My friend is contemplating buying a 996TT but is afraid that as prices keep coming down throughout the next 2-5 years, there will be ALOT more on the streets.

As of now, the car is still quite expensive and hard to afford especially for young kids. But in like 5 years, a 2001 turbo from someone who hardly drove it, will be worth about $30k? The younger generation LOVES this car. So wouldnt you assume there will be a ton more of them on the streets soon and it will be common looking?

I mean granted, you dont see a ton of Ferraris on the road because they are expensive to fix and not as reliable. But turbos are pretty reliable.

What do you think?

 

Worth 30k in 5 years? Very doubtful. I will be surprised if it drops below $50k in 5 years. There is an initial depreciation hit for the first 1-3 years, but after that, things really settle down and only lose a fraction of that over the remaining years. The younger gen loves the 993 even more (some would say), but you do not see them all over the road. True, they are reliable, but parts are still rather $$$.

Something like this (it's really hard to find a variable depreciation graph for a vehicle on the web, believe it or not):

 

turbo will be hard to fall pass the 50k mark. sorry i just pick a number but if u are expecting to pay 30k for a 01 Turbo in 5 years then everyone else on the planet earth will be driving a 99 C2. u get my point.

 

I am a car dealer...I agree with above post. At some point prices will only drop a fraction and may even go up a bit. If the 997TT is as pricey as I think it will be it should hold value on the 996TT. Also in regard to the younger guys getting 1. keep in mind its still a (in my case)a $140+K car when new and even though I paid alot less fixing it (especially when its older) will still be VERY pricy. After all its not like a VW beetle.
Anyway it may still drop a bit but if you look at 97/98 model TT they are bringing 60k+ and sometimes ALOT more for a optioned car.
JB

 

Yea , but isnt that because they are water cooled which Porsche no longer does?

 

no. it's all because of the production number. the water cooled factor was just a part of the best-911-ever-made talk. the low production number is the main reason that keeps the 993TT value high.

 

who else is tired of the turbo price talk? It's ok I guess for those shopping, but for those who own it now, once you buy a car, forget the market value and drive it!

It's a bad idea to buy a car and check prices constantly.. you will just be depressed.

 

agreed...

Why does it even matter if a lot of people own one anyway? I, for one, would never buy a car based on how many other people own one... if your friend is really interested in getting one... but is shying away because other's might buy one too, then I think he's got a REAL attention issue...

 

considering that there are E36 M3's fetching close to 30K with low miles i would say its VERY safe to assume the only way you'll get a turbo for $30,000 is without an engine

 

I feel that I am 5-7 yrs away from my Turbo. I hope that the price will be around $50k during this time period. I know that I could afford to purchase a turbo in one year, but it would be my most costly expense. How do you guys decide when to buy a car? I have this internal desire to save/invest, and I have a difficult time spending money.

 

lol i can sellu guys my turbo for around 50k ina few years so i can jump on a used 997 gt3 then heheheh

 

I say turbo owners on this forum hire a secret mafia to go confiscate 996 turbo's and hide them in a secret ware house. Then this lack of supply will help us all out and we'll never release the secret stash until someone we don't like buys a/our turbo. Then release the stash and it will be worth nothing!!! MUAHAHAHHAHAHAHA

 

You're friggin 19...you should be saving... these TTs are for us old geesers or for trust funders!

 

Interesting thoughts, but what would you pay for a 99 911 today? maybe mid 30's? Anyway, I don't anticipate seeing turbos going for 50k anytime soon. Cars tend to depreciate the most the first 3 years, and then slowly level off. That is typically why it usually never makes sense to lease a car for only 2 years, but to go 3 years. You pay the depreciation of the car, and a rent charge (money factor). Going 2 years yields way too high a payment since the car has depreciated the most the first 2 years. Unfortunately most residuals for a 2 year lease fall in the mid/high 60% range, where 3 years are in the mid/high 50%.. then for 4 years go into the mid/high 40% range. Of course this all depends on the collateral...a Lexus/Acura will have better residual then a Kia/Hyundai, but anyway after a few years, the value of cars tend to drop off alot slower after a few years.

What makes a highline (Porsche/BMW/Benz...etc) car seem to depreciate alot more is that you are taking an actual percentage of the MSRP and using that to determine its value. A Porsche new at $130K at 60% after a few years is only $78k (dropped $52k)...a new Honda at $29k at 60% is $17.4k (dropped $11.6k) which to anyone sounds like a slower depreciation, but it is at the same rate. Look at a 1992 NSX for example...they are still in the mid/high $20k's today, and new they were $65k? That car is 14 years old and has only dropped 60% in 14 years.
Well, hopefully some of this makes some sense....I bought an 01 Turbo and absolutely love driving it here in MD...never see any here...and could care less what it would be worth until I sell her. If I really cared....I would never buy a car since they are always the worst kind of investment...but cars are way too much fun to worry about what they will be worth later.

 

good points M3CAB