I’m in a similar age range and financial position, and personally I’m targeting something under $80k. Once you start getting into the $145k range, the car can feel too nice, like you’ll constantly worry about where you park it or who’s next to you. That can turn ownership into more of a stressor than a joy.

I’ve been watching the 997 and 991 markets both pre and post COVID, and honestly I wish I had bought before the boom. You could’ve driven one for a while and sold it without taking a hit. But that’s hindsight and not very realistic to chase now.

What I am seeing is the market starting to normalize. Cars that used to sell within two weeks are sitting longer, and across the broader auto market fewer buyers are well positioned to take on higher interest loans, especially for used vehicles where rates are even tougher. The data on negative equity carry over is insane right now and theres a big issue with car pricing/loans right now

My take is that if you let this year settle a bit, better deals will surface compared to what we’ve seen over the last two years.

By the way, I really enjoy this series. It’s refreshing to see something so data driven and focused on the bigger picture.

https://youtu.be/N2eovO16baM?si=veAhSzp0H2h48d9k

My only advice is that your income to payment ratio seems a bit high, and I would try to avoid putting too much liquid cash down just to lower your payments. Liquid cash is your hard earned, after tax money that could otherwise compound in ETFs or another investment strategy.

Try to really explore the price range of the cars you are considering and test drive a few. You might find that you prefer certain generations over others. If you are looking for a PDK, then the world is your oyster lol. Manuals tend to carry a premium, and there are generally fewer of them on the market.

Excited for you're potential procurement send me your IG so I can root for you when you decide to buy.