Has The 964 Hit The Bottom in Depreciation?
 

I was out browsing on the net and was shocked at how low the prices of 964's have become. Pretty sweet as I have always wanted a 911 since I was a kid. Its well within my reach as a fun car. There seem to be lots of the premium examples around with not high mileage.

So has the 964 hit the bottom of the curve in depreciation and will now start going up?

I don't think so. These cars are so much more complicated in the electrical/mechanical areas than the previous 911's. Many things need to be replaced repaired as these cars get older. And the parts are getting very expensive. With potentially high repair costs, depreciation will continue for a while.

Agreed. These cars will continue to depreciate but at a slower rate. Will this turn around? Probably not. As great as they are, they're probably not what most would consider a significant 911 model. The exceptions would be the 964 Cup Car and 964 RS whose prices have increased dramatically in recent years.

Hmmm. Prices are up in my area. Not much, but I am betting I would get more than I paid, but she is not for sale.

I really don't understand the market for these cars. 6 years ago I bought a 90 C2 for $19,900 and now If i sell my 91 that i've had for almost a year it's worth anywhere from 18-22K depending on the market. Seems like it hasnt really shifted or depreciated any at all???:burnout:

Certain models are going up in price....as are exceptional examples of the 964. Cars that are at the top of the marque in terms of their condition and provenance comand top dollar.

If the depreciation were also true for the 965's, especially the 3.6T's, I would be a very happy person. Prices for those seem to have turned around over the last couple years :(

For a given number of miles, the depreciation is nearly zero now. In fact, it probably has been for a while. I bought mine for 26,800 over 10 years ago. I put 40k+ miles on it since, and it is probably worth 20k. Had I not driven it, it would probably still be 24k. So, I'd say it was about $250.00/year in depreciation, and about 10c a mile (plus maintenance).

Wouldn't you say that that was below the market in 2001 for a nice 964 street car with, say, 50-60K miles on the clock, well-maintained, no leaks, new DMF and some history? That's about the same time I bought my first 964 and nice examples back then (not low-mileage, garage queens) were trading hands for mid to high $20's. Is it possible that the $19,900 price is more an example of how good a buy you got rather than market levels?

So how much did the '91 set you back? :)

I think these cars are, and will continue to be a good car to own. I have bought 4 964's, and each time I've sold one, it's been for more money than I originally bought it for. And each time, the car has 10-20,000 more miles on it, and 1-2 years older... And I don't always buy cheap ones: my first one was a C4 cabrio for $29,000 four or so years ago

I think that the club racing scene has also helped prices of older 964's with high miles - the non-primo condition cars. The 964 is a fantastic track car platform providing probably the most bang for your buck, and the PCA has numerous classes that the 964 can fit into depending on how nuts you want to be. So, even for bottom end 964's with lots of miles, there is a market, and that market seems to be growing.

A lot depends on how well the fleet is maintained. If the 964 is perceived as a collectable, prices will rise and the cars will fall in the hands of people willing to care for them. Average prices will rise, and premium examples will fetch high prices.

If on the other hand if the reputation that the 964 suffers because of parts availabilty or pricing, prices will fall and the average condition of the fleet will decline. Prices will fall. I have been surprised by the high prices (low to mid teens) that some pretty ratty 964s command. Perhaps Garrett's theory is correct - these are popular starters for track car projects.

While I certainly hope market forces continue to support favorable 964 pricing (from an owner's perspective :) ), I would suspect that the growing supply of <$30K 993's and 996's will continue to put downward pressure on prices.

I don't know... I've always thought of the 993 and 996 cars appealing to a different market? Plus, those cars have their own set of separate issues that affect their pricing adversely.

Perhap you're right, Garrett. And given their relative scarcity and the steady demand, maybe prices have, in fact, bottomed out on the 964's.