... It's not like the 930 doesn't suffer from mechanical complexity, the early ones had freakin K-Jetronic. 930 owners commit more money, generally speaking, and at some point they go ahead and give a shop a whole pile of money for a rebuild and a G-50, maybe some new leather seats and a down-to-shell respray "while they're in there". The general rule for a nice 951, however, is usually a clean car with a stack of reciepts that say the belts, seals, and water pump have been changed, and maybe a few other items. Even really nice 951s I see still have original vaccum hosing, coolant lines, and so on.
I've seen exceptions, including a friend's 951 which had a stack of reciepts totalling something like 40 grand, all during the 90's. One example of a description on a reciept was "customer complained of knocking inside engine. Replaced with new long block." Also "customer says car is not fast enough. Installed enlarged turbo." The engine replacement was like 12 grand and the "enlarged turbo" (whatever that means, his car does like a 13.0 so I think it's safe to say they're not telling you everything) like 8 grand.
Now as 951s are hitting the 20-year-old mark it seems one either needs to be prepared to either work on the car themselves and dump some cash into it or have someone else work on it and probably eventually end up spending over the cars purchase price in repairs. I was just talking to a guy at a restaurant two weeks ago who had just parted with a clean 951 and said he loved it, but it was costing him 1,000 dollars a month and quite a bit of shop time to keep it running.
It's really the desirability factor that the 930 has enjoyed since new that the 951 will struggle with until there are few left.
One thing I've always noticed in the difference in how the 951 and 930 are treated as they age. They're both from a similar era and I mean come on, there's an article about how the 951 beat the 930 around a track in 1989.
The general rule (this is just my observation) for a nice 930 is that the engine and tranny have probably seen a rebuild, everything rubber has been replaced and/or upgraded, etc... It's not like the 930 doesn't suffer from mechanical complexity, the early ones had freakin K-Jetronic. 930 owners commit more money, generally speaking, and at some point they go ahead and give a shop a whole pile of money for a rebuild and a G-50, maybe some new leather seats and a down-to-shell respray "while they're in there". The general rule for a nice 951, however, is usually a clean car with a stack of reciepts that say the belts, seals, and water pump have been changed, and maybe a few other items. Even really nice 951s I see still have original vaccum hosing, coolant lines, and so on.
I've seen exceptions, including a friend's 951 which had a stack of reciepts totalling something like 40 grand, all during the 90's. One example of a description on a reciept was "customer complained of knocking inside engine. Replaced with new long block." Also "customer says car is not fast enough. Installed enlarged turbo." The engine replacement was like 12 grand and the "enlarged turbo" (whatever that means, his car does like a 13.0 so I think it's safe to say they're not telling you everything) like 8 grand.
Now as 951s are hitting the 20-year-old mark it seems one either needs to be prepared to either work on the car themselves and dump some cash into it or have someone else work on it and probably eventually end up spending over the cars purchase price in repairs. I was just talking to a guy at a restaurant two weeks ago who had just parted with a clean 951 and said he loved it, but it was costing him 1,000 dollars a month and quite a bit of shop time to keep it running.
It's really the desirability factor that the 930 has enjoyed since new that the 951 will struggle with until there are few left.
Last edited by Swagger93; 07-09-2006 at 06:15 AM.
#33
The July 2006 issue of GT magazine (a UK Porsche magazone) just had a nice article about the 924/944 Turbo.
In its conclusion, interestingly the article mentioned that the 924 Turbo value is 'pushing up' due to its rarity (I guess it means in UK). It also mentioned that the 944 Turbo value 'will depreciate' because its is 'more common' (relative to the 924 Turbo in the UK, I guess).
Well... I guess I would agree with it (I do own a 87 Diamond Blue 951). Unless there is a high-profile movie or TV show (e.g. The Fast & The Furious, or Initial-D, etc.) to boost up the hype of the 951, I think its value will hover around (if not depreciate slow-ly) over the next few years...
With best regards,
- Alex.
In its conclusion, interestingly the article mentioned that the 924 Turbo value is 'pushing up' due to its rarity (I guess it means in UK). It also mentioned that the 944 Turbo value 'will depreciate' because its is 'more common' (relative to the 924 Turbo in the UK, I guess).
Well... I guess I would agree with it (I do own a 87 Diamond Blue 951). Unless there is a high-profile movie or TV show (e.g. The Fast & The Furious, or Initial-D, etc.) to boost up the hype of the 951, I think its value will hover around (if not depreciate slow-ly) over the next few years...
With best regards,
- Alex.
#35
944s worth buying (history, unmolested, clean) are the ones driving the price up. A car with a recent timing belt change should bring more than an owner wanting to unload. I've seen a few 944s local for $1000. Maybe a good parts car, nothing to try to 'restore'. On the other end, some small used dealers advertise they have a Porsche within the crapped-out GrandAms and Escorts. $4k for a 924 with no history? "NOT A MISPRINT!!!"
The only people shopping for old 944s are enthusiasts who know they can get a deal on a snappy car and have the time to fool with the little things. The 944 Spec might drive prices up. Spec Miata was the best thing that ever happened to used Mazdas.
The only people shopping for old 944s are enthusiasts who know they can get a deal on a snappy car and have the time to fool with the little things. The 944 Spec might drive prices up. Spec Miata was the best thing that ever happened to used Mazdas.
#39
Originally Posted by kennycoulter
maybe peopel are relaizing that the 944 series actually looks better than the goofy looking 911 cars?!?!?!?! hate me all you want, but its true.
#42
You may be smoking something....I see more than a few people buy 944s thinking they're going to be cool cars to own...until they find out what the insurance can be, the parts costs, labor costs, or just bought as the higher priced stuff started wearing out on the cars. I don't see the prices going up...but going down...except for the EXCELLENT plus shaped cars. And, as mentioned, the turbos seem to be holding pretty good but I'll bet they'll drop too. Too many Boxsters starting to flood the market for the same money.
Harvey
Harvey
#43
Originally Posted by Mike951
Think of Barrette Jackson 30 years from now. A 951 will command $$$$. Look at all those muscle cars from the 60's and 70's at those auctions and the prices they are selling for. If you have the means to store one of these vehicles, it may pay off big time if you wait it out.
Porsche cranked out a lot more 944's than 928's. So when 928's are all gone, then I would start to worry about 944's.