champignon

The "sweet spot" on these cars is clearly going to be a well-used but not extremely high mileage example, that has already had a huge amount of verifiable work done to it over the last few years. You could also get a high mileage beater that has been well-maintained, if the price is cheap enough. What probably doesn't make a lot of sense is paying up for a car with ~30,000 miles or less on it, that is somewhat better cosmetically than a well-cared for car with more miles. These cars are collectible, to a point, but they are always going to be overshadowed by any number of other truly collectible cars, especially Porsches. On the positive side, they are lots of fun to drive, and they are the only semi-affordable example of a Porsche Turbo that a normal person could aspire to own.

The pristine low-mileage example is probably never going to appreciate enough to justify the purchase, plus simply driving it will further reduce the probability of price appreciation that the buyer would hope for, hence he won't drive it. The higher mileage car, say 65K to low 100s, will allow you to drive it, and when you unload it later you will probably get your money back.

Carlo_Carrera

How are you figuring this?

If someone buyes a pristine, sub 20k miles, X50 in a rare color combo for $70k and drives it only on sunny days, maybe putting a 1000 miles on it a year, how is that car going to not appreciate? Heck I would lay money in ten years that car will be worth well over $100k. What other Porsche 911 can you buy for that money now and will appreciate that much? The only ones I can come up with is a 997.1 Turbo or maybe a 996 GT3.

champignon

If this is your idea of an "investment," then I would suggest finding a good financial advisor.

Taking your own example and its figures, if you add in the cost of ownership (such things as insurance, maintenance, repairs, storage space), the time value of money, and inflation, you've just lost a lot of money (or purchasing power, if you will). And that's a best case scenario.

Who wants to own a car like that and limit yourself to putting 1000 miles/year on it? Sort of defeats the purpose unless all the buyer wants to do is to wash and wax it and show it off to friends in his garage.

On the other hand, a more used example could be driven considerably more (e.g. enjoyed, the whole purpose for buying it), and the overall cost of ownership will be a lot less, since less money will be tied up, and a higher percentage of the net purchasing price/purchasing power will come back to the owner on resale. He can insure it as a "classic car," with an agreed value, and if something happens to the car he can walk away from the accident (or theft) with most or all of his original investment in his pocket.

In either case, it's caveat emptor in spades on the purchase. Buy the wrong car, and it is really going to cost you to keep it running.

Carlo_Carrera

I never said it was an investment. I said it was a collector car purchase.

Collector car owners almost always buy a car with the intention of putting around a 1000 miles per year or less on in. Collector car owners buy collector car insurance which usually costs 1/3 the price of regular insurance. Colllector car owners have large garages at there homes to house their cars. Car maintenance is always part of car ownership.

I will ask again. What other Porsche can you buy now for $70k and have it worth well over $100k in ten years?

champignon

It's a silly question to ask. Anyone who can afford to tie $70K up in a used car that they will drive ~1000 miles a year, with the hope or expectation of selling it in 10 years for $100K, has no sense of priorities and maybe no sense whatsoever. Most people in that situation who can actually afford such a vehicle should go and buy whatever car they want and enjoy driving it as much as they want to, without making perceived future value a criteria for the purchase in the first place.

Carlo_Carrera

Personal motivations and finances have nothing to do with this.

In your original post on this subject you stated there were Porsches available today that would appreciate better than a 996TT. What other Porsche can you buy now for $70k that will be worth over $100k in ten years?

jkfuel

02, x50 package, tip, polar, 62k miles and $47k asking price. Polar looks stunning IMHO.

https://porscheofjackson.com/invento...tallic+1665149

jkfuel

Techart makes some really high quality stuff but it looks somewhat gaudy at times.

champignon

I don't know, and you don't, either. Predicting what will be the future value of a used car, 10 years from now, is a fool's errand. I own 4 cars now that some people might consider to be at least somewhat collectible. I would not bet lunch money on what any of them will be worth 5 years from now, no less 10. Future value of nearly everything requires knowledge of all sorts of things, many of which we can't even guess at now.

The 996 platform is a rare bird; a good quality Porsche, a real Porsche, at a price that many people who are not truly rich can potentially afford. This is great, and extends to the TT and its variants. I would be happy for this reality, but would advise not planning any part of one's future financial well-being around it.

Carlo_Carrera

If you don't then why are you giving out collector car purchace advice?

champignon

If you know, then why are you wasting your time on car forums? That's actionable advice you should take advantage of!

Carlo_Carrera

Road King

Stunning may be an understatement! For someone wanting a tippy turbo, that's a very nice looking car!

champignon

Why speculate when you can't possibly know the answer? It's beyond obvious that hardly any used car qualifies as an "investment." Moderately used 996 TTs are not depreciating very much at the moment, so you can go buy one, drive it some reasonable amount of mileage, then resell it when you tire of it and not be out much, also not tying up a whole lot of money in the process. Buying any 996 as a collector's car with the intention of making a profit on it later does not appear to be worth the effort, risk, or carrying costs, compared to a number of other cars that are more rare and more highly valued by the car collecting public (of which I am not one).

But peace to you anyway, I think this side conversation is not very interesting to most people who are reading this thread hoping to perhaps find a car to buy. Go make your last comment and then let's let the other forum members move on with this thread in the direction that will interest them.

Carlo_Carrera

We are not discussing your thoughts on mid-mileage Turbos. I believe you are correct on those BTW.

Why are you offering collector car purchase advice when it is a subject you have admitted to knowing nothing about?