What's a fair price for this '01 aero you think?

Silver 17K miles Excellent shape and no warranty Decent list of options including full leather and aerokit minus the rear strakes Manual West Coast car He's asking $51K which I think is way too high considering what I've seen in the past. I'm thinking $44K

I just purchased a 2000, 21k miles, full aero, mint condition in Charlotte, NC from a private owner for $42000. I felt the fair price was closer to $40000 but I did not want to look any longer.

I just picked up a few months ago a perfect 2001 Aero loaded with 31K miles for $44k. Good luck

So you are thinking about buying now? Or are you testing the waters again?

So it sounds like my rennlist derived 911 aero pricing instincts are spot-on! haha Vove, good question. Would love to get your input and of course the input of the other esteemed rennlisters as well. I'm currently sitting on 2004 M3 that I've spent about $10K or so in additional mods. 19" BBS LMs and TC Kline coilovers. Exhaust. Just the basic stuff that costs quite a bit up front, but are just must-haves on any car for me. I like the M3 for what it is. It's a great GT type coupe with space and comfort. It's covered under factory warranty thru August 2008. 18K miles. MINT. So peace of mind there. supremely reliable so far. no issues. in fact here's a pic for kicks: But ultimately, it's not a sports car. the 996 even if it is not the Carrera S with 3.8 liters and all the new stuff... it's still a 911 and I've always loved the look of the 996 '99-'01s with the aero. to me, it's the best looking 911 iteration and lines up right next to a 997 S aero just as well. i actually like the egg shaped lights. i was looking around earlier this year for a nice aero 996, but just couldn't come up with one that i'd be happyw ith. i'm on the fence right now. i love the way the M3 looks, but i love the 911 as well... the sounds, the steering, the braking.... it's the better driver's car. The M3 has won many more accolades than the 996 carrera, but again, it's not a 911. the engine's up front. it's quiet. it doesn't have that flashy taco wing in the back. if i can get the dude to come to grips with 996 pricing and get it for $44K, i'd seriously give it attn. however, anything above, i'd much rather have the M3. thoughts?

Benjamin: BTW, did you go to Cal?

Considering what I recently paid...and what I typically saw for price adjustments between years I personally would probably pay up to $46K for the '01 you just described...esp with only 17K miles. The hard part is if they're starting at $51K..unless it's a dealer it's going to be a frustrating battle trying to talk them down that much. I say keep the M3 and get a 996! Andy

Benjamin, I would pass since you can find a lot of 996's now on the market with the options you want for a lower price. Keep looking if the seller won't budge on the price, you will eventually run into the one that you want. Nice M, BTW.

Tough desision. M-cars are awsome!!! Buy the one you think you fit into and will feel better driving. For me, its a C4S. I think the M's are starting to look a little played. Especially now that a new, TOTALL different one is coming out. 996's still have the mistique, M's don't anymore, IMO. One think the M has that the 996 does'nt is more room in the back and interior fit-finsih.

audi, your comments are always welcomed. $46K is just too high for this car. I almost bought a rennlisters '00 996 with aero and a few more goodies attached o it for $43K with similar miles and i passed on that puppy back in March timeframe vove, we'll see how it goes. yea it'll be a very simple negotiating process should i decide to move to 911 carrera land. $44K, take it or leave it. else M3 for a few more yrs.

Glad you ended up with a nice C4S you love, man. I disagree to some extent. The E46 M3 i liken to the 993 S cars. the look is going to be classic, pre-flame bangle styling. it's got the flares so ver pronounced, it'll have the best version of the I-6. i recently saw a black M3 slammed on 19s on the freeway and dude, this car looks so WIDE and mean with nice wheels it's insane. one of the best looking coupes on the road today bar none. one can always say this car is played out or is no good whatever. i can say to you the 996 is the bastard child of the 911 lineup and that the C4S is the slowest, porkiest pig of them. in some ways true, but in many ways.... being WAY too nit picky. u know what i'm saying? because u and i both well know the C4S is a fantastic car no matter how heavy it is just as the m3 is a car that's won many more accolades in the press and was selling at MSRP for all its six years on the market. it's a tough decision. i think i may well end up waiting and going for the 911 series i really want.. the ones with the GT1 engine in the back.

I honestly don't think anything over $40K. Realistically probably $38-39K. Then again how something is valued is often times in the eye of the beholder...

Ben, sent you a PM.

You have a very sweet ride and with patience can get a much better deal. For the $$ that seller is talking, you should be able to get into an '02 or newer, as long as it's not a cab. I have owned BMW's and Porsches. I love them both but do love the Porsche more, but that's a damn good looking M3 and I'm sure is a blast to drive, so take your time...

Of course value questions are asked each day and realistically they are impossible to answer with any certitude. Factors like condition of the car, number of miles, CPO, geography and options will signiificantly impact the car's price. Also, some Dealers try to move their cars quickly while others seem content to hold onto their cars for many months until they find a buyer who's willing to pay their premium asking price. There are two Porshe Dealers near me, and one moves his cars quickly while the other is willing to hold until he gets the premium price. My experience is that you are wasting your time negotiating with a premium price Dealer, regardless of the merit of your position. Their position is that if you can buy it cheaper elsewhere, then go for it. As arrogant as this position may seem, the Dealer that has it near me has been at that location for over 30 years and has recently expanded and modernized his Porsche showroom and service facilities, so I guess he's doing something right.

blackcab, thx. i'm definitely not in any hurry. fast1, i try to avoid the dealer as much as possible when buying used. i have a couple of leads already, but the pricing is too high for where the market is at for aero 996s. i think low $40s is fair ($40-43K) for an '01 aero with 20K miles or so in mint shape.

Benjamin Choi - The only way that I would buy a used Porsche is if it's a CPO car. Granted that you will pay a lot more for a CPO car than one you buy privately, but I'm willing to pay extra for the peace of mind. As I stated in a prior post, it's possible to get a good CPO car from the Dealer at a reasonable price, as long as you have the patience to search.

Ben, How can you say my car's not worth $40K, and then be willing to pay $44K for this one???

hey dp, sorry if i am contradicting myself and if I am I will own up and apologize. can you refresh my memory? Cheers, ben

totally. but even w/ the CPO, i also don't like not knowing the history of the car. mystery. i don't like. a rennlist car at least you know that it's been loved and cared for (generally speaking). i got two solid leads via this post already on two quality aeros for example and the owners sound like honest people. but of course, business is business so you treat it like so

And you're totally off the idea of buying a car and then having an aerokit fitted later through an aftermarket supplier?

yea my ideal car is all that stuff is listed from stuttgart, installed there and painted there. i actually like the Ruf aerokit, but not enough to want to spend thousands more whereas the factory aerokit looks a bit cleaner (without all that chicken mesh stuff up front) and it's already taken the depreciation hit along with the car. i just love that taco wing, side skirt, rear skirt, and that front bumper. you guys ever see that white GT3 vid in japanese drifting in the backroads of japan slammed on 19" BBS LMs? Beauty!

So that video sealed the deal for you on the MKI aero look. That was art in motion.

Yes sir. It looks so spot-on it's not even funny. If I do decide to trade the M3 in on an aero 996, I'd add the 19" LMs or maybe a set of Fikse Profil 10s nice and wide, lower it on a set of KW3s, add an aftermarket exhaust, and call it a 911 day. The E46 M3 has the pitbull stance. 19" wheels and lowered like I have... i rarely get a chance to see my car rollin.... i saw a black one on a lowered stance with 19s the other day on the freeway and i was in awe. i had to slow down to gawk at it and i would've done it even if i didn't own an M3. what proper offset 19s do for both the 911 and M3 and X car is that it sets the wheels out wider since when you lower on stock wheels due to suspension geometry, the wheels go inset kinda like on RVs. By pushing the wheels out wide and hopefully width/offset setup correctly so it doesn't rub... it's like automotive nirvana. that M3 looked so flared out wide and aggressive i was mesmerized. i rarely get like this. a ferrari F430 could pass by and i'd give it one look and be like bleh whatever there goes another stock one. a white MKI would be awesome, but that's narrowing the field waaaaay too much. sorry for the drivel.

Here's the vid that sealed the deal for me on the MKI that vove and i were trading notes on: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lOehPKsbVaU PS - just watched that vid again.....man i need to sell the M3

Ben - here's my car for sale: www.dp35.com After reading your recent posts, it sounds like you're a big fan of the "taco" wing. I'm not, which is why its not on my car. To each his own.

i apologize if i sounded harsh in your asking price for the car. i think $40K is high, though, but i hope you get full asking price and that's definitely possible. but given the soft market for the 996 carreras, i think it's going to be tough. not many people know or care about the "rennlist" touch which your car obviously has. i like the taco wing because that's the full kit by porsche. aerodynamically it's been tested together and i wouldn't want an aero car that's bits and pieces of the kit esp the expensive bit which is the rear spoiler. go big or go home type mentality with me. i wish more 911 owners were you like you, honestly. i hope it goes to a good home.