In the last 12 months the Porsche 996 sold for a median $36,000 (503 U.S.-dollar auction sales) and the Porsche 997 for $71,000 (446 sales), so the 997 costs $35,000 (97%) more. As of Nov 2, 2026, the 12-month trend is +16%/yr for the 996 and +29%/yr for the 997. Below: ranges, trend, manual share, mileage and a like-for-like trim comparison, all from real sold auctions.
996 vs 997 side by side
| 996 | 997 | |
|---|---|---|
| Model years | 1999–2005 | 2005–2012 |
| Median sold price | $36,000 | $71,000 |
| Middle 50% range | $26,900–$60,800 | $50,000–$115,800 |
| Low – high | $4,600 – $500,000 | $18,250 – $1,100,000 |
| USD sales (12 months) | 503 | 446 |
| 12-month trend (mix-adjusted) | +16%/yr | +29%/yr |
| Last 3 months vs prior 3 | +5% adj. / 0% raw | +5% adj. / +15% raw |
| Market signal | HOLD | HOLD |
| Manual share (known gearbox) | 88% of 478 | 79% of 364 |
| Manual / automatic median | $37,000 / $24,000 | $68,889 / $62,083 |
| Median mileage (where stated) | 41,000 mi of 235 | 32,500 mi of 250 |
| Median model year sold | 2002 | 2008 |
U.S.-dollar sold auctions in the last 12 months. Manual / automatic medians need 5+ sales of each; mileage is taken from the listing where stated. Not an appraisal.
996 vs 997 price chart
Quarterly median USD sold price at online auctions (quarters with 3+ sales; bigger dot = more sales). The latest quarter is to date. Hover a dot for the figures.
Like for like: 996 vs 997 by trim
| Trim | 996 | 997 | Difference |
|---|---|---|---|
| Carrera | $29,375 218 sales | $48,037 68 sales | +64% |
| Turbo | $81,000 98 sales | $125,000 87 sales | +54% |
| Carrera 4S | $40,250 43 sales | $66,500 59 sales | +65% |
| Carrera 4 | $27,748 58 sales | $54,250 8 sales | +96% |
| Turbo S | $136,996 10 sales | $129,000 25 sales | -6% |
| Targa | $31,925 16 sales | $71,500 18 sales | +124% |
| GT3 | $132,000 14 sales | $242,625 8 sales | +84% |
Trims read from listing titles, with at least 5 sales on each side. Difference = 997 median against the 996 median.
Which should you buy?
- Price. At the median, the Porsche 997 costs $35,000 (97%) more than the Porsche 996.
- Overlap. The middle-half ranges overlap between $50,000 and $60,800. In that band you can shop both, weighing an above-median 996 against a below-median 997.
- Trend. Over 12 months, 996 prices were rising, about +16% a year; 997 prices were rising, about +29% a year; the 997 has the firmer trend.
- Want a manual? 422 of 478 996 sales with a known gearbox were manual (88%), against 288 of 364 for the 997 (79%).
- Mileage. The median 996 sold with 41,000 miles and the median 997 with 32,500 (sales with a stated mileage).
- Trim matters. Like for like, the gap is widest for the Targa (+124%) and narrowest for the Turbo S (-6%).
- Choice. The 996 had more sales in our sample (503 against 446), so there are more comparables to price a car against.
In short: on budget alone the Porsche 996 is the cheaper way in, and the Porsche 997 costs about 97% more at the median. The numbers can't tell you which car you'll enjoy more; a pre-purchase inspection and the individual car's history matter more than either median.
What to check before buying
Porsche 996: On non-Turbo/GT3 996s, ask whether the intermediate shaft (IMS) bearing has been upgraded and check for rear main seal leaks and bore scoring. Turbo and GT3 models use the Mezger engine and are valued very differently. Budget for a specialist inspection with a borescope.
Porsche 997: 997.1 (2005–2008) Carrera engines can suffer bore scoring and IMS issues; the 997.2 (2009–2012) DFI engines removed the IMS. Manual gearboxes, GTS and Turbo S models command premiums. Ask for a borescope report and a DME over-rev report on manual cars.
Full price guides
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Method
Every figure on this page is computed from our sample of completed, sold public auctions after removing parts, replicas, restomods and other non-car lots. Medians use U.S.-dollar sales only; we don't convert currencies. The window is the last 12 months unless a row says otherwise. Sub-generations are assigned by model year (see the methodology). Trend and signal use online-auction sales only, adjusted for trim and model year. It is a sample, not every sale, and not an appraisal. Sold-price data from Old Cars Data auction records. Full methodology.
Frequently asked questions
Is the Porsche 997 more expensive than the 996?
Yes, in our sample: the 997 median was $71,000 against $36,000 for the 996, a 97% difference, from 446 and 503 U.S.-dollar auction sales in the last 12 months.
Are 996 or 997 prices rising faster?
Adjusted for trim and model year, the 12-month trend is +16% a year for the 996 and +29% a year for the 997. This describes recent sales, not a forecast.
Which has more manual cars, the 996 or the 997?
Of sales with a known gearbox in the last 12 months, 88% of 996s (422 of 478) and 79% of 997s (288 of 364) were manual.
Published Nov 2, 2026. Figures as of Nov 2, 2026, rebuilt weekly from the latest sample.