curious..to all shop owners?.....has the customer of early cars changed?

[Greg D.]

I'm not surprised young guys aren't buying 356s at the current prices (assuming that is true), there's not a ton of young folks with $100K+ disposable income and if they do there are tasty options with mongo horsepower... Even if you can afford one, what do you *do* with a car that valuable, certainly not daily drive it and risk getting it totaled by a texting driver or an Uber self driving car ;-)

I owned 2, I'd really really like another for sentimental reason, but now than they are $80-120K cars, I cannot justify the expense... Nor does a $15-20K engine rebuild sound appetizing for a 75-95hp motor with metallurgy that is getting old and fragile - my 356 collector buddy blew 3 engines last year - one was racing but the other 2 are just "old"...

I know a lot of guys who have made the same calculations and buy a $30K Cayman instead... When nice 356s go back to 30-50K (will never happen) people like me will buy them all...

That 356 collector friend of mine keep talking of the great die-off of 356 owners, it's happening right now but seems the owners are smart and selling them for $$$ before passing away... Good for them.

[eaton]

When nice 356s go back to 30-50K (will never happen) people like me will buy them all...

You'll have to beat me to them, Greg. At 45, I don't consider myself young, except when I'm at Registry functions. I've been lusting after the 356 for the past few years, but I can't bring myself to pull the trigger. So many great cars out there for much less money. For someone like me of relatively modest means, you'd have to really want one. For me, it would mean selling a 912, an Elan and an Alfa--plus a trip to the bank to withdraw a lump of cash. Still, I do think about it.

[sebastianroher]

I'm not surprised young guys aren't buying 356s at the current prices (assuming that is true), there's not a ton of young folks with $100K+ disposable income and if they do there are tasty options with mongo horsepower... Even if you can afford one, what do you *do* with a car that valuable, certainly not daily drive it and risk getting it totaled by a texting driver or an Uber self driving car ;-)

I owned 2, I'd really really like another for sentimental reason, but now than they are $80-120K cars, I cannot justify the expense... Nor does a $15-20K engine rebuild sound appetizing for a 75-95hp motor with metallurgy that is getting old and fragile - my 356 collector buddy blew 3 engines last year - one was racing but the other 2 are just "old"...

I know a lot of guys who have made the same calculations and buy a $30K Cayman instead... When nice 356s go back to 30-50K (will never happen) people like me will buy them all...

That 356 collector friend of mine keep talking of the great die-off of 356 owners, it's happening right now but seems the owners are smart and selling them for $$$ before passing away... Good for them.

Couldn't have worded it better myself....

[Greg D.]

You'll have to beat me to them, Greg. At 45, I don't consider myself young, except when I'm at Registry functions. I've been lusting after the 356 for the past few years, but I can't bring myself to pull the trigger. So many great cars out there for much less money. For someone like me of relatively modest means, you'd have to really want one. For me, it would mean selling a 912, an Elan and an Alfa--plus a trip to the bank to withdraw a lump of cash. Still, I do think about it.

I've had the same thought about age back when I owned my 356s in my late 20s early 30s ;-) Great group, very silver haired, but I'm getting old now too...

We all seem to have similar tastes, I sold both my 912s when the market peaked (and the engine rebuild prices did as well, rendering 912s a non viable car under my personal chart of "fun/value/rebuild costs") and I got an Alfa with the proceeds... I sometimes think about "trading" my superb 72 T for a 356 but I've found out that people who sell them just want the $, not an early 911, and don't exactly cross shop much. And I bet if I did the deal somehow (don't really wanna pay the income tax on the 911 sale nor the sales tax on the 356), I'd miss the sound of my MFI "noise maker" vs the fartilicious 616 engine... Can't justify keeping both at market prices either, so.... All in all, been there, done that, sold them for a reason - I've found that revisiting my past, car wise, rarely produces great results. I'm now exploring new things like italian cars instead.

[Unobtanium-inc]

Young guys are buying 356's, I know, I'm selling to them. In fact I just old a Matching Numbers 58A to a guy younger than me! I'm 43. There is a lot of interest in 356's but the young guys normally take the rougher ones, only because they have more ambition than money.
As far as the buyer's for all early Porsches changing, yes, there is a new crop that is driving the ever sky high prices. I call them the "investors". I get lots of calls now from guys who want a specific car, but it must be "investor grade"!!!! I've come to learn that means all matching numbers, preferably in a cool color, or an open car for 356's and an S for 911's. Which is good because if I find a rough car that is matching numbers, there are many buyers.
There are even collector car investment portfolios popping up, you buy shares in the "collection". No one actually gets to drive them, but you can say you own one, or shares in one.
So yes, there is a shift going on in buyers.

A good example, this 58A sold last week for $68,100, but it was matching numbers and originally Aquamarine Blue, so restored it will be a very valuable car, hence the heavy bidding.
Another example, I had a 67 911S a few weeks ago, not matching numbers, sold for $53000, but had this been matching I bet it would have been $75,000-80,000, and it was a car that needed a full resto.


---Adam

[NeunElf]

Young guys are buying 356's, I know, I'm selling to them. In fact I just old a Matching Numbers 58A to a guy younger than me! I'm 43. There is a lot of interest in 356's but the young guys normally take the rougher ones, only because they have more ambition than money. . .

A good example, this 58A sold last week for $68,100, but it was matching numbers and originally Aquamarine Blue, so restored it will be a very valuable car, hence the heavy bidding.

. . .

---Adam

I'm not selling vintage Porsches, but I do believe the 356s attract more attention than early 911s. I have a young (well, just younger than Adam) female cousin in Atlanta who really admires my 356A and doesn't care about the 911.

I've even had hipsters knock on my door to ask if the 356A is for sale.

This may be in part because of the continuity Porsche has achieved in the 911 line from 1964 till today. Old 911s aren't all that unique (except to those who really know Porsches) but 356s are like nothing else.

[VeloceAlfa]

When i say young i mean guys under 33 years old. Mostly in their 20's. At 30 i am the youngest Rocky Mtn 356 member....

[sebastianroher]

Young guys are buying 356's, I know, I'm selling to them. In fact I just old a Matching Numbers 58A to a guy younger than me! I'm 43. There is a lot of interest in 356's but the young guys normally take the rougher ones, only because they have more ambition than money.
As far as the buyer's for all early Porsches changing, yes, there is a new crop that is driving the ever sky high prices. I call them the "investors". I get lots of calls now from guys who want a specific car, but it must be "investor grade"!!!! I've come to learn that means all matching numbers, preferably in a cool color, or an open car for 356's and an S for 911's. Which is good because if I find a rough car that is matching numbers, there are many buyers.
There are even collector car investment portfolios popping up, you buy shares in the "collection". No one actually gets to drive them, but you can say you own one, or shares in one.
So yes, there is a shift going on in buyers.

A good example, this 58A sold last week for $68,100, but it was matching numbers and originally Aquamarine Blue, so restored it will be a very valuable car, hence the heavy bidding.
Another example, I had a 67 911S a few weeks ago, not matching numbers, sold for $53000, but had this been matching I bet it would have been $75,000-80,000, and it was a car that needed a full resto.


---Adam

I'd love to own a 356, but I don't know how many young guys can swing $68k for a project car.

[Unobtanium-inc]

I'd love to own a 356, but I don't know how many young guys can swing $68k for a "project" car.

Well, to put it in perspective, this one was the same year, same model, not matching, and had more rust, but sold for $25,000 a few weeks ago. So there are options.

---Adam