I posted a 'for sale' ad earlier this morning wanting see what type of interest it may generate.

In a nutshell, I've had my 2011 997.2 Platinum Silver GTS cabriolet for a little over 2 years after the first owner sold it after owning it a little over a year.
I ended up buying it from the dealership he turned it back into.
It has the extended warranty through Dec 2017, and is equipped with PDK, PSM, sport chrono plus, full alcantera black leather package.....etc. Pics and full description are in the for sale forum.

My issue is that I'm considering just streamlining my life and having one car (selling my used X6 and 911) and buying a M3 sedan to scratch my M car itch, which will be my DD and 'fun' car rolled into one. After 3-4 years, who knows-- I'll probably come back to Porsche.

But I'm worried I'm going to miss this GTS, despite the bad roads we have down here. If I keep it, it would still be my second car as I'll trade the X6 in for a 4runner more than likely. OTOH, I don't want to lose out on the opportunity to get close to $80K for it (would love to hear the feedback on whether this is realistic), as opposed to waiting a couple of more years only to maybe only get $60K while it still has low miles on it.
On autotrader, 2010 and 2011 GTS's are being listed for $75-83K

My question is this: Is it better to hold onto a 997.2 with such low miles on it given the fact that Porsche didn't seem to make as many of them during the recession? It has 9318 miles on it now. I bought it with 5100 miles on it.

I've had one porsche broker tell me that the better daily drivability of the 991's may make getting premium prices on used 997.2's tough given that used 991's are already hitting the market at discounts.
However, I would argue that for a GTS, the 991 GTS only just came out and it's still priced at over $140K.
Second, those here know that feedback and HPS of the 997 is a COMPLETELY different experience than the EPS of the 991, and I gotta believe there is still a market for 997.1 and 997.2 cars that will still be there?

Would love to hear what people think on this/advice.

 

Wow, a lot to think about here... The GTS should hold its value fairly well but it will still depreciate. I would like to think it would hold its value better than a new or almost new m3. And except for the four doors and backseat, I can't see the m3 being a much better dd than a 997, the 997 makes a great dd imho.

I dd a 2006 RAV4 v6 and since I purchased the 997 they have been driven about equal miles. The rav is a great cheap car (was my wife's dd before getting her a new car) and I'll probably hold on to it until it dies and keep the 997 from getting too many miles. But if it died tomorrow, I'd probably not replace it and just dd the 997.

Good luck!

 

The C2, C2S, C4, and C4S all have suspensions that make for better daily drivers than the GTS.

The new M3/M4 has adaptive suspension to adjust the ride and has a comfort setting that makes for a very good daily driver. Still, it's a twin turbo V6, and a COMPLETELY different drive than that amazing NA flat 6 of the GTS.

Yes, the m3 will depreciate like crazy after buying it brand new but I'm ok with that b/c I know I'll drive it for everything.
OTOH, I like the idea of having 2 very different cars -- a 4runner and keeping the GTS. I also took a gamble and bought a cabriolet not knowing if I would be a 'convertible' guy, and I've loved it. So I will miss that aspect too.

BTW-- I moved to Louisiana from Phoenix. Having my GTS cab there would be pretty amazing during the late fall and winter months.

 

While I could dd the 997, I do like having the suv as it makes getting in the Porsche even that much more special. While the 997 will occasionally see a mall or grocery store parking lot, it's nice to have a beater for the days you have to run 10 places close by, have to carry something big, or the days you want to go for hike, or days you know your likely to hit some heavy traffic.

 

i can't advise you how to make the overall decision but i will offer input as follows...

m3/m4 is an fi'ed IN LINE six, not a V6... it is a smooth, brilliant engine. but due to fi you hardly need to rev it out since there is max torque just off idle, driving it will feel like driving a muscle car rather than a high revving sports car the gts is

the ride of the m3/m4 will be alot better than the gts - in normal mode the bimmer will be taut but PLUSH in comparison

if your gts was a coupe it would hold its value even better, your cabrio will depreciate faster but still much less so over the next two-three years imo compared to a brand new m3/m4, especially a highly optioned one - i believe the f series m3/m4 are selling in big numbers and bmw will be tweaking their performance and coming out with harder core models so new ones sold now will fall in value fast

of course if you want to go to one car the m3 will be terrific, roomy, comfortable four seats, get the folding rear seats you have a very flexible hauler when needed - that has always been the magic of the m3 - truly great two way car. it is just that the fi engine has really changed its nature from all earlier versions (e46 and e9x) - you may actually consider a low miles well equipped e92 m3 that has the brilliant na v8 - there are many out there still like new in the 50's

hope this helps

 

The 997.2 GTS is a much more rare car than the 991 GTS, with far fewer produced in a far shorter production run. Some figures I found here on RL:

"(worldwide numbers)

997 Carrera GTS total: 6.747

• 997 Carrera GTS Coupé: 2.656
• 997 Carrera GTS Cabrio: 1.813
• 997 Carrera 4 GTS Coupé: 1.321
• 997 Carrera 4 GTS Cabrio: 957"


The 991 GTS has become pretty much another trim level, at this point. And with Porsche now making GTS versions of almost all its models (I'm sure a Macan GTS can't be far away), they've lost a bit of the exclusivity that made the original 911 GTSes special. IMHO.

I prefer 997.2 cars over 991.1 cars, in general, for many reasons. With the GTSes, my bet is that eight to ten years from now, when they are all older 911s, the 997.2 GTS will be the more rare and sought after GTS. If there are only 1,813 examples of your model made, worldwide, your car is actually pretty rare. My guess is eventually they will be seen much like how 993 C2S/C4Ses are seen today, relative to their "standard" siblings. If you love it, and if it's easy for you to keep it, you should hang onto it!

 

this definitely helps and I appreciate the feedback. You've said everything that has much pretty much gone through my mind regarding my car-- notably about the part that it being a cab over a coupe may cause it to depreciate in a more pronounced fashion.
Still, I'm glad i got the cab.

Regarding the M3, you're spot on-- it definitely felt like more of a muscle car given its power/weight ratio with all that torque. BMW does however describe their engine platform as a twin turbo V6, which is why I quoted it that way.

One interesting point on the M3, they aren't making very many. Relative to the M4 at least, there are maybe 12-15 M4's for every 1 M3 sent to dealers-- at least that's what I found after talking to the biggest M seller in the US (at Steve Thomas BMW).
No question, however, that it will depreciate more quickly than my GTS.

The post below yours brings up some good points regarding production numbers, and I can't help but wonder that I keep this car long term (like 8-10 years) it will reach some point that it will actually stop depreciating, but the question is what is that point?
In other words, if I keep this car another 5 years, and it remains in excellent condition with around 20K miles on it, can I still get $60K for it as opposed to maybe $75K today? If so, it's worth keeping in my mind.
I can afford to keep it and probably get the M3, but I don't want to do that.
One fun car at a time-- lol.

As an aside, from a pure curbside appeal standpoint, I think the wide body look of the 997's just looks so much better than the look of the 991's.

 

I have a '14 M235 (wanna be M3, they say) and it is an all around performer and DD. Hit the right buttons on the center console and it turns into a rocket! (Economy, Comfort, Sport etc.) Porsches are made to be driven and not stored in hopes of appreciation. The market is crazy now for GT3 (RS), 918, Carrera GT and even 993, Carrera 3.2, plus 356 Speedsters. Some are awash in money and can buy what they desire. This is not going to last forever. Nobody can predict the future market as it could drop tomorrow or next year. If you can get a good price, sell now and NEVER LOOK BACK! The boys on Wall Street will tell you that you can't time the market……...

 

Hmm, I'm pretty sure many of the cars you mention here, especially the older air-cooled models, are money in the bank. Though there may be bubbles and dips in the future, no doubt that the longer you hold them, the more they will be worth.

Sure, I can sell my 993 C4S now for $70K, but I'd be willing to bet in 20 years, it'll be worth much more than that by orders of magnitude. 356s are a good reference for how old air-cooled Porsche are pricing many decades later, and they made many many 356s.

I'll think I'll hold on to my 993 C4S. Talk to you in 20 years and let you know if I made more than $70K on it

 

[QUOTE=bruinmd;12514466] BMW does however describe their engine platform as a twin turbo V6, which is why I quoted it that way.

Incorrect, bruinmd, regarding the M3/M4 engine. From BMWUSA.com:

3.0-liter BMW M TwinPower Turbo 425-hp inline six-cylinder engine. Combines two mono-scroll turbochargers with variable valve control (Double-VANOS and Valvetronic) and high-precision direct injection.

Regarding using a relatively low vehicle as a DD, I decided several years ago that the only that only a pick-up or SUV made sense as a DD for Houston and our occasional heavy rains and street flooding . Hence my 2006 Tacoma. It has forded many a high water street that sidelined conventional sedans, never mind a 911 or M3. Assuming Louisiana suffers similar conditions, your 4Runner should be perfect.

 

Goof: I wholeheartedly agree re: air cooled P cars. I was specifically referring to the GTS. In twenty years I may be dead so you'll have to discuss this with my heirs as I'm an old man! Cheers!

 

I'll be a bit pedantic. An orders of magnitude commonly refers to an increase of 10x. I don't not think your 993 will be worth $700,000 in 20 years. Certainly it will not be worth "orders of magnitude" meaning 100x or $7,000,000 or more.

As for the OP, financially I bet you'll have more depreciation on the M car than on holding the GTS, so might as well keep it.

 

Just so you're not lonely I'll be a bit pedantic too. Ignoring lost opportunity (that is, keeping $70K in a car as opposed to some other investment), simply based on inflation (say 4 percent), that $70K today would be equal to $153,368.71 in 2035 dollars. Or put another way if you had $70K in 2035 dollars, it would be $24,137 in 2015 dollars - I'd guess the current value of a 993 C4S is greater than this!

 

Yeah, but one cannot enjoy a traditional financial investment on a nice windy mountain road

Financial investments are great. I didn't buy my 993 as an investment, but having a terrific car that you enjoy that also appreciates financially ain't such a bad thing.

As for as orders of magnitude, I doubt my C4S will be worth $700K in 20 years, true. But I would bet dollars to donuts that it might perform far better than some other financial investments and be fun to boot.

I love the 997 GTS, and I think it's a fantastic car. I would love to own one.

 

You are right that the air cooled P cars will continue to increase in value. But also remember that they need repairs that 20+ years Porsches require and somehow dollars expended needs to be included in your expected ROI.