mklein9

Dunno, it's just weird when people talk about trading up or upgrading to avoid costs or whatever, then recoil at actual numbers. Numbers have this way of deflating preconceived notions. Last I heard, Econ 101 had lots of math in it.

onewhippedpuppy

It's easier to justify that 997 you WANT without actually looking at the numbers.

Remember the gas spike a few years ago, when people couldn't trade in their SUVs fast enough? They were taking an absolute bath trading a 15 MPG SUV for a 30 MPG car. I hope they drive their Prius for the next 100 years because that's the only way the ROI works out.

tks12

unless of course your the guy that buys the car at 20k has the unfortunate cost of 10k for engine replacement (or more)

this is what would steer me away from buying a early 997 as well, that stupid IMS cost of protection.....

it is my understanding that the '09 < 997 has solved that problem...

onewhippedpuppy

Any Porsche can potentially cost you a lot of money. One of many reasons why looking at a car as an "investment" is foolish. If you change my earlier statement to a 997.2, then you're talking about buying today for $60k, selling in a few years for more like $40k. Not so affordable anymore......

6ta1

I find it interesting how people whine about a 2% chance of of $10k catastrophic failure vs. a 100% chance of a $20k depreciation.

Let's walk through the math... your average cost:
- 996 for $25k + 2% of $10k = $25.2k - resale in 5 yrs for $15k worst case = $2k/yr cost of ownership
- 09+ 997 for $60k, you're super lucky and no issue, resale in 5 yrs for $30k (remember you're lucky), that's $6k/yr cost of ownership...

Byprodriver

[QUOTE=tks12;11211338]I'm with you on this one, the first time someone drops 10 20k into their car and it gets totaled out and they get a check for nada from the ins company, they are going to wish they had never lost that other 10k they just put in the engine.

That's the beauty of building the engine like you want it, even if car is totaled the engine usually survives & is easily transfered to your replacement Porsche.

onewhippedpuppy

Damn, there's another pesky person involving facts in the conversation!

What it says is that even if you are one of the unlucky few that has an engine grenade, it still won't be any worse of a loss than buying a 997 and eating the depreciation. I'll take my chances......

Gonzo911

If you can afford a newer car, you buy a newer car. There is no formula for the satisfaction that comes with upgrading. As for depreciation, we all know cars are almost never an investment.

Gonzo911

I hear this all the time. Of course no one ever get rear ended in a Porsche!

tks12

well I didn't post that part, and agree with ya, no one ever gets rear ended <g>

tks12

depreciation and loss

one wins with driving the car for miles the other looses with instant loss such as a accident....

buy a car worth 40k not have to put 10-20k in it, it gets totalled you get to replace that car

buy that car at 40k put 10-20 in it, it gets totaled you get a nice loss of 10-20 k

depreciation does not happen that quickly, you dont go buy a 40k car today and it be a 20k loss that quickly (unless you buy brand new of course) in fact we are sitting at about a 20k loss on her stang, but there have been 70k miles put on it too, we lost 18k on her mercedes, but she put 100k miles on it before we sold it.

when you drive a ton of miles these things may matter, be it mercedes, porsche, ford or a miata, which I would love to see someone try and get my wife to drive a miata <g> you would be far better off getting her in a old beatup pickup truck (shes a Texan though and likes to drive my one ton dually with 35's on it)
but funnier yet is when a salesmen tells you , you dont want a Porsche for a daily driver, or a V12 Mercedes (now I about agree when they tell you that on a SL AMG, wow that has pricey maintenance

all this is a moot point if your buying for another reason besides transportation, kind of like dropping 20k in a engine - trans for performance mods on a 1967 (insert your muscle car here)

of course YMMV

tks12

BTW your car looks great!

Capt. Obvious

If it has to be explained to you, you'll never understand anyway.

dgjks6

Just for the record, I'm the guy who bought the $20,000 car and has to put $10,000 into the engine.

Gonzo911

Thanks for that!

Also have the LNE Bearing, replaced the RMS, water pump, new clutch, AOS, serpentine belt, coils, plugs, new rubber all around, Pioneer Double Din with new amp, subwoofer and all new speakers, Fister D's, countless "little things"...and now karma will kick in and I will get rear ended by a GM car this weekend and get blown to smithereens...