Buying a Porsche 911

The 911 is the car most people mean when they say Porsche. It has kept the same basic recipe since 1964: a flat-six engine behind the rear axle, two small rear seats, and a shape you can recognise from a block away. What has changed, generation by generation, is almost everything underneath, which is why a 1987 Carrera and a 2024 Carrera are completely different cars to buy, own and maintain.

The big dividing line is 1998. Every 911 before the 996 is air-cooled; every one since is water-cooled. Air-cooled cars are collector cars now, priced on originality and history. Water-cooled cars are priced more like modern cars, on miles, options and condition, with the GT models (GT3, GT3 RS, GT2 RS) behaving more like the collector market.

Choosing a generation is the first decision. Start with what you want the car to do (daily driver, weekend car, track car or investment), then pick the generation that does it best inside your budget, then the model. Each generation below opens its own page with every model, what they really sell for, the problems to check and the maintenance schedule.

The generations

1. 1964–1989

   Early 911 & 930 Turbo

   The original 911 ran from 1964 to 1973, then the impact-bumper G-series carried it to 1989: the 911 S and Carrera 2.7, the 3.0-litre SC from 1978 and the Carrera 3.2…

   $165,000+4 models · 560 sales
2. 1989–1994

   964

   The 964 kept the classic shape but was mostly new underneath: a 3.6-litre engine, coil springs instead of torsion bars, power steering, ABS and airbags, and the first…

   $175,000+9 models · 221 sales
3. 1994–1998

   993

   The 993 is the last air-cooled 911 and, for many people, the best-looking one. It added a multi-link rear suspension that cured the old 911's twitchy handling, a…

   $270,000+9 models · 199 sales
4. 1999–2005

   996

   The 996 was the first water-cooled 911: bigger, more comfortable and far cheaper to build. The Carrera uses the M96 engine (3.4 litres, then 3.6 from 2002, when the…

   $70,000+13 models · 1,057 sales
5. 2005–2012

   997

   The 997 brought back round headlights and a cabin that still feels modern. The 997.1 (2005–2008) uses the M97 engine, 3.6 or 3.8 litres. The 997.2 (2009–2012) moved to a…

   $42,000+28 models · 3,145 sales
6. 2012–2019

   991

   The 991 is longer, wider and more refined: electric power steering, a seven-speed manual, and a much bigger choice of models. The 991.1 (2012–2016) keeps naturally…

   $66,000+33 models · 2,368 sales
7. 2019 on

   992

   The 992 is the current 911: one wide body for every model, an eight-speed PDK, and the most technology ever in a 911. The 992.1 (2020–2024) Carrera family uses the 3.0…

   $110,000+26 models · 978 sales

The market, generation by generation

From the cheapest model to the most expensive in each generation: median sale prices for the last 24 months, models with 5 or more sales.

• Early 911 & 930 Turbo$165k–$236k
• 964$175k–$486k
• 993$270k–$407k
• 996$70k–$212k
• 997$42k–$995k
• 991$66k–$772k
• 992$110k–$649k

911 Tracker, VIN-checked US sales, as of Oct 30, 2026.

The buying process

1. Find and price it

   Compare the car with what the same model actually sold for, adjusted for miles, options and records.

2. Ask the right questions

   Who serviced it, why it is for sale, any accidents or paintwork, and can you see every record before you travel.

3. Inspect it

   A specialist pre-purchase inspection, paid by you, reported to you.

4. Agree the deal

   Price, what is fixed before delivery, deposit terms and a written bill of sale.

5. Pay safely and ship it

   Wire only to a verified account, never on instructions that arrive by email alone. Ship enclosed for anything rare or valuable.