[jkarolyi]

As they get to be 10-15 years old, they will bottom out around $10,000 for a well-maintained example in excellent condition, much like a 928S4 does today. The 996 is more like a continuation of the 928 as a luxury sports coupe than a successor to the raw and rowdy air-cooled 911.

It was designed by marketers using 911 styling elements so it would be a sales success, which it undeniably was. It was engineered to be cheap to build, taking less than 50% of the man hours to build as a 1989 911. While we know that this has done wonders for Porsche's bottom line, I think the bean counters had a little too much influence in the 996. If you doubt me, check out the 996's Ford Taurus-like interior.

While the 996 is an awesome vehicle, and I would love to own one that was still under warranty, they were not designed for longevity the way the air-cooled cars were. The engine blocks, for example, are considered disposable items and are not rebuilt. Many have failed before reaching the five year mark, unheard of in the air-cooled cars. They offer very tempting performance for mid $20s money though...