Yea I believe for a 05 car that is a bit pricey BUT as everyone says with all those options(especially the pricey brakes) in consideration and if it is a CLEAN legit car then maybe it is justifiable~ The only thing that would bother me is that the warranty might have already expired unless there is a extended warranty~ Usually the depreciationof cars is not solely due to the age itself but also because of how much warranty is left in the car etc...and mind you these cars are not very cheap to fix...so that is something you should really take into consideration before purchasing~
Just my opinion but if it were me, if getting a 05 car, I would try and find the cleanest/LOWEST mileage and lowest priced car as all of them will be out of warranty and the low mileage and condition will somewhat safeguard you from costly repairs~ You can generally find a CLEAN Legit 05 car in the 45-49K range~ BUT if you're looking to spend a bit more for a piece of mind with warranty and a newer CLEAN legit car, you will spend in the mid 50k to low 60k range depending on option and condition~
Whew! Sorry for the long story! I get carried away! haha!
Oh and if you want a CLEAN LEGIT NO STORIES 07' White Carrera 4(wide body as all C4's and C4S' came wide bodied from 07 on) with GT3 Factory Aerokit with a remaining 2 year Factory warranty still intact...you don't have to look far, as I'm selling my beauty! haha!

 

The absolute worst case scenario with the brakes would mean replacement and with Brembos costing 7K it can be done. I placed the Brembo on my Turbo because I even like them more than the cermaics and I have owned both.

The launch car is a great car . There is no skimping on options . As for the Nav .. I never use it in any of my cars but even the newst 09 Porsche nav can't compete with some of the high end Japanese cars . My little Honda Si had a better nav than my Turbo and M3 .

At roughly 50K you could buy a newer 997S with a few less options and more warranty but it won't have the amenities of that black car .

 

My thanks to all for your input. Truly appreciate it. The big takeaway for me is the warranty (or lack thereof) to purchase price. I had heard these machines can be costly, however, it appears 'most' owners do a great job taking care of their rides. A lot of research shows how few miles many put on these cars (second car for nice weather days; I used to baby my '04 M3 that way - never in rain - about 7,000/year, and that seems high to Porsche owners).

The only other oddity I see on Car Fax reports is that many 911's change owners after just 2 years. Not sure if that is a realization by some (finance/lease) that the payments are too high - or there is a repo market in 911's. Or, just a coincidence, that folks like me tire of a car quickly and want a new set of wheels.

Any thoughts?

 

I'm a little stunned by the notion that the PCCB's could be a problem. I would imagine if they are, they are a BIG problem. Otherwise, I guess they are good for the life of the car.
I've been trolling around and have only seen a coupe offered with them. A dealer in NJ had a black '05 with them and the car was listed in the low 50's, but it was also certified. Didn't seem to be one of the "loaded" launch cars though.
Any comments on those launch cars - to stay on topic? I've always had the feeling to avoid initial model runs because they tend to have issues (my E46 M3 with the rod bearing recall as a prime example).

 

C2Spin - I traded quickly and whoever got my two 997S cars did well . Some may selll due to a desire for a newer car and of course the worst case is a problem car . There are quite a few of those too and they all look pretty on the used car lot . Hard to tell unless you have a skilled technician who can inspect it thoroughly . Some simple things you can do is run a DME scan to detect over revs and inspect the paint . If there's rough edges then it may be overpray . Look for structural gaps . Some things like flood or water damage are undetectable nor are they listed in carfax . 2005 was a hurricane year for much of the southeast . It's something to consider. The cost of maintaining is one reason to either buy a CPO car from an authorized dealership or a newer car (with a CPO ) . Unless the past owner can supply some reasurrance .

Rye -- Brakes are never a problem big enough that money can't fix . Throw some Brembos on the car . In fact I toook my stock brakes off my Turbo when upgrading to 700Hp in an effort to provide better braking for the enormous Hp gain .
The initial model was a success with the 997S . There was a minor recall but very quick and easy. The car otherwise is amazing .