Need Advice

I am considering a new 2001 C2 that I can buy at invoice less shipping, i.e. roughly $750.00..... need to close prior to 12/31.A cash deal for me and the dealer The car has a lot of options.... to drive the price down I'm thinking about going from 18" Rads to regular 17" wheels or maybe the 18" turbo look. I just sold my 964 C2 and my 2001 Boxster S ( a mistake buy in retrospect ).... I had 18"turbos on the Box. with Dun. 9090s....liked this combo on the Boxster I have owned 911 Porsches for almost 25 years...I'm at the age where this 996 will only be used for limited weekend use....touring mostly.... no track events, etc. Is it a mistake to go 17"s ?.... I plan to hold on to it and I am not really concerned about re-sale value down the road.... Thanks for your help! PS Also what you folks think of the price, invoice less shipping? I'm on the east coast....

IMO, your intended usage (mostly touring) supports the 17s. They will provide a slightly more compliant ride (does the car have the sport suspension?) and tires will forever be cheaper. Of course, the 17s come with the stigma of low price, and some people like the looks of 18s enough to pay the extra money. If you can avoid those pitfalls, I think you're doing the reasonable thing to get the 17s. I don't know hardly anything about what dealers are selling the '91 left-overs for. I do know several people who bought left-overs for less than dealer's actual cost (which may be less than "invoice"), but that was several years ago. Considering the times, some even better deals may be available now. Good luck.

I'd go with the 18's. I like them on my 996, and they look much better IMO filling out the wheel well. Not much of a cost issue if you drop from the Rads to the turbo-looks, but I'd keep them. Tire cost should not come into play either, since you are probably not going to eat that much rubber over the years if it's not a daily driver.

With the present ecomony You should get a much better deal Look up DEALERS INVOICE on the INTERNET....thats where you should start The 18 inch wheels should be included as a coutesy....a CA$H deal at the end of the year is doing your dealer a BIG FAVOR

Thanks.... when I say invoice I mean dealer invoice not MSRP.... and they pay to ship the car to me....that is a good idea about adjusting the invoice to reflect 17"s and include the 18" turbos on a gratis basis... I know that a friend of mine, who owns the local Porsche Store, took a new 2001 C2 to the High Line auction in Pa...... it was perfectly optioned but the color combo was a tough sell.... he brought it back as the best bid was $4,000 UNDER his cost....he offered it to me for the bid price..... the color was not worth getting a deal. The car I am considering has perfect options, except for the Rad wheels and it is on my top five list of color combos. With it being the holidays, I have not been able to find out what auction discounts are and what Porsche NA may be doing to help the dealers with 2001 inventory. The invoice and shipping costs offer acceptance by the dealer was to easy.... wondering how much more to deduct is reasonable while being fair to all....everybody needs to leave the table feeling good or that is my non-car buying approach in the business world.... it works too. Merry Xmas Berkley

My .02 Dealer is paying for his floor plan so you should get a better deal, especially if he is taxed more for his inventory at year end. That's worth something. Secondly a cash deal isn't always "better" because dealer gets his money from the bank anyway and dealer may get a spiff from his "favorite bank if you financed...so dealer could make more if you financed. I'm certain Porsche is not offering dealer any incentive. I'd ask for a bit more with mondy in hand ready to close. Like 18" wheels over 17's purely for aesthetics (and possible resale) Don't forget he's making good profits on the options as well. Good luck. Don Watson 02 C4Cab/tip w/18" wheels. PS If any of the options are dealer installed he's making even more money.

Just get the 17"s. If you decide you want the 18"s, get the 2002 18"s which are lighter (and wider in the front) than the 01 18"s. Try the 17"s for a set of tires and upgrade to the 18"s when they wear out if you want 18"s.

Berkely: Although you want a coupe, I thought I'd share with you my experience with a local independent dealer who had 2 fully loaded 01' tip cabs. I would have bought his Seal Grey 01', but we could not sell my wifes Jag fast enough. We ended up with an 02'. Both 01' cars had less than 1,000 miles (yes, 800 and 925). 18's, full leather, 3 spoke steering wheel, hard tops, hi-fi, xenon, etc.... Both had MSRP's near $100K. He sold both for $75K. What he paid wholesale, prior to 9/11. In talking with him after going to the 02', he said "the money on the cars (01 cabs) is around $67k. in the wholesale market". I would try to find an extremly low mileage coupe from a private party. Enough has been said above. Good luck and let us know what you do. Regards, Tom 97C2S 02C4Cab

"I would try to find an extremly low mileage coupe from a private party." Yep, which in addition to the savings you mentioned, won't cost him luxury and gas guzzler tax either.