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While getting more and more rare, “new” classic Porsches still exist. Call them “time-capsules”, call them “museum pieces”, call them whatever you want, it is still possible to buy a 20, 30, 40 even 50 year old Porsche with extremely low mileage; some with fewer miles on them then you might drive in your daily commute.
Porsches are made to be enjoyed. And in our opinion to enjoy a Porsche properly, they should be driven and driven hard. However, there are certain Porsches that you can almost (big emphasis on almost) understand why people don’t drive them. Porsches like this 2005 Carrera GT for sale that was most likely purchased as an “investment” and/or by someone with so many other cars they simply didn’t have the time to drive it (oh the burdens that some have to bear). But these super rare, limited production, high priced Porsches are not what we’re talking about.
Low Mileage Classic Porsches
It seem like almost every week now we hear about another Porsche for sale with unbelievable low mileage. A 1989 Porsche 911 C4 with 101 miles; a 1973 Porsche 911T with 735 miles, a 1998 Porsche 993 Carrera S with 3475 miles; a 1989 Porsche 930 with 1935 miles, the list goes on and on.
Where do these super low mileage Porsche keep coming from? The cars listed above are not someones lucky barn find. Rather each of these cars, and others like them, were kept by the original owner(s) in this “like new condition” intentionally. How do they do it? Our own small collection of Porsches (a 1973 911 and a 1997 993 C4S) gets as much use as the New England weather and time allows. We simply can’t imagine not driving these cars.
So what about you? Do any of you have a super low mileage Porsche in your collection? If so, we want to know. More importantly, we want to know how you can pass your Porsche in the garage and not hear the call of the road just pulling your toward your Porsche and a drive?
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Great post! Here in the UK there’s a 964 Carrera 4 with 75 miles on the clock up for sale. We’re doing a feature on it in the next issue of Total 911 (www.total911.com).
The big question is – if you bought one, would you drive it or store it??
Phil
You’ve got no choice, you’d have to store it. Otherwise the extra cash you no doubt gave to obtain this low mileage car will have been for nothing.
Personally, I’d rather have a car I can use with a few stone chips on the paint rather than have a butterfly in a collection that never moves.
While not quite the low mileage cars you mentioned mine is a 2006 Boxster with 6,200 miles. It wasn’t bought to be a daily driver. It was bought as a nice weather treat. I don’t enjoy cleaning my cars as much as I once did so driving it as I do I don’t need to wash and wax it as often as I used to and it’s perfectly clean every time I take it out. Some people say, “Oh but a car is made to be driven” and of course that’s true. But a car means different things to different people. I not only see a car as a means of transportation but I look at them as works of art (which they are to their designers). Some people easily spend what I did on paintings that hang in their living rooms which they go into and admire every now and then (my living room included). My art is in the garage which I walk thru several times a day and admire each and every time I go in there. So I say use it as you will and your getting your moneys worth.
Take that argument to its logical conclusion, if you spent £80k on a brand new Porsche with zero miles, would you never drive it?
@Phil,
That is THE question! Tough call. We wrote about a few 928 GTSs that recently sold for top, top $$$$. Same question. You spend all this money on an “as new” example and if you enjoy it, the value goes out the window.
From talking to a few of the people that buy these super low-mileage beauties, most are buying as collectors. Some think of them as investements, but most just love the marque, have enough money to enjoy it the way they want to and preserve certain models for themselves and others to enjoy.
As Marc M said above, our Porsches mean different things to each one of. How many stories have we all read of people hanging a Porsche on their wall as a work of art, or putting one in a living room. Look at the Porsche museum and the coming show in Atlanta.
We figure, if you have the money to purchase one of these and have the willpower not to drive it, then more power to you.
I know. I know. (hand up in the air).
They have such ridiculous asking prices, they just sit in showrooms gathering dust.
We were just communicating with Randall above via email, but thoughtbwe would share our answer to his comment(s) above with everyone.
Randall, we [generally] think the same way as you do, it’s way too much money for these cars. However, every time we say it, these dealers (and others like them) go and prove us wrong. The good new is, it’s good for the values of our cars.
Oh, heck yeah, it will sell. And remain a low mileage garage queen that somebody looks at every once in awhile, shows off in a July 4 parade, and it is never enjoyed. I am like you. Drive ‘em. Fix ‘em, drive some more. I don’t really get the “collector” mentality. Very, very, very few cars, bikes, etc will appreciate. Those that have the $$$ to buy them in the first place don’t need investments. Just recognition.
Give me the wind in my hair and bugs on my helmet visor.
Agreed. You’re right, most cars won’t appreciate. However, there are some (very few) that do act as a hedge against inflation). In addition, certain Porsches, even those that are driven hard, still represent a strong value in the way of less depreciation.
We’re at a point now where we are considering selling our 993 C4S because it still has significant value due to condition, options and low mileage. We’re familiar enough with these cars now that we think we could possibly sell it, buy something in similar condition but with higher miles, drive the hell out of it and pocket five figures while doing so. Right now it’s a pretty tough decision.
I put under 200 miles a year on my 964. I concours it, so I keep the miles off to limit the time I need to clean up after driving. My most enjoyable PCA events are concours competitions and at this point, the car is at a state where getting caught in the rain would erase years of work. I have other Porsches to drive.
However, isn’t it O.K. to have some low mileage, original cars around yet as reference points as to how these cars were when new? Must we continually write articles and internet web site post posts that criticize these owners that don’t drive their cars with the phrase “Porsches were made to be driven” so why aren’t you out driving your car? Do we need to drive each and every Porsche into the ground until there are none left?
As a low mileage Porsche owner, I would never tell a fellow Porsche owner that tracks their car that they should keep it in the garage instead of thrashing it around a race track. So, shouldn’t we treat the owners of the low mileage, non driven cars with the same respect?
Last June I purchased a 2001 Boxster S with just 1,531 miles on it. It had never been taken out on the freeway nor seen any moisture other than a wash. The owner spent his time adding factory upgrades to what was a $62,000 delivered car. In all, he spent a total of about $78,000 for the pleasure of adding upgrades that interested him. That was his enjoyment. Now it is my enjoyment and has almost 7,000 miles on it with the driving year just starting.
Cheers!
@Jay,
Very well said and the exact reason for writing this post. We wanted other peoples opinions and were hoping to reach people such as yourself. You accurately, and correctly, point out that there is a whole other way of getting pleasure from your Porsche, a way that quite a few (including us) may overlook.
There is absolutely nothing wrong with doing as you described. And, unless we missed something no one was treating anyone with disrespect (nor should they) for enjoying their Porsche the way they want to.
@Al, we’ve recently become big fans of the Boxster (after having spent a couple thousand miles with one on the PCH) and hope you enjoy the heck our yours!!!
@933C4s
Had the pleasure of reading about your PCH experience today. Wish my wife felt the same love for long trips in the Boxster. She much prefers the ride in ON an Acadia. My love would be a “Route 66″ sans Corvette. A PCH trip is planned this Spring but of a shorter nature.
I thought my 1995 993 with nearly 49K miles was low. Geez, I can’t imagine not driving my car. I’ve autocrossed and tracked my car and it has been an absolute joy. In addition, I think it’s made me a better driver since I know what it’s like to take my car to the edge. While far from a “rare” car, my 993 C4 is a bit unique with it’s custom paint – it was ordered with Ferrari Fly Yellow, which I love. But, cars are meant to be driven, so drive on!
I have a 1992 964RS with 22.400Km on the clock. From 92-96 I used it as a daily driver, since then it is stored in my garage. Every 2 years it gets a service at the factory in Zuffenhausen and that is the only time it is driven.
I planing to keep it for my 8 year son – wish my father would have thougt like that with his 356/911s.
Good comments from all. I say to each his own! I am a relatively new proud Porsche owner (first one was a 2003 Boxter S, now an ’06 997 Cab occupies that garage space). Both cars were daily drivers until my retirement. I would not have it any other way. I have a couple other toys which I really enjoy, but not like the 997. Count me with the “drive ‘em if you’ve got ‘em” crowd.
I can appreciate a low mileage “time capsule” Porsche especially as a potential concours car. However, I have two concerns for low mileage cars in general: 1) If the car is going to be driven after a long storage all of the “soft bits” i.e., hoses, gaskets, belts, etc., will need replacement. This could be a costly replacement, 2) I’ve owned a 928S and a 911 Carrera both of 80′s vintage. In both cases the odometers on these cars broke at just over 100K miles. On 911′s in particular the odometer of any 80′s era or earlier car is extrememly easy to access and potentially “roll back” by an unethical owner. While it would be difficult to disguise a high mileage car as a genuine time capsule I nevertheless feel the premium attached to these low mileage cars is somewhat misplaced.
I own a 1989 Porsche Speedster with only 500 miles …. purchased from a collection 5 years ago. Their is a joy at being the caretaker of such a time capsule car, showing at various concours – but you can’t drive it, even in local rallys and events, without putting on the mileage and losing big value. So you have to be happy with it as a trophy on the shelf rather than a toy you can play with.
For me, I have a 356 Speedster that I can show, and also drive hard, so don’t miss putting the miles on the 89.
Interesting enough to write and add to the list of special low mile porsche’s. Our 2004 40th anniversary 911 number 956 out of 1964 built has 9,130 miles we love it and plan on driving it and remaining the owner.. drive hard & fast.LOL !!
My cars are certainly in the driver category. However, although I personally would not buy a new car and not drive it, I think it is great that – for whatever reason – these pristine cars exist. These are not limited edition cars but production cars, and it does interest me to see one in brand new condition. There is a point at which it is a shame to start using what has become, simply by nonuse, a rare example. They do become reference points for the marque.
My ’88 Carerra has just over 50k miles on it. Super low milage? No. Low milage? Nah – not really. Kinda low milage – yeah, I suppose. And I like it like that. It’s a commemorative/limited edition coupe – so special paint, wheels, tail, interior. But it’s still a blast to drive. And at 22 years old, 50 k miles is really actually quite low. Not unusual to see examples of this vintage up for sale with 100k+ on them – and still going strong.
So I’m aiming for best of both worlds – keeping it in good shape with low enough miles to be considered investment grade. But enjoying a nice sunny day run with the PCA up in the wine country (and the odd Auto-X event, too), or an afternoon run down the PCH that puts a smile on my face – and to me that’s what owning my Porsche is all about. If I had more money would I buy another one that I would feel good about as a daily driver, rain or shine? Absolutely. Until that day comes I’m happy with my Saturday car.
While I understand the owners of pristine Cars-as-Art, I am a driver. I don’t, however, buy low mileage cars then drive them hard. I look for the model I like with 30k to 50 k miles and buy them for half price (If I am lucky). I presently have an 85 944 that I drove for several years and am going to track. I also have a 04 Boxster S that is my present fun car – I do drive it fast! It was 4 years old with 40,000 miles when I bought it, so the price was reasonable, and I have no pangs going around country roads hard.
Mike
Rural Virginia
I have a 1994 Guards Red 968 Coupe with 13,000 miles on it. Reason for the 800 mile per year average is because I do drive the car to local PCA events in Hershey, PA plus I drive it each month even during the winter (when roads are decent). You have to keep those engine seals, and your air conditioner seals in good shape. Otherwise, you have a Garage Queen with lots of future repair problems.
Some interesting comments here.
Going back to our 75-mile 964 in the UK, apparently there was a lot of interest in the car from Japan and Hong Kong, even at £80,000. It appears to have sold now. I didn’t see it myself, but apparently it was astonishing. It even had the original dealer’s paper floor mats with Porsche logos on!
Look out for a feature in Total 911.
Cheers
Phil
Oh, and going back to your original Carrera GT – I had a 911 press car delivered today and the driver just happened to have a GT in the truck – he was taking back to Porsche GB for a service. He said most don’t do more than about 700 miles a year, tops. He does, though, know one guy who uses his almost every day – now that’s cool!
Phil
I was shopping for a 2004 40th Anniversary Edition 911, and there were 4 in the area. There was one with 8500 miles, another with 17,000, yet another with 17,000 and the one I eventually bought had 12,000 miles on it. I picked that one because it was similar in price to the other cars, yet it was from the dealer and was CPO for 2 years. Since then (purchased in June 2009) I now have 16,600 miles on it.
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