Originally Posted by kenikh
(Post 8548659)
I've noticed a pattern. I'm not the first.
All Porsches languish as they age - some more than others. For 356s and 911s, the following has proven true...
- One day, cars start to appreciate - you can predict which ones, based upon the retirement age of the average male. For that age bracket, determine what years those individuals were 16 - 25. Those are the years to watch.
- The first cars to take off: All original, low mile, first of breed, top spec cars (e.g. Early Esses, 3L Turbos).
- The rising tide raises all boats, but not as dramatically. Lower, more common trim specs appreciate upward, but not as quickly.
- When the "perfect original" cars are all snapped up - off to the next in line...
- ...Well documented, restored cars take off and approach the prices of the pristine original cars during the first wave. People begin to realize that there aren't actually that many cars out there, much less worth restoring. Convertibles/Targas pass hardtops in value at an accelerating rate. Panic sets in and the rush is on.
- The market gets glutted by people looking to cash in and brokers looking to flip their way to profits. The world gets fooled into thinking that supply is greater than demand, as cars sit on the market for longer and longer periods.
- Things get very quiet and prices go very flat, for a good long while, as exhaustion overtakes the market. The pristine original cars now rarely change hands publicly and when they do, prices are rarely known - when they do, rumors swirl of double and triple appreciation.
- People start talking about a pullback in prices, just as cars start to change hands again, at climbing prices. The truly rare cars now start to dramatically outpace more common ones (RSs > Esses > Es/Ts; 930s > SCs, etc.)
- When it comes to the top models, now the turds float to the top - anything with a VIN and matching numbers is cobbled together to comprise a restored car. The margins aren't great, but someone can still make a few bucks at these valuations. The forgeries start showing up.
- Last, even the most common cars follow the rare models, and even these exceed the reach of people of average means.
- People start looking at 996s and realize that they ARE A LOT OF CAR FOR THE MONEY - and can almost afford the GT3/TT, that was over $150K new - even a nice, all original one!
Lather, Rinse, Repeat...
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