Edgy01

I came to this conclusion back in 06 when I ordered my 997S cab. It was the most affordable 911 in many many years. Plus, they keep improving it!

Always have your assets in something tangible!

GSIRM3

How times have changed. A 911 compared to an Audi as a DD.

ajag

That's my combo. I plan on 50/50 DD the S6 and 991, weather permitting. My commute is 30 miles each way, two lane highways.

chuckbdc

Maybe we have this wrong.

Yes it is more costly than before. But if being used both as a DD and a track/high perfromance toy, the cost has to be divided by what the other had costed or would cost?

(You are on you own to rationalize the other cars in your collection).

GSIRM3

I was going through some of my old car stuff and came across a window sticker for a 1985 911 cabriolet with Turbo Body and Chassis option. This was just the Carrera cabriolet with Turbo body and chassis, not a real turbo. The car had a MSRP of 51,403. That was a lot of cash back in 1985.

Here is the price breakdown:

Porsche 911 Carrera Cabriolet - 36,450.00
Prussian Blue Metallic - 645.00
Leatherette/Leather Steering Wheel with Raised Hub - 47.00
Tonneau Cover - 511.00
Monterey Digital/Cassette Radio - 625.00
Sport Seats - 267.00
Cruise Control - 320.00
930 Performance Body/Chassis - 11,760.00 (wow)
Alarm System - 200.00
Destination Charge - 578.00

Total MSRP - 51,403.00

The car had a 3.2 liter, 200 HP engine. EPA City 17, and Highway 25. Back then, Porsche didn't have the extensive list of options that they currently have, so this was a nicely equipped car. It had power windows, but manual door locks, manual top, power windows, no power steering. Not sure if it had power brakes or not. The shifter was rubbery and balky and get to get any power out of the engine, you had to get it up to at least 4K rpms. Still, it was a beautiful car and sometimes I wish I still had it.

Thought some of you might find that interesting. I also have a window sticker from a 1984 Targa I had. It was about $38,000.

Here are a couple old scanned photos of the car.

Hothonda

My last NSX was a 2005......$89,765 MSRP.

Told my wife that would be the ceiling...I guess I lied!

toplabels

chuck911 two thumbs up for your post!!!!

LonnieR

Not that I'm aging myself but...I bought a new 911T, picked it up at the factory, US specs. total price with options...$6,800.00. The 911S was way too much for me then at $7,500.00. Guess what year this all happened...........1971.
Now I'm optioning out a 991 at around $120K. Times have really changed!

LonnieR

Here's a guy picking up his new Porsche with the balance after the deposit:

chuck911

Thank you mrstep (and toplabels) (and LonnieR- are those Zimbabwean trillion dollar notes that guys holding? Could almost buy a loaf of bread with those... or maybe an egg... ).

Except, its not off topic at all. Its just that people, when they talk about price, they never even stop to think that the price depends entirely on what units the price is denominated in! This was fine ack when money was coined out of silver and gold. The only way of making more money was to prospect, mine, refine, smelt and mint- each step laboriously adding value. But now? "Ctrl-P"? That's not money. Its not even dollars. Its just numbers! But those numbers go out there in the world where other people are able to use them as if they were money, even though all they're really doing is diluting the value of all previously existing money. Which is the REAL reason today's 991 costs so darn much.

Also why I agree with you mrstep that because of all this the smart move is to spend your money and enjoy your 991. That's they way they've rigged the game, to make us all borrowers and spenders, to pay taxes and interest from cradle to grave.

Wasn't always that way, by the way. Back in the days of sound money, back when inflation was zero (in fact there wasn't even a word for it, which nobody missed, because it didn't exist!) and interest rates a steady 5%, it was easy to safely save and retire very well on those savings. Because, see, 5% interest when inflation is zero is 5% REAL interest! With no taxes! (Remember, there was no IRS before 1913 when the Fed was created!)

But today? You think $150k for a nicely optioned 991 is a lot? HA! Look again, this time though let's look at your "all-in" costs:

Places like Washington have a sales tax, so that $150k car costs $165k. But that's not all! Let's say that in order to pay for the car you earned about half of that, or $85k, and invested the rest doing really well so you about doubled your money making up the remaining $80k. Great. But first, in order to have the $165k net you had to pay some taxes. At an average 25% income tax rate you'll need to earn $113k to have $85k left over after taxes. Likewise, you'll need to have $94k in order to net $80k after 15% capital gains taxes. $113 plus $94 is $207k you need to earn or save before taxes to buy that $150k 991.

Comprador

The pontificating is killing me so I'll just say this and shut up..

Maybe the reason I REALLY am so pissed (and it has nothing to do with gross GNP of 1st world countries or the fact the fact that gold has gone up a billion percent except on my portfolio) is that as I am now waiting for a $143K new 911 to be built, I am looking for an older model i.e. 993 to play around in before I pick up the 991.. my previous 7 Porsches have all been sold and the prices I received for them (several vintage cars that were bought used) pale in comparison today.. the market for a 87 Turbo with 20,000 miles today is SO much higher than where I sold my car in 1996. I know cost of money has risen and those were 1996 dollars but I am still peeved that I got whacked on the way up and now am paying crazy prices for the 991.. just my rant (not meant to be analyzed

LonnieR

The guy posted above is actually holding US currency in $50K bricks that he just won in a poker game at the Commerce in LA(Over 1mil).

MAHack

As I wait for my 991, I've been enjoying a 993 that I picked up recently. My advice...do it while there are some affordable examples out there.

I also feel your pain of selling an older model too early. While I've made a few dollars on the last few I let go, I will always be haunted by the 1970 911E coupe that I sold for $10K in 1999. I imagine a similar scenario of an investor selling their Apple shares in 1987 due to the aging ][e platform.

ny991

I sold my 74 Carrera for $10,000 in 96. I so wish I still had it, not to sell for more, just to still have it. If there ever was a car that looked good with the ducktail, that was it!

Now I'm on the lookout to buy another just like it.

chuck911

I thought everyone knew that Porsche depreciation is huge in the early years, flattening out around 10-20 and then tends to hold there or even climb some. You shouldn't be mad that you "lost" a lot on that car. You should just be happy you're so loaded you can indulge in buying one 911 just "to play around in" until the new one comes. I know I sure would be.