Did I pay too much??????
05-19-2003, 07:09 PM
#1
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Did I pay too much??????
Bought a '96 C4S with 37K miles for $43K. PPI came back great and shop said it's the cleanest they'd seen in a while. Another Rennlister (Curtis B.) checked it out and said that it was in really nice condition as well. The car has all books, records, etc.
My question....Is $43 too much? I look on ebay and '99's are going for mid-$30's...
Link:http://cgi.ebay.com/ebaymotors/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&item=2415178628&category=10156
I know 993's will continue to depreciate over time..I just hope I didn't get in too high??? Opinions? Just looking for some reassurance I guess :-)
My question....Is $43 too much? I look on ebay and '99's are going for mid-$30's...
Link:http://cgi.ebay.com/ebaymotors/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&item=2415178628&category=10156
I know 993's will continue to depreciate over time..I just hope I didn't get in too high??? Opinions? Just looking for some reassurance I guess :-)
05-19-2003, 07:16 PM
#2
Pro
If it is a nice car, and the right color, then you paid the right amount!! <img border="0" alt="[cheers]" title="" src="graemlins/beerchug.gif" /> Don't worrry about comps from places like ebay...a lot of those cars have "stories". Compare the price you paid with cars that are as nice as yours...you won't be far off. In the long run, it won't matter.
05-19-2003, 07:19 PM
#3
Nordschleife Master
It sounds to me like you got a very nice price on a great car. Don't compare any 993s to 996s... the 996s are in over supply, as the leased cars are coming back in. Their prices are really hit hard, and will get clobbered when the 997 update is released.
Enjoy. You did great.
Enjoy. You did great.
05-19-2003, 07:28 PM
#4
I guess this is why I will never be rich...I pretty much just find the right car and go from there. Personally, I do not understand sweating small price variations on a car like a 993.
Even pretending that price is high, would you pay a premium for a car with a good history and excellent PPI that you love? I would! Relax and enjoy a beautiful car. And BTW, if you are worried about depreciation the 993 does pretty well there too.
Even pretending that price is high, would you pay a premium for a car with a good history and excellent PPI that you love? I would! Relax and enjoy a beautiful car. And BTW, if you are worried about depreciation the 993 does pretty well there too.
05-19-2003, 08:06 PM
#5
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I paid more than that (by around 15%) in Sept. for a '96 C4S with 13K miles. For a while I kept looking at the want adds and getting buyers remorse and kicking myself that I paid too much. Then one day I realized I loved my car and was happy to have it so the remorse went away. IMHO, you are getting a great deal but all that matters in the end is whether you are happy or not. The '99 996s are totally different animals and the drop in their prices as well as the Boxters reflects the market rather than as a gauge of where the price of an older car should be. Whatever decision you make, be happy and enjoy the hell out of it!!
05-19-2003, 09:14 PM
#7
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I agree with the others.....Sounds like you got a nice car. I paid alot more for my 97 5 months ago and took a BEATING trading my 01 Boxster in on it. Just for "fun" I drove a 99 996 the day before I found the 993, it was 42K with 19,000 miles on it. It had no "feel" to it. I wasn't connected to the road. The plastic interior......well I could go on and on, bottom line is you got yourself a true 911. IMHO!!!
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05-19-2003, 09:20 PM
#9
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That 996 C2 is not comparable to your car... figure that:
1) you have a considerably better looking car, hands down
2) with far fewer miles... I use $0.24/mile to cross-compare 993's unless the mileage is extremely high (80000+) or extremely low (12000 or less).
3) it's a classic air-cooled with a much more appealing interior design IMHO
4) there were only around 1,800 993 C4S's sold in the US... there is something to be said for scarcity (but I wouldn't OVERemphasize this point).
5) 1999 was the first year of the 996... I once bought a first year BMW E36 (325i) and I wouldn't buy the first year of any car again.
6) your car is AWD, of course
For these reasons, I would expect the 1996 C4S to hold its value much better than the 996 C2. Obviously it already has (judging by the 1999 996 prices today) and as the leases roll off and the 997 comes out I would expect the gap to widen further.
These were the justifications for why I also paid for the 993 C4S vs the cheaper 996's out there.
The arguments in the other direction were not compelling for me, usually:
1) 996 has 14 extra hp
2) "Why would Porsche make their new 911 worse than their old ones?".
1) you have a considerably better looking car, hands down
2) with far fewer miles... I use $0.24/mile to cross-compare 993's unless the mileage is extremely high (80000+) or extremely low (12000 or less).
3) it's a classic air-cooled with a much more appealing interior design IMHO
4) there were only around 1,800 993 C4S's sold in the US... there is something to be said for scarcity (but I wouldn't OVERemphasize this point).
5) 1999 was the first year of the 996... I once bought a first year BMW E36 (325i) and I wouldn't buy the first year of any car again.
6) your car is AWD, of course
For these reasons, I would expect the 1996 C4S to hold its value much better than the 996 C2. Obviously it already has (judging by the 1999 996 prices today) and as the leases roll off and the 997 comes out I would expect the gap to widen further.
These were the justifications for why I also paid for the 993 C4S vs the cheaper 996's out there.
The arguments in the other direction were not compelling for me, usually:
1) 996 has 14 extra hp
2) "Why would Porsche make their new 911 worse than their old ones?".
05-19-2003, 10:01 PM
#11
Rennlist Member
Ah Bill - the old buyer's remorse has settled in for you, eh? <img border="0" title="" alt="[Wink]" src="wink.gif" /> Congrats on a killer deal. As you know, I paid $40500 for my 96 C4S with 59k miles (lots more than yours) and mine needed a clutch, tires, and other stuff totaling $4700.
You just posted this to make me feel bad, right
?
Hope you are enjoying your new car, but when are we going to see them pics? Got a digital camera??? If not, you'll have to get one just so you can show off that car
.
Steve
You just posted this to make me feel bad, right
?Hope you are enjoying your new car, but when are we going to see them pics? Got a digital camera??? If not, you'll have to get one just so you can show off that car
.Steve
05-19-2003, 10:05 PM
#12
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I pick it up Thursday. I'll fly in that morning and drive back in that afternoon (not too bad....a 5 to 6 hour trip). It'll give me a chance to "get acquainted". Then I'm off work Friday, Saturday, Sunday, and Monday so I can spend all weekend cleaning the car. Then I'll post the pictures!
As they say...watch this space!
As they say...watch this space!
05-19-2003, 10:10 PM
#13
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you can always find a lower price, but it doesnt technically mean its a better car
thats a pretty normal price, my friend is trying to get $62k out of his 96 C4S!!! doesn't realize the concept of depreciation i guess...
thats a pretty normal price, my friend is trying to get $62k out of his 96 C4S!!! doesn't realize the concept of depreciation i guess...
05-19-2003, 10:20 PM
#14
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</font><blockquote><font size="1" face="Verdana,Tahoma,Helvetica">quote:</font><hr /><font size="2" face="Verdana,Tahoma,Helvetica">Originally posted by ///bmwm3n528:
<strong>you can always find a lower price, but it doesnt technically mean its a better car
thats a pretty normal price, my friend is trying to get $62k out of his 96 C4S!!! doesn't realize the concept of depreciation i guess...</strong></font><hr /></blockquote><font size="2" face="Verdana,Tahoma,Helvetica">I'd be interested to hear how your friend ends up selling his C4S..
<strong>you can always find a lower price, but it doesnt technically mean its a better car
thats a pretty normal price, my friend is trying to get $62k out of his 96 C4S!!! doesn't realize the concept of depreciation i guess...</strong></font><hr /></blockquote><font size="2" face="Verdana,Tahoma,Helvetica">I'd be interested to hear how your friend ends up selling his C4S..
05-19-2003, 10:24 PM
#15
PS Armorer
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Worrying about how much you paid should only matter if you plan to sell it. Since you have not picked it up yet, I assume that is not the case <img border="0" title="" alt="[Wink]" src="wink.gif" /> .
For a car in very good or better condition, you did fine.
Just drive a 99 996. You'll know you made the right choice. As far as those 996s in the mid-$30's on eBay, I've seen some off-lease 996s that look like they are 30 years old in terms of wear and tear. Sad really
.
Enjoy your C4S. After you start with the modifications, you won't even remember what the purchase price was
.
Jason
For a car in very good or better condition, you did fine.
Just drive a 99 996. You'll know you made the right choice. As far as those 996s in the mid-$30's on eBay, I've seen some off-lease 996s that look like they are 30 years old in terms of wear and tear. Sad really
.Enjoy your C4S. After you start with the modifications, you won't even remember what the purchase price was
.Jason