While Porsche 911 prices are generally insane, the occasional car like today’s Good price or no dice 996 arrives, perhaps pleading for mental clarity. Let’s see how clear this agreement is.
In the pantheon of Italian car design houses, Zagato is the one that starts with Z. And while that may be the end of the alphabet, a $5,900 price tag did yesterday Lancia Zagato 1982 the start of something big. It was the obvious result of Nice Price’s comments and 66% win of the car.
Lancia was once a major force in rally racing with the marque’s Scuderia Lancia workshop accumulating constructors’ titles in 1972 and constructors’ title in 1974, 1975 and 1976. More titles were won in the following decades and by the 1990s the Lancia Delta had become rallying’s most successful model.
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Porsche is another brand that has competed for those same trophies by pouring cash into special AWD hyper off-roaders. The company’s 959 road car was a homologation of the company’s Group B 953 rally car that competed during the wildest years of this racing class.
Today, Porsche builds the 911 Dakar, a raised and widened special that pays homage to the 953 and, by extension, the 959. The Dakar, however, starts at $220,000 to purchase.
This 2002 Porsche 911 Carrera 996 costs much less than that. And, given that it’s so much cheaper, throwing the extra money into it to make it a real Safari car wouldn’t be a crazy idea.
Alternatively, you can just leave it alone.
The car has already seen some work. The Burnt Orange color is not the factory tint, but rather a 3M vinyl wrap that the seller says was applied to protect the black paintwork underneath. This protection does not extend to the door handles or the engine cover spoiler, which are the most difficult and therefore expensive parts to wrap. The ad claims that the body and paint under the wrap are both clean with no dents or other damage.
Other notable features of the car are the factory 18-inch five-spoke wheels which have been painted black and feature the full color Porsche crest. What appear to be aftermarket LED taillights also accompany the ride. Up front, the headlights are factory but need refinishing and one is missing its washer cap.
Things seem to be in very good condition in the cabin. The leather upholstery appears to be in excellent condition and the car even carries its original Becker car radio.
It’s a Tiptronic car, which may be a turnoff for some, but that automatic is well-matched to the 996’s 3.6-litre, 320-hp flat-six. Carrera 2, so it should have the entertaining driving characteristics that are toned down in the AWD C4. If stock, this engine has clocked up a remarkable 187,000 miles and while that’s a lot for any car, it bodes well for the M96’s two bugaboos; IMS bearing failure and cylinder bore scoring.
The seller says the car has been serviced regularly and carries both a fresh oil change and new BFGoodrich tires. The title is clean and the reason given for the sale is a lack of space at the Inn for the car. The seller lists $15,000 as the price in the listing title. This appears to be a recent drop from $5,000 since the seller calls it $20,000 OBO at the bottom of the ad. We’ll just go with the fifteen grand.
What do you think? IIs this used but apparently unused 996 worth as much as it stands? Or, does that price tag sway your interest in that wrapped Carrera?
You decide!
Austin, Texas, craigslistwhere to go here if the ad disappears.
H/T to Don R. for the connection!
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