As Ben would say, well played my friend, well played.

 

I am going to disagree with most of the posts in this thread. I am on my 6th Porsche now, and the only money I have ever "lost" was sales tax and mods.
In fact I made 7k on a 92 America Roadster, that I bought right.

Buy a clean low mileage car, maintain it your self, put 3k miles on it per year, and it will be worth almost exactly what you paid for it.

Take your time, find a great deal, and be prepared to wait a long time for a sale when you are done with the car.

Don't buy a "cheap" 996tt, get one in the 40k-50k range and you will be fine for years.

 

If you are battling between investment or a 996TT in your mind, that usually means you are not quite ready (from various reasons); you should probably go with the investment now.

 

I also have to disagree with you; obviously people buy Porsches for different reasons; mine is to drive the car and the $ value means nothing to me (the same reason many of us put $$$ on mods knowing we don’t get it back). 3k a year just won’t cut it for me.

 

I would love to drive the 996 more, but I have other toys, and only get the 996tt out twice a week. 3k miles is about 125 miles per week for the months I can drive the car.

 

I really didn't put much thought into this, I just like looking at things to buy when I'm bored. I just put up what I was thinking and investing $20,000 to upgrade cars is a serious investment. Not something I would whimsically spend.

I surely do not look at a car (depreciating asset) as an investment, please give me a little more credit that that . These cars have been well depreciated. If I was looking to buy a fun car to drive for say 3 years, I would be much better off financially to buy a '01 TT as opposed to a brand new car, say a new evo. I do not necessarily plan to only have it a couple years, but I am thinking ahead in a situation where I could possibly have to firesale it.

Facts are; I'm young, this is a large investment(could be used in many ways), I am in no rush and there are no cars currently on the market that have exactly the options I want. Because of this, I have time to stew over the opportunity.

I will say that the Porsche isn't necessarily a no brainer over the evo. I actually haven't driven a 996TT, I have put some miles on a 996 Carrera special edition and a 997TT. The evo has ran many 11.1-11.2's at 126-128 mph in full street trim with no weight removed so a stock 996TT would be a downgrade in terms of speed.


Oh, and thanks for all the thoughtful replies!

 

I got mine as an investment into my personal dream. Mine is a DD and I get rewarded/paid back for it everyday. It is 1 of the best investments I have ever made. I can't tell you how many times it makes other people's day to see the car or how good it feels to drive around in a dream realized.

You are paying for the right to drive something very few other people in the world get the opportunity to drive. Seriously, there were less then 8,500 996TTs made from the # I have found and even if that was the # sent to America, think about all the people who have cars. I see it as a wonderful experience that few people get to have and the cost is well worth the price.

If you want to get an investment you better do as the other have said, get a rare model w/ low miles and don't drive it very often; then hold on to it for about 15+ years. My question is how much of the dividend you are looking to get paid back is in proportion to actually owning the car? Because you can invest the same $ over 15 years and earn more $ in return w/out getting the privileged of owning a rare Porsche.

So, what do you value is the real question? IMO.

 

+1

good luck

 

Sure. Your 996tt will be 30K+ at least while EVO will be 15K range. If you want to buy a car anyway, 996tt would be an awesome choice while it hold good value for future. Repair bill might be higher but if you are little handy, it is not bad.

 

Another thought: put this in relative of your career. Perspective from surrounding people are big different. My tt was $40k purchase. I had some downside feedback from customers, tenants. They think I make too much money from them. Never happened with my Subaru STI or my $40K truck.

 

If your trying to get into a 996tt and lose the least amount of $ over time. I would buy the last year 996 model and get a 2005 TURBO S. I think over time the value will hold steady on these. Like others have said if not buy an older collectible car.

 

OP, I am probably in a similar situaiton as you. Young, fortunately have some disposable money, but dont' want to lose mid five figures on another car purchase, and I don't want to buy a home yet b/c I don't know which state I want to settle down in (and upcoming RE pop 2.0), blah blah. I was looking at the GTR or Vantage, then XKR, M6, and so one. I finally checked out the 996tt thinking I'd never fit (6'6''), and love it. In the end, you are only young once, and if you have the ability to truely afford the car you want, and are a car nut, I think you should do it. Having a cool car in your 20's or 30's is better than doing it in your 50's or 60's if you can, and buying a home, kids, family, vacations, ect will not make it easier just b/c you wait.

Here's stats on my purchase: https://www.6speedonline.com/forums/...d-996tt-9.html

Here's my quest: https://www.6speedonline.com/forums/...8-vantage.html

BTW, I have an Infiniti too, 04 G35 coupe, which I absolutely love. I'm planning on keeping it for now, such incredible value for money.

 

I've read time and time again the car cost $.10-$.40 a mile to maintain, and I couldn't see the car depreciating more than $10k over the next 3 years.

So lets say you daily drive it for 3 years, 12k miles a year and its right in the middle of maintenance cost. $3k for maintenance, and $3k for depreciation.

$6k/year to own and drive a porsche vs. investing it in a sure thing such as a CD would pay 2% would put $800 in your pocket assuming you put sum of $40k into the account.

So the question is can you live with "losing" $6800 a year to own and drive a porsche?

That's only 57cents a mile!!

 

you sound much like me.. an impulse buyer.. if i can afford it today i buy it.. If it comes a day i cant anymore i sell it, but at least i experienced owning it..

Mike