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YOUR RESEARCHWhich color for the 996 is the least in demand?
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color chosen
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It is the most common because it was the color chosen for lease vehicles.
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I really wanted a red one as to me it was the most fitting for the car but when I found mine I really fell in love with the color.
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It is most common BECAUSE it was the MOST requested.
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Regardless, most things can be rebuilt or repaired...assuming you want to pay for it but I'm thinking that finding a rebuilt tranny will be your cheapest/bet in most cases.
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And Wyovino is correct...although many have replaced the carpet with some interesting hardware/art work!
Clean /average condition, rather than excellent condition
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But if you want to find a 996 for $7-9,000 less, you are going to have to accept a lot more miles (probably over 100k) and clean/average condition, rather than excellent condition.
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Regardless, most things can be rebuilt or repaired...assuming you want to pay for it but I'm thinking that finding a rebuilt tranny will be your cheapest/bet in most cases.
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Suggestion · Original poster
$15,000 to $17,000 is my budget to buy the car outright and will set a few thousand aside for shipping, delivery and transport fees to Canada--from UK or USA.
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Outside of custom paint work, which of the "official" colors the 996 came in are of the least desirable to most people?
Will this affect the price of a 911 IYO?
I am budgeting $15000-17000 USD for a hardtop 996, no matter which year or color, but I think it won't be until October to December before I can see prices this low for a 50,000-60,000 mile 996.
I really like Speed Yellow cars, but I believe they are a bit harder to sell. I don't think yellow appeals to everyone.
That being said, I think these cars are old enough at this point that color has very little impact on price. If you find a car that is discounted due to paint color, it won't be discounted much.
Sorry for those that have it, but outside the strange purple/light green metalics I would suggest Red & Yellow. Some absolutely love it but I would suggest most wouldnt buy one in those colors as they are a little in your face.
Huh?
You will wait a lot longer than that to find a 50-60K 996 in good condition for those prices. The mythical low miles $17,000 996 may be out there somewhere, but you will have a hell of a time finding it.
For a reality check on values try CarGurus.com. They use mathematical algorithms to analyze available vehicles and then rank the listings from best to worst. The analysis is based on what the site calls the �Instant Market Value� of a vehicle, which is determined by looking at similar, current and previously sold car listings. Current Instant Market Value for a 2000 911 coupe with 57,000 miles is $23,466.
Now honestly, that seems a bit high. But if you want to find a 996 for $7-9,000 less, you are going to have to accept a lot more miles (probably over 100k) and clean/average condition, rather than excellent condition. And in my fairly extensive sports car/Porsche buying experience you will then have to spend from $2-4,000 in deferred maintenance, cosmetic repairs, tires, brakes, etc. to get the car to peak condition.
Don't let anyone fool you - there are no cheap Porsches. None.
Porsche wasn't very "out there" with most of its colors for the 996, so there are aren't a lot of colors that are going to kill the value of the car enough to make a difference.
If you really want to find a value killer, look for one of the oddball interior colors, like that weird greenish blue color.
Hard to say which colors are the least desirable but my guess and probably not alone in this would be a painted to order color. This suggests that someone had a favorite color and was willing to pay extra to have the car in that color and the odds are someone with this taste in colors selected a color only its mother could love.
There are exceptions but used cars buyers are generally more concerned with price and condition. Colors not so much.
Now this doesn't mean one goes out and buys a car so ugly it makes you puke when you walk up to it.
If you find a car that the exterior or interior colors really put you off move on.
But keep your eyes open and your mind too.
To the OP: I think what you are asking is what color would have the most resale value. You haven't bought the car yet and you are already concerned about how it might sell down the road. Pick the color combination YOU like and enjoy your decision. Red, yellow, black, white, silver....everybody has their own preference. This is like asking what flavor of ice cream you like or whether somebody prefers blondes or brunettes!
Thanks for proving my points:
1. "But if you want to find a 996 for $7-9,000 less, you are going to have to accept a lot more miles (probably over 100k)"
Your car has 110K.
2. "... you will then have to spend from $2-4,000 in deferred maintenance, cosmetic repairs, tires, brakes, etc. to get the car to peak condition."
You describe the maintenance and repair after you bought it - doing the work yourself to lower the cost. Add a $100/hr labor rate to what you did and the price falls about in line with my estimate.
As I said, "The mythical low miles $17,000 996 may be out there somewhere..."
And you may find one. But the chances of finding a good one that you would want to buy are slim. You got lucky - good on you! The OP stated he was waiting till the fall for prices to drop, an expectation not supported by anything except misinformation and hope.
To expand on the previously posted interior. Here is the full car. This has to be the least desirable. This dealer marks his cars waayy up and sits on them for months.
http://www.ardemotorcars.com/2001_Po..._185468479.veh
I read in one of the excellent 996 books that some dealers who got "stuck" with dark green 996s asked Porsche to take them back for a respray. They had a hard time moving them.
Dark green was what I actually wanted when searching for a used 996. Couldn't find one that met the requirements, so I ended up with blue (ocean metallic). Used dealers warned me of the hassle in selling a dark green 996 when the time came. I kinda see it either way...if you have a rare color combo that someone wants, then you might be able to ask a premium. I understand a dealer typically has black, silver, etc, so anything outside the norm is a problem.
LMAO!
I bellieve Speed Yellow is a bit of a tougher sell but there is always someone out there who has to have yellow.
I absolutely hate Arena Red (and every dark red version of every manufacturer) but some love it. I'd take the nephrite green on green with wood accents over an Arena red/Savanna car.
Bottom line is that it's a hard question to answer.
I'm not sure you should buy a 996 with resale value in mind...
A friend just found a Speed Yellow coupe and he is thrilled. I wanted Guards and wound up with Orient Red. My priorities were miles, condition, options, and then color. I was actually looking for Seal Gray or silver before my wife asked for red.
Find a good one in a color you can live with.
Captain Obvious...that was perfect! And Wyovino is correct...although many have replaced the carpet with some interesting hardware/art work!
When I was Porsche hunting, I was looking for Black with Savannah interior. None of them made the cut. Then...along came the Guards Red over Black. My wife actually found the car and it was love at first sight. I knew there would be good natured ribbing from my buds about my mid life crisis (red convertible and all), but lets face it. I AM going through my mid life crisis so f*@k it!
After almost 2 years I am glad I went with the GR. I certainly didn't buy a 911 to blend in (at least I will admit it), and in Scottsdale, 911's are a dime a dozen. But even here, there aren't a lot Guards Red Porsche's on the road, so its still special to me.
To the OP...I would put your budget and the condition of the car over color. The more flexible you are, the better deal you will get in the long run.
Three years ago I started looking for a 996. I wanted Arena Red.
Don't be hard on me but I also like the speed yellow with black leather.
The black and dark blue didn't appeal to me.
After three months of e-bay, Craigs list and AutoTrader, my priorities changed.
A brazillion silver 996's were for sale and a lot of them "one or two owner"
with great maintenance records.
That is when I caved in. Silver is so plain. Nobody notices you on the road.
I bought the Porsche for the thrill of driving. I got silver. Nobody notices me as I drive in the traffic.
Even tho the Artic silver is the highest percentage of 996's, you really shouldn't care.
Once I figured out that I could find a almost perfect 996 for 20K with like you suggested, 50 to 60 thousand miles... I had too many to choose from.
I got a good one.
What I did to shake up the plain grey interior is black floor mats, black leather shift boot and a litttle black this and that.
I think for $17,000 you might find a well taken care of "stock" Artic silver
996 with less than 75,000 miles. Happy hunting!
I don't plan on reselling the 996 once I buy it, haha. The 996 at this point in time is my dream car. The 996 Turbo is a pipedream and the higher maintenance and complexity of a Turbo diminishes my enthusiasm for it's looks and performance. The reason I ask for least desirable colors is I'm hoping this will affect the price of the car, and ensure I can get a 996 for even cheaper than normal, in relation to the year, mileage, transmission, etc.
Now, I would get either; Guards Red (my favorite color on a 911), black, seal gray, Cobalt blue, British Green and speed yellow. Silver and white are my last choices. As far as interiors, as long as it's not ugly like that aqua and brown one, I'm fine. I prefer either black leather, seats, trim, etc. Second would be the one I see often, the tan/beige colored interior, seats, and trim. I also already know I will get a Tiptronic if I get it from the UK, or if it's a LHD, I will get the manual.
$15,000 to $17,000 is my budget to buy the car outright and will set a few thousand aside for shipping, delivery and transport fees to Canada--from UK or USA. This of course, is AFTER I get the car inspected and do the PPI and make sure everything is in near mint condition/shape.
Speaking of which, my new part time job is pretty good place to see sports cars. I work twice a week at a golf course/club, and I have spotted a 997 Carrera, a 991 Carrera, Aston Martin DBS, an orange 996 Turbo, 996 Cabriolet, and a 370Z. I only started like last week, lol
Good luck with that one!
Not saying it can't happen, but if it does, it's because you ran across a screaming good deal from an uneducated or impatient seller. Or a salvage title.
I love the sex appeal of a Reds Guard 996. I would also assume if I got a silver car--any colored car, and got it repainted to Guards Red... this will kill the value/resale value of the car, correct?
I never owned or driven a nice car (and by nice, I mean any sports car or sedan), so I'm not sure if I will eventually get sick of, or even dislike the interior of the 996. My favorite is the black interior with leather (LOVE THIS), second choice is the tan/beige interior with the leather seats. I'm assuming the leather and black interior will make the car more desirable for most, and thus increasing resale value.
I have just searched on eBay UK for 996's and came across this that looked like thstone's car--which by the way, is a very nice car. He's lucky to have gotten his 996 for 10K.
http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/2000-Porsc...item4ac4a1004d
I respect everyone's opinion and taste. But for me an exotic car should stand out. This is my second Porsche in the last 5 years. My first one was a 2000 cab again in yellow. It took me about 9 months to find my current DD because I specifically wanted one with the aero kit only in either Yellow, White, or Red. In those 9 months of hunting and research I noticed those 3 colors are hard to come by and were usually priced higher then the rest of the colors.
I looked high and low for
A Zanzibar Red with cinnomin brown interior
The Zanzibar looks orange
In the daylight , red at night
And the cinnomin brown has a touch of red in it
Found it last November
I did not want most options
Nothing heated nothing electric, didn't need crests
The car is light and fast
I love my Zanzibar ( orange)
I hope that's just your purchase budget and you have another $5k-$10k as a "fix-it" budget.
They are cheap to buy but not so cheap to fix if something goes wrong with them.
I really wanted a Speed Yellow 996 but when I found my car I fell in love with it. 2nd choice was actually Guards Red. After that I started leaning towards different blues. I'm over grey yet my car is triple grey (interior, exterior, and top) and I really wouldn't want it any other way...go figure!
-Eric
As someone who when it comes to cars with an MSRP of over $80k, new is out of the question. I'll take ANY color. Mileage, condition and price should be the only determining factor. Although when I bought my S2000 new, Spa Yellow was the only way for me to go. My 2002 Targa is Seal Gray which while I do like it, I'd prefer something brighter.
Question for you guys: I have a Lapis Blue '03 C2. When I recently priced it out on Edmunds, it DEDUCTED about $700 for the color! Why would that be???? I love the lapis, but I have to wash it every two days or the dust makes it look like crap. Similar to a black car from that perspective.
Personally, I think the Guards Red is the best. Silver... looks nice but BORING.
(I nearly burst a seam with that pink one someone posted above!)
I really like the color of my Lapis Blue Boxster. Still get favorable comments on the color, too. Even though it is an 02 it still cleans up nice. People can't believe the car has almost 268K miles on it.
That's surprising. I really wanted a red one as to me it was the most fitting for the car but when I found mine I really fell in love with the color. It is a pain to keep clean but I still prefer it over the usual silver, black, or grey cars out there.
Same here although I'm about 140k miles short on your target!
I think $10,000 for "fix it money" is more than enough for a 996 Carrera-- a non Turbo.
I was thinking maybe 2500 to 3000 a year is more than reasonable for a C2 or C4, to do maintenance and minor repairs.
Are manuals generally less expensive than the Tiptronic varieties, and if so, which is cheaper to fix?
I still have black, red, blue and yellow as my number one picks.
As I've said before, pick your poison. A clutch will wear out far sooner than I'd ever expect an automatic to fail and, perhaps, more than once depending on how it was treated by the prior owner, how you treat it, etc. and how long you keep your car. The flip side is that when an automatic goes...it generally goes...sort of. Then again, in my experience, a manual transmission typically lasts longer than an automatic. Other people's experience may be different. Regardless, most things can be rebuilt or repaired...assuming you want to pay for it but I'm thinking that finding a rebuilt tranny will be your cheapest/bet in most cases. My guess is that a Tiptronic will run you more than a manual and that a remanufactured manual will run you a few grand...at least. I'm sure someone else can weigh in with more detail on the costs.
-Eric
Eric, I have seen one listed on Pistonheads for I believe, $16000, USD--somewhere around there, for a rebuilt engine. I think it was a 99 Carrera, and it has around 100,000 miles on it. Would this be a good buy, since it's rebuilt--no matter how many miles it has on it?
Going to assume its sarcasm. The guys who got flawless cars dramatically under market will now flock out to prove that the 996 is worthless.
Of course if it ever comes time to SELL, suddenly all of these "steals" will magically be worth 40% more
Reality is that it's always possible to steal something from someone ignorant or desperate. I'm sure someone can say they bought a perfect Rolex submariner for $1000 too. That doesn't define a market. And anyone ready to prove me wrong on the Rolex... I'll take the first certified real submariner you can show me at a grand
Mark... You're right... That's a poor color. Since you bought for 17k you should sell it to the OP, since he likes it, for 14k and get a much better color like grey
Arena was my first choice. I was really fortunate to find the color and condition for a VERY attractive price. It prolly should have been a $20K car.
Lastemplar - your car is out there for your price. You may just have to look for a while. I wasn't really looking and wasn't ready, but the deal came available and I couldn't turn it down. Good luck!
I always preferred blondes, but I am with a brunette right now.
I wanted a black or silver porsche...but ended up with Polar Silver one.
Both objects are very beautiful.
The best color is the one you own the least desirable on is the one that got away
Mine is silver and was the one that had the most boxes checked. i love it but if I had a choice the yellow, white and red are hard to beat. Black is impossible to keep clean.
Mine is speed yellow and attracts a hell of a lot of attention. I've had young kids come over and ask if the could snap pics, I've also had gen X and Y snapping pics on their IPhone as I blow by them on the highway...always a head turner. I like it the more i am with it.
PS, F... You KK...
If I did the correct research and read the option code correctly, mine is Pine Green Metallic.... Maybe the least sought after all I haven't seen anyone say they wanted it, but I absolutely love it. The interior color is like a light caramel (don't know correct terminology) and I think its a sweet combo.
