So, yesterday I actually got to drive my first GT3 -- a 2004 with 6900 miles...

Fairly aggressive test drive, windows down, several blasts to 6000-7000 RPMs, few trips into triple digits etc... 70 degrees out, two lane road etc.. I was setting myself up for the frustration of not haveing full time access to this car...

All I can say is I feel like a newbie heroin user and I am looking for my next fix...

Here is what I am looking at and I need your help determining if this is a fair price etc...

-2004
-GT3
-6900 miles/one owner/purchased from this dealership new and traded in on a 997 GT3/clean carfax/factory warranty expires in July of 2008/NOT CPO
-Lapis blue metallic
-Full black
-Xenon
-AC
-Black mats
-Porsche crest in head rest
-metal door sill with model insignia
-Cruise control

manual seats! no sunroof! no jewelry!
no ceramics -- although I hear that gen. 1 ceramics are not so tough??? very expensive to repair etc...

Dealer is asking $84K

I was going to offer $78K dealer includes CPO warranty... cash.

Also -- are there any considerable differences between a 2004 and 2005? I do not think that there is, but I wanted to verify with the board to see...

I am jonesing, my wife will kill me, my financial planner will drop me, but I feel like I have no choice... I must own one...

My wife is pregnant with our first child and I am applying/feeling pressure to get this done before the kid arrives .

Any other buying advice beyond the PPI from a reputable shop etc..

 

If you can make that happen, I would say it's a good deal.
No real differences between 04 and 05, although I hear the 05's are faster

 

Wait! Before you do this consider what life will be like after you have this child. I was in the same boat , so to speak, considering an order for a Boxster S to move from my S2000 into while wife was expecting our first. Got to thinking about it, and brought her with one day to the dealer to place my order. She was wandering around and looked in and out of the cars on the showroom. She has always known that I have longed for the 911 every since being a kid. Thus, when she saw the back seats in one, she asked if we should look into one of those instead, full well knowing that in a couple of years I'd be bugging her for the blessing to upgrade yet again. We went for a spin in a used '02 C2 Coupe and, of course, I loved it. We looked at her belly and made the comment that the four seats of the Carrera made so much sense, in the long run, as we could all go for spin. Now, the times that we do that are few and far between, but the blessing my wife gave me for having thought this though is priceless, to say the least. Then she was vested in it a little more too, which goes a long way.

Ended up grabbing an incoming '03 C2 Coupe with most of what I would've ordered, plus some stuff I wouldn't have. Dealer threw in a Porsche baby seat and that sealed the deal with my wife. Happy camper ever since. Now have two in the back!

Of course, the difference between a GT3 and the Boxster S is another matter altogether. However, the point is that you can make for a happier home life if you consider how the purchase of this 2 seater is viewed by your spouse. The GT3 wasn't offered when I was upgrading, but it would have been high on my list, if it weren't for the high sticker price. Had I gone that route, I know that my wife would have a negative attitude toward "that car you insisted upon". Just my two cents, for what ever it is worth.

Lately I've found that the Turbo has more than made up for yearning for a GT3 or GT2 just because my wife knows that occasionally we, not just me, can go as a family and enjoy what "our" hard earned money has been spent on.

Either way, good luck with your decision and I hope you enjoy whatever you end up pouncing on. All in good fun!

Kevin

 

Don't get married and don't have kids that way you can do what you want.

 

My son came out 5 months ago, so I stopped all the plans, otherwise I should be driving my friend's 04 GT3 already. He was willing to sell to me for only $76K at the time and the car only had 3700miles! I even had the loan on hand but I finally gave up. My son is more important to me, at least for now.

You can have tons of chance to own a GT3 in your life, but only one chance for this coming kid. Once you have kid, you will know.

------Life is changing!!!!

 

nice advice -- too late

Iceman -- your friend still have it at $76K? just kidding, I know what you mean...

Kfitz -- my wife is not into enjoying the cars so much... she thinks her company subaruu forester is great... we have been enjoying my M5 (E39) but she gets a little car sick when the going gets fun... so... but I do know what you mean... but for me it is GT3 or nothing and save the money... I am not rich enough to have a real interest in anything really exotic (599 Ferrari?)... this would be the prized car in the mini collection (E39 M5, F150, and a harley that I want to sell immediately)

Aside from the wife/kid adivce -- is this a decent deal? I am not even sure that I can get it at $78K...

Sales guy said that it cost the dealer $1500-2K to CPO it... so if I offer $78K cash and the dealer is at $84K without the CPO... it is a long shot...

No freight to worry about as it is local, it does not have a lot of options which I like... but if you just do a search on the Porsche website -- there are 05 with ceramics for low to mid eighties as well... so I am thinking that their asking price is high...

I guess all I can do is make the offer and see what they say...

given the year, options (or lack therof), non-cpo status, $84 seems high...

 

I think he sold to someone on this forum, but I dono the name of the buyer.

Back to the price, if they are willing to CPO it I think the max I am willing to pay is $79K, It is one of the best bargain around but this is the market price....


BTW, why don't you wait for few yrs to get used 997 GT3? The price should drop like 996GT3 in the next few years, so you can enjoy the first 2 yrs with the kid.

 

A lapis GT3, wow, never seen that before (that I recall)...sounds gorgeous, DOOOOOOOO IT!

 

PJS - I can appreciate that your wife isn't into enjoying the cars, my wife isn't either. In fact, she couldn't care less! It only created a sense of connected-ness, if a person can term it that way, by making sure it had the jump seats so it wasn't so single-minded.

If you are able to get a GT3 without it affecting your family life, more power to ya. Many of our fellow 6 Speeder's have similar situations and are happy to get away for a drive (or track day!) with no one in the car with them. That is partially why the toys exist, right?

Anyhow, hope no offense, as we fellow dads with young ones probably just want to point out some learnings.

Sincerely,

Kevin

 

PJS,
Bet that Lapis Blue is hot looking. Have heard good things about Roger Jobs. Lig (on this board) picked up his S4 from them and is satisfied. Depending on what information you are interested in, I could recommend Alex at MaxRPM in Bremerton. He is well worth a call or a trip out to his shop. I would be glad to help if you need anything else.
GL in your negotiations. Under $80K would be nice.

 

You have other cars so get it. There are 4 cars at our house so it didn't really matter that the 996TT is pretty much a 2 seater.

 

Yes, it's about 2K for CPO but for Lapis GT3, get it, very very few around. $82k sounds like a good deal

 

My adult son called me yesterday asking for money for another "money making opportunity". This about the tenth time this last year.

My GT3 has never asked me for money.

 

Docktor K -- and point taken

Kfitz -- no offense taken at all and your point was well received... the only thing that bothers the wife is the $$$... she is pretty financially conservative etc so paying cash for the car (only way to fly for me) scares her as our "reserves" will be lower than she is comfortable with... what are "reserves" for if not GT3s... I am all talk at this point... no offer made yet...

Iceman -- I test drove last week and I am not waiting two years... seriously, I have read a million aticles, surfed all the sites, bought a C4 to see if that satiate it (it did not)... I have the cash and the car is local... I think the planets are aligning or I am doing a good job of selling this car to myself!

Thanks everyone for chiming in -- I think I am in the ballpark with the offer of $78K and they include the CPO... now if I could just grow a pair and make the offer...

Anything specific I should look for?

I checked that the option sticker under the hood matched the one in manual, carfax is clean, drove fine, tires good, etc...

I am planning on making the offer contingent on a PPI at a shop that I have faith in... it is two hours from selling dealer and 2 minutes from my house... so I was thinking a refundable deposit prior to the PPI and the balance due after it passes the inspection...

Sounds corny... but how much is it to add the facory 6 disc changer? Can they add it to the stock single cd head unit? I know I know -- do not be worried about a silly cd changer in a GT3... seriously... I just do not want a CD file folder flying around he car... and the changers really weigh nothing...

Thanks again everyone...

 

Buy the car!!! I think high 70s is fair maybe even more with the Porsche Certified Warranty. Absolutely no need for a PPI a total waste, if anything breaks you have the warranty and Porsche will pay. As for the CD player..... the car should not even have a radio, so adding more radio stuff is too fluffy. I saw the car at Jobs for sale.....very cool color and exclusive too boot. Hurry or I will buy it as a spare.