Buyers guide in 911 & PW

Laurence Gibbs · Feb 16, 2005

Had a read through this and it makes good reading. Looks as if they did there homework this time. My only gripe is the bit about RS's being had for 20k two or three years ago! What a load of rubbish. I suppose if you count complete recks and ringers into the bargin then yes you might just have got one at that price but ortherwise no chance.
Love the green clubsport in the pics it looks very nice.

RSR · Feb 17, 2005

Hi Laurence. I've not got a copy of the article yet, but am due to get a copy later today. I'm keen to see whats in it also. Peter Morgan did talk to me about cars and we did discuss prices, so this may have come from me. I wont know until I've seen the article. Cars for £20k 2 or 3 years ago is a bit of a stretch, but it is true that in 2000 (about the lowest point) you could buy very very good accident free cars with 40,000 miles for very low 20's.

Even today there are bargains to be had. I know someone on this forum who bought a car from under my nose for £25k. It is a really good straight car with only 30,000 miles. You just have to be in the right place at the right time.

Laurence Gibbs · Feb 17, 2005

Yes don't doubt that "reasonable" higher milage cars could be bought for a shade over 20k in 2000 (just about) but that's five years ago not the two years that they are claiming. Even so cars at that bracket would have to have been hunted out as they would be very few and far between and would have had a dealer snapping at their heels. I would suggest that most RS sold in 2000 changed hands for more like 22-23k with exceptional low mileage cars being around 24-25k, you'd have to admit that's a long way from the 20k tag line. I am not talking about trade price of course. In 2002 prices had moved on and you would have struggled to get anything even in the "reasonable " bracket at much under 25k
And there is always going to be the exception to any rule, 25k today for an undamaged 30k mile car can certainly come under that rule. They are out there but it always seems to be someone else buying them.
Just thought, I should add I am talking about what was availiable in the uk at the time, not what could be bought in Germany. Trying to get ballpark figures for those is a little tricky as you really have to factor in the cost of importing the car in and that can vary depending on your chosen path. There are cheap ways and there are not so cheap but they all effect the end real cost of the car once in the UK and thats the real price you end up paying.

lee fulford · Feb 17, 2005

Those of us that bought our cars around that time are probably good judges of what the situation was.

For example I bought my car in 2000 (but my memory's not good) maybe it was 2001....anyway I did all the usual market research and I bought mine for (what I deemed a resonable price) cica £27k directly from Germany with 17000 miles 2 lady owners if that gives any indication......If not then you can ignore this thread....

Thank you very much.

lee

Mark_Bennett · Feb 17, 2005

I thought the point was that the cars are appreciating, rather than depreciating. So for you lucky owners it can only be a good thing, if anything, the statement stengthens the value of your cars. (And for the likes of me, all hope of owning one dwindles further...[&o]).

It makes a difference to the usual Quentin Wilson-ish "I bought this lovely old Jag for 50p the other day..."

Laurence Gibbs · Feb 17, 2005

From memory the "lull" in prices happened around the end of 99' and into early 2000, once into the summer of that year things moved on and prices rose steadly but not sharply. Around that time I sold my C2 and lost out in the lull on the price I had paid for it 10 months earlier (quite a bit!!) I did gain though on the RS that I bought to replace it as this had dropped in price too.
Most RS owners who have bought from late 2000 onwards have seen there cars increase in value by some amount. Some who paid for the very best cars have probably seen the best increase of all.

chfs911 · Feb 17, 2005

I have receipts for my RS.

1998 £22500 50Kkms
2002 £30000 70Kkms
2004 £31000 85Kkms

Sorry to hear the cars are not worth as much withut the original Mags. My rears are cracked so the car must be only worth 20K now!

Just read it on the plane home from work. Excellent article if long overdue. " Live now, Pay Later"

My wife liked that quote ;O)

Charles

Yoda · Feb 19, 2005

I read the buyers guide and other RS articles with great interest and it is always good to read things that reinforce a purchasing decision. Must admit that I was a little underwhelmed by the writing, seemed to be lots of previously written material although good technical content. Maybe there isn't that much to say about these cars that hasn't already been said. I found the article on Keith Calders RS "drive alike" much more interesting.

On the subject of values, I think this is always going to be a tricky subject but I think the article wasn't a million miles away which makes a nice change.

Good to get some more RS coverage none the less.

hicksj · Mar 4, 2005

Speaking of values.

I bought my first RS in 98 for £26500 (40,000 kms) Sold it (under duress) in 2001 for £21500 (77,000 kms) [&o]

Bought another RS last autumn and had to pay around 40% more than what I sold my last one for, ouch [:-]

I'm certain glad I was back in when I read that article.

Jeremy