Tracking 996 Market - Best Car for your Money Analysis
12-24-2016, 01:21 PM
#16
Rennlist Member
I tend to believe that you aren't just buying the car, you're buying the prior owner. I like to meet the seller and get a feel for them - it almost never steers me wrong. Hard to do thru a dealership, but not impossible.
Buying a Porsche for me was a lifelong emotional thing - the passion was more important than the data. I guess everyone has their own approach to finding their dream - the important thing is to buy exactly what you want, even if it costs a little bit more. Why settle on something that should be so enjoyable? The delta in price spread out over years, miles, and grins will be negligible anyway.
Merry Christmas!
Buying a Porsche for me was a lifelong emotional thing - the passion was more important than the data. I guess everyone has their own approach to finding their dream - the important thing is to buy exactly what you want, even if it costs a little bit more. Why settle on something that should be so enjoyable? The delta in price spread out over years, miles, and grins will be negligible anyway.
Merry Christmas!
12-24-2016, 01:29 PM
#17
Racer
Thread Starter
I tend to believe that you aren't just buying the car, you're buying the prior owner. I like to meet the seller and get a feel for them - it almost never steers me wrong. Hard to do thru a dealership, but not impossible.
Buying a Porsche for me was a lifelong emotional thing - the passion was more important than the data. I guess everyone has their own approach to finding their dream - the important thing is to buy exactly what you want, even if it costs a little bit more. Why settle on something that should be so enjoyable? The delta in price spread out over years, miles, and grins will be negligible anyway.
Merry Christmas!
Buying a Porsche for me was a lifelong emotional thing - the passion was more important than the data. I guess everyone has their own approach to finding their dream - the important thing is to buy exactly what you want, even if it costs a little bit more. Why settle on something that should be so enjoyable? The delta in price spread out over years, miles, and grins will be negligible anyway.
Merry Christmas!
The life long argument, 996 or 997 haha.
Happy Holiday's all!
12-24-2016, 01:52 PM
#18
I personally don't think that buying a 996 Turbo is a very analytical "forumula based" process based on something like cost/mile (or cost per anything). A large number of Corvette owners I've conversed with use objective data as the basis for their Vette buying decision. They have many times opined "Why would anyone pay substantially more for a 996 Turbo when it's 0-60 and quarter mile times aren't as good as a ZO6?". They use objective stopwatch data (straight line acceleration and track times), as their "formula" for deciding what sports car to buy. Obviously it's their choice to make, but I would always tell them that for some people there is a substantial amount of subjectiveness involved with deciding what sports car to buy.
IMHO a sports is an emotional purchase, there's nothing analytical or logical about it.
If 0-60 were all that's important, then I would have gotten a souped up WRX. Then again, I never aspired to own a WRX and a WRX is no 911 (not that there's anything wrong with the Subie).
OP, just a suggestion, now that you have this spreadsheet, don't use it anymore. One can never justify a sports car, it's a total want and life long bucket list for many.
If you have an idea on what you want, trust your head and guts. Interview the owner, check out the car, post here on RL for any questions you have... My 2 cents. GL!
12-25-2016, 10:36 PM
#20
This approach doesn't seem too logical...when I buy a sports car (just bought a viper, have bought 2 996tt's, M3's M5's etc.) i tell myself I will pay X $'s for a car and then I go out and find the best car for that money....only then will I pay more for a car if my budget doesn't work for a few months or if I can get a "rarer" or more desirable edition that will be easier to sell as i generally don't keep them for long....try this approach
12-25-2016, 10:46 PM
#21
Rennlist Member
Beware that data gathered during the slow season (buyers' market) will be off somewhat during the selling season (which will start in about 2 months right when you are ready to buy).
Last edited by FRUNKenstein; 12-26-2016 at 08:33 PM.
12-26-2016, 05:48 PM
#24
Former Vendor
12-26-2016, 07:58 PM
#25
Rennlist Member
After a month of looking at them, one 150 miles away in a color I like was for sale. Negotiated price, had local P dealer do PPI and bought it when PPI came back recommending tires and hood shocks.
Drove it for almost a year, then had to rebuild transmission despite lots of records and service book all stamped right too.
No spreadsheet could have helped me understand I was buying a car that would need transmission rebuilt the first winter I owned it, the amount of additional $ I would spend on optional mods/maintenance, or how much fun the car is.
The list may prove helpful to you or others, or at least help you justify whatever choice you make.
VIN column?
Maintenance columns for all the items that may need service/replacement after 15 years would be great too, those items can easily add up to more than any of the other columns.
12-27-2016, 06:36 PM
#28
Real similar process here.
After a month of looking at them, one 150 miles away in a color I like was for sale. Negotiated price, had local P dealer do PPI and bought it when PPI came back recommending tires and hood shocks.
Drove it for almost a year, then had to rebuild transmission despite lots of records and service book all stamped right too.
No spreadsheet could have helped me understand I was buying a car that would need transmission rebuilt the first winter I owned it, the amount of additional $ I would spend on optional mods/maintenance, or how much fun the car is.
The list may prove helpful to you or others, or at least help you justify whatever choice you make.
VIN column?
Maintenance columns for all the items that may need service/replacement after 15 years would be great too, those items can easily add up to more than any of the other columns.
After a month of looking at them, one 150 miles away in a color I like was for sale. Negotiated price, had local P dealer do PPI and bought it when PPI came back recommending tires and hood shocks.
Drove it for almost a year, then had to rebuild transmission despite lots of records and service book all stamped right too.
No spreadsheet could have helped me understand I was buying a car that would need transmission rebuilt the first winter I owned it, the amount of additional $ I would spend on optional mods/maintenance, or how much fun the car is.
The list may prove helpful to you or others, or at least help you justify whatever choice you make.
VIN column?
Maintenance columns for all the items that may need service/replacement after 15 years would be great too, those items can easily add up to more than any of the other columns.
My PPI was useless. Shop I had PPI done at had immediately recommend the vehicle I had bought replace the front struts ASAP, otherwise risk driving failure. Scared me to hell initially, almost didn't buy the car b/c of it, but I passed on the fix. 1 year later, car is still fine and wheels haven't fallen off! Then again, very shortly after I bought the car, my spoiler rams started to leak (which the shop did not catch)... which now I'm trying to deal with.
If you like the specs of the car and like the way it drives, go for it!
12-27-2016, 08:43 PM
#30
FWIW I think PPI is completely over rated. Unless something is drastically wrong, most of the stuff wrong with a vehicle can be caught by the naked eye, photos, and a test drive.
My PPI was useless. Shop I had PPI done at had immediately recommend the vehicle I had bought replace the front struts ASAP, otherwise risk driving failure. Scared me to hell initially, almost didn't buy the car b/c of it, but I passed on the fix. 1 year later, car is still fine and wheels haven't fallen off! Then again, very shortly after I bought the car, my spoiler rams started to leak (which the shop did not catch)... which now I'm trying to deal with.
If you like the specs of the car and like the way it drives, go for it!
My PPI was useless. Shop I had PPI done at had immediately recommend the vehicle I had bought replace the front struts ASAP, otherwise risk driving failure. Scared me to hell initially, almost didn't buy the car b/c of it, but I passed on the fix. 1 year later, car is still fine and wheels haven't fallen off! Then again, very shortly after I bought the car, my spoiler rams started to leak (which the shop did not catch)... which now I'm trying to deal with.
If you like the specs of the car and like the way it drives, go for it!
I think PPI's are generally only useful if there is questions about the car and if you are not willing/able to wrench on these cars yourself.