You Gotta Know When to Hold ’em…

One good way to judge when a car becomes collectible is to simply note when its value rises above the original purchase price

by Jim Schrager

Part I: Defining the Collectible Porsche

Why do some Porsches accelerate quickly in value, while others languish? We can all agree that pedestrian models, such as the 924, will never be worth big money. But how do we identify the interesting Porsche variants that will appreciate modestly, if at all, and separate them from those that rise quickly in value and become “collectible?”

Car values follow certain common patterns. Most used cars display a lower value each year, falling eventually to a terminal value as scrap. Luckily for us, many Porsches—even mundane models like the 924—continue to be enjoyable and rarely end up on the scrap heap. However, they still end up with low market values. We call this the “Used Car” pattern, as the value depreciates with years and miles.

Dealers can still hope, can’t...