dubsiren

Guys!

I think I found the car I want. It is a bit over what I want to spend, so I am thinking about making the dealer an offer.

What is a fair discount to ask off when making a dealer an offer these days? I know the car market has been hammered, so I assume they are building some extra margin into their pricing these days.

ilovemaui

If its a 997 then it must used. Look up the trade value on KBB and ask for low trade value. You probably won’t get it but thats a starting point.

dubsiren

yup - 997.2

Ripking

If you have been following the market closely you should have a general idea if you think it’s priced high or low. Conducting a PPI will help to inform your decision further. If it’s priced fairly I wouldn’t expect much of a discount. These remain specialty vehicles that are generally purchased by those with the means to do so. That being said, it’s a crazy world right now l but it does appear 997.2 prices have remained stable through the pandemic thus far. If it’s a manual, even more so.

Upscale Audio

And the car market hasn't been hammered. I just looked at a 997 Turbo at a Chrysler dealer and it was packed. The manager said they had a record week. I believe it. People want cars because they don't want to take an Uber or the subway.

Ironman88

I certainly mean no disrespect, but going into a negotiation on a purchase in the way it seems you are heading (how much should I ask for a discount...?) is not a good way to approach it. As Ripking has mentioned above - the price you offer should have some basis in market data - and also in consideration of the condition of the car (as evidenced by documented service and maintenance history) and further supported by a proper PPI. Another factor is the specific build spec of the car. Desirable options really matter on a 911 - and support value / cost.

I would recommend that you give particular careful consideration to the maintenance history of the car. Maintenance on a 911 is a big deal. The cost to "catch up" on maintenance that is past due, or perhaps never even being done is high. If the car you're looking at is up-to-date on maintenance, that would certainly help support a higher value / price of the car. On the other hand, if there is no maintenance history, or you have a significant amount of maintenance that is needed - scale your offer accordingly, or consider having that maintenance done by the selling dealer as part of the deal.

Good luck with the purchase. Hope something good works out for you.

dubsiren

ha. A Turbo at Chrysler is like ordering a New York Strip at Taco Bell.

The US auto market was down 33% last month and 50% the month before. If that doesn’t qualify as a hammering, I have some land to sell you.

dubsiren

the dealer has had the car for over 200 days. clearly they are not moving it as their price. I have read 2 articles this morning that to start at -10% as it is usually half of wholesale. I will give it a shot.

A4EP

I fully agree with Ironman88. Asking for a high % off due to something you read is not an accurate way to go with these cars. The 997.2 is a specialty car and the market really has not weakened on it. These cars, due to their specialty, will sit at a dealer longer than others and to be honest 200 days is not a surprise seeing that goes over the Winter months.

I have my 2009 997.2s on consignment right now and put it up for sale mid March, prices have not moved in the market due to COVID. There are under 30 cars nationwide that are 2009 or 2010 997.2s coupes and only 1 other in my color (priced 30% higher with lower miles) so depending on the seller they don't expect to move the car fast and will hold it for the right offer. I know I have. My car is very fairly priced, full service records, flawless PPI. I am more than willing to knock a few points off but I have had some low offers and I know the car's value so there is no need to sell way below market. If this car fits what you are looking for, has a clean PPI and is fairly priced then be serious about it and ask for a few points off. Saving an extra couple grand is going to do nothing for you in the long run on these cars.

Upscale Audio

The guy that owns the dealership started by selling exotics, as evidenced by Ferraris, Lambos, Porsches, and Aston Martins on the lot. I wouldn't care if he didn't though. A Chrysler dealer can be more prone to underprice a car. In this case a 2007 997 turbo 6spd in perfect condition w/39k miles for $69,900. One owner. Who died. I don't give a sh*t about who's selling it. I care about the condition, history, and price. The only bullsh*t I've had in the Porsches I've bought was from a Porsche branded dealer in Utah.

Here's the Bloomberg article about the car industry, and how fast it's recovering. https://www.bloomberg.com/news/artic...-price-targets As I said the dealer was so busy I had to park off-site and walk.

A4EP

You are correct. Automotive News shows that wholesale used car prices are now above their pre-virus levels and are up over 16% from where they were in the first few weeks of COVID. There is such a short supply of vehicles because the used market was quite strong after the initial couple weeks of COVID panic. Then with the manufacturers shutting down the trade ins for new vehicles dried up.

dubsiren

wow - it is a different scene here. I am leasing a truck for work and they were begging me to close something and I was the only person at the dealership outside of service.

roadie13

Looking at car gurus the asking prices for 997.1 C2S with reasonable mileage seem to be sky high, so it looks like no softy.....

Ironman88

There's the discussion that can be had about "cars" - and then there's the discussion that can be had about Porsche 911's. Totally different topics, markets, and conditions.

The 911 is an aspirational purchase - not a purchase of necessity. 997's have been out of production for 9 years or so. 997's that are in choice condition, that have been conscientiously maintained, and that are nicely equipped, are in short supply. There are enough folks with the desire and means to purchase them to keep the market for them very solid. COVID 19 or not.

Steve 911

Bought a car for my wife right at the beginning of covid19 and got a pretty good deal on it. The dealer didn't really want our trade and seemed more than excited to move the car. The showroom was also super dead. A few weeks later when we went back for the plates the showroom was packed again and everything appeared to be back to normal. I wouldn't expect a huge discount based on the current economy, but if it's been sitting on their lot awhile you can always use traditional negotiation tactics.