Hey fellow 6speeders.....just aimlessly lurking on the FS section and I've seen a surprising significant amount of 996 turbos for sale, after looking at these threads and seeing prices I am really surprised. Tell me why is it that an '02 is asking 50k and I'm seeing '07s asking only 60k?

I certain that the 997 variant is a much better built car, Porsche budgeting was greater, maintenance has been documented to be better, ascetics wise it's better (but I guess no 996 turbo owner would agree). So tell me how is it that the asking prices seem to be so close?

 

I certainly wouldn't buy an 02 for that price but I'm biased

 

First price is not fact only an opinion.

Second I'd offer there's a feeling by 996 Turbo owners -- at least some of the owners -- the 996 Turbo is an "investment" that the value of these cars is on the upswing, has been on the upswing for a while now, and will continue to go up, and cars being offered have prices that reflect this belief.

Some examples probably deserve if not all the price that asked for the car a good fraction of it. A low miles well kept car with no mods and fitted with a 6-speed manual will always be a desireable car and its asking price and its actual sale price will reflect this.

The 997 Turbo should be receiving its day in the sun soon. I've already started seeing articles touting the 997 model as the simpler car than the later model and as a result more desireable. Over time articles like this will tend to pump up the market for 997 cars including the Turbo.

 

I doubt you are seeing 997 turbos with good mileage in Six speed for that price. Six speed 997 turbos with low miles in excellent condition and history are getting premium prices and will only go up.

 

Automatics ..... you won't find a 6MT for under 60k unless it has higher mileage ...

 

I think it's funny how so many look for no mods rather than a intelligently modded car. The factory hardware and software have a LOT of headroom in them which allows the hardware in stock form to be in pretty bad shape and still run perfectly with the factory calibration. That car tuned would run like hell though. Contrast this to a modded car that has to have everything in tip top shape to run correctly. There's a reason you see all the modded guys doing all the corrective and preventative maintence while the "Stock car" crowd looks on with their mechanically neglected, delayed maintence "gems"

Perception is reality!

 

Well, one man's intelligent mod's is another man's hack job.

Hard enough to really check out a used car and mod's just make it that much harder.

And I hate to break this to you but just because someone can afford to mod's his car, or bolt some mod's to his car, doesn't guarantee he knows doodly squat about proper servicing. I come upon some owners who like to blend various oils for some kind a magic multi-viscosity oil, or insist on reusing oil drain plug sealing rings, and so on.

Some of the worst serviced cars are cars that have been owner serviced.

 

Asking price is just that, an ASKING price. I think most people on the 997 Turbo forum would agree that $50k for a 996 Turbo is high.

 

That's simply not true. Intelligently modded cars are just that, and it's easy to figure out the difference. Hack jobs are obvious. Also, servicing isn't modding. A guy with a stock car could just as easily blend oils too. Service is one of the easiest things to go over if the car has proper reciepts.

I like your broad, sweeping generalizations. Owner serviced cars are the worst? Lol, I change the oil in mine with Porsche parts and Mobil 1 oil only. I change the drain plug crush washer every other time because it doesn't leak, which is what it is there to prevent....not to prevent spontaneous combustion as you make it out to be

I like changing my oil because it allows me to get under the car and inspect everything for any other potential issues while I'm down there going over the car with a fine toothed comb.

I would wager that the guy who mods his car has spent more time researching proper maintenance and service requirements than the average stock car guy who in general seems petrified of anything needing work or repair on these cars.

 

It's silly to make generalizations about stock cars or modded cars. There are good examples and bad examples of each.

 

with 996 and 997, only manual are desirable and have any propensity to actually 'appreciate'. a 997 turbo with 5 speed automatic is worth less than a late model 996 turbo S in manual all day.

 

This. Datalog the factory ECU tuning and you'll be surprised. I was.

 

This. There are PLENTY of nice 996 turbos for under 40k. the 50k guys are dreamers.

Tips, and verts obviously much lower valued than 6mt hardtops.

 

Nationwide search on autotrader, there are about 125 996TT's for sale right now. Limit price to "under 40k" and that list drops to 19. Best I can tell, of those 19, they're almost all high mileage (many 100k+) AND all tiptronic.

If that fits your idea of "plenty" and "nice" - then your statement is factually accurate.

If you leave price blank and limit to 6 speeds, under 45k miles... it supports a market value of roughly $50k, +/- a couple grand. Including many dealer cars - not just daydreaming private sellers.

 

In December 2015, I sold my 996T 6MT coupe and bought my current 997T 6MT cabriolet. I was watching both markets leading up to my sale and have continued to follow them since. I would have done much better had I waited 6 months.... 996s definitely started picking up momentum early in 2016. From late 2015 to now, based on my observations, I would estimate the 996T 6MT market is up a solid $5k (if not more). KBB felt the same.



The 997T 6MT market seems to have lost a few thousand over the same period for what I would consider mid-mileage cars (30k-50k miles). Low mile 997T 6MTs still seem to bring a pretty strong premium. What I find interesting is how differently mileage is viewed on 996T vs 997T. A 50k mile 996T is considered relatively low mile and brings a premium, whereas a 997T with the same mileage get knocked for being high mileage. I have seen a couple of higher mileage (60k+) 997T 6MT cabs sell in the 50s. This one looked like a really solid deal:
2008 6MT, well optioned ($154k sticker), Champion RS98s, 69k miles, sold for $51k.



It showed up on a dealer site (Earth Motor Cars) a week or 2 later for ~$65k and has since sold.

I cannot see this trend continuing. I think the gap has narrowed as close as it ever will. If the 996 values continue to rise, the 997s will too. They are both water cooled, mass produced, and the 997 is just plain better Unless of course the headlights that everyone scorned for so long become a selling point as they are different from everything before and after. Different sometimes equals $$$, just because....