[Nickanator8]

As a relative newcomer and not-yet-owner of a 986, I'm still very appreciative of what life seems to be left here. I have had some really excellent insight into a car I'm considering buying and those who have contributed have been both positive and realistic, with no negativity that I am able to detect.

As a lay-person who is still brand new around here, I think these cars are simply mismatched between their cost to buy vs their cost to own.

I'm currently shopping for a cheap boxster, like $12k is the top of my budget, and there are a handful of cars at and under that price point near me. But of the ones I've checked out, none of the owners look like they could handle the cost of taking a 20 year old Porsche to a mechanic, independent or otherwise. If they have done their own maintenance they haven't kept records so it's hard to believe that they have kept up with the necessary care and feeding.

Beyond that, buying a cheap sports car these days, 986 or otherwise, is becoming less and less justifiable these days. The price of premium fuel around me is $4.50 and unleaded can dip as low as $3.79. If I were just shopping for a fun drop-top a miata is going to be infinitely less expensive to live with.

I think pristine examples are becoming collectors items, and thus not really driven much, and rough examples are becoming parts cars for the remaining few who are brave enough to try to work on a 986 themselves.

Again, take everything here with a grain of salt, I'm new to the forum and still shopping for my own Boxster so my experience in the space is limited to say the least.