stout

Nailed it. You too, Rick.

PDK has its fans, and I can't argue a single point with them. In fact, I'm with them all the way on a closed course or high-speed autobahn run. But, out on the road, there are precious few cars where two pedals doesn't kill the dreaming for me (this is me speaking personally, not professionally). With Ferrari, the end of the manual neatly coincides with the end of my interest in owning one, no matter how technically good/fast it is. I wondered if that would happen back then, and now I know.

Too many street cars are (way) too fast now anyway, particularly those with massively powerful engines (i.e. Astons). But keep on adding power and weight while saying it's increasingly difficult to meet emissions targets with manual transmissions…and complaining that the world is increasingly uninterested in, or even against, sporting cars.

Porsche has done a much better job than most in this regard, both with manuals and with curb weights, but isn't entirely immune. Killing the manual in the base Carrera and forcing people into a Carrera S to get a 7MT leads to a price increase significant enough that many customers will stay in or look for used 911s.

cutlass476

This thread has devolved into a very similar argument that 997 owners used to have with 991 owners. Each series of the 911 improves on the previous. Even the 996 was an improvement over the 993, when considering performance, overall handling, and technology. Now, having said that, NO ONE prefers a 996 over the 993, this is an exception to the evolutionary rule with 911’s. As far as there being a shortage of 911’s, there does seem to be. However, on Friday I purchased a very highly spec’d 2019 991.2S Coupe with only 5500 miles, 2 years CPO with an original in service date of 5/30/2020. I got her for $107.5k out the door. I traded my 2017 AMG GTS (25k miles, 1 year of CPO remaining).

I consider this to be a very good deal. Each successive 911 series seems to engender angst in the owners of the previous series. I’ve been watching and listening to it for nearly 30 years. I appreciate every series of 911. It is such a blessing just to be able to own a 911. Enjoy.

Schn3ll

I agree and I think this is pushing many to the 718 platform (a friend of mine included).

It will be interesting to see the positioning of the brand in the near future. If the 718 platform goes pure electric (without a sister ICE platform) I think this will be a colossal mistake by Stuttgart. 718’s are such a great package (especially with the 4.0) and are still priced right for the enthusiasts.

My991

In the last year I’ve sold:

1) 1970 Chevelle SS for $10k more than purchased 3 yes previous

2) 2019 4Runner TRD ORP 28k miles for $3.5k more than originally paid new

3) 2013 C2S cab for $5k more than paid last June

All cash back to me and now I’m going to sit back and wait for this bubble to burst and when it does I’ll get a good deal on my next toy(s).

Al.Fresco

Yeah, the financial side of my brain says I should consider that with my 2014 Targa 4S, but the emotional car loving side says no way. We shall see which side wins.

Watson

Keep it 😉

Bob Z.

Unless you replace it with something you like just as much, or preferably better, I agree to keep it. If I had not liked the Spyder so much I would still have my Targa since there is nothing else now for me to replace it with.

Schn3ll

This is my sentiment as well as many others I’m sure. I’ve contemplated selling (especially at today’s going rate), but when it comes down to replacing it - that’s the big hurdle for me. If I go cheaper, cars get boring and/or unreliable/unrefined, if I go more expensive, I deal with the currently inflated market and highly competitive nature of used high end cars right now. Just about the only cars I would consider are a GT4 or a GT3 and they are about as hot as you can get right now.

I will refrain from shopping for cars again, lord knows my wife can’t take my car shopping habits again any time soon - nearly drove her insane looking for my T.

jfischet

..or this isn't a bubble, but a deliberate, targeted deprecation of the dollar by the fed to make the debt more serviceable. in which case we're in for a re-pricing of all sorts of assets and you may never get another 911 at these prices again.

911-997

This is DEFINITELY a bubble. Once the used car market inventory gets back to pre-covid era then prices will go back to normal level

dd356

It's not a bubble for manual tranny cars. It may over time become a preferred choice to have a clutchless transmission, but until that becomes widespread there just are not enough 3 pedal cars in production. Demand will tax the supply for good cars and the prices will be very strong.

AdamSanta85

When you have used Nissan Maxima's and Dodge Ram's appreciating 21% in a year you know you're in a bubble...

manifold danger

But the market for manual cars is diminishing rapidly. Porsche seems to be the exception here, but these decisions by manufacturers to stop producing manual versions of their sports cars is not happening in a vacuum. If this statement was 100% true, there WOULD be a manual C8, Giulia, Aston Martin, Ferrari, etc.- or at least a CLEAR premium for manual versions on the used car market. That's just not the case.

I see Porsche continuing to hold the line and will be the last to fall... but they will fall. Some would argue they already have. You can no longer spec a base manual carrera.

It's already begun.

Rudyr

It's not because there isn't demand for manuals or they want to stop making them in general. The move from manual -> autos/DSGs is driven by fuel economy standards. Engine technology is pretty maxed out when it comes to extracting more efficiency. That's led car companies to look at the transmission to additional gains. CVTs, 10-speed autos (e.g. Ford Mustang), and the associated control the manufacture has to program shift points is what is killing off manual transmissions.

dd356

Spot on. I believe i read at one point a guy was working with converting double clutch automatics to manuals. Cost prohibitive, but if scarcity rules the day, the crazy money nowadays who knows.