Value Advice

Came across a 2002 996 Blk/Blk Cab with X51 package with 126k miles. Engine currently being rebuilt to 3.8L. The car has been fully maintained, per owner, but I still need to get more details. What would the $ value be for this particular car?

a LOT depends on the condition of the car AND who/how that motor is being rebuilt I think a few people on here follow prices and will have good info but in the end value and what someone will pay are often 2 very differant things

With that many miles and a non-factory engine, no matter how cool and powerful, that will be a very hard car to price. The value of one-offs like that often come down to the seller's outlay and the buyer's comfort with the modification. Just guessing, but I could see it being worth more than a 125k '02, but less than a low/average mileage car... somewhere between $24k and $27k. That said, I'll bet the seller thinks it is worth a bunch more.

Somethng put it in parts to make it into a 3.8 before selling.

I'd say no more than $30k, more like $27

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Roughly somewhere between the low trade-in value as per several of the public used car trade-in value estimators and however much someone's willing to pay. I would consider the 3.8l rebuild a negative unless the rep of the shop doing the work was unquestionable and there is some warranty like Porsche offers for its replacement engines, say 1 year labor, 2 years parts and 24K miles. If the owner fully maintained the car what prompted the 3.8l rebuild? And why is the car being offered for sale as the 3.8l rebuild is on going? Can't you find an unmolested 2001 to 2003 (or even a bit newer model year) 996 Cab with the X51 option? Sincerely, Macster.

$20K

I don't think I would touch it. Not with a "rebuilt" engine. What was the condition of the engine before it was rebuilt? Running fine?

It is tempting to consider, in light of a rebuilt (thinking "new") engine. But as others have said, why would this engine need a rebuild at 125K?? There are a lot of cars out there with > 100K miles that are running fine, and I think that you would be able to find one that is unmolested for nearly the same dollars. If he toasted the engine at 125K, what other parts of the car need "rebuilding" also? Selling a car in the middle of an unexplained rebuild raises a lot of questions. I'd pass. larry

It appears the current owner wanted the engine rebuilt to 3.8L. The work is being done by a reputable shop. But since he just purchased a 997 Cab, he's unsure if he wants to keep the 996 Cab. His only motivation he says to keep the 996 Cab is the X51 package. (Not sure if that's well founded.) Owner hasn't decided to sell, but I was just wondering out loud just in case there's an opportunity to purchase.

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Tough call. If you buy the car does any warranty on the engine rebuild transfer to you? I'd have to see that in writing. And of course you have to satisfy yourself the warranty is sufficient in scope -- read the fine print (3 times!) -- to cover possible problems and that the rep of the rebuilder is such it will stand behind its warranty. Buying a used car is hard enough but to add to the effort by having to evaluate an engine rebuilder and what this brings to the table makes me want to me to if I were in your shoes give the car a pass. There's always another car. But of course you are free to ignore this advice. If you can satisfy yourself the car's worthy of owning and the rebuild comes with an acceptable level of risk.. Sincerely, Macster.