haulinkraut

The used car market dictates that it is worth it. You need to decide whether it is worth it to you. It wasn't worth it for me. I rode in one and didn't like the lag. I also didn't think that a flashed K16 car was flawed in a way that I would successfully fix with K24 turbos either. The K16s are not perfect but I think paying extra for K24s would not solve my K16 complaints without other induced issues, if that makes sense.

On the other hand many people here love their car and wouldn't change their decisions if they could. So with that in mind my car is perfect for me and I will always plug my decision.

c32AMG-DTM

Agree completely. The market seems to pretty obviously state that "yes, X50 is worth a premium" - probably somewhere in the $4k range, IMHO. But, each individual buyer has to weigh what value (if any) they would consider for an X50 car over a regular Turbo.

LVDell

When I started my search winter before last I specifically told myself I would prefer to get EVERYTHING else and not get hung up on the x50 as it truly is negligible in the grand schem of things. Glad I did as I didn't find a single x50 that "wowwed" (is that even a word? ) me the way it should. Besides, I knew at some point I would add some performance mods to the car in the near future so that made the x50 a moot point.

My requirements were condition, records, service history, and CPO. Once all those were perfect and up to my standards, the rest feel into place.

mikelane

I notice u are in Canada as I am. I just purchased my 996 tt a few weeks ago after hunting south of the border for a few months. As u probably know there is the 6.1 duty to import a car from the US, 1k in shipping, and some misc. costs for driving lights ect. making the US car still more money even though the Canuck buck is doing well. The problem for me was that there was not much choice in Canada. I was looking for the same car you were. I wanted a 02 to 05 x50 or turbo s, but in the end I was able to find a pristine 01 with 60k kilometers bought from MCL Motors in Vancouver. It had the sport seats I was looking for, as well had pss10s that I was going to put on any car that I was going to buy. With the price I paid I can buy turbos, exhaust, and tune and be way ahead of a stock x50 car, so I guess you have to size up every deal and decide what you want out of your car. I paid low 40s CDN. I am now happy to put 12k into mods that will put my pristine car ahead of a 02 x50 car for 50 US or 56 CDN

jorligan

Biobanker - Going to the Pcar realm. Met you at Estfest a couple of years ago (Blue turbo NSX)
Neighbor bought 02 x50 with 30K miles black/black, coilovers, supple leather, and chipped for 43K. We got an 05 Turbo S Cab for 70K but only 9000 miles. Saw an 04 x50 black/black cab with ceramics and full carbon for 50K with 48K miles.

Don't forget the 997 SSK. Going from the NSX to the 996 feels like you are changing gears in a truck, 997 SSK is a must. Easy install, reasonable price and great improvement

88clbsport

I have been lurking for a while on the 996 turbo, also a rennlister for almost a decade. The 996 x50 is the best "value" out there. The premium from the factory was out of line, but the technology wasn't. To pay 3-5k more for a car that has virtually been depreciated down to 30% of the purchase price is a no-brainer.

I paid high 40's for my x50 and although I don't drive often (due to LA Traffic and my new commute) my was 144k MSRP with another 60k in aftermarket additions (mostly cosmetic) so I have a 200k car that has tons of power, looks amazing and all in was 1/4 of original investment.

After owning a number of 993's and considering a 993 c4s again, I couldn't ignore that fact that I would have a lot more "car" for the money.

Long answer to the short question, but if you can get the x50 in the high 40's/low 50's you should go for it!

1AS

I am an owner of an 02 X50, purchased new, now with 77,000 miles, post UMW flash, Europipe, and wastegate kit. I would say if you can get an X50 on any car at the figures cited, it is well worth it, especially if you tend to do anything to release the potential.
If your goal is to put 50,000 miles on the car, an extra $5000 for the X50 costs you 10 cents a mile. Seems like a good deal to me, and it will to you, the minute you open the throttle in second gear. AS

BioBanker

Thank you all so much for the very helpful info - it is really guiding me in a better direction. The personal experiences that you have shared will save me money, which I need for some mods (wheels, GT2 wing, exhaust for some grunt)!

I remember meeting you Jorligan. Is this you? I hope we meet again soon!


I have found a couple X50s that I really love but the sellers are asking too much money versus "market prices" above..Im going to keep looking.

Right now Im wrestling with the modded vs not dillema. I WILL be driving the car 12 months a year here in Toronto and it will have snow tires on it in the winter. Im worried that a lowered (2inches+) will not have sufficient clearance and Im also worried that A/F ratios may be out of whack in sub zero degrees on a tuned car. Seems crazy to winter drive some of the monsters that I am coming across but they look and sound so awesome vs stock cars, and they're priced very similar. They seem like the better buy as long as they were done properly.

But my head tells me to find a nice stock car and do some very mild mods to it and call it a day. Usability 12-months a year, including in horrible winter weather, is a priority.

Keep the advice coming folks. You have been most helpful.

1AS

My lowered X50 is a 4 seasons car, on snows from November thru April. The ride height is not a problem, other than pushing a bit of snow now and then. The reflash actually is more tractable, with better torque down low. Good luck. AS

larry47us

Just because there are a few guys with too much money in their pockets, doesn't make the X50 worth the extra money that people are paying for it.

Except for having a car that has an "unusual" option, I really don't see the logic of spending $4K or more on the X50. Look, what we're talking about is horsepower. It doesn't change the interior, how the car handles, the comfort, the sound of the exhaust, etc. It adds about 30 more horsepower.

Look, I like horsepower as much as the next guy, but when you can have the ECU flashed by reliable companies for between $1,000 and $2,000 and add somewhere in the range of 90 horsepower, I somehow miss the point. Why spend $4,000 (if that is indeed the incremental increase) to get 30 more horsies, when you can get 90 more for less than $2,000.

Oh, you want the most horsepower from the factory? You're too much of a purist to use an aftermarket device to get more HP? Go preach to the choir. I'm not listening.

larry

C2 Turbo

Whether you agree or not X50 will always command more premium over the regular turbo as does the Turbo-S over the X-50

c32AMG-DTM

Why is that... because you say so? Last I checked, what something is "worth" is pretty simple, when you get right down to it... your house, your car, a stock, a bond - doesn't matter. It's value or worth is what someone else is willing to pay you for it. Most buyers in the market for a 996TT are obviously willing to pay more for an X50 car, all else being equal - how much more is a variable that likely will change over time. At present, it appears to be a few thousand.

If the X50 was simply an option for a hotter ECU tune from the factory, I would agree with your logic. But it isn't - as I'm sure you know. The upgraded mechanical hardware that differentiates an X50 should be intrinsically more valuable than the standard hardware of the base model. How much more, would vary from buyer to buyer - but, again, the current market consensus appears to be $3-4k. And, as I understand it, that mechanical hardware's value continues as you look to add flash, exhaust, fueling upgrades, compressor upgrades, etc.

YMMV of course.

c32AMG-DTM

Agree. And a GT2 commands a premium over all three.

And, as for the X50, it should, IMHO... it's a desirable, damn-near-twenty-thousand-dollar option from the factory. Not many cars even have such a thing... they would be differentiated by the manufacturer as a different model entirely in a lot of cases. Guys and gals who bought X50 cars new could've bought a base model instead, and had enough money left over for a brand new GTI alongside the TT in the stable. My point being, it wasn't an insignificant add-on.

cjaz

I honestly believe half the guys that say it's a waste of money looked for an X50car, couldn't find one, so they hate on it and say it's not worth it. It's pretty funny if you ask me.

If those of us that are paying an extra 4k for it are idiots, then the all the guys that payed 17k for it must be really, really stupid.

And can someone please tell me what flash they have that by itself gets you 90 or 100 hp on k16's? I see these numbers being thrown around.


chris

LVDell

You guys are comical. The ones with x50 seemed to try to validate why they bought it and the ones without seem to make them worth nothing. The truth lies in the middle. It's worth maybe a couple grand and that's all, especially if you plan to mod the car in any way. And when you are spending between 40 and 60K for an 01-05 Turbo, a couple grand is NOTHING.

The price for 30hp is laughable and if you really think it is worth 4K on the used market then more power to you but y'all seem to be missing the point. The x50 is an OPTION. That's all. It doesn't make the car faster. What is the delta on performance? .1 second 0-60 and a couple mph above 190+? With that said, you need to look at the x50 as something that all else equal it will make the car a tad more desirable when making your decision or if you are selling, helping yours to edge out another identical example.

When I was looking I found an x50 that was the EXACT price and year as the non x50 I ended up going with. The x50 example had roughly the same miles and a few more options but the maintenance history was non-existent and the were more signs of wear (paint chips, all 4 wheels curbed, etc, etc) so it was a no brainer for me to select the non x50 car.

To each his own though as to what is important to you in a car. To me it was service history and condition over miles and an option like x50.