2003 911 C4S - Opinion on Value?

[bdblair]

Hi all,

 

I am new to the forum and the Porsche community! I am currently in the market for a 996 911 C4S.

 

I located an EXTREMELY clean C4S with the following options and specs. Because I am new to the community, I am not exactly sure what it is worth. It seems there is a large discrepency between one comparable car to another on eBay (sold listings).

 

2003 911 C4S

•75,XXX miles

•Manual transmission

•Little to no cosmetic or mechanical flaws - interior and paint look brand new

•All services up to date (IMS issue not resolved...)

 

•Carrera White Exterior

•Natural Brown Leather Interior

 

Options:

 

XPA - Thicker Steering Wheel

XE8 - Dark Burr Maple Gear Lever

XE9 - "                                 " Hand Break

X45 - Colored Instrument Dials

X99 - Natural Leather Interior

288 - Headlamp Washer

446 - Wheel Caps With Colored Porsche Crest

680 - Bose Sound

 

Opinion on value?

 

Thanks everyone for you time,

 

BB

[JFP in PA]

Hi all,

 

I am new to the forum and the Porsche community! I am currently in the market for a 996 911 C4S.

 

I located an EXTREMELY clean C4S with the following options and specs. Because I am new to the community, I am not exactly sure what it is worth. It seems there is a large discrepency between one comparable car to another on eBay (sold listings).

 

2003 911 C4S

•75,XXX miles

•Manual transmission

•Little to no cosmetic or mechanical flaws - interior and paint look brand new

•All services up to date (IMS issue not resolved...)

 

•Carrera White Exterior

•Natural Brown Leather Interior

 

Options:

 

XPA - Thicker Steering Wheel

XE8 - Dark Burr Maple Gear Lever

XE9 - "                                 " Hand Break

X45 - Colored Instrument Dials

X99 - Natural Leather Interior

288 - Headlamp Washer

446 - Wheel Caps With Colored Porsche Crest

680 - Bose Sound

 

Opinion on value?

 

Thanks everyone for you time,

 

BB

 

 

First, welcome to RennTech :welcome:

 

As for the value of the car, what a car is worth is what someone else is willing to pay for it.  That said, when considering buying a Porsche, you need to shop around to get a feel for the realistic sale prices of the model you are looking at.  There are also several online services that will give you some idea of pricing in your area. 

 

Some sellers would like to think that a 15 year old Boxster with 75K miles on it is worth $25K because it is clean and they took care of it; I can assure you it is not.  Secondly, once you find one in your price range, it is imperative that you have an independent Porsche specialist of your choosing do a complete pre purchase inspection on the car.  While a good PPI can run several hundred dollars, the money is well spent as the inspection will reveal any pending issues that will need attention, giving you considerable negotiations leverage on the final price.

 

Good luck in your search.

[bdblair]

Thank you JFP,

 

I will definitely hire a PPI when I see the vehicle.

 

Any opinion on the dollar amount? It seems they are selling between 25-31k on eBay.

[mdragon]

What is the difference between the 2003 996 C4S and the 2003 996 C4, regardless of the options?

 

Thanks!

 

Julie

[mdragon]

Wikipedia says: Width C4S = 72.0" vs C4 = 69.7" (2002-2002), Height C4S = 51.0" vs C4 51.4", Length C4S = 174.6" vs C4 = 174.5", Speed C4S = 5.0s & 174mph vs C4 = 4.9s & 178mph, Curb Weight = 2,904 lb. same for both. 

 

Were there different exterior/interior colors/packages available? 

 

Were there less C4S' produced, making them more valuable?

 

Anything else?

 

I didn't see the individual specs for the C4 and C4s.

 

Just curious...

[JFP in PA]

Thank you JFP,

 

I will definitely hire a PPI when I see the vehicle.

 

Any opinion on the dollar amount? It seems they are selling between 25-31k on eBay.

 

Pricing on these cars varies with climate and geography, so you would need to do some research in the area in which you live to get an idea of how they are priced. 

[bdblair]

Thanks, the car is located in California.

 

Julie, the C4S share the same body (width) and suspension components as the turbo of the same year. Also, the C4S has a different front bumper and other small cosmetic upgrades. The 3.6 liter was unchanged.

 

Not sure if any options varied between the C4 and C4S. I am also unaware of production numbers...

 

Best,

 

BB

[Loren]

Excellence Magazine has a very good Porsche Buyers Guide that you can purchase from them for $14.95 printed or $4.95 download. You can get it here.

Beside specs,problem areas, and driving impressions it will include the latest market values.

[bdblair]

Thanks Loren, will check it out!

[Jkienzle]

I just purchased 2003 C4S very clean all records .Wife loved at first sight and had to have .Sacramento area looked for about 9 months.For low 20k

[JasonStern]

If you're looking for a C4S, I'd consider also looking for a 996TT. In many cases, the price difference between the two is surprisingly not that large. And for the difference, you get a more reliable motor with a higher chance of appreciating over time. Something to think about, at least.

[rbrindley1]

JasonStern makes a great point. The 996TT is based on the GT1 engine, therefore, it and the 996 GT3 do not have the IMS issue of the M96/97 engines. The price point for what you get really makes these a great buy.

[sunshine911]

I think it's somewhat relative. I just bought a 2004 C4S speed yellow with 26k miles for $38,400. I wasn't thrilled about the price, but the car was flawless and the miles were low. I thought- I can look forever and maybe find another car cheaper, or just save the energy and buy this one. Nonetheless, sellers were asking between $35-$40k with similar miles, so maybe it's about right. You can always look at KBB for a value as well.