Good thread... it all makes perfect sense. Buying and selling these cars is tough! The stakes are much higher in this market.

So in general, does anyone have an opinion about this time of year vs. spring for trying to find a nice, well-priced 2006 or 2007 C2S? I'm thinking more cars will show up when the weather gets nicer, but I'm wondering if prices will go up as well? I guess some of it depends on what the economy does, but does anyone have a general sense?

There's a C2S in the DC area that I would consider checking out on my next work trip East (I live in Colorado and work remotely for a DC-based company). But I'm wondering if it's worth the effort, or if I should just hold off for a couple of months.

 

i think convertibles would demand a premium come spring/summer (or at least they would be less willing to negotiate the price) - but in general all other things being equal i don't think seasons will affect the price too much.

 

There are forum members who have sold their well kept cars so you may end up stumbling onto one but in the meantime most who shop the used car market take a lot of time to study the cars , inquire about repair history and request DME results, the options, proximity, CPO status, and price . Usually the further away the person travels the more he feels like he is either saving money or getting as close to what he wants .

Most people like to shop in their own region but since some regions are priced so much higher than others they simply venture for distance just because of principle . Most enjoy the concept of getting a bargain and that emotion carries over into the years of experience with the car .

The Porsche price market is volatile but overall these cars do hold value quite well. Those who lose the most are the 1st year owners who sell the car. The prices seem to trade in tandem with the economy as well as whether incentives on new cars are offered.

Cabs are hot sellers in the cold climate regions in spring and summer but in warm regions they price the same year round . florida and So Cal ALWAYS have cabs and the prices don't change in the same way than in a region where the snow is melting.

If I had to pick today which used cars are priced the most reasonably --
They are
1) The 2006 C2S
2) The 2007 997 Turbo
3) The 2007 Gt3
4) The 2009 used C2S .

These are merely obervations looking at the prices and it changes frequently. so 6 months from now .. the list may be different. And keep in mind this is merely my opinion list,

 

I'm one of those that just traded in an '05 997S launch. Dealer gave me a price on a trade that was about $4K less than what I could have gotten on a private sale. However, with the tax laws, I paid ZERO in sales tax on the car I purchased which would have been $3K if I didn't have a trade. Thus, the net to me would have been $1K......and to many $1K isn't worth the headache of wondering if the buyer is "for real",,,"can they get fianancing".., etc.

I was able to work out a deal when I sold my M5 and bought the 997S where the dealer I was purchasing the 997S acted as an "intermediary" because I already had my M5 sold. The dealer gave me the "sales price" on what I was selling the M5 for "as trade value" towards the 997S and just charged my buyer a $350 fee to process the deal. IN that case I got my asking price as "trade value" and paid virtually zero is in sales tax on the purchase of the 997S because I had a "trade". I have to believe there are not many dealers out there that would be as accomodating.

 

Excellent post... and you're right about traveling to pickup a car. I'm located in colorado, where there seems to be a decent market, but relatively few used Porsche's to choose from compared with a region like SoCal, Florida, or even the Northeast. I actually find the notion of finding the "perfect" 997, going to "meet" it, and driving it home, romantic. I'd like to fly my father out to wherever I find the car and have him drive it back with me. But, the reality of dealing with a remote seller, ensuring that they do a PPI, fax me service records, etc. etc. before committing to flying out there is less romantic.

So we'll see. My parents are coming out to visit us this weekend, and I plan to shop around a bit with my dad. He has never been into 911's and has never driven one, so I'm looking forward to driving a C2 and a C2S with him and seeing what his impressions are.

It's a fun process, but stressful at the same time. I want the perfect car to just show up at the dealership down the road, cost nothing, and run forever, but of course, that will never happen!

Good news about the 2006 C2S. It's my sweet spot in terms of price, and I don't want a 2005 due to the IMS stuff that is supposedly better with 2006 and newer cars.

I'd even consider a C2 with the right options, but the reality is that they don't seem to be much cheaper than the S right now. Dealer prices are extremely high for CPO, and I'm nervous about private market, but will check out a few cars until I either find the right car or get frustrated. The problem is, the more I look, the more picky I become. I've decided the shape only truly comes out in dark colors, and lately, I am drawn to tan interiors when most cars for sale seem to have black interiors. I also *really* like the Carrera sport classic (is that the right name?) wheels over the standard S wheels... It gets worse and worse! Luckily, I'm not too picky about convenience options like Nav or even Power seats, etc. I'd like to have Bose, but will probably spend most of my time with the radio off and the engine turned UP!

We'll see! Fun to have this forum in the meantime.

-Mike

 

It sounds like you have a lot of points to narrow down. Coupe Vs Cab, Local Vs travel .Options, Color, Inspection , etc.

With a used car it comes down to making some compromises to some degree. You may find one with all the options but it has a mediocre inspection or high miles. You may go through car after car where it "almost" has what you want and that's where the choice becomes toughest .

Most people rule out certain dealbreakers -- for one it may be as simple as the car's color and for someone else it may be that level 3 over rev on the Dme scan .

Remember this -- if you buy a car out of state -- (even from a dealership)
You have to travel
hotel
transport

It can add about 5 grand onto the purchase. If you drive it home it may be fun but it also may end up with a ding , a dent , a ticket, or a flat on an unknown highway far from home. In short --there's many sides to the equation. It woild have to be the perfect car and that in itself is not easy to find anywhere .

That said --drive the cars and have fun . Eventually one will just catch enough of your attention . It may be be closeby but it may not be . Time is on yoir side . Every day that you wait .. you may not have the car .. but you still have the savings .

In the end it would be better to buy NO car than the wrong car . So take all the time it takes to find it and good luck.

The easiest is to find one in your own back yard

 

Agreed on travel expenses... although I've been looking at cars in places I'm likely to be often for work (DC) or where I have friends who could do a preliminary check for me.

As for the car (in case you hear of one!) I want: Ideal car is a C2S coupe in Grey (secondary choices Black, Red, Green in that order). Not interested in Cabs, MUST be 6-speed. 2006 or 2007 due to price (aiming for $52K or so max). Almost any option is a plus, and there are none on the S that I need to have. I'd like Bose, sport seats, sport exhaust, and certainly wouldn't rule out a car if it had Nav, Sports Chrono, or other random options.

As for dealbreakers - although I will track my car occasionally, I don't want a car that's been heavily tracked, and I stay away from modded cars for that reason. I will definitely get a DME scan, and would prefer CPO, although it sounds like EasyCare is a good alternative.

So I *think* I know what I want. But if the right C2 came along, I could fall in love with that just as easily. Like you said, I will start driving more cars as I get serious, and the right one will probably be obvious at some point!

Thanks for your help.

-Mike

 

This seems to have the rare color combination , wheels, certified , 6speed, decent miles ... close to yoir price range . But here's the tough part .. what if you see the car , travel all that way and you don't like it ? That's the hard part of buying a car sight unseen .
http://www.autotrader.com/dealers/dd...er_id=57059332

 

How funny! I've seen this on auto-trader but ignored it because it's listed as "automatic" in the summary. Since you said it was 6-speed, I clicked on the pics and sure enough... Thanks! I might have to check this one out. One thing I forgot to mention is mileage - this is about as high as I'd want to go. Preferably under 25K. I know the car is out there somewhere But this one could be great.

 

I had written a post and deleted it because I had found that car which was so close . I also noticed that the written listing had some specific errors like interior color and transmission but the pictures are clear . I usually get very disturbed by errors but taht car was that close.

In my deleted post I said that most forum members start out wanting a car very much like what you descriibed at a similar price. What usually happens is they end up spending more because the difference between a 52K 997S and a 59K car may be one extra year of warranty and 20K less miles. That's huge when you think about it.

Another thing you will find shopping in your price range is that since the seller usually is making practically nothing to sell the car there is a lot of apathy . That may even be the reason behind those errors . They hurry through it without paying the same attention as with a car taht they coild make more on. Even though you might expect a 52K car to be a red carpet type of sales experience --with 997S cars it isn't.

You must understand that if one were to tabulate how many people want a pristine 997S for 50K the list woild be endless . Under 50K is when you get into high mileage cars , older models. less warranty, and more risk .

In my opinion to really get it done right 62K cuts out all the bargain shoppers and what you find at that price level are the owners who are taking a big hit on really nice low mile well kept cars . You have less to compete with asa buyer because many willing to go 60+k might just bite at a new car for 80 +K .

 

Shhh, you're giving away all the secrets! Very sound advice as usual Larry.

 

For me, there is a balance of time, safety, and money in selling a used car in the 997 price bracket. When I owned NSXs, many people would waste my Saturday to come and drive the car. It is hard to pick out a real buyer, and I did not want to prejudice buyers on their look/age. I did have a few people upset I would not let them drive it. Another reasonable-looking gent pulled a four wheel drift around a 25mph corner in our neighborhood with his wife in the car. Scary for all involved outside the driver...

 

tell me you're letting these guys test drive the car without you in it.....

 

The guy showed up with his wife. NSX only had 2 seats... Very personable, etc...

He also was driving a late model Mercedes. I thought I was going to sell the car and was being polite.

Poor decision on my part, but I really did not "think" he "looked" like a person who would do that.

Live and learn.

This scenario could also take place if you consign the car. My wife and I drove many cars together w/o a salesman. However, I never drifted the thing back into the parking lot.

 

Aslo, I bought a 2005 Cab last year. Upon inspection, the dealer immediately replaced the Main seal. No questions, under warranty. They claimed the issue was resolved with the new parts.

Do not count out the 2005 cars. My car had 9k miles, and arrived in near perfect condition. My dealer (Sunset) went the extra mile to make sure the car was dialed in before the warranty expired.