Why aren't all these 'cheap' 996 Turbos selling?
Discussion
For some time now (and for good reason), everyone has been banging on about how cheap 996 turbos are. Theres about 3 threads going on about it at the moment!
So why aren't people buying them? Have the rules of old supply and demand completely escaped the 996T?
Most seem to agree that they are a great car and fantastic ownership proposition. (I do).
So why so cheap?
MTR
So why aren't people buying them? Have the rules of old supply and demand completely escaped the 996T?
Most seem to agree that they are a great car and fantastic ownership proposition. (I do).
So why so cheap?
MTR
£2k-£3k per year to run as a daily driver including consumables but excluding fuel/insurance isn't what most people are looking for nowadays. If something serious goes wrong like a gearbox or engine you could be looking at a £10k-£20k repair bill 
unlikely I know but always a possibility.
Or you can buy a good pre 89 3.2, 964 or 993 which are far more fun/challenging for £20k -£30k and not lose a penny. Even I'm thinking about buying an old banger
unlikely I know but always a possibility.Or you can buy a good pre 89 3.2, 964 or 993 which are far more fun/challenging for £20k -£30k and not lose a penny. Even I'm thinking about buying an old banger
mollytherocker said:
For some time now (and for good reason), everyone has been banging on about how cheap 996 turbos are. Theres about 3 threads going on about it at the moment!
So why aren't people buying them? Have the rules of old supply and demand completely escaped the 996T?
Most seem to agree that they are a great car and fantastic ownership proposition. (I do).
So why so cheap?
MTR
MTR,So why aren't people buying them? Have the rules of old supply and demand completely escaped the 996T?
Most seem to agree that they are a great car and fantastic ownership proposition. (I do).
So why so cheap?
MTR
We sold one recently for top money that basically wanted for nothing - everything done that needed to be done (over 3k work) so the new owner was prepared to pay for no surprises. As it happens he is spending more on an upgrade now than the car cost. So there is money around.
I think even if something is a bargain, in these times, people just are not bargain hunting. Is the 996 turbo a bargain? At 20 something assuming it wants for nothing then imo yes. Other people will have a different view. A 964 for example can easily eat up 10k with engine build (and is more likely) than a turbo to require one.
I just changed the missus car (audi tt) to a new one. Speaking to the Sales guy who I know, I was asking him how things were going (main dealer). He told me that his target for new sales is 60 per year. He has yet to make one in January but has done 14 trade up deals. Don't think it is just Porsche.
Ken
p.s. 964 prices do seem to be going up, but I think that is down to one individual - you know who you are
Edited by 996ttalot on Wednesday 11th January 23:36
IMI A said:
Or you can buy a good pre 89 3.2, 964 or 993 which are far more fun/challenging for £20k -£30k and not lose a penny.
You can spend loads of cash on old 911s too, don't think they are necessarily a cheap option just because they don't depreciate. Plus they are totally different cars and not as well suited to everyday usage as the 996. Personally I prefer the non-turbo cars. Better sound and even cheaper. Obviously not as fast in a straight line or the pub, but who really cares? They sound much better too and I'm not really a big fan of the turbo styling apart from the wide-body. I think the C4S is the better looking 996 without the rear wing and air scoops.IMI A said:
£2k-£3k per year to run as a daily driver including consumables but excluding fuel/insurance isn't what most people are looking for nowadays. If something serious goes wrong like a gearbox or engine you could be looking at a £10k-£20k repair bill unlikely I know but always a possibility.
Or you can buy a good pre 89 3.2, 964 or 993 which are far more fun/challenging for £20k -£30k and not lose a penny. Even I'm thinking about buying an old banger
Do pre '89 cars never have repair bills? unlikely I know but always a possibility.Or you can buy a good pre 89 3.2, 964 or 993 which are far more fun/challenging for £20k -£30k and not lose a penny. Even I'm thinking about buying an old banger
And me; been smiling ever since! 
Have to admit having a wobble though when I thought I'd need a little more space, but that soon passed. It's simply the best supercar out there; all that power and handling and I can still use it as if it were a Ford Focus and not some fragile exotica (no offence to fragile exotica owners, but you know what I mean).
Have to admit having a wobble though when I thought I'd need a little more space, but that soon passed. It's simply the best supercar out there; all that power and handling and I can still use it as if it were a Ford Focus and not some fragile exotica (no offence to fragile exotica owners, but you know what I mean).
IMI A said:
£2k-£3k per year to run as a daily driver including consumables but excluding fuel/insurance isn't what most people are looking for nowadays. If something serious goes wrong like a gearbox or engine you could be looking at a £10k-£20k repair bill unlikely I know but always a possibility.
Or you can buy a good pre 89 3.2, 964 or 993 which are far more fun/challenging for £20k -£30k and not lose a penny. Even I'm thinking about buying an old banger
Even 3.2 Carrera can cost £2-3k if you're using them as daily drives and want to keep them in top condition. On older cars it's often rust, oil pipes etc which cost the money. unlikely I know but always a possibility.Or you can buy a good pre 89 3.2, 964 or 993 which are far more fun/challenging for £20k -£30k and not lose a penny. Even I'm thinking about buying an old banger
The upside is zero depreciation, so still cheaper than running a new run of the mill car.
Porsche aren't cheap daily drives.
I test drove a £20k 996tt last month and whilst it felt nice there wasn't enough difference (to me at least) from the standard 996 C2 I'd seen. I paid far less for the 996 which came with multiple extras and a rebuilt engne so I think that the prospective 996 buyer may have a similar mind set to mine
DickusMaximus said:
I test drove a £20k 996tt last month and whilst it felt nice there wasn't enough difference (to me at least) from the standard 996 C2 I'd seen. I paid far less for the 996 which came with multiple extras and a rebuilt engne so I think that the prospective 996 buyer may have a similar mind set to mine
I know what you mean because first time I drove a '996TT' I felt the same...all I would say is that you did not feel what the car can do. If you did (like I did eventually) you would have realised there is a world of difference. There is no argument about that. You have to remember it is actually one of the plus points of the turbo, is that if you don't want to drive it hard, it doubles up to your average saloon car and toodles around for you in relative comfort (for a 100k supercar). Then when pushed hard...that's why it is known as your everyday supercar!
probably because the enthusiast buyers are a picky bunch ( I know I was ) and are looking for an almsot new condition car .... some of these cheap ones might need work & their condition not quite up to scratch . Ultimately I ended up buying at the upper end ( £30K + ) to get what I wanted, low mileage in immaculate condition. When I was looking , quite a few of the £30K + cars in the right spec & condition were selling quickly and I missed 2 that sold within a week of being advertised.
I was expecting have to pay for a good car, which I wanted as I'm planning on putting some miles on it & even in a worst case situation I've calculated the depreciation is going to be way less than my current ML is costing.
I had this when looking for a 993 too ...... loads of really poor condition cars out there , the low mileage ones were often the worst ! I think sometime we forget that to a lot of people, especially in London, a Porsche is just another form of transport and gets treated like any other car .... so dings, scratches, etc are left or given cheap blow overs
) and are looking for an almsot new condition car .... some of these cheap ones might need work & their condition not quite up to scratch . Ultimately I ended up buying at the upper end ( £30K + ) to get what I wanted, low mileage in immaculate condition. When I was looking , quite a few of the £30K + cars in the right spec & condition were selling quickly and I missed 2 that sold within a week of being advertised. I was expecting have to pay for a good car, which I wanted as I'm planning on putting some miles on it & even in a worst case situation I've calculated the depreciation is going to be way less than my current ML is costing.
I had this when looking for a 993 too ...... loads of really poor condition cars out there , the low mileage ones were often the worst ! I think sometime we forget that to a lot of people, especially in London, a Porsche is just another form of transport and gets treated like any other car .... so dings, scratches, etc are left or given cheap blow overs
I agree the cheap ones need work. If you use the reputable specialists as a guide to condition and price and see a private one for sale for several thousand less it is for a reason. This is the same principal for any car. The difference is that any car you can run into the ground or at least do the minimum that is required. I certainly wouldn't want something going wrong at stupid speeds.
uktrailmonster said:
Plus they are totally different cars and not as well suited to everyday usage as the 996. Personally I prefer the non-turbo cars. Better sound and even cheaper. Obviously not as fast in a straight line or the pub, but who really cares?
I do! 
I really enjoy being (potentially) the fastest thing on the road. Makes overtaking a breeze (especially in this part of the world where there are no dual carriageways or motorways), and it's nice having the knowledge that you can lose any other car on the road (even if you're mature enough not to do it all of the time).
Can't say the same about the non-turbo variants, as nowadays there are plenty of hot hatches and super saloons on the road that will give them a good run for their money.
Edited by monthefish on Thursday 12th January 10:30
I've been looking for a few months. Very few are actually moving as I imagine buyers want a cracking deal in the currrent market and unless sellers are desperate to move it on it isn't worth selling for what they are offered.
Equally (and in my case) often buyers are also sellers and selling is hard and tempting though it is to buy first and sell afterwards it can leave you with 2 expensive cars to run.
I'm a bit cheesed off with the popular colours. Far to many silvers greys and blacks but I realise I'm in the minority here.
Equally (and in my case) often buyers are also sellers and selling is hard and tempting though it is to buy first and sell afterwards it can leave you with 2 expensive cars to run.
I'm a bit cheesed off with the popular colours. Far to many silvers greys and blacks but I realise I'm in the minority here.
Gassing Station | Porsche General | Top of Page | What's New | My Stuff