Hmmm... as 996 prices drop they keep looking better and better. This is ok for $17K

[LeeH]

My opinion of 996s seems to have an inverse relationship to their prices, which seem to be dropping rapidly. How long before these start hitting the low teens or less???

This is a 1999 with 105K miles, aero package for $17,500.
1999 Porsche 911 Carrera Coupe Aero Kit....

[porsche4life]

They are getting downright tempting... The boxsters as well... I could sell my '07 Corolla right now and get in an early non-s boxster for little or no difference.....



Must resist stupid urges....

[Racerbvd]

We have a member here who picked up one for I'm thinking for $10K..

And it was a pretty solid one too..

[lendaddy]

Yea.....something like that just might have to happen

[450knotOffice]

Take advantage of the low prices! They are awesome cars! I've had a 2000 996 for the past five years and it has been the most reliable daily driver I've ever had. It's also been tracked about six times and autocrossed a few times too. It has 112,000 miles and counting. I'd upload a pic, but I'm in Honduras right now and the 'net is slooooowww.

[aigel]

My prediction is 928 price territory. There is no bottom on these. in 5 years they will be at $10k. Still not sure if I'd get anything but the GT3 or the Turbo. Those, interestingly enough, hold their value much better.

Over 75k miles I see them all the time for under $20k here in L.A.

George

[Porsche-O-Phile]

It's not the up-front costs you need to be worried about...

[rnln]

might be a stupid question but I really want to hear how many people here has early 996 with 150,000+ miles, without engine rebuilt/replaced and still running well?
Thanks.

[Shaun @ Tru6]

I think Cayman's are going to be even better value. Early ones are in the 20's right now. If I were smart (I'm not) I'd sell the 86 and the 73 and get a 2005/6 Cayman.

[VincentVega]

I'm in for a Cayman in a couple years too. Hopefully by then the IMS refit kits will have proven themselves.

17k for a 996 could be a deal, but for 100k it's not a screaming deal.

[attamz]

I have a friend that picked up a 1999 6spd w/40k for 17k 2 years ago. The car has been super reliable for him.

[TechnoViking]

I think we're going to see a bunch of the newer water-cooled cars showing up as race cars if prices keep dropping. My SC will be as slow as the 914s were when I started racing (relatively speaking).

[LeeH]

When the Boxster came out I told my wife I'd buy one once the got in the low teens. Well, I just really have no interest in owning a convertible. Now I'm saying once the Caymens get down there I'll buy one. BUT, I'm wondering if they'll ever get there. Have the sales been high enough that there will be a bunch hitting the used market in a few years? Will my fellow Pelicans be fighting over them keeping the prices up? And then there's the 997. By the time the Caymens get cheap it seems like the 997s will be getting down there in price.

[onewhippedpuppy]

It's not the up-front costs you need to be worried about...

I believe Denis had over 200k hard miles on his original motor and transmission with no major repairs. They are more reliable than yours.

My 996 was a spectacular car, personally I think anyone that would prefer a Carrera over one is a fool. Great A/C, decent ride makes for a good DD, performance that will destroy any previous N/A 911. My guess is that most 996 detractors simply haven't driven one.

[Porsche-O-Phile]

Good Boxsters can be had for the mid-20s now.

The "high risk" early ones ('99, '00) can be had for the mid-teens.

I've said for years that the Boxster is going to be the new 944 - expect them to turn up on tracks across America in a few years with lots of mods. They're good cars but the depreciation curves are absolutely wicked.

[Zeke]

Originally Posted by Porsche-O-Phile

It's not the up-front costs you need to be worried about...

The 996 and Boxsters are the same car from the cowl forward and share a lot more. They are both reliable save for the occasional RMS and bearing problems (which 98% of the cars don't suffer)(yet).

Really, the maintenance is no more than a typical car and way less than an old 911.

[Porsche-O-Phile]

True, they've got good and reasonably reliable histories but you also have to consider that they're getting up around the 10-ish year old range which is historically when a lot of "little things" like failing sensors, emissions components, etc. can start showing up. On OBDII cars, this can turn into a MONUMENTAL cost quickly and a lot of states simply will not allow you to defer it - you can't re-register in a lot of states with an associated "check engine" light. There are an awful lot of sensors and valves and thingys that can fail and any one of them can throw a code and give you a CEL and a gigantic headache (and cost) to diagnose and repair.

Most modern cars don't suffer from catastrophic engine failures or any of the "big stuff" breaking (cranks, valves, cams, etc.) it's all the little electronic doohickeys and sensors and associated wiring that can quickly and suddenly stick an owner with a very expensive repair bill.

This is no different than any other new-ish/OBDII car (any one of them is prone to this) but on a Porsche with lots of hard-to-get-to places, sensors, etc. the problem of it being very difficult if not impossible to diagnose/repair onesself becomes magnified a bit.

I had a lot of misgivings about this when I bought my '01 Mercedes and fortunately (knock wood) so far I've been lucky - but I did have to replace two O2 sensors. Dealer estimate? Over $900. Fortunately I was able to DIY that one, but it can be very difficult to diagnose those things. Parts cost is only one small piece of the equation. The analysis/computer testing is a significant part of the price. The only other issue I've had with the car was a crank position sensor which was covered under warranty. The out-of-pocket cost for that would have been north of $500 (for a $70 part).

That's the only thing I'd be leery of.

Air-cooled 911s and old 944s don't really scare simply because the electronics is so much simpler and easier to comprehend, diagnose and work on (or doesn't exist at all). There are only so many things that can go wrong and the consequence of such-and-such a sensor failing are pretty linear and easy to chase down. Not so on a new car where a failing sensor can cause the computer to do all kinds of bizarre and non-linear things to compensate.

The over-computerization of the new 911s scares the hell out of me, especially if it's going to see DD duty.

[sc_rufctr]

Originally Posted by milt

The 996 and Boxsters are the same car from the cowl forward and share a lot more. They are both reliable save for the occasional RMS and bearing problems (which 98% of the cars don't suffer)(yet).

Really, the maintenance is no more than a typical car and way less than an old 911.

Milt

All of that is true but as the years role on more and more of these cars will show problems with the engines.

------------------------------------------------------

Damn shame. Most modern cars suffer in the same way. They get to a point of being too expensive to fix really quickly.

If you can find a good one then you have a great daily that will last for more than 10 years.
You can DIY them and they really are good cars. The engine issues real or not have realy hurt the reputation of this car and that's everything to a prospective buyer on a tight budget.

[Christien]

Originally Posted by onewhippedpuppy

personally I think anyone that would prefer a Carrera over one is a fool. Great A/C, decent ride makes for a good DD, performance that will destroy any previous N/A 911. My guess is that most 996 detractors simply haven't driven one.

I've driven many 996s and owned a 986-gen boxster for a couple years. I much prefer the older 911s over them, for 2 reasons. One, driving fun: the older cars are simply more fun all around, IMO. I feel more connected to the road, I'm more engaged, it takes more effort, concentration and work, and, like anything else in life, rewards that. If I want to go fast, I'll buy a corvette, which will blow the doors off a base model 996, and give a turbo a run for its money. Two, cosmetics: the 996 just doesn't do it for me, unless it's a widebody, and even then, those god-awful headlights are a deal-breaker for me. I still can't figure out who at PAG gave the go-ahead on those. Now, the 997, on the other hand...

[scottmandue]

Thinkin one day a 996 is in my future (don't tell the wife )

Course gotta fix the 944 first.