There's really not much place to go, only different and not necessarily better. Only having the means for one toy at a time has certainly left me mulling this over. Some cars are more attractive, more useful, more visceral, etc. but not in the same package as far as I can tell. One thing is for sure, i won't make a move until I'm sure it's the right one for me. Everyone needs to look at the big picture, not necessarily just the bucks involved.

 

This is SO true. My 1997 993 turbo I bought new drove for 3 years and 30,000 miles. Original cost $105,000.00 sold for $95,000.00 now that was sweet!

 

I feel the short term will continue to be difficult for the 996TT. But in the longer term, the virtues of this car will prevail and be reflected in the pricing. It's a steal at current prices when looking at what you get for the $$$.

 

Does the depreciation of the 996TT vs. the 993TT have anything to do with production #'s of each model? How many 993TT's were produced vs. how many 996TT's were produced? I have no idea how many of each car Porsche produced. If there were less 993TT's wouldnt it make them more sought after for enthusiasts?
I have seen 996TT's in the high $60's and have also seen 993TT's in the low $80's recently. (NON Turbo S cars too)

 

I don't know the numbers but way many more 996 turbo's were made than the 993 turbo's.

 

911 Turbos used to be scarce. You had to be on the list to even get one because production was limited. That all changed with the 996 based turbo. Porsche really cranked up the produciton, and resale values have tanked.

I bought a '97 993TT new for $118k and sold it 3 years later for $82,500 with 39,000 miles on it.

I bought an '01 996TT new for $120k and sold it 20 months later for $96,000 with 9,000 miles on it. Prices had dropped from $106k wholesale over the preceding 5 months. You guys may remember in mid 2002 there were zillions of Turbos, new and used, on dealers' lots.

My current X-50 is a 2002 and I paid $144K against a sticker of $154k. It has 6000 miles on it, and it's probably worth low to mid 80's wholesale. Part of the drop in value was all the options I ordered, which was my decision. But the values are still off from the prior two cars.

You really can't blame Porsche, because increasing Turbo production was an opportunity for growing revenue and margins. However, their dealers and customers have suffered from their decision to do this.

On the other hand, cars depreciate, and there's no guarantee a car will hold its value well, just because the previous car did.

 

I am really glad the 996TT depreciated like it did. It gave someone like me the opportunity to own a supercar for under $70k. There are plenty of people out there like me that look at a new Corvette, new M3, etc. and then see you can get a low mileage 996TT and the choice is clear. I think these people will keep values on these cars from falling much lower than $60k.

 

The 993 Turbo has a very classic look. The 996 TT is tame in comparison. That said, the 997 TT may have overly trendy lines and the 996 may look "clean" as the years go by.

The bottom line is that the 996 has the performance potential of the 997 at this point so I'm not interested in doubling my investment. I have been looking at Z06s in magazines and really like the numbers. Unfortunately, from what I read, actually driving one may convince me to stick with the 996. There is also the Corvette depreciation factor to look at. Previous gen corvettes ALWAYS eat serious shat in resale.

 

Hey Ari,

I drove a new Z06 the other day just for kicks. The power was huge! but the overall feel of the handling and response compared the 996 was a bit "rough". When I got back in my car, I really appreciated the way it drives and handles...

 

There are already plenty of '01s that will change hands in the sub-$60k arena, and plenty of '02s that aren't much more. And I'm not talking about cars with excessively high mileage.

But yes, I am glad I am able to afford a 996TT, too

Never try to predict anything, especially the future.