Quote:
Originally Posted by montauk
I think you may be starting out with a bit of a strawman. Porsche has always been positioned as an upmarket brand, not really “for the rest of us.” As for the idea that Porsche has been hiking prices out of line with history, I’m not sure that’s the case. That same $34,000 in 1980 translates to about $130,000 in today’s dollars, which is right in line with the price of a new 911. Average annual salaries today are around $64,000, so the relationship between income and Porsche pricing hasn’t really changed all that much.
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You're not wrong on inflation, but I think there are other factors at play.. Salaries have completely disconnected from inflation in the last 10 years for one, post covid car prices have skyrocketed, and also the used prices have gone berserk... if I take the price of my first 911 (SC) in the mid to late 90s in today's money, it is 1/2 of what the market is now for a used 911 of any ilk (not the same car, but apples to apples on a used car).
Also back then the dealers were not playing games. I recall buying a 986 new (my first new one) at about 1/2 of what one is today and that does not track with inflation either. I had a shot at a friend's GT3 (used) for $70K 10y ago, comparatively today's GT cars are not depreciating, AT ALL - in some cases you pay more than new MSRP. And back then the dealers did not play the allocation games. So yeah, I hear you in theory - and when I say "for the rest of us" I do not mean it was their brand positioning, but it was how they were to ME - cars I could afford used and possibly new eventually... Can't fault the inflation reasoning to a degree, but I am convinced they moved upmarket ferrari style(covid made that happen IMO when they saw they sold all their GT allocations despite dealers marking up like madmen). In simple ME terms, I still have a decent job but from 1990-2010 I *could* play with used/cpo/occasionally new porsches. Now there is no way I could justify it (even if I could), on a similar "old car age sliding scale, vs then", so something changed.. from other posts I see I am not alone thinking something took a turn.. (still messed up and that was for OT)