57 replies to this topic

[Grandpa#3]

Kim, I hope you had a successful sale on your car. The only time I have ever bought a car, never seen at a stated price was buying thru the AAFEX System from overseas. I was coming back from Italy and picked the car up in Dover, Del. I am an old (72) horse trader and like to haggle for a price as it is all part of the game. Car buying is the same thing when buying from a Dealer "Stealer". An Owner knows his car and what it is worth, BUT a buyer wants to haggle over the price. Seller should list price where there is haggle room to make the buyer feel he/she got a good deal. It is all a mind game.

Cheers,
Larry

[tamathumper]

Kim, for what it's worth, I think your prices are very low - especially compared to all the cars I looked at during my shopping period of several years. I also agree with Flash that the mileage figures help people in the U.S. to understand where it's at - 49K is not a lot of miles! I'm even one of the few people on the board who has a built-in excuse to travel up your way on occasion as my family still lives in DownEast Maine.

But with that being said you are correct, I already have a car and I'm all out of garage space.

[968cab]

IMHO, you are probably near a low point in market prices on these cars, but it will take a few years for them to start to turn around. Flash's comments are correct... low mileage will bring better prices as time goes on. I'm a P-car owner for many years, but came around to the water-cooled version just a few years ago. My prior experience shows me that the 20-year mark is pretty close to the low price on market values for P-cars. I looked at 356's in the mid-80's, when people were close to giving them away. Anybody remember the 1976 912? In my mind it was a bastardized 911 with a 4-cylinder and in the 1980's you could get one under $5k, but now it's a hot collector item (why anybody would want an under-powered engine in a 911 is beyond me). I bought early 911's (pre-1974) when they were 20+ years old, and now since they are over 30 years old, they are bringing a very high price, and usually require lots of work.

As they say in the investment industry, 'prior performance is not a reliable indicator of future returns', and with that in mind there are some P-models that have not acquired a following and have not seen an increase in price after the 20-year mark. 924's and 944's come to mind. Hopefully our 968's don't fall into the same category, but there is always the possibility that potential buyers lump them all together.

I think the 20-year mark has a confluence of owner events... original owners probably want to move on; the cars are getting cheap enough that people will acquire the higher mileage vehicles for track and modification; younger buyers will buy them for the P-name without understanding the operating costs; and the deferred maintenance issues just start to pile up to the point where owners realize it can be money pit.

Kim, this won't help you unless you are planning to keep your cars for another 10 years, but just realize that low mileage, well maintained cars will become more rare. For higher mileage cars, drive them and enjoy!

Edited by 968cab, 26 November 2012 - 10:41 AM.

[Blau]

Kim,
If I were you, I would put those cars on eBay. You will get the most exposure of any source, and I've had good luck selling two cars this way and gotten what I've asked for them. Even high mileage cars like your coupe have been able to fetch ~$6500 on there...at least in the US. You only pay an ebay fee of $100 if it sells through the site. As with any sight-unseen purchases - the more information and pictures the better. I'm sure there's somebody out there who would scoop up the coupe for track use for ~$5k no problem.

I know there are a LOT of 968 owners not on the forums, and forum members tend to watch the market and see what things go for. With other sources, you're reaching a broader market that may not be as educated to the history of prices.

Good luck with the sales!

[986boxster1998]

Kim,

Blau is correct eBay will get you great exposure. I've sold 8 Porsches on there over the past few years and it always gets them sold fast; I tried News Paper Ads, Craigslist, Forums, cars.com, and autotrader.com and have always had the best luck with eBay. For the money you are looking out of your cars you should be able to sell them easy; current final value fee would be $125 you could build that into the price.

Good luck, Dan

[Fox944]

Based on experience exporting, selling, and buying cars for the last 9 years......I can say that 95+% of people will low ball as their first offer. Everyone wants a deal and they low ball trying to get that deal. Price high and negotiate down. Meet in the middle. I find that even if you price a car well below the perceived market value, people will still low ball in an attempt to score an amazing deal. I recently sold a motorcycle for 1.5k below market value, and 95% of people who contacted me offered 1.5-2K less then I was asking. The other side of the coin is that many of these low ball offers also come from people looking to buy your vehicle and resell for profit,........many of whom are dealers, wholesalers, and people illegally flipping cars.

Edited by Fox944, 27 November 2012 - 08:43 AM.

[rxter]

I've bought sold more cars than I can count at this point. Never had a problem. I guess I enjoy both the process and the results (cash in my pocket or a new toy). Patience is the key, and honesty (both with yourself and your buyer/seller) is the currency. With both of those you'll buy and sell at close to market prices and the people you deal with will feel that they got a fair deal.

I've had great luck online with autotrader and similar sites, both buying and selling.

[Langley968]

Boy! Did I get myself in some "hot water" tonight because of this topic thread.
My 19 year old daughter has a Miata but has always mentioned she would like to get a P-car. After supper I called her over to the computer and showed her this topic and she was getting all excited when my wife came by and said: "Don't aflict your daughter with the same disease you have! A Porsche is a BAD idea for her."
She's right... but it woudl be SO COOL to have a 19 year old DAUGHTER driving the same model P-car... Well, I guess it will not happen (yet...)

[Rap]

With all due respect, you might mention to your wife that you have a hobby not a disease!! I think your 19 year old would be way coooolllllll in a 968. Imagine the photo ops?

[flash]

pitch it this way: she will be more likely to attract a rich guy in a porsche than in a miata

[Kim]

I have essentially begun to tire of this sport. If they sell they sell, if they don't they rot. I will leave them inside for this winter but, in the spring, they are coming home to stay on my lawn to save me the rent money on the garage. At some point even the Honda crowd will be interested.

You have all offered great ideas but I hate selling cars so much that Ebay would be a nuisance. I work 7 days each week and really haven't a lot of time to keep making myself and the car available to inspections that get cancelled for various (but curiously similar) reasons.

I have Vascular Bastaritus, a disease where anything that makes by blood boil and pressure go up brings out my foul temper. I need to be kept away from the buying public.

[Cloud9...68]

I understand how you feel. I, too, absolutely despise the process of selling cars. I'm too cheap to trade them in, so I subject myself to this torture whenever it's time to move on, which in my case is VERY infrequently (this is a big part of why I can practically count on one hand the number of cars I've owned in my 53 years). But again, in the case of the 968, there seem to be plenty of people looking for them at the moment, so I would think that with just a bit of patience, you should be able to find the right buyer. Hang in there, and good luck.

Edited by Cloud9...68, 28 November 2012 - 03:56 PM.

[rxter]

I have Vascular Bastaritus

Awesome!

[hot968]

YUP! you guys get it! Every time I work on this car even though it looks a mess I LOVE this soul and she is fast to

[Langley968]

Kim,

Maybe you need a vacation in BC!
You could drive out here... it's only ~ 5800 kms (for you Americans, that's ~ 3600 miles!) and then I could take the coupe off your hands and use it as my D.D. My daughter could buy my SAAB and then we can "switch" cars... for the day, the week, the month, heck... for good!
There you go "mom" (wife), we'll just be sneaky!

Sorry Kim, I'm just trying to have some fun on a gloomy, dreary, rainy BC winter day

[Rap]

Perhaps you could donate it to a suitable charity. Certainly this might help your blood pressure and help keep that temper on check!

[Scott Collins]

Hey Kim,

is your condition, Vascular Bastaritus, anything like Optical Rectalitis? I hope not. Lots of NJ drivers have it, and there is
no cure.

Good luck selling the cars, I know you have definitely cared for them well.

-Scott

[DaveN]

Maybe you could drive out here, drop a coupe off at Langleys and leave cab for me?
Gloomy Jake? I'm stuck in Terrace and have to drive 1700 km home this weekend! Now that's gloomy.

[Kim]

Well, maybe. Then again, maybe not. Wait, i've made my decision. The answer is "maybe". But I bought 4 new tires today for the 911 with the money that "maybe" I will get from this sale.

Edited by Kim, 30 November 2012 - 05:05 PM.

[Fox944]

A cab with 67K miles ran through the auction today, brought in 10.8K. I can run yours through on consignment, but it would require you to ship it to New York and I can't garuntee what it will bring. But with 45K......should be decent.