Is there demand for 911 (996) Turbo's?

Before I go on I should add that this is my first post since joining the club last month. I'm a self confessed petrol head and in a very fortunate position to own a small and eclectic selection of classic cars, including a Boxster (986) S and a 911 (996) Turbo. I always wanted to own a 911, and took the 911 Turbo in part exchange. Confession time, I love the Boxster and the 911 is now up for sale. When I took the 911 in part exchange I didn't really understand the market, but the seller had it advertised for £48K which seemed a little on the high side compared with similar cars for sale. Having researched that market a little more thoroughly I'm led to believe that 996's have overcome the stigma of being the first water cooled 911's, driven in part by the high price of 993's and the general acceptance that they're a great car (dare I say a better drive than the 993!). Hagerty's, the well respected classic car insurer, highlights 9 cars to buy now in its 2018 Bull Market List, of which the 991 (996) Turbo is one. So you would think buyers would be queuing up to buy a well priced 991 (996) Turbo, with low mileage and a great service history. I first advertised my 911 on Pistonheads, and received one lead from a bogus email address. I then put it on brokerage with a respected dealer who has sold umpteen 996's, but interestingly no Turbo's. Having researched the market, given the car a full service we agreed a price and advertised the car on his website. His website is hosted by Autotrader who provide all sorts of data on who's looking at what cars and it soon became clear from the data that there was little or no interest in the car. So what did we do? We lowered the price, and still no interest? The 911 is now back home and advertised on the clubs website, and at the time of writing there a three other 991 (996) Turbo's for sale with prices ranging from £125K to £40K. Okay the car on at £125K is a very unique colour, but if we take that out of the equation the prices range from £60K-£40K. So based on this small dataset, my car is priced to sell. I accept that the number of buyers for this type of performance sports car is small, but I have had zero interest in the car. I therefore turn to the learned members for any advice on the Porsche marketplace in particular the 991 (996) Turbo market, as I am at a complete loss as to why my car hasn't sold?

Hi chap, As a recent 996 buyer, and life long 911 dreamer, the time for me to have bought any Turbo, was long gone, despite having had the cash back in the day. Based on the current budget I had, the 996 turbos were just that little step to far for me into 911 ownership, plus, I also didnt want to be a cliche statistic and bin my first 911 cos it had too much power. I keep my eye open and as you have mentioned 'unique colour' I have seen yours for sale here. Trouble is, its too high (well, certainly for me) and having seen a 993 turbo for sale at a similar price, my nostalgia would lead me to that, had I a spare £125k+ (was a 993 turbo for sale at sunday scramble a few weeks ago) Your market is also severely narrowed with its colour IMO, as only a few will want it. It is a seriously amazing car, but having seen available 996 Turbos in a more conservative colour, thats where buyers may be headed. I am only new here, and many more people know more than me and may well have a different opinion. Could you maybe link the add here so that people can see it, that may help you more. Mark

Hi Mark, thanks for the prompt and considered reply....just wanted to clear one thing up. My 996 isn't the green one being advertised for a £125K.

Hi Shaun Turbos have come down quite a bit over the past year or so. I gather looking at the adds yours is the silver 46,200 miles one up for £39,950? which my be a little high for a private sale in my eyes especially without a warranty IMHO. If it was a manual I personally think it would be snapped up quick. all I can suggest is to be patient, look at other adds (what one would you buy) to see if you are missing something. your add needs to stand out above the rest to gain interest. As for the one at £125k I cannot explain it, you can get a 997.2 turbo S and £30 k in you pocket for that money. I wish you all the best with the sale. Andy

Hi Andy, great advice....thank you.

Ah, sorry, you mentioned unique colour 125k, and I just assumed. Should have read it properly ! But, I do agree with Andy, in in an ideal world, Id be after a Manual (oh, and a Cab! ) so maybe that is having an impact. Id also want to buy from a specialist too. I discounted private ads after reading more and more on bore score and IMS bearings (IMS not an issue on the turbo i understand). Maybe, if it hasnt been done, you pay for an Independent Specialist check that a buyer may do to give it a prepurchase inspection and ask the garage if theyd happily speak to anyone about the report at a viewing. Cheers and good luck Edit: having now found it, if I was being critical, I'd add more photos, and also maybe add a filter/edit the colour slightly. Its an overcast day and although I like the location (clean background) the other Turbo at 45k 'pops' a bit more with colour and close ups, despite the crowded street.

It's hard to sell a car at that price range privately. People want the reassurance and finance options/px that a dealer will offer. I'd put it on Sale or Return (SOR) with a reputable Porsche specialist like JZM or 911 Virgin. You'll get better luck that way.

Thanks Rodney

Wouldn't have thought your pricing is too far out. There's a big difference between advertising a car for £125 k and selling one for that! If you think the colour makes that much difference a protective wrap would be under £2k.

I agree. I think a rare colour can be a double edged sword. Yes you might find the 1 in 50 buyers who desperately want that car in that colour. However your market is smaller, you might not find that buyer and you'll be waiting a while. Rare colours work best for limited edition run/collector's cars that need the even rarer colour to get that ultra premium price.