33 replies to this topic

[Cloud9...68]

This isn't a comment on a particular car, but last night is the first time in quite awhile I went on Autotrader to see what 968s are for sale. What's up with the mass disposition of cabs? They must outnumber coupes for sale by between five- and ten-to-one. Are the tops really that much of a pain to deal with? Or is it just that the purchase of a convertible is more of an emotional decision for a lot of people, and buyer's remorse sets in with the first bit of frosty fall weather? And it's not like people are asking bargain-basement prices for them.

[tamathumper]

I suspect the propensity to own a cab for those "on the bubble"-types is indirectly proportional to the condition of the top.

In other words, as soon as the top needs to be replaced for $$$, the marginal owners cut and run.

[Cloud9...68]

Yeah, I can see that. I've owned several convertibles in my life, and while I love them, those tops can be a gargantuan pain in the backside (hmmm.... kind of like the sunroofs in our beloved coupes ). And yes, I can imagine that fixing one can cost a sizable fraction of the average American's life savings .

[flash]

while the top is an issue that makes many shy away or sell the car, it goes beyond the top.

interiors suffer tremendously as a result to exposure to the elements. take a look at pretty much any of them. they tend to be a lot more worn and tired than a hardtop with the same mileage. carpets are more faded from the sun, and more worn due to the dirt that gets in there and acts like sandpaper. seats are similarly more worn.

this means a much higher cost to bring back to good condition. that tends to push many people out of those cars.

[wmuldowney]

I would take a Cab over my Coupe in a heartbeat. I've always wanted a Cab and were not for the amazing deal I got on my current 986 I would have held out for one. Trouble or not.

[Langley968]

I would add that there are proabably more 968 cabs still on the road than 968 coupes, simply because cabs are used more as a "cruiser" (not always!) and coupes are used more as a "track car", which would result in more coupes no longer being on the road.
It also is the time of the year for those with cabs, that are wanting to sell, to advertise their product and entice those who are dreaming of the "top down" experience! If the person that sold me his cab in late November had held out for a couple of months, he may have fetched a couple grand more...

[Cloud9...68]

Flash,

Those are very good points, and they certainly apply to several of the cabs for sale. But a sizable percentage of them are low mileage, apparently very well maintained, top dollar examples that, from the pictures at least, appear to be in top condition, including in the interior. My own theory is that the convertible sports car or GT has a certain romantic flavor to it, but to really appreciate the ragtop experience, you have to have just the right conditions as far as weather and traffic, and these just don't come around all that often, so I suspect a lot of cab owners end up feeling like they're not able to enjoy their cars to the extent that they had hoped, so they end up sitting quite a bit (thus the lower mileage on them as compared to coupes). After awhile, a lot of these owners start feeling like the money they have tied up in the shiny convertible could be put to better use elsewhere, so they sell.

[flash]

most of the cabs i see around here in california are pretty beaten up. but then, the top is down most of the time too. what is happening a lot is that the better condition cars get brought here, because of the great weather, used for a few years, and then discarded due to lack of upkeep.

it's been quite a while since i saw a really clean cab for sale. a couple of them have popped up now and again, but mostly they are pretty hammered, showing cracking on the seats, and stains on the carpet. you really have to search to find a truly clean one.

[tamathumper]

That must be a West coast phenomenon. Here in the East, the weather is so unpredictable, and the birds so well fed, that very few people keep their tops down when they're not in the car.

[Cloud9...68]

Yeah, seeing so many well-preserved, 40K-ish mile, $18K+ cabs for sale just strikes me as odd, and interesting. Reminds me of the turbo phenomenon - several people have got to huge trouble and expense to build them, and then put them up for sale relatively soon. Anyone in the market for a cab has a smorgasbord to choose from, if they're willing to travel. For coupe buyers, the pickings are very slim.

[flash]

where are you seeing a bunch for sale? i found 1 and it is high mileage.

[Rap]

So is the dearth of coupes going to increase their value? Lol

[Cloud9...68]

where are you seeing a bunch for sale? i found 1 and it is high mileage.

Autotrader.com. There are a total of 30 968s for sale. However, I have to admit I was WAY off on my estimated cab/coupe ratio. Of the 30, only 17 are cabs, and 13 are coupes. It was late, and for some reason the cabs were catching my eye. But considering there were a lot more coupes built than cabs, there are still relatively a lot more people interested in parting with their cabs than their coupes, for all the various reasons given by people in this thread.

[Langley968]

But considering there were a lot more coupes built than cabs...

Correct me if I am wrong, but I think it was nearly a 50/50 split of cabs and coupes produced...

[jeff968]

last week there wasn't a single 968 listed on eBay for a number of days. As for cabs and coupes. Cabs are rarer, 2,008 vs 2,234. I think what you see just depends on when you look.
Jeff

[Cloud9...68]

Wow, I wish I could delete this entire thread. Not only was my estimate of the number of cabs currently for sale relative to coupes not even in the right zip code, but my belief that there were a lot more coupes than cabs sold is way off base, too. I fell like Jack Nicholson's character in "A Few Good Men" when he first meets Tom Cruise's character, asks him how his father is doing, and, upon hearing Cruise's character say he had passed away years ago, says, "Well, don't I feel like a bleepin' @$$hole"

[Langley968]

Don't worry!
We all had some fun!

Edited by Langley968, 27 January 2012 - 10:29 PM.

[Rap]

Cloud, don't you at least feel enlightened?

[tamathumper]

Maybe you just had a few too many Cabs. Or Merlots. Or Chardonnays.

[jeff968]