Why are resale values on CT's so crappy? Can I expect to lose 20k in the first year?
 

I'm seeing loaded '04 CT's with 5k miles sell for the mid to high 70's. Why is resale value so bad?

2 reasons:

1. Supply Exceeds Demand
2. The market does not feel that the CT is worth Porsche's tall price.

Unless you are horribly against a used vehicle, i STRONGLY suggest getting the CT preowned.

Anyone noticed that all resale values seem to be bad right now. Maybe its the economy, I dont know but Ive been noticing that recently.

no way...the economy is great!

1. The stock market is up more than it has been in the past 4 years.

2. The real estate market is at an all time high

3. Raw materials prices are up in nearly every industry - this is a sign of increased movement of goods

Your experience is not specific to PCars. Buy a MB or Volvo or Lexus, drive it 5K and try to sell it...............You will find that their resale is just as soft as the CS or CT. Automobiles are a depreciating asset and for that reason take a major hit immediately. Keep it three or four years and the depreciation is spread over a longer period which makes it seems less of a hit.

Drive something that is in very high demand like a Toyota Hybrid or the new Lexus RX400 Hybrid ($10K over MSRP and they are not even on the market yet) and you might miss the initial depreciation hit if you buy right.