Anyone Else Find Rising 911 Values Discouraging?

[Doug&Julie]

I've been a Porsche guy for a long time (age 11ish). As an adult, one of the things I've loved most about the breadth of the 911 line is, for the most part, they've been "affordable". As a result, if you check my signature, I've had the pleasure of experiencing a lot of them. And I've bought and sold knowing (or thinking) that I could pick up something different if my current steed didn't meet my wishes…or I just wanted to try something else. I loved it.

But now prices are rising, and many "affordable" models are no longer even close to being so. I'm sad to say, short of winning the lottery, it looks like I'll never be able to afford another long hood (my favorite 911s). And it's not just the long hoods...Mohr Imports has a '74 911 for $67k. Yesterday I saw an original (but tired looking) Turbo Carrera advertised for $140k. Seriously?!? If this is the case, and the prices won't come down (even if it's a "bubble", the prices won't drop significantly ever again), then it looks like I've bought my last 911.

Because of that, I find looking at old 911s just discouraging now. I might as well be looking at a 918 Spyder. Don't get me wrong, I still love them and when I see and hear and smell them, my heart goes all aflutter. But the joy of ownership is diminished significantly (to me, anyway) by them being so damn expensive anymore. It's the first step to making them "investments" rather than very usable toys. I find this sad.

Certainly, my life has gone through some hardship recently that also affect (effect?) how I'm viewing…well, everything. But while my life is turning / will turn around, I'm not sure this feeling about 911s will. End of an era. A life long love affair.

Anywho…does anybody else feel the same? Or am I just off my rocker? (If I am…please be kind.) Would love your thoughts...

[ASD]

If we love these cars, and we all do...then others will covet them too. The market responds to that demand.
I am holding on to mine for as long as I can, then one day I will buy something else. It may not stir my soul as much as this car does, but it will drive well and be fun.
I hope they continue to sell well and climb in value.

[techweenie]

My passion is taking neglected or trashed or abandoned project 911s and making them great again.

And it's hard to see models of Porsches previously both loved and unloved at astronomical asking prices. Further, while parts prices have dropped, the labor costs have gone way up - favoring DIY ownership. But yes, I am having a hard time finding the silver lining in the current market (other than giving me a lot of leeway in the cars I'm "holding").

[CountD]

I believe you can feel sentimental, but it is what it is.

They never made that many of them from '64 to '77 - and even the midyears in these years were handmade so to speak.

Be glad you were able to enjoy the ride while you could, and have had many, many miles behind the wheel of one. High prices should not discourage you, as if you really look closely, the prices are still not that bad.

They were always expensive cars. Mine had a sticker price of more than $14K in 1975 - and that was shocking money for MOST people in 1975, except for many people in Southern California it seems. Now, $14K 40 years later might not get you much, but it might get you a midyear or maybe some tired SC IF you keep your eyes open, have the money ready, and are ready to move on it at a moments notice.

People kind of made fun of me 2 1/2 years ago when I bought a '75 for $4900 and a '74 for $5500 - and the '75 is a California car it's whole life with no rust whatsoever. It was what those cars were trading for with their awful track record and bumpers. It was what I could afford. Now those cars are going for twice that at least. I don't know if you can get one for $5K anymore.

There are cars out there. Always will be. Don't be shocked by some of the asking prices as there are MANY, MANY more people in the game now, not to mention entire world economies, much larger populations, and on top of this, a tremendous amount of people who desire an aircooled 911 in any form.

Hobbies change, so do peoples' tastes. Who knows what may happen in the future. Maybe now is the time to get into vintage German motorcycles...

[nota]

I was the kid of a car guy
dad was a owner-user/flipper who owned many 356's jags, and fascels
most cars he kept 6 months to a year and sold on at a small gain + free use

I tryed to do the same but post the insane price bubbles in mussel cars
and now most good sports cars too
I am priced out of the driver market of interesting older cars by the damm collectors

[2cam]

It is discouraging for me. 20 years ago I had a '69 911e that was picked up for $4K. I loved that car as a poor college student couldn't afford the motor work that was needed at the time and sold it to buy a pristine 1971 2002.

For years I played with other cars (mostly BMWs, Alfas, Volvos) but always thought about buying another early 911. Three years ago I made up my mind to find another longhood, but had basically missed the boat (for a decent sub $25K car). I found a really nice '69E for $30K and passed on it. 6 months later I realized that I should jump on it and called the owner back. It was then a $50K car. I again passed, and well... we all know how prices have gone since 2012.

Personally I couldn't give a crap about how collectible my car is. I'd just like to have a nice, honest, simple, classically-designed machine that is fun to drive. The range of potential candidates across multiple brands has seen significant increases in values as well. Look at the pricing for classic Alfas, BMWs, Volvos, etc. They've all gone up!

Oh well, sorry for the *****ing. Now get off my lawn!!!

2cam

[SilberUrS6]

I got in just in time. I would be VERY discouraged right now with the market if I were trying to get in.

[Doug&Julie]

Originally Posted by nota

...I am priced out of the driver market of interesting older cars by the damm collectors...

I think this is the core of my problem. I feel like the "collectors" have taken the fun away from the "enthusiasts"…all for the sake of "collecting". Yet another case of the extremely wealthy keeping the everyman down...

[mattC2993]

I went through this with muscle cars. I was fine buying them as projects when you get them for less than $10k but would never spend $40k+ for a finished one.

[Christien]

Originally Posted by Doug&Julie

I think this is the core of my problem. I feel like the "collectors" have taken the fun away from the "enthusiasts"…all for the sake of "collecting". Yet another case of the extremely wealthy keeping the everyman down...

Isn't that the case with everything? The enthusiasts make it cool, then the wealthy want to buy in to cool, which ruins it.

I'm so lucky I bought my car when I did (2004). I paid $10500 for it, which shocks me now. No way I could afford to get into an early 911 if I were looking these days.

[McLovin]

I feel the same way. Even though I bought my '88 Carrera 5 years ago, which I plan on keeping forever. So theoretically, I should like the rising prices. But I don't.

911s have always been relatively expensive when new, but in their entire history have been awesome used enthusiast cars. They are built to be driven, worked on and enjoyed.

The 911 was my dream car when I was 16, was my first car when I was finally out of schooling and working at 25, and I've owned at least one continuously for almost 25 years now. As a sports car, and overall, it is in my book undoubtedly the greatest car ever made.

That being said, the current prices are ridiculous.

I'm hoping the bubble pops. I do think it's a bubble, because in every asset that I've ever seen, when valuations double and triple all of a sudden, they always come back down. It doesn't seem possible that used 911s were so grossly undervalued for 40 years, that this sudden "correction" has brought them to the right price. I also think over the long term, the production numbers and long term demand won't support these crazy prices. I think a lot of people buying now are speculators, not enthusiasts. Speculators eventually go away.

It has sucked the fun out of it. While I have mine now, if prices were still "normal" I would probably pick up a project to tinker with/work on/have fun with.

[GothingNC]

Originally Posted by SilberUrS6

I got in just in time. I would be VERY discouraged right now with the market if I were trying to get in.

I feel the same way.

If I listened to the "boss" at home to wait a few more years before looking for the right "air-cooled" 911, it would have exceeded my budget.

My search probably would have changed to a pre 68 VW Beetle, Boxster or 944.

[SilberUrS6]

Originally Posted by GothingNC

If I listened to the "boss" at home [...]

Yeah, I had to fish around a bit for them, but finally I found my testicles in her purse and used my "hey, since when do you get last word on the stuff I buy?" man-voice. Sure, it cost me, but I don't regret a minute of the time I spent on the couch.

[black_falcon]

YUP.

I miss the days when you could fire up craiglist and find several nice air cooled 911's for $8-15k at any given time. Now, if you can still afford one, you have to beat the hoard of buyers to a car when it comes up for sale.

Guess I saw this coming when I noticed most of our 911's were being shipped to Europe by the boatload a few years ago. Even the 'lesser' models (928, 914, etc) are being snatched up by overseas buyers now. Can't speak for the coasts but here in the midwest these cars are disappearing from our roads. I know, they're classics now, but seriously I saw three air cooled 911's driving this summer. I used to see that many per week.

It's not just Porsche. I was hoping to own a Boxer in the next few years, that definitely won't be happening now. Doesn't even look like the Testarossa will be affordable much longer.

[911SauCy]

I can relate to the long-hoods and the discouraging feeling of "I need to reinvent sliced bread" to afford one when I take a look.

But, with the increasing value of the 911, I have learned 2 things.

-Be appreciative for the things that you have, as many other people wish they could have said object.

-It has taught me a new kind of mechanical patience, that I'd never even considered before. I will go to great lengths to remove a bolt/part properly Whereas previously, I would destroy it and whatever connected to simply replace with another middle of the road piece.

I recently watched a MotorTrend YouTube on a '68 911L and a '67 427 Vette. There were some 400 911Ls produced to an almost 10x figure of 37xx 427 vettes (crazy numbers considering how people oogle over the "rare" 427 vette)

As an owner of a 911, you are the steward of history, enjoy your journey.

[pmax]

I do believe some of the recent asking prices have gone "silly" and lots of cars (930's, longhoods) just sit unsold.
I wouldn't blame the true fans, enthusiasts and collectors alike, of the brand for this
but the dealers and flippers, on the other hand, are really getting into the speculative game.

On a long term perspective however, imo the values of the 911 have always been stable, it's your $$$ which has been devalued.
Here's a data point ... in 1980, a Honda Accord was $6k new, a 2014 model is close to $30K and this is for a throw away at the end of use
driving appliance.
In comparison to this, the 911 is undervalued given it's a classic 911 !!!

[techweenie]

Interesting to read the pricing comments here about my '72 hot rod:

BaT Exclusive: Sinister Sibling 1972 Porsche 911T 3.2 Hot Rod | Bring a Trailer

[SilberUrS6]

"Hearing aid tan" LOL.

[techweenie]

Originally Posted by SilberUrS6

"Hearing aid tan" LOL.

Practically fell out of my chair with that one. Hey, color is subjective.

But this is the color it was when I bought it:

[pmax]

It's not the original paint