Completely agree with you Doug. I will occasionally look here at the 'cars for sale' posts. I stopped clicking on the early 911s a couple of years ago - what's the point?

Add this to the fact that there isn't such a thing even closely resembling a 911 coming from Porsche anymore, and we should all just thank our lucky stars we're driving a legend.

Sorry if I've mentioned this before - I think it's time for Porsche to retire the 911. At least the name. Other than having a flat six in the back the 991 is a completely different car. They don't currently build anything that I'm interested in.

When you think about it pretty much all new cars in the past 15 years are horrible and even the ones that aren't (996 and 997 etc) will be virtually obsolete and worth very little in 10 years due to parts costs IMHO. You can buy an air cooled 911 and hand it down to your kids and it will still be drivable which means a lot. In some ways it justifies todays high prices as the long term ownership cost is still cheap. A new 991 will loose 50k in 4 or 5 years. As to 1974-98 911's I still think they are a bargain.

I like the new cars. That said, were I to win that previously mentioned lottery, I wouldn't buy a 911, I'd buy a Cayman S and maybe a Cayenne Diesel (no, really) and spend the rest on older Porsches and an EV or two. I owned a 2006 Cayman S for a spell…best Porsche ever. I was stupid to sell it.

As for what a 991 values will be like in 50 years…consider that the internal combustion engine probably won't be around then. (The limited supply of gas will be $20 a gallon.) So they'll still be rare or they'll be converted to electric or other...

My Model S is not horrible. It's a lot of fun. Cars should not be given to children unless they truly know what they are getting and love cars. Cars should be enjoyed. What's tragic now is that the air-cooled turbos are becoming too precious to put a lot of miles on. They also require a bit more care than newer cars (as they should). I've always lost money in the cars I've purchased--mainly due to depreciation. Let's just worry less about money and enjoy our cars. Lately, most of our posts are less about driving pleasure and more about investment strategy. I hope the Porsche marketplace levels off so we can all go back to enjoying our wonderful machines.

So you finally found a use for that electron microscope you're always bragging about!

Anyone Else Find Rising 911 Values Discouraging?
Yes, we were spoiled for so long with cheap, easy to buy and plentiful 911's that when it's over it hurts. But at least we had the chance, can not say that for a lot of people today with 911 desire, they have never known rust free 1970 911S for used Toyota MR2 money and to think that was only 10 short years ago.

Wow, this is a timely thread for me. I've been seriously thinking about selling my 72. I almost divorced myself from it, then I'll pick up a magazine and see an early car and the doubt kicks in. I know once I sell this car, my days of early 911 ownership are over forever. I'm not sure how I feel about that.....I'm in the same boat with my Ducati, I enjoy it, but I would never spend the money it would take to buy another one. I don't NEED the money, but with both the car and bike, I could buy some other things I would probably get more use from......

If you decide to sell, the timing is good financially. But my advice is to keep it.

To paraphrase a famous saying from the 60s (Fabulous Furry Freak Bros.):

'Porsches get you through times of no money better than money gets you through times with no Porsches.'

Yes, same here but the opposite :)

I have the money, still, but I can't justify buying a longhood just as a garage ornament.

Then don't, buy it as a fun car to drive.

Doug,
Buy a 2.0l 914 while the prices are still reasonable. You can get a nice little driver in the $5-10K range. Not 911 fast, but then you had a 912E. You know what kind of joy an be had on a light car that handles well. It will pay for itself in smiles.

I won't ever stop driving my cars. But I did grab that '67 912 in my signature because I saw myself getting priced out of the longhood market and regretted selling my previous couple of cars.

They may not build anything that you're interested in, and I certainly understand why a purist views a chasm between the current offerings and the "911" name. But to suggest that they would/should "retire" the name is pretty laughable, at least as much as suggesting that Coke should retire its brand or Chevy should abandon the "Corvette" name.

I've always wanted to own a 914, but as I've gotten older and a little more concerned about my mortality, they kinda turn me off. I've seen too many pictures of 914s folded in half from otherwise survivable accidents. FWIW I have the same concerns of 911 Targas. I know old Porsches aren't the safest cars in the world anyway, but it's pretty ridiculous when you look at how little metal is between the front and back ends of any old Targa topped Porsche. Give me a roof, please...

If my employment situation turns around soon, I may try to get a longhood 912 if they're still "affordable". If not, the '86 goes into backdate. :)

Maybe I am crazy but it makes me happy to see the values rise on these great cars. I have no plans on ever selling mine I hope to leave it to my son one day but knowing that I have a great car that is increasing in value every year is nothing to get discouraged about. imagine having a 401K that you can drive and enjoy what's so bad about that?

Can you imagine having this guy's problem?
http://forums.pelicanparts.com/911-engine-rebuilding-forum/827686-building-917-engine-help.html

As long as you don't wreck it! :eek: :p Seriously…has everybody updated their agreed value insurance lately?

You make a good point…and I did see another thread (referring to 911s as "dead man's cars"…i.e. you don't sell them until you're dead) that made me think my 911 just might help me enjoy retirement…first as a driver and then as an investment once I'm no longer able to drive it.

I would expect insurance, maintenance costs and part prices etc to increase as well alongside rising values. So, just because one already has them doesn't mean you are insulated from 911 inflation.

I do not quite understand your frustration with the current market. I regularly see SC Targa's available for under 20k and think they are a bargain in today's market. My suggestion would be to go look at and drive as many of these cars as possible and I suspect your perspective may change. I picked up this one a (77) about 14 months ago for 10k as a go anywhere no worries fun car. The market has changed a bit in the last year but you can still find nice drivers for reasonable prices.

http://i146.photobucket.com/albums/r...ps563f2c9d.jpg