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husker boxster · 01-15-2007, 04:16 PM

Allow me to add my .02 worth. My Boxster was my 1st Porsche and I purchased in July 05. I bought it without knowing about this site. Did fine with the purchase but you are wise to pick the brains of these members. They are patient and knowledgable.

1. I purchased Bridgestone Blizzaks in Nov and am very happy with them. Tried all-seasons last winter and they didn't work (my last car was mid-engine / rear drive and all-seasons were great). You are smart to get snows. Beware - I spent $1100 for my set.

2. Probably the weakest part is the Rear Main Seal. I'm not an expert, but it seems the '90s models suffer from this problem more than the 2000s. The years you are looking at may be in the clear. The experts on this site can give you better info, but the RMS is the weak point. (Search RMS and see how many posts appear.)

Boxsters also eat tires at an alarming rate (approx 15K mi). And there seems to be quite a bit of diff in the price of 18in tires vs 17s. But the 18s look great. Don't even think about buying a set of aftermkt wheels. They are outrageously expensive (up to $1250 PER WHEEL).

Brakes will also wear out but that's from all the fun you're having. Quality pads can run $100 per axle. They are very easy to change yourself.

3. I have an 01S 6sp and I get 20mpg in town and 26 hwy.

4. Mobil 1. Only needs to be changed annually but you need 9 qts. If you change it yourself, be sure to have a LARGE drain pan.

5. If you are a do it yourself guy, one of the members (pardon my poor memory) has a web site with tips on how to do the items yourself. Great info. Also, you may want to purchase a Bentley manual on Boxsters.

6. See RandallNeighbour's list on what to know about buying a Boxster. Great info. When I was looking, I talked to a used dealer in PA who dealt mostly with Boxsters. I was like you, not knowing whether to go S or base. He described the differences (6sp, bigger brakes, bigger mtr) and said to go with the S. Great advice. Purchase the newest S you can afford.

Couple of items to chew on.
- Now is the best time to by a conv. Esp now that everyone's tapped out from Christmas. Sellers are desp for buyers.

- If you are willing to travel, you will be able to find 2-4 yr old Boxsters with insanely low miles. Mine was 4 yrs old with 15K mi. I saw a 3 yr old with 6K, but it was not the color I wanted. The Boxster is a lot of people's weekend / 3rd car.

- Porsche Cert Vehicles. You will find lower priced cars when buying from an individual, but you may want to consider a PC car. If a Porsche dealer deems the car worthy, they will certify it which adds 2 yrs to the warranty. That reduces the worry about those RMS problems. And if you do have to travel to buy the car, you feel more confident about the car (hasn't been wrecked, mechanically sound, etc).

Good luck with your purchase. You will love it.

Terry

01-15-2007, 04:16 PM	#3
husker boxster Registered User Join Date: Sep 2006 Location: Omaha Posts: 2,866	Allow me to add my .02 worth. My Boxster was my 1st Porsche and I purchased in July 05. I bought it without knowing about this site. Did fine with the purchase but you are wise to pick the brains of these members. They are patient and knowledgable. 1. I purchased Bridgestone Blizzaks in Nov and am very happy with them. Tried all-seasons last winter and they didn't work (my last car was mid-engine / rear drive and all-seasons were great). You are smart to get snows. Beware - I spent $1100 for my set. 2. Probably the weakest part is the Rear Main Seal. I'm not an expert, but it seems the '90s models suffer from this problem more than the 2000s. The years you are looking at may be in the clear. The experts on this site can give you better info, but the RMS is the weak point. (Search RMS and see how many posts appear.) Boxsters also eat tires at an alarming rate (approx 15K mi). And there seems to be quite a bit of diff in the price of 18in tires vs 17s. But the 18s look great. Don't even think about buying a set of aftermkt wheels. They are outrageously expensive (up to $1250 PER WHEEL). Brakes will also wear out but that's from all the fun you're having. Quality pads can run $100 per axle. They are very easy to change yourself. 3. I have an 01S 6sp and I get 20mpg in town and 26 hwy. 4. Mobil 1. Only needs to be changed annually but you need 9 qts. If you change it yourself, be sure to have a LARGE drain pan. 5. If you are a do it yourself guy, one of the members (pardon my poor memory) has a web site with tips on how to do the items yourself. Great info. Also, you may want to purchase a Bentley manual on Boxsters. 6. See RandallNeighbour's list on what to know about buying a Boxster. Great info. When I was looking, I talked to a used dealer in PA who dealt mostly with Boxsters. I was like you, not knowing whether to go S or base. He described the differences (6sp, bigger brakes, bigger mtr) and said to go with the S. Great advice. Purchase the newest S you can afford. Couple of items to chew on. - Now is the best time to by a conv. Esp now that everyone's tapped out from Christmas. Sellers are desp for buyers. - If you are willing to travel, you will be able to find 2-4 yr old Boxsters with insanely low miles. Mine was 4 yrs old with 15K mi. I saw a 3 yr old with 6K, but it was not the color I wanted. The Boxster is a lot of people's weekend / 3rd car. - Porsche Cert Vehicles. You will find lower priced cars when buying from an individual, but you may want to consider a PC car. If a Porsche dealer deems the car worthy, they will certify it which adds 2 yrs to the warranty. That reduces the worry about those RMS problems. And if you do have to travel to buy the car, you feel more confident about the car (hasn't been wrecked, mechanically sound, etc). Good luck with your purchase. You will love it. Terry __________________ GPRPCA Chief Driving Instructor 2008 Boxster S Limited Edition #005 2008 Cayman S Sport - Signal Green 1989 928 S4 5 spd - black 1987 928 S4 - Granite Green Metallic (Felsengrun)