Theoretical low for 04/05 GT3s?

Elombard · 05-17-2007, 05:18 PM

OK guys

I have been (unscientifically) watching cars for a few decades now and it seems like the desirable sports cars hit a low 6-8 years after they are produced. Then they seem to stabilize for a while and then drift up. I guess some examples would be

c2 964s --bottomed ~16K nice drivers seem to be trending back up to the mid 20s now.

Ferrari 308s - stable for a long time 22-32K

NSX --Trending up? seemed to bottom about $25K

Ferrari 355---bad example but I think you can buy the 95,96 cars for 50-60K and I think....they will stay there.

3.4 ltr C2 996s----??? not sure its a good example, I think we will be buying these in the teens before long.

There are others depending on your flavor.

So let me get to my point.

I love the 996 GT3 and the Ferrari 355

I think I can get one of these 8 year specialty loans in 12 months or so and comfortably afford one of these as a 3rd car. I have young kids so I really dont have time to build and track hot rod sports cars (my real passion).

I was thinking why not get one of my dream cars - just do routine maintenance and enjoy driving it, maybe catch a DE once in a while.

Then when the kids are older and dont want to talk to me anymore I can go back and get the grinder out and put it to the rust on some beast that belongs in a scrap yard..but I digress.

I know a long term loan is dumb financially but I can comfortably make the payment, insurance, 401K is fully funded, kids in private school, no CC, positive net worth etc.

And cars are my love so I can be a little stupid right!!

Anyway...again to the point. I have heard of some GT3s changing hands for low 60s (high 50s??). I have not seen any advertised near that so I guess they are negotiating?

Any way lets say I get a clean car with 35K miles on it in 12 months for $60K

How much is that car worth in 7 -10 years with 50-60K miles?

I am thinking its still a $50K car?

What do you guys think the bottom is for driver GT3? They only brought in 750 of them I believe.

What about an F355?

Your thoughts appreciated.

zorba · 05-19-2007, 02:28 PM

I'm of the same mind as you. Had a 2003 w/10K mi advertised for 79K and sold for 70K. Original msrp 125K. Carbon brakes, fiber interior, full leather, with factory carbon fiber RS rear wing. Unfortunately I waited one day to long and the dealer sold it to some other lucky person.

Looked at the new07 gt3's but I think I would take a 25K bath driving it off the show room floor plus reasonable options are going to cost around $120K+

Good luck if you can find one. hink the bottom is about 60-65K for a 25K mi car, +5K for one with lower miles but think 70 - 75 is top $ for most cars right now.

Elombard · 05-19-2007, 02:37 PM

Zorba where do you think they will be in 10 years?

zorba · 05-20-2007, 08:33 AM

My guess is that the 03-05 gt3's will decline in price over the next 1-2 years (50-70K) with top dollar being paid for the fully optioned cars w/ relatively low miles. Since there are a relatively small number of cars, I think they will maintain market value. In 2010 they will start moving up (+5-10K) much like the 993 tt have done.

The value for excellent examples will continue to hold or appreciate to some degree but I'm not sure that we are going to see an explosion of pricing like the 73 carrera rs market.

Having said all of that, remember the speedster craze with folks paying $$$$ over sticker. Kind of like the current 07 gt3 prices.

My 02 996 tt continues to slide lower in value even though I think it is a superior car to the older 993 in many ways. But unfortunately it doesn't have round head lights.

Elombard · 05-20-2007, 02:23 PM

I agree. I think I could buy one and take care of it, keep the miles under 60K and in 5 -10 years be of similar value. Not a good investment but lots of fun with out being a titanic.

I suppose it depends alot on what happens with the "GT3" series with Porsche over the next 10 years. If they start turning out a ton of them and they get wildly higher performance for not a big increase in cost the early ones will seem like dogs.

racer · 05-21-2007, 02:10 PM

I found when looking for 911s, that closer to the 10-12-15 year mark spelled near bottom of the depreciation buldge.. I wish only 6-10 years

It seems that at this age (10-15) there is a significant performance gap between current models and the older models to really push the older ones down in value.

Elombard · 05-21-2007, 03:34 PM

I agree on 911s. I had not thought about the performance edge....

I wonder if the "plataue" is being reached on performance (for NA cars anyway). Or will it keep going up. Seems like we recently saw some huge improvements in Shock Absorber quality when the real high end race tech started making it into more affordable after market units. And this new GM system (magnetronic??). Will this raise the handling bar a good bit?

We keep hearing rumors about V8 911s is that where Porsche is going to raise the HP game???

How much more reliable streetable power can they gert from < 4 litres?

Isnt there a theoretical maximum (energy in the fuel - friction losses and optimum combustion or something like that)??