Quote:
Originally Posted by Nickanator8
I've wanted a Boxster for a long time now, and I was always planning on doing my own maintenance. I know the general school of thought is to buy the best possible example of a car that you can afford, but what about a car that needs some work to get a deal?
Let's say I buy a car for $6k that needs $6k in parts plus my own labor in order to get it to a condition I would find acceptable. Assuming I have the time and inclination to do that work, is that a reasonable track to wander down?
The reason I am going down this thought experiment is because I recently got back a PPI on a car at the top of our budget that ended up needing a lot more work than we wanted to deal with at that price point. But, if the car were half the price it would have made sense, especially if I could do most of the work myself. I kind of assume any Boxster at this price point will need work, so why not go for the most affordable car and try to price the work into the theoretical total price?
Am I setting myself up for a lot of headaches and an empty wallet or is there some logic to this train of thought?
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I picked up my 2000 986 base for $5000 from Craigslist. I was the first caller (and then the seller was flooded with calls). I wasted no time getting over there to take a look at it.The seller was an older gentleman who found getting in and out more and more difficult. It had 155,000 miles on the clock, but it was the seller's baby, and he was meticulous about its care, substantiated by a thick folder containing all maintenance receipts. So I wasn't put off by the mileage. Everything functioned on the car and it ran and drove like a new one. The Arctic Silver paint, convertible top, and interior were in decent shape. I pounced on the deal like a pit bull on a butt steak, acing a horde of other buyers.
I figured I'd have to deal with various random issues as they arose. I do all my own maintenance on my cars. I've rebuilt engines, so I'm no stranger to wrenching on cars. Here's what I've done to my bargain 986 so far:
1. Replaced water pump, $113
2. Replaced regeneration valve, $47
3. Replaced heater core, $109 (not OEM, but identical)
4. Flushed coolant system and replaced coolant, $68 (genuine Porsche brand, because... well, just because)
5. Changed oil with Mobil 1, Bosch filter, magnetic drain plug, $74
6. Replaced windshield wipers, Bosch: $34
7. Replaced Toyo tires with a set of Continental ExtremeContact DWS06 Plus, $805 (including mounting and balancing, which I left to Discount Tires)
If Porsche Beaverton had taken care of everything above, I would now have only one arm and one leg left. We're talking thousands in parts and labor. Doing my own wrenching is the only way I can justify having a car like this. Besides, most of the time it's enjoyable.
So I encourage you to seek out a
well-maintained 986 and then do your own maintenance on it. If you decide to go that route, the service manual is a must. Also, YouTube is indispensable, loaded with how-tos.
Good luck!