yes. I tearfully remember turning down a great black/black 93 coupe offered to me for 18k. I didn’t think it was worth that much. That wasn’t too long ago. Oh how times have changed.

 

Now that 997's have been out of production and it's able to carry the infamous "the last of the..." tag, which is potential to be valued like an air cooled 911. The baby boomer generation that owned air cooled Porsche are getting older and the Gen X'ers are the ones that appreciate them. However, air cooled prices are through the roof as unobtanium cars which will turn away younger buyers.

 

Cars and car companies in general have been evolving so dramatically over the past few years. The government has so much say and control over how cars must function. Car companies seem to have shifted primary focus away from how to make more appealing and exciting cars, to how to satisfy the regulations being set forth by government agencies and with equal focus on how to drive profitability.

The 997 was conceived, designed, and built in a far different time. It is not a product of Audi or VW or VAG. It's a product of Porsche - when Porsche stood as an undiluted and uncompromising sports car manufacturer. The 997 is a purpose-built sports car with a clean, classic look. Driving it well requires an attentive and skillful driver.

I agree with comments made previously that the GT cars - particularly with manual transmissions are likely to become more highly sought-after collectables. Any 997 manual transmission coupe in outstanding condition - and perhaps in a less commonly seen color should bring substantial premiums. Because of these "halo" iterations of the 997, other 997's in outstanding condition should benefit in value as well.

 

I agree with a lot of the others here that GT cars will continue to maintain/gain value over time. But I wouldn't discount the various Carrera sub-models. GT cars, unless totalled or horribly neglected will continue to bring strong money, IMO, over time. But I think a "regular" .1 Carrera (2/4/S/non-S) could still be bestowed a high future value based on (in no particular order): 1) Miles 2) Condition 3) Rare options 4) Unique color 5) All the appropriate maintenance done for the specific version of the car. I'm not saying that such a car will rival the value of a clean GT2/3, but there will be a point (IMO) where the right Carrera-based car will start to appreciate more than expected. I don't think this will happen for a base or low-option car in a basic color, regardless of condition, miles, or transmission. It will be interesting to see if this holds for the .2 cars as the upgrades they have seem to have really improved reliability over time.

 

Interesting definitions:

Market value or OMV (Open Market Valuation) is the price at which an asset would trade in a competitive auction setting. Market value is often used interchangeably with open market value, fair value or fair market value, although these terms have distinct definitions in different standards, and differ in some circumstances.International Valuation Standardsdefines market value as "the estimated amount for which a property should exchange on the date of valuation between a willing buyer and a willing seller in an arm’s-length transaction after proper marketing wherein the parties had each acted knowledgeably, prudently, and without compulsion".[1]

Market value is a concept distinct from market price, which is "the price at which one can transact", while market value is "the true underlying value" according to theoretical standards. The concept is most commonly invoked in inefficient markets or disequilibriumsituations where prevailing market prices are not reflective of true underlying market value. For market price to equal market value, the market must be informationally efficient and rational expectationsmust prevail.

Market value is also distinct from fair value in that fair value depends on the parties involved, while market value does not. For example, IVS currently notes fair value "requires the assessment of the price that is fair between two specific parties taking into account the respective advantages or disadvantages that each will gain from the transaction. Although market value may meet these criteria, this is not necessarily always the case. Fair value is frequently used when undertaking due diligence in corporate transactions, where particular synergies between the two parties may mean that the price that is fair between them is higher than the price that might be obtainable in the wider market. In other words "special value" may be generated. Market value requires this element of "special value" to be disregarded, but it forms part of the assessment of fair value.

(From Wikipedia)

 

997.2 6MT Coupes for sure will continue to be highly sought after and many owners are planning to hold on to them for the long term. Trims like GT3RS-4.0, GT3RS, GT2, Speedster, Sport Classic, Turbo and GTS are destined to be highly collectible.

Final analog 911 before VAG assimilation
Low production numbers
Hydraulic steering and for a direct visceral unmuted experience
Classic 911 body profile
Classic 911 dash and center console
Last compact sports 911 size

IMO this generation will join 993 and 964 in valuation and collectability so keep yours, enjoy driving it and never sell.

 

I'm always surprised how much a base Carrera 993, 964, or g body Porsche can sell for these days. I have no doubt the same dip that happened with those cars and subsequent tick up in value will happen with ours and one day with the 991s and 992s and so on and so forth.

I remember there was a mid 80s 911 that I could have scooped up for 12k (completely working, just needing a little TLC) and I passed. ughh.. wish I would have scooped that up.

 

I have a 997.1, coupe, 6 speed in seal gray. Car is in pristine condition. I looked at air cooled first but went to 997.1 for more comfort when it comes to my wife wanting to take a trip. I have a '73 BMW 2002tii and my wife has never road in the car, a little to "raw ". This is the first 911 I have owned and love it! Most people think I am driving a $100K value car ....I paid $26,100 four years ago. Just my feed back on the comments.

 

How about the "middy 911's with the 5 blade fan and smog pumps. Those were the undesirable years just as the 964 was for a point of time. Who would have thought!

 

I sold my Baltic Blue 89 cab with 99k miles for $15,000 in 2011. Pristine condition. Yes I kick myself every now and then.....

 

I would agree with most of the sentiments around the 997 holding value well but one can't discount the pink elephant in the room being the dreaded BS. And while it is mostly BS, it still does keep folks from wanting a classic car that may be an inevitable ticking time bomb. Value is contingent upon reputation so unfortunately it's a very real elephant..

 

You're sort of correct but not entirely. Air cooled cars have their problems as well and many are known for oil leaks that require the motor to be removed and resealed. This is no cheaper in some cases than an M96/M97 rebuild. Typically, it doesn't matter how old your 911 is. ~$20k is an average cost to get the engine rebuilt. The nice thing is that all parts and solutions are easily available. Heck you can still get a factory M96 block directly from Porsche for about $9k. As with any Porsche, PPI is your best bet and buy the owner and the maintenance before you buy the car.

 

That makes sense certainly. It's the perception I think that detracts some folks and may affect future collectibility. I love the 997. To me, it's the perfect 911. Likely all owners would agree. I think the future value will reflect this but still perception will hinder true potential IMO. Such a huge topic and gets a tonne of airtime. I did the PPI and my 997.2 came out clean but I can't say it wasn't on my mind during the sourcing and purchasing process.

 

I hope not. That means I'll start seeing less and less of them at track and autox. Similar to what happened slowly over the last 10y with air cooled cars.

I think they'll hold their value well and probably go up a bit, as they should. But I hope they're spared from the same sort of fever that took most of the air cooled cars for a while, and define has taken the GT cars. I love that these are appreciated by people, but I also want to keep seeing them used hard for as long as possible.

 

That's a true enthusiast response right there. Love it.