[husker boxster]

Based on your mechanic's est on C1 and the PPI on C2, looks like you can expect to pay roughly $3K on any car to get it up to snuff before doing IMSB. I don't drink IMSB Kool-Aid either, but think C2 would be a likely candidate for failure based on what we know.

I don't think C2 is too bad at $16.8. Almost 1/3 of that price is for the mileage. Yes you'll need to spend $5K to get it up to snuff, but at that pt you'll have a 19K mi car that is ready to give you years of enjoyment. As PaulE says, just because the seller had 42 calls, only a few will show up and even fewer will be serious. But the uninformed buyer will be impressed with the low mileage, that it hasn't "needed" any repairs, and the fact it has "original" tires. They won't have any idea what they're buying until it's theirs. But they're your competition.

If you can swing spending $22K on an 03S, I say consider it. Otherwise, keep looking. But be careful with your PPI funds. You can run up a big bill taking every car in for one.