I've been scanning this site for a while. I've been looking into a third sporty car for the garage. I'm looking VERY hard at used boxsters. Also considering an s2k.
briefly toyed with the idea of an rx8 as they are dirt cheap and the rear seats woudl come in handy for a guy like me with three kids, but this car is a toy/weekend car that I will drive to work once in a while too...and on those trips, I rarely have kids with me.
anyway, on these forums I 've seen a lot of posts about motor failures. people saying "another one bites the dust" does not sit well with a potential used boxster buyer. then I see the bill for a new motor is pushing $10-15k and I cringe.
I can afford a used boxster in the 15-20k range. but NO way will I have the dough for a new motor. I mean I coudl borrow that money if I had to, but it woudl hurt.
are these posts just a concentation on the web of the unfortunate few who have had motor failures - or is this really somewhat common???
pricewise, I am looking to finance 15-20k. assuming i only spent 15k, at 5% over 60 months, I'd be paying about 300/month. in 5 years i own the car.
honda is doign a lease deal now on s2000s where I can lease a brand new 08 for nothign down except first months payment and my monthly would be just a hair under 400/month. like 390-395. that's with NO cap reduction. sign and drive. it's not the deal they advertise but i know a guy who just negotiated this deal. so $400/month would be my ONLY cost. i'd buy some tires and brakes and gas. but no motor failures or other $1000 visits to the shop.
i'm partial to the boxster. it's a better car to me. i love the look and sound. the s2000 is in some ways a compromise to me. it is very cramped and noisy. small trunk...
but the big $$$ repair bills worry me.
300/month over 5 years would be cheaper - in that at the end of 5 years, i'd own the car, and say that 15000 car is worth 6000-7000 at the end of the loan, i have a net worth asset - and i've spent under 10k. BUT repairs over the 5 years could add up to or exceed 6-7000? a motor failure plus other "normal" stuff woudl cost more than the price of the car, assuming 15k purchase price.
am i paranoid and these IMS failures are extremely rare horror stories.. OR if I am goign to purchase a 2000-2001 boxster or boxster S that has 50-75k miles on it - am I pretty much rolling the dice and I have a 10% chance, 20% chance, 30% chance, 50% chance, etc of having the motor crap out on me?
i posted earlier in a thread on true cost to own and some of you said to get the s2k if I worry about this so much. it's not that I want the s2k. believe me, i woudln't be here on this forum if I wasn't really interested in the s2k..and part of me wonders if in the end i'll just risk it and get one - beause I want one that much... but the $$ end of it is a concern.
my dad has a 2000 base, he is the second owner. bought it with 20k miles and now it has 75k. he's had hardly ANY problems with it. is that more the norm or is HE the lucky one?
it's hard to compare a used older car vs a new one (leased) then try to figure true cost to own comparos. the boxster would have to be maintaned and buy parts for if i got one with 50-75k miles on it..whereas a new leasede s2k would probably have literally NO mechanical issues and if it did, it's all warrantied.
hey - what is the oldest boxster / mileage I coudl get and STILL get a porsche or SOLID QUALITY third party warranty on it? i've seen a handful of used boxsters adertised for sale that have extended warranties that go quite long. if i recall correclty, i've seen 2001 or 2002 models claiming they are warranted into 2010 or 100k miles..making me think it WOULD be possible to buy aused one...and still have at least a couple years or "worry free" driving..if I found one with the warranty, or bought one on my own.
can I buy a 2002 boxster that has 65k miles and then buy a warranty on it..or will they say it's OUT of warranty and you can't add it? on former cars I remember thining i needed to buy the extended before the OEM warranty ran out. same true on a boxster?