I'm 67. Owned cars made by at least a dozen car manufacturers over the last 50 years and 100Ks of miles. Probably 30 cars by the time you count all my family has owned.
My 2 Porsche Boxster 986s, over a total of 6 years, have cost me less than $700 in unscheduled maintenance and never left me stranded. Could I have a major problem tomorrow, sure could. So could any car. But, compared to the 3 other sports cars I've owned (or even the sedans and vans and wagons), the Boxsters have had far and away the fewest trips to a mechanic per month of ownership of any brand I've owned.
I've documented what I consider to be the buying considerations in
detail including the best and worst features and the common problem areas as well as the model year differences.
I've also commented frequently on how my experience has been positive.
Is it the car for everyone? No. It is a sports car and will be more expensive to maintain especially if you can't do some of the simple work yourself. And if it has a major engine or transmission failure, it will be more expensive than a Toyota to repair. You shouldn't buy one if you can't afford the potential repair bills. Just like you shouldn't buy a house if you can't afford the potential repair bills. It is only common sense.
And many Boxsters are getting just plain old ... 13 years old in some cases. You don't buy an older car with the same expectations of reliability as with a newer car. And of course newer cars probably have a warranty.
But I bought 2 Boxsters where I was the third owner of each. Well used in each case. My first had no repairs before I totaled it after only 6 months by driving on summer tires when it was too cold. Couldn't stop. My second I've owned for ~5 years now and it hasn't had anything done to it in the last ~3 years but an oil change each year and an Oxygen sensor I elected to change....didn't need to..no CEL.
Tires more expensive than for my Honda..you bet. But the Oxygen sensor for the Porsche was cheaper than the one for the Honda... and the Honda needed one 10k earlier in terms of miles on the engine.
I didn't buy new nor pay near full price when I did buy, cheap for the fun I've had in them. I drive the trash to the dump in it and volunteer to go to the grocery store...and my wife knows I'll always take the longest way to the furthest store.
If it failed tomorrow, I'd get it rebuilt. Probably cost me more than I paid for the car because I'd want everything possible done to the car. I wouldn't whine or go looking to blame. Stuff happens.
It was my decision to buy, and I accept the risk of owning an older ('01 in my case) sports car with some by now known design issues. I rationalize every car has some, I just happen to know all about the one I own because I frequent the online forums.
It sits waiting in the garage, and every time I walk by it I run my hands over its flanks. And every time I take it out, I get some favorable comment about it (and it is nothing special, just a 9 year old car in the most common color, Arctic Silver)
Now if the weather gets warm like it is supposed to, it will go out with its top down this weekend and I'll enjoy the heck out of it. It sits waiting.