Does the value of open top Porsche 911s decline over the winter months?

It is the old myth we’ve all heard so many times, we can recite it ourselves. Namely, if you want to buy a car with any form of opening roof, then buy it over the winter period. That, we are purportedly told, is when anything open top is hardest to sell, therefore prices plummet alongside the temperature.

Sales debate /  Data file in association with Beverly Hills Car Club

But is that fact or fiction when it comes to open top 911s? We asked this to two 911 specialists who have weathered more than a few winters: Sussex-based Paragon, and London-based Hexagon Classics.

Paragon’s Jamie Tyler sets us straight. “There isn’t really any change in price of a 911 Cabriolet during winter,” he says. There are, instead, other factors which can affect sales. “Cabriolet sales certainly slow during winter,” says Tyler, but that isn’t just consumers. Business strategy plays a part, too. Hexagon’s Jonathan Ostroff points out that anyone investing in their own sales stock, rather than offering sale-or-return cars “are usually more particular about buying in Cabriolets over winter,” he says. Some large dealers with a 45-day stocking policy may not want to buy in certain models over winter. “Owners offering Cabriolets between October and January may be told to phone back in February,” he explains, to aid cash flow and manage stock levels.

If you’ve an open-top 911 that needs to be sold regardless, Ostroff suggests offering cars for private sale may be the best option. “Expect to receive lower-than- usual bids,” he points out. Potential owners – who may even be new to 911s – may psychologically expect a price drop. “Hexagon Classics take a longer-term view, and are always happy to buy rare, sought-after cars whatever the weather,” says Ostroff.

As ever, quality is the key factor in 911 pricing. There’s always a strong market for a quality used 911 of any age, regardless of what roof it has or hasn’t got. “It will be interesting to see what prices do this year with the shortage of stock still,” adds Tyler.