2000 C4 Cab for $14,500, STEAL?

[Bristol]

I am really not in the market for another car, but a local guy has been trying to sell his 2000 996 C4 Cabriolet for quite some time and is now getting desperate. He wants to give it to me for $14,500. 101K miles, recent service including clutch, coolant tank, RMS, tires, etc. IMS bearing has not been addressed. Champagne exterior, black leather interior, PSM, aftermarket (USB port) CD player. The only flaw are some paint chips on the front bumper and hood. I think $14.5K is an absolute steal for this car. That's more of Boxster pricing territory rather than 996 pricing! What do you all think about the deal?

Kirk

[Matt Monson]

There's a near identical car (same colour even) here in Colorado at a broker for $19k. The 996s are kind of free falling and it seems that cabs are really unloved. I would have bought this Colorado car if it wasn't a cab. If you want a convertible water pumper, at that price you can't realy go wrong.

[Bristol]

Correction on the color. It's Palladio Metallic (kind of palladium silver, it changes color from silver to gold depending on the light, one year only color).

I already have a 2003 C4S and a 2000 Boxster S as well as a few air cooled cars. I really do enjoy the water cooled cars as well as the air cooled, each has their pluses. Honestly, I have never really liked the looks of cabriolet 911's though, especially the 84-89 Carreras. The only 911 I ever sold was an '83 Cab that I picked up from a friend and flipped (I know, I am an evil, evil person). I do like the cabriolet aspect of my Boxster though, drove it to work this morning with the top down....

This is more for my wife. She has a 2005 GTO, which is the family car and it's nice. She really has always wanted to get into an MB SLK as a second car though. I have been fighting that desire of hers for a while. This car might be something else she'd be happy with though. I talked to her about it over the phone and she said to buy it! Chicks dig cabs.

Kirk

[thepenguin99]

Was apparently off on pricing, still seems good though.

[Bristol]

I don't know, I like silver, both of my cars 996/986 are Arctic Silver and I think that gives the 986 more of a James Bond 007 look. This Cab though is a special color that changes between silver and gold depending on the light. I think it's really cool...

Honestly, I'm not really too worried about the IMS. The latest Panorama certainly reinforces the need to change it - in the tech section they say there are not good cars and bad cars, but that all will fail eventually! I already have two cars that are candidates for the IMS. If I get another one, then I'm just going to bite the bullet and buy the tools to change them. I do all of my own work on my cars and am not afraid to change the IMS. I just don't really see it as necessary yet. With three cars from that era though I think my position would change to more proactive.

Kirk

[thepenguin99]

Yea the color thing is definitely personal preference. Since silver is such a popular 996 color I am probably in the minority not liking it. I just googled "Palladio Metallic 996" and in pictures it definitely has a gold tint to it. Shouldn't you be picking this car up rather than posting? ^^

[Matt Monson]

Originally Posted by Bristol

The latest Panorama certainly reinforces the need to change it - in the tech section they say there are not good cars and bad cars, but that all will fail eventually!

Of course they will. That's like saying that all tires will eventually fail. It's a bearing, it's going to wear out someday. I haven't read the article yet but probably should. However, on the surface that comes off as a pretty obvious statement to someone who spends his days seeing bearings fail on gearboxes.

[jsoderbe]

Hi,

My problem with the 996 is that the IMS isnt the only issue that would cost a new engine or other expensive repairs. I have had two of them, just sold the second one, and I can tell you that the market is shrinking for each year. I cant blame the market, since I made a huge number of repairs on both my cars, no engine, but a lot of other stuff.

Over here they have a really bad rep for the crazy high cost of ownership, especially since the porsche dealers charge $350 an hour. And the engine is so complicated that any kind of rebuild easily could exceed the car value even at a no-name mechanic. The engine is not really built to rebuilt, but to exchange.

I think the 996 and Boxster will be the first Porsche not to start appreciating again. I think they will follow the old luxury sedans (like BMW 7-series) and coupés (like BMW 6-series) to the junk yard in a couple of years. I am a Porsche freak and I can honestly say that I never ever will buy a 996 again.

Sorry for being negaitve, but I would say that $14500 is an ok deal but no steal (after all the market spoke since he didnt sell) at the current market. In a year not so good.


Regards,

Johan

[SilberUrS6]

Originally Posted by jsoderbe

I think the 996 and Boxster will be the first Porsche not to start appreciating again. I think they will follow the old luxury sedans (like BMW 7-series) and coupés (like BMW 6-series) to the junk yard in a couple of years. I am a Porsche freak and I can honestly say that I never ever will buy a 996 again.

Johan,

I think that is true for all the 996 cars *except* the turbo models. Those cars will go down for a while, and then when the lower models age out, the turbo versions will be the only ones left, and will start appreciating again. On a performance per Porsche dollar spent, there's really not much better deal to be had right now.

[Wiese]

I would say not a bad deal if the car is in excellent shape, but not a steal. I remember there was a gorgeous 996 coupe (red/tan) with 45K miles on here a while back for $17K. Now that was a steal.

Given that it's a cab and has 100K+ miles I would personally try to get it for $12K if I was in the market. At $14.5 it's not a bad deal if you keep and enjoy it and want a cab, but don't expect to flip it to make a large profit, ain't going to happen.

[COLB]

I think the 996 and Boxster will be the first Porsche not to start appreciating again. I think they will follow the old luxury sedans (like BMW 7-series) and coupés (like BMW 6-series) to the junk yard in a couple of years.

There were a ton made -- by Porsche standards, anyway. Honda makes more Accords in a year than all the Boxsters/Caymans ever made.

That means that a LOT will get junked. And the more that get junked, the greater the possibility the survivors will see some degree of appreciation. But it will be a long while.

[Matt Monson]

Personally I am waiting and watching for a 4S wide body with a popped motor so I can build a 996 Cup rep. out of it.

[Bristol]

Originally Posted by Wiese

I would say not a bad deal if the car is in excellent shape, but not a steal.

I have come around to agreeing with this point. KBB value and asking prices are one thing. What these cars actually sell for is another issue entirely! Looking on eBay history reports this car for $14.5K is less of a steal than what I thought. I did a full inspection of the car yesterday morning. There are some paint issues. I'm not fussy, but this is bad enough that I'd have to have a paint and body buddy of mine address them. Found an issue with the top separating - owner claims it doesn't leak, I just can't see how that's possible when part of the outer layer has pulled back leaving the lower rubber layer exposed. Rain has to be getting in there and going somewhere. Rear engine mounts were on their way out. Both front, outside CV boots were torn and slinging grease, front differential seals leaking. So... add $1,000 for taxes, parts for repairs, labor for paint, pray the $977 front axles are still good - then it starts looking like not such a hot deal to me, personally. Add in that I need another Porsche like I need a hole in my head (have 8 now), and I think I'm going to pass on this deal because I don't "need" a car like this right now and the car just does not grab me and my heart. If it took my breath away, then that would be a different matter.

My 17 yr old daughter does need a car in the next couple of months for her job, so we are still shopping. We're looking at stuff more around $4K to $6K though, like an '83 Nissan 280SX Turbo and a '72 fully restored VW Bug.

Kirk

[Matt Monson]

Sounds wise. You sometimes find a good deal. Most of the time a car is priced the way it is for a reason.

[Bristol]

Just as a follow up, my daughter and I did go to see a car today that did absolutely take our breath away. She is in love now with her "baby". It's not a Porsche, but a Porsche did design it - it's a '72 VW Super Beetle. New paint and a completely new interior, 51K documented original miles. The car is simply stunning. It doesn't drive like a Porsche, but the GREAT thing is that I only have to pay half as my daughter is paying the other half out of her summer job. I think this will be a great first car for her (cheap and easy for Dad to fix and not fast enough to really get her in trouble). As it happens, my very first car was a '68 Bug.




PM me if anyone is interested in the 2000 C4 Cab for $14,500 and I will put you in touch with the owner.

Kirk

[thepenguin99]

PMing you about the cab. Nice bug! 1600 dual port should get her down the road well enough but not to well.

[Matt Monson]

Cool car. I had access to a '72 convertible for a couple years in my youth. Great cars. A Beetle was also my Dad's first car. His was a '58.

[Coachgids]

Smartest thing we ever did for my 16 year old was a $2500 '70 Baja Bug. Taught him to adjust the valves, change the oil, do electrical repairs. Finally got him a '98 Saab convertible as he started driving more, but he was just talking yesterday about going back to the beetle. This time with an interior and a 911 engine. I'm so proud of him....

[Bristol]

Originally Posted by Coachgids

Smartest thing we ever did for my 16 year old was a $2500 '70 Baja Bug. Taught him to adjust the valves, change the oil, do electrical repairs.

Yes, that is certainly part of the plan and my daughter is on-board. She doesn't want to be a clueless girly girl who gets ripped off by mechanics. So any work that we do on this car will be work that we do TOGETHER so that she can learn a thing or two.

I never got this opportunity with my oldest son. He's now a degreed mechanical engineer, but totally clueless when it comes to his car because I just never got the opportunity to work with him on cars. On the good side - he never calls me unless he has car problems. If he didn't have such a crappy car and no clue what to do, I would never hear from the boy!

Kirk