968 - Cab v Coupe

[WilkoRR]

Hi,

apologies if this has already been covered but I've searched and found nothing close! Having recently sold my Defender for a profit despite completing 15k in two years, it got me to thinking that there's a better way to buy cars than simply handing over the folding stuff for a shiny new car that depreciates like the proverbial and as bank rates are so dire, my man maths has proven that 'investing' in a classic is the better way to spend money.

On that basis, I've recently bought a Rover P6 which I'm intent on restoring but having gone the rounds with the wife's car she's decided that she'd like a 968, ideally a Cabriolet but I'm leaning towards the Coupe so my questions are:

* Have these cars fully depreciated yet or is there more to go and, if so, how much until they reach the floor?
* Will the Cabriolet hold its value better, or vice versa?
* I'm discounting the CS as it will be impossible to explain to her why she's paying more, for less if you see what I mean?
* I'm struggling to find vehicles for sale with A/C, which seem odd or isn't it a popular option?

Whilst it won't be a 'high days and holidays' type of car, it needs to be smart enough to fit in at the company car park due to car allowance issues, whilst being reliable enough to cover 5k business miles per annum mostly during decent weather, but equally look after her during inclement UK weather.

Any other pointers would be appreciated so thanks in advance for your help.

Cheers, Jason.

 

[Chrishazle]

Coupe is far more practical - it's amazing what you can fit in the back. We did full Tesco runs in ours, as well as a camping trip to Le Mans - but cabriolet luggage space is far more restricted.

Cabriolet is lovely when the sun shines and the roof is down. However, get on the main road or motorway, roof up, and it's noticably more noisy and far less relaxing than the coupe. Obviously a cab has scuttle shake, which the coupe does not. Also roof up the cab has a major blind spot both rear quarters that takes some getting used to, especially at junctions.

We find the leather sports seats in our cab more supportive and comfortable than the comfort seats we had in the coupe.

You can find both coupes and cabriolets with A/C, but they're not that common. Having said that, if you look at the DVLA figures, there's only about 150 cabs left in UK!

You should try to test a tiptronic as well as a manual, especially if it's for your wife. The tip in manual mode is a clutchless manual, admittedly only 4 speed rather than 6, but the left leg benefits, and when the traffic gets painful you can knock it into full auto and relax! The tip box is very clever, won't let you do anything stupid! Full auto also changes maps depending on how you drive - get leary and I believe it will red line before changing, go for a Sunday dawdle and it changes up at 2k rpm - I think it has 5 or 6 different maps.

Well documented history is everything. Cam and balance belts every 5 or 6 years / 60k miles (some now do it more often as the cars age). Brake calipers are prone to plate lift and need refurb. Lots of other little quirks - you'll probably find more info on porsche968uk than on here, the 968 forum is a bit quiet on PCGB.

Wheel size makes a difference to the ride. Porsche offered only 16 and 17", obviously the 17's give a more "precise" drive but are also firmer. I've driven a cab on 18's and did not like it at all, although others do. I suspect you'd be better with 16's (which my coupe had and my cab has). I've not driven either on 17's so cannot fully compare.

Look at either enthusiasts cars (eg on here or 968uk) or specialist dealers, be extra careful of cars at non-specialist dealers.

That'll do for now - good luck, 968 it a lovely car, my wife drove the coupe a lot and loved it, she's driven the cab a little - but it's MY toy!!

 

[WilkoRR]

Many thanks for that information. Any thoughts on depreciation?

 

[Lowtimer]

Based on the very similar 944S2 then the bottom of the depreciation curve for a fully fit, well maintained and cosmetically tidy 968 coupe is probably around £3,000.

 

[paulf968]

fully fit, well maintained and cosmetically tidy 968 coupe is probably around £3,000.

I think you might be a bit light there, a 968 in that sort of condition is worth every penny of £5000 and more if it has done appreciably less than 150k ... and I expect that it will not fall to 944 levels because there are so few 968's around.

 

[Mr968]

well maintained and cosmetically tidy 968 coupe is probably around £3,000.

I'd concur with Paul on that, well maintained and cosmetically tidy a 968 would have to be very high mileage or be an insurance write off to be that low.

 

[Lowtimer]

ORIGINAL: Mr968

well maintained and cosmetically tidy 968 coupe is probably around £3,000.

I'd concur with Paul on that, well maintained and cosmetically tidy a 968 would have to be very high mileage or be an insurance write off to be that low.

Right now today, yes, but the original poster's question was what people thought the bottom of the depreciation curve would be, i.e. in the future, not today.

If you think they've stopped depreciating, you're of course entitled to that view and you may be right. I remember when everyone thought the 944S2 had stopped depreciating at £5k. Personally I think the 968 Coupe and Cab are close to the bottom, but not quite there yet. True, the 968 is few in number, but so are the potential buyers, particularly outside the circles of long-term Porsche enthusiasts. These cars do suffer price pressure from Boxsters, even 987 Boxsters, changing hands at sub £10K, the 986 well below £4K and even the Cayman now down below £15K.

 

[Mr968]

Based on the very similar 944S2 then the bottom of the depreciation curve for a fully fit, well maintained and cosmetically tidy 968 coupe is probably around £3,000.

You based your POV on a 944S2. Similar(also similar to 951) but not the same when it comes to buying and selling, even within 968 models the valuations are not the same.

 

[Lowtimer]

True, and I am talking about the standard Coupe, not any of the other models.

 

[Chrishazle]

You won't find a good low mileage coupe at £3k - I sold mine last July for considerably more than that, and a quick look on eBay and PH will show that you need to think £7-10k for a car with less than 100k miles and a good history file - and that's private sales, not the inflated prices being asked by some dealers. That very low mileage sport at a dealers in Sussex - he's asking £20k, and £25k for the CS!!

Over 150k miles you can occasionally find a car under £5k, but you need to know your 968's - or get someone really knowledgable like Baz Hart to give the car a thorough once over before buying. As an example, I looked at a nice (on the face of it) tip cab last year, history file was very thin, belts had been done but by a non Porsche specialist garage, water pump had not been done, 100k miles - price would have been OK except that I knew it needed to go to a Porsche specialist for about £1500 of work before I would be happy that mechanicals were in proper shape!

As for where prices will go in future - I think standard coupe and cab prices have just about bottomed out, and IMHO CS (and possibly Sport) prices are artificially inflated at the moment. The valuation I received from PCGB for my cab is considerably more than I paid for it (and was accepted by my insurers), so I guess others also think prices may well increase in future!

 

[Mr968]

One example would be Ken our new RS, from his write ups I get the impression he thought he was getting a low priced but good example, then ended up spending thousands to make it what it should have been(and beyond).

 

[235tonyw]

Hi WilkoRR, I've read all the replies to your thread so I thought I'd add mine as I've only just recently purchased a 968cab with 95k miles in pretty mint condition! Private sale from porsche club member £5,995 it needed a 12k service & although belts had only done 8k they were 4 years old so had them changed as part of service total bill £440. I saw another 968 cab up for sale at same time (March 22nd Piston Heads?) as bought ours for £50 less with just over 100k miles!
We have a 944S2 cab (which will be sold now) since Aug 2009 & love it I would suggest let your wife decide coupe or cab if she's driving it? They are both great cars! A/C not that common as was optional extra on what was a relatively expensive car in it's day! As for the pricing look at Piston Heads, Autotrader, Ebay (that's where I found my 944) there a specialist 968 web site based on a parts supplier (google search) that has car classifieds! A good trawl through these sites will give the best indication of values, long term is hard to tell given the current climate & how long it will last in theory 968 cabs with circa only 150 still around should start to appreaciate at some point but I'm not holding my breath! I do think good examples have bottomed out at around £6k but like anything it's what some one is prepared to pay?
Porsche club members & enthusiasts tend to be the best sourch of good cars when selling & private sales are usually best prices!
Good luck with your search if you haven't got one yet they do go well if it's a cab get a wind deflector the Porsche original model is best if you can find one?

regards

 

[Chrishazle]

ORIGINAL: 235tonyw

get a wind deflector the Porsche original model is best if you can find one?

regards

Call your local OPC - they supplied mine no problem at all middle of last year. Part number is P000.043.202.50, cost was £286.25 including PCGB discount and VAT. I looked at other examples, but they seem to need you to cut holes in the side, whereas the Porsche one fits to the existing holes (pull the plastic covers out and keep them in the centre tray!). Fitted mine in about 5 minutes in the car park of Porsche Tonbridge! Makes a world of difference to driving hood down, the hood goes up and down with the wind deflector up, you can fold the top part down to improve rear visibility when driving hood up - just remember to pull it back up before putting the hood down! Only disadvantages of the wind deflector is that it makes access to the rear seats (coats etc) more awkward, and putting the tonneau cover on would be a mission - so I don't bother.

 

[Super_Marv]

ORIGINAL: Chrishazle

ORIGINAL: 235tonyw

get a wind deflector the Porsche original model is best if you can find one?

regards

Call your local OPC - they supplied mine no problem at all middle of last year. Part number is P000.043.202.50, cost was £286.25 including PCGB discount and VAT.

[&:]

Glad I don't own a Cabriolet []

 

[Chrishazle]

ORIGINAL: Super_Marv


Glad I don't own a Cabriolet []

Horses for courses - as you know, I've had both! The coupe, windows down and sunroof panel removed, does a reasonable impression of a convertible - but even on a sunny day round the lanes, it's not quite the same. Conversly, on a mucky day, cabriolet with roof up is nowhere near as nice as coupe. Mine is "Daddy's Toy" - aka bit of a garage queen. Mucky days she stays indoors and herself's "shopping trolley" is used.

 

[DavidL]

I'm inclined to agree with LT regarding the prices.
I believe they will still drop and 3k sounds dreadful but we said that about S2 as well.

As Boxsters and 996s drop still further the extra age is going affect 968s as well as 924/944. The latter however have been down for just that little bit longer already. Hell you can buy a boxster for 5K and a 996 for 8!

Its a shame. We all know how capable these cars are but they will need increasing amounts of work and expenditure and people will perceive the newer cars as a better bet. I doubt they will be right as the newer ones are made to a budget far more than the 90s versions.

Coupe/cab - horses for courses I suppose. The coupes are supremely practical but you can't beat the wind in the hair on the right day.

If you are happy with the running costs then buy well and look after it and it'll be great.

 

[Mr968]

so if a

well maintained and cosmetically tidy

968 is at 3K what price do you reckon on the same 944

 

[DavidL]

ORIGINAL: Mr968

so if a

well maintained and cosmetically tidy

968 is at 3K what price do you reckon on the same 944

Probably about the same for an S2. Turbos a bit more (more options to modify) and 968 CS more again (the market seems to demand it). By the time that happens only the good ones will still be out there or suddenly the world wakes up and we will see changes along the line of E30 M3.
Lets hope so hey.

 

[Mr968]

Probably about the same for an S2

not sure that can be right,
don't think anyone would buy an S2 when an equivalent 968 is available at the same price,
although there is some parts similarity they just aren't the same car

 

[DavidL]

ORIGINAL: Mr968
don't think anyone would buy an S2 when an equivalent 968 is available at the same price,

Logically you're probably right. If for the sake of this we refer to it as an S3 then why buy the older, less powerful one. Actually age will be irrelevent. It is now really. A 93 S3 or and 90 S2, not a lot of difference 20 years later.

Shape is different. Some people will prefer the 944. I know you'll find it hard to believe []

But give or take a few hundred and I don't think there will be that much difference.