The most collectible/least depreciating Porsche?

[Emission]

I am writing an article about "collectible" Porsches. Assuming a collector has $50,000 - $100,000 to invest in a Porsche that will be worth more than the purchase price in 20 years. It doesn't have to make a killing, just not lose any value. What model will it be?

I have a short list in my mind (sorry, I don't know much about the 356 so I am sure I need to add that to the list). What am I missing?

997 Club Sport
996 GT3
993 Twin-Turbo
964 3.6 Turbo

Is it safe to assume an air-cooled model would do better?

[Erik Mckenna]

One good 356 is the 1957 356 Carrera GT. It has a 4 cam motor in it.
Another good car to buy is any early 911S right now..say 69-73
and this last one is just my .02.. but athe 78/79 930's are going to be desirable cars I think later on..
so I say early 78/79 930's are a good buy as well.


-Eric

[trader220]

You're trying to hit a moving target. Who can say what will be the best 20 years from now? Models fall out of favor and others take their place.

[livi]

How about

993 3.8 RS
964 RS

[Glasgow 911SC]

964 & 993RS RS? I guess it depends how limited edition you want to go.

[Emission]

This is for my local PCA publication - yes, it's a moving target and that's what it's all subjective. In the most extreme case, Porsche could go under in two years an ALL Porsches could be collectible (highly unlikely, however)!

[pwd72s]

This may be one good research source for your article:
http://www.early911sregistry.org/forum/index.php

[makaio]

3.2 and 3.6 Speedsters. Along with famous or popular race cars, such as TRG's class winning Le Mans or overall race winning 24 hours of Daytona race car.

[pwd72s]

Actually, I'd advise against listing collectable cars as "investments". When you factor in upkeep, insurance, inflation, etc. It's the rare car indeed that reaches the break even point. Sure, I paid $9,300 for my car back in 1974. Sure I've had offers of more than 7 times that. But crunching numbers is a hobby of my wife's. Had I invested the same $9,300 in a no load total market mutual fund instead? I'd have been far ahead of the car's current value monetarily. But I also wouldn't have had the car to play with all these years.

[72 four door]

It is hard to say there all great cars,but the 72 is very unique with the right side oil door, that gets my vote, and the real early cars 65-68swb at least im hoping.

[Emission]

Originally posted by pwd72s
Actually, I'd advise against listing collectable cars as "investments". When you factor in upkeep, insurance, inflation, etc. It's the rare car indeed that reaches the break even point.

A very good point.

I paid $22,000 for my 930 four years ago. It is worth about $28,000 now, but I haven't "made" any money on it considering it cost me about $5,000 to make "perfect" (the first year) and another $2,000/year keeping it that way... and that is without the insurance and inflation!

[petrolblue83911]

I'm not sure I'd agree with any of the 4 cars you listed first,

the 993 TT has lost value, cars that were selling for close to 100k when the 996's came out are now in the 80+ k range-except for G-queen cars with no miles!. The 964,maybe since it was so limited in production, but the 993 is a better car so, I'm not sure on that one either.

996 GT3 sweet car, but since the 997 version will likely be better I bet the 996's will loose once that model is out in the near future

997 Club Sport, too new to know but wow really nice car!!

-I'd likely vote for early 911's and 356's, but as noted above, the up-keep costs are high, you need to factor that in.

-Maybe you can also look at a "stagnant cost car" like an SC or Carerra 911 which many of us own, these cars, while not investments, have for a while held solid value for well kept cars. so in this case you can look at the sitting value of these cars, IE a rust free, solid 78-89 generates X dollars (with the number rising with the newer cars..) I think it is safe for example to say that the market for a classic 911 is likely to stay very strong, maintaining a good value for these cars, while not causing values to go way up or way down.

-Adam

[porschenut]

I think all 4 on your list will depreciate.

The only ones I can think of that would be worth the same or more in 20 years would be the 3.2 Club Sport and the 72-73 RS/RSR. And that is ONLY if they remain in concours condition.

In 20 years they will be museum pieces because there won't be any gas to put in the tank. Or if there is some, it will be way to expensive.

[Emission]

Originally posted by petrolblue83911

-Maybe you can also look at a "stagnant cost car" like an SC or Carerra 911 which many of us own, these cars, while not investments, have for a while held solid value for well kept cars. so in this case you can look at the sitting value of these cars, IE a rust free, solid 78-89 generates X dollars (with the number rising with the newer cars..) I think it is safe for example to say that the market for a classic 911 is likely to stay very strong, maintaining a good value for these cars, while not causing values to go way up or way down.

-Adam

Well, I'd argue nearly every pre-90 Porsche "911" has just about bottomed-out in price (if kept maintained).

It seems nearly all new cars dump 50% of their value in the first four years. After that, nearly all cars continue to depreciate until they are worth about 10% of their original value after 15 years. It is the rare car that doesn't tank like that.

Most 911's, on the other hand, hit the 50% mark after 4-5 years and tend to stick at about that level.

Yes, just a generalization... but interesting to think about.

[Yellowbird RS]

965 Turbo S

[sammyg2]

A 2006 non-S boxster (I crack me up).

[bigrubberjeep]

67 912 with under 10K miles
965 Turbo S
89 Turbo look coupe, sunroof delete
89 930 with under 10K miles
IROC
993 TT S (was there an S?)

[Emission]

Originally posted by sammyg2
A 2006 non-S boxster (I crack me up).

I had a discussion the other day about the depreciation of the Boxster... it didn't look good.

[bigrubberjeep]

The first Cayman off the line

[930LDR]

Of the cars that you originally listed, in my mind, the only two that have a chance of not depreciating too much would be the 997 Club Sport (and I am doubtful of this one) and the 965 3.6 Turbo S. Other than that, maybe a real DP or Ruf car (but the market is pretty thin on these). I can see a 993 RS being a strong possibility as well as the 3.6L Flatnose Turbo (Not Slant Nose).

After racking my brain I can't really think of many Porsches for $50k - $100k that will not have deprecitated in 20 years. Of course a 550 Spyder or real RS may not but you aren't going to be able to buy either at that price point.

I don't think that ANY 996 would fall into this category.

Just my opinion though