Has the price of 99 996 been depreciated fully?

Hello, With the new 997 coming shortly, is this a good time to buy 1999 model ones? Or will the price drop even more substantially once 997 is here? I am debating whether to buy now or wait until next year since my budget is only around $35k. Any comments or input would be appreciated.

These cars will continue to depreciate for many years to come. Do not expect the depreciation to end anytime soon. So the answer whether to buy now or wait really depends on your desires and financial situation. Basically you will be able to get more car for $35k this time next year versus what you can get for that right now but that isn't always the deciding factor because generally that is always true unless you are looking a vehicles that have hit the bottow of their depreciation curves. For example a 1980 SC is not going to be appreciably less expensive next year vs what it would cost today (actually are car in the same condition may be worth more next year).

All pre-997 Porsches will continue to depreciate. Some will depreciate more slowly than others. IMHO, the 996, especially the 99's will continue to depreciate at a higher rate than others. I would wait until the beginning of next year since the 997's will have been out for a quarter and it will be winter where you should be able to get more car for your money. Good luck.

I think you are safe buying a 99. the real hit will come on the 02 - 04 models that will depreciate more rapidly than in the past (based on the new model coming out). There are some good buys out there and you should be safe(r) in the $35K range. Just my .02

Thank you so much for your advices. I truly appreciate it.

eunsulover, My .02 I have been debating this the last several weeks. I decided to go with a Boxster instead a 99 996 because I was afraid of the depreciation with the 997 coming out. The other driving factor for me ,was in the 35k price range, I could get a lower miles Boxster, with factory warranty remaining. The 996's I saw in the 35k range had higher miles and no warrranties. -Ryan

The 99s will depreciate, but at a much shallower curve than the newer models. Depreciation curves are like hockey sticks: they start out dropping in a straight line, then over time the curve shallows up to the point where it's almost moving horizontally. In time, the 02s and 03s will be worth almost the same as the 99s. The main driver of value will be the miles and condition of the cars, not the year they were built. For now, a 99 makes the most sense. Wait a year, and an 02 can be had for almost the same price...

Heck, depreciation is a fact of life. Even the 997 has started depreciating.

altho some like the C4S and turbo will still be unchanged for 05, so presumably the values of those may not change as rapidly as those that are replaced by the 997 (until they are replaced)

You could be dead next year. If you want it now then just do it.

Scouser: Your posts have an uncanny ability to make me smile / laugh out loud. - Good old British humour (or should that be humor?) !!!

On the Boxster issue, dont forget that a new Boxster is due out as well. I really agree with the idea of buying what you want when you're ready (unless you cant afford it which may very well be the case with $35k on a 1999 996), then you wait until things are cheaper. Personally, I dont think you can get a really nice 1999 for $35k unless you're in a really depressed market. If you're willing to settle for very high miles, or take big risks with the shadier auctions on EBay, things may be different. You're definitely not getting a certified pre-owned at a Porsche dealer at $35k. So short answer... With $35k, wait about a year would be my advice. Save more money in that time so by next year you're looking at slightly cheaper cars, probably more selection and you'll have more cash.

Buy the 996 and be happy that you did instead of a boxster.

Thanks so much for the advice. However, are ones with 60-70k miles really considered to be a high mileage? Aren't these cars built to last? I cannot see why it would have a lot of problems because it has 60-70k miles? Thank you.

For a 1999 model of most cars 60-70k is "normal". However, this is considered high miles on a Porsche. In general (and there are exceptions - mine is one of them) 911's, or any Porsche for that matter, is not a "daily driver" and they do not accumulate the miles like other cars. It is easy to find 99-00 996's with less than 30k miles. That said, the 996 and Boxster are starting to change that trend somewhat. So many more of these cars were sold compared to previous Porsche models with many being leased vehicles that people intended to drive on daily basis that there are some that are accumulating miles. However, the general consensus in the Porsche community is 60-70k on a 99 is high mileage. Given this consideration some of these cars can be great buys (but be aware that their resale value will likely suffer down the road) it just depends on what you want. As for durability of the 996....the cars are not old enough and there are not enough cars with significant miles on them to determine whether they are durable or not. Whereas, some of the over engineered features from the air cooled cars have been dropped and straight off the show room they may not be as durable for heavy track use as previous generations of the 911, in general it is still very likely a street driven 996 will be as durable or better than any other sports car made in 1999.

Thanks so much for the great advice, and being so patient.

Hi I found a MY99 911 for around $38k and about 38k miles on it. I guess that would be considered average mileage to low high mileage but the color, price, and vehicle were clean and like someone said above if you want it and can just go ahead and get the car. I agree you won't be sorry you did. The only expense I've had to put out really is for an extended warranty after reading and talking amongst the other members here...to do that and take a vehicle like the 911 on faith without a backup plan for repairs or failures is asking for trouble unless you've got VERY deep pockets my friend from what I've seen here and from my local dealer (who by the way has no problems with my non-Porsche extended warranty either). Remember you only live once and if some of that time is spent in a 911 then so much the sweeter don't you think? Also I agree that with the 997 out in a few months; you'll probably see a little more of a drop in the price of the 02-04 911's cause the folks who'd buy them would just as well probably spend the extra $$$ on the 997 and have a newer car with a fresh warranty too. I would if I had $75k to drop on a vehicle for sure. Whatever you do remember that any vehicle will last as long as you take care of it and if dogged then ANY vehicle including a 911 won't last as long or retain as much value. ALL cars depreciate...it's just variable how much YOU help them to do it on your own! LOL Good luck Rob ---------- MY99 996 *ALL Mine#2* MY01 BMW 325xi *Mine#1* MY04 ML350 SUV *wifey's*