Guys guys guys and gals ... Drive and enjoy. That's why these cars exist. They are a terrible investment. If, that is ... IF ... these cars happen to not drop as much as would be usual, that is merely a bonus. But so what? I'm not planning my retirement around that!

And it will be 10 to 20 years before we see any appreciation. What will be available then if we do sell.

We are staring the futures of cars in the face. FI to hybrid to electric to monitored to self driving. I suggest we enjoy our great cars while we can. I don't see anything in the future I want to trade for. So I don't see a sale in the future as being a concern. You can bury me in mine! I won't need the money the anyway!

 

No one said it was equivalent to the 993. It has only been said that it might become the 993 of the future. I can understand your testament especially since you are a 993 owner and wanting to support the value of your vehicle.

What do you think will happen to all the 997's in 10 years? The same phenomenon that has happened to the 993's will happen. They will become less available which MIGHT contribute in an increase of acquisition cost...

All this really means is that the 997 might possibly evaluate with time and the 993 will most probably follow the same trend as we are seeing today...

Mark

 

Couldn't have said it better myself!

 

I don't keep my cars long enough to worry about this sort of thing.

 

I agree the 997 will become the 993 of the future. I think it's a great 911

But, there actually was a question of equivalency. Of production numbers. And depending on which numbers you look at, there were many more 997s made for the North American market than the 993, not to mention the global numbers.

Yes, I own a 993 C4S, but really, I don't need to support the value of my car. We all know where air-cooled prices are now.

Suffice to say, the 997 may appreciate in value, but it may take until they are 20 years old to do so, like it did for the 993

 

I guess we will have to see how well the electronics age over time. The reason why today's classics are treasured is because of its simplicity and evolution in design.

OBDII marked the beginning of the car electronic revolution and that will remain the big difference between older cars and today's cars.

 

I also see a lot of similarities between the 993 and 997. Kind of last of an era. A good way to look at how rare a car is, is to check how many you see in every day traffic! In my neck of the woods you see a lot more 997s than 993s! To hang on to a 997 as an investment doesn't sound right to me. But always nice to have a car and enjoy without loosing to much money on it.

 

It's interesting... If I had the garage space (not literally, but figuratively...) and looking to "upgrade" my Porsche experience, I would be in the market for a 993, rather than a 991. For me, the 997 is a perfect blend of old and new. Old in the sense that it feels very mechanical, has a better visual connection to the past, and the cockpit feels a bit more sparse, though still nice.

993 would give me a much more sparse sports car experience, but at the cost of luxury and technology, some of which I do find very appealing.

It is the balance that I feel will keep the 997.2 as a very appealing car. If the 991 had markedly greater performance, then perhaps the balance would tilt a bit more in its favor, even as the GT characteristics (for me) are less appealing.

Over time, we don't know what Porsche will offer up. They may introduce a rawer version of the 911 in one or two generations, and reign it in a bit from a GT concept back to sports car. If that happens, then the 997 era will likely still be respected, but will be less a "must-have" to capture that I feel is a very nice performance / aesthetic / luxury balance. Sort of what the 993 was for its time.

It is easy to get caught up in the current era, and assume the current trend will just continue forever... but the economy shifts, the target market changes (or reverts) and their strategic planning may change.

I still think it is more likely than not that the 997 will look like a classic (in 20 years). In a way, I hope it DOESN'T become a good investment, because to me that will suggest that what it offers is no longer on the table...

 

Yep.

Regarding the 993: I prefer the 964 to the 993. Just modern enough to be comfortable but still a fairly raw experience. I also like high fenders on my classic 911. Sold mine about 18 months ago. Broke even on the deal. Got to drive it for a year for only gas, oil, and a few performance items.

 

Ever heard of a Porsche 928?

 

The 993 is already much closer to the 996/997 in chassis/suspension design. For the original 911 air-cooled experience you need to go much farther. A great example right now is the G-series, namely the 3.2 - and I suggest from '84 to '86 with the iconic 915 transmission.

 

I have seen that upswing. I'm not arguing that they're not appreciating, just that they've lagged behind the earlier and later air cooled cars. They're the least desirable of a very desirable run of cars, so they took longer to catch on. Now they have and I'd better buy one before they're priced out of my range.

With cars, the difference between 5,000 units and 9,000 units is pretty negligible. Yes, 9k is 40% more than 5k, but compared to other cars, both of those numbers is tiny. Like any car, the current ones are considered disposable and the ones left over in 20 years will be more appreciated.

True, and I admit that I only threw my earlier post out there to stir up some debate. The auctions are full of "collector edition" cars that some guy bought, kept wrapped in plastic for twenty years as an "investment" and then lost his a$$ on when he finally decided to sell it. I don't buy cars as an investment--I drive them. Occasionally I sell a car for more than what I spent on it after a few years of enjoying it and I count those as wins. My 997 will NOT be one of those cars.

Quoted for truth. I have too many examples to list of cars that I should have bought, with hindsight as my guide. But looking back on them through realistic lenses, I wouldn't have kept any of them long enough to have made significant money on them. My 997 is a daily driver. When I wear it out, I'll sell it and get something else. What I do anticipate is that I will look back on my time with it fondly, and count it as one of those cars that I wish I still had.

Also quoted for truth. When I was in high school, these were on my short list of dream cars and truly made of unobtainium. Now that I can afford one, I'd absolutely love to have one, but damn, the horror stories I have heard about these cars (all based on mechanical and electrical complexity) have so far scared me away.

 

When did 928s become a desired classic?

 

2014 NA split across models. Seems to me that 993 Production numbers are about half current 991 numbers.

What is apparent to me more is that Porsche now really is an SUV company with a sport car side line and a necessary focus on China looming.

 

All of the air cooled cars were about half the volume of the newer 911s, starting with the 996. Also a factor is the years made, 993 was only 3 years, 964 was only 4 years, G50 Carrera was only three years. Compare that to 6 years for the 996 and 7 years for the 997. That makes a big difference in total production.