Is $27.5K the magic number?

Hans Batra · 07:10 PM

I've seen quite a few ads recently on autotrader, eBay, etc. It seems that around $27.5K can get you any one of the following 911s, in reasonable shape, give or take:

1. 80s turbo

2. early 90s (92-94) 964

3. 1995 993 (there's a nice one on AT right now for $26K, but I believe it's a Tip)

4. 1999 996

I just found it interesting that 4 generations of 911s seems to be converging, price-wise, at around the same spot. Which one would you get?

Hans

Bobboloo · Bobboloo's Garage

There's couple more you can add to the list.

5. Boxster S

6. Very nice 72' T Coupe set up for street and track with a 3.2 and an upgrated suspension.

I'd go for #6

Dan in Pasadena · Dan in Pasadena's Garage

In some ways I like each of those cars....though I gotta say I would not be as happy with a 996 IF I had a choice of the others. If it were a 996 vs almost any other brand of car? I'd take the 996 hands down.

For me personally I'd take the 993 with a manual trans and even though they are not yet at the bottom of their likely depreciation.

By the way, you can get a pretty nice 964 for less than $27.5K. I am one of the (apparently) few that really likes 964's so I'd be more than happy to take one of those and put from 5K to 10K in my pocket!!

Hans Batra · 11-09-2005, 07:13 PM

Dan,

Yes, I agree re: your comment about better pricing on the 964s. I"ve seen clean ones for high teens.

I edited the post to reflect what I meant - the later model 964s - the 92 to 94 models.

Hans

Hans Batra · 11-09-2005, 07:13 PM

Dan,

Yes, I agree re: your comment about better pricing on the 964s. I"ve seen clean ones for high teens.

I edited the post to reflect what I meant - the later model 964s - the 92 to 94 models.

Hans

wcc · 11-09-2005, 07:15 PM

996 and 964s are out of the question for me. Never been a fan. Boxsters, is that even a Porsche??? That's just the 914's of the future (now the past). But I'm just kidding.... They are pretty sweet with the right mods.

I, personally, would have to have a nicely modified 993 or a sweet 930. I would have to take the 930 over all of them. To me that body style will always be the SHI#####!!!!!!!!!!!

Dan in Pasadena · Dan in Pasadena's Garage

This the problem, they're all kick azz cars in their own ways.

Boxster S? Yeah, they're a pretty damned impressive car. They don't have the "bones" a 911 (any) has, but they are a tremendous car.

As a 50 year old, the 930 - though kinda crude by today's std's of high performance - are the original "no excuses" car for my generation.

Hans Batra · 11-10-2005, 10:43 AM

I'd have to agree. As a 43 year-old...the 911 Turbo (I remember when the 76 came out) was always my dream car growing up...and continues to be today.

The 996 is TOO refined (and the dash looks tacky!), the 964s seem sort of wimpy-looking (stock) although the 964 turbos look pretty hot (but then again they're not going for $27.5K)...and the 993 is...well...just about perfect (I guess a 993 turbo would be even more perfect).

But I gotta go with the one that I've been lusting after since I was a kid.

Bill Verburg · Bill Verburg's Garage

Around $30k &#177 is about right now

in my life I have seen that # go from ~$7k to it's present value

Bobboloo · Bobboloo's Garage

Quote:

The 996 is TOO refined (and the dash looks tacky!

Couldn't agree more about the dash/interior. It's the same deal breaker for me as for the Boxster S otherwise the Boxster S would be my choice.

ianc · 11-10-2005, 03:28 PM

I would definitely take 1 or 2. I kinda like the looks of the 964. It's a kind of tasteful refinement of the old impact bumper look, but that's the last 911 I really care about, although I guess maintenance is a nightmare. The loss of the bug eye headlights kinda kills the 993 for me.

ianc

MRM · 11-10-2005, 04:31 PM

The $27,500 mark for a used Porsche on ebay and the used car sites is more a function of cheeseball sellers than it is the true value of any car being sold. $30,000 is a popular price break, and Porsches are premium cars that a lot of people don't know how to value fairly.

Just under $30,000 for a Porsche (regardless of vintage) seems high enough to be legit but low enough to be within reach. So you get a lot of sellers advertising at $27,500 just because it is a little less than $30,000 and they are trying to capture anyone with $30,000 to spend who was looking for a premium sports car. That's why you can see everything from a hot rod long hood to a high milage 996 advertised for $27,500. BTW, probably the high milage 996 is the most fairly priced at $27,500, if it is nicely optioned. Well, a hotrod early 911 might be too, but that starts another topic.

Mojo · 11-10-2005, 06:37 PM

I would take the 996, put a turbo nose on it, and a gt3 wing. Oh ya.
Daily driver.