You 996ers are a funny bunch
 

Fourth C4S I've been been in talk with owner about purchasing and they've called me back saying they've changed their mind and decided to keep the car. Maybe it's the low market price of the car, but at this rate there will be no market if you keep em out of reach.

That's how we're going to artificially increase market price. Limit supply and incessantly post articles about how great the 996 is. :cheers:

The 996 is the ideal buy for the DIY man. It's a pity Porsche didn't bring out the 996 water cooled 30 years ago and give some of us, not so 'well off' DIY guys a chance to own one (or two) of these spectacular vehicles. They can have the air cooled Porsche. Way out of my price range and no way better in any way than the 996. Owned mine outright for 5 years (32000 miles ago) and it cost me only time and PM items. In other words NOTHING. I wish I could hit the PA lottery as easily. I would buy them all and rent them out haha.

If it's worth more to me than it is to you, and I keep it, then there is a market and it's working perfectly! Here's hoping you enjoy your search almost as much as you enjoy the car that ends it. That seems to be a common experience among 'us 996ers'.

when I was shopping for mine, I had 2 deals back right out and decided to keep the cars.

that is frustrating as hell

Were they considering an offer you made that was below asking price, or did you never make it that far and they just decided to keep it?

Never even made it to price. Mentioned PPI to one 'seller' and got a call back saying he couldn't stand thought of parting with it.

Still enjoying the hunt. Spoken with a lot of good people who love their cars

I have a friend who made a deal on a Mk I cab a couple of months ago with a seller (the car was in the "Craigslist" thread at the time). As a part of the deal, the seller agreed to fix a couple of items (I think new tires and some other relatively minor thing). When the car came out of the shop, the seller decided "What the hell, I just put new tires on it and it looks great and I don't really need the money and I'm selling it for a pittance (I think the sale price was about $14,000), so I'm keeping it." So, you're not the only one that's happened to.
Personally, I've got a '88 325i convertible that I've had since 1999. It's probably worth $3,000 or $4,000 if I tried to sell it. It's worth more than that to me, between just having an extra car if we need it and the good memories of driving my kids around when they were little guys. So, I doubt I ever sell it.

Funny? How are we funny? Like a clown? Do we amuse you?

5-6 years ago 80's-vintage air-cooled 911's were going for about what 996's sell for now - and less-desirables, like the 912, could be had for under $10K.

When I was helping a buddy shop for a 914, we ran into the same issue - 914's were selling for so little, owners were deciding not to sell them. We wound up picking up a really good 914 - original paint, an extra engine block, and a frunk full of fender flares and other stuff we didn't wind up installing - for about $5K - which doesn't happen any more. That seller was on the fence but didn't back out.

There are plenty of other water-cooled Porsches that fall into the "DIY Man" category - the 986, 944, 928 - and while they may not be as iconic as the 911, you can still get a whole lot of car for the money. The early water-cooled Porsches have ALWAYS gotten a healthy does of the "*sniff* it's not an air-cooled 911" that the 996 enjoys - and that disdain from the riding mower crowd definitely helps keep thousands and thousands of Porsches solidly in the price range of the "DIY man."

I'm not arguing with you, Hurdi - just suggesting that expanding the idea of "Porsche" beyond the scope of the 911 greatly increases the number of affordable Porsches out there for someone willing to get dirty on the weekends...

I have a 2003 C4S with 99,xxx miles on it. It has been well cared for, and I was thinking about selling it.
Let me know if you want to talk, if I agree to your price/terms I won't back out. I'm looking at a $22,000 price from my perspective....

PM sent. Always happy to have a conversation

It's funny, you know. It's a good story, it's funny, you're a funny guy.

I'll get a shovel.

do you mean we are Funny, ha ha or Funny, like fun EEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEE