Softness In The 996 Turbo Market

These two things remain a constant in the Porsche market: there is always a lower mileage 996 Turbo available, and there is always an X50-optioned 996 Turbo available. But there isn’t always a lower mileage X50-equipped 996 Turbo Coupe 6-Speed like today’s Spotlight car available.

This 28,000-mile 2002 Turbo Coupe is finished in Basalt Black Metallic over Natural Brown Full Leather and came equipped from the factory with Porsche’s $17,700 X51 “Engine Performance Package,” which, thanks to larger turbos and intercoolers, bumped horsepower to 444.

The Turbo presents well with plenty of photographs, including many of the spotless undercarriage. The car has a clean CarFax showing two owners and no accidents, and there is no mention of paintwork or paint meter readings provided in the listing. There are plenty of service records, including a 2019 DME report.

Despite the abundance of 996 Turbos on the market, prices have steadily climbed over the last five years but look to have peaked earlier this year as our average price has dropped a few thousand dollars over the previous several months.

Peaks in pricing are typically held by the few low-mileage X50s we see sell, with recent comps being $101,000 for a 28k-mile example sold in December of last year and $120,000 for a 26k-mile example sold in February. But those sales were before the softness we’ve seen in the market, signaled by this 9k-mile X50 failing to sell at a high bid of $88,000 just two months ago.

Our Spotlight car sold at a high bid of $80,500. If this sale had been earlier this year, I’d say this one was stolen. But in light of recent bids, I’d say this sold just right.

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