Used Boxsters Prices are too cheap
 

I have been debating selling my Boxster S rather than investing a lot of money into it in the form of the full Fabspeed exhaust system, Recaro sport seats, BBS or OZ wheels. I figured I'd just sell my Boxster and buy a brand new one.

So I went to Edmunds and priced out a new "S" with comparable options to mine and was shocked to see that I would have to pay about $68,000 to $70,000 to replace my car with a new one. $77,000 to get it the way I'd really like it optioned.

So, my point is with Boxster S's like mine trading in the $22K to $25K range I think used Boxster's represent good relative value and their prices actually should be much higher. Yea, a new Boxster has 45 more HP than mine and upgraded technology, but not $50,000 more! My Boxster S is already faster than I need it to be on the street and handles beyond my abilities as is. So, if I set it up for DE use and add that ROW M030 upgrade + lower rear stress bar, and my above list of upgrades I will have an awesome Boxster S for a whole lot less.

Fabspeed has a tuning package they claim is dyno tested to add 34 HP. So I'd be only 10 HP less than a new Boxster S and it won't cost me $50,000 more plus the interest cost on financing which would be huge!

Bottom line is that I believe used Boxster's are very cheap, represent a great value, and their prices are actually too low.

What say you all?

Yup. Too cheap (for a seller) == good value (for a buyer).

Last summer I set out to buy a 996 cab, but couldn't find a decent one for less than $35K. But I saw cherry 986/986S models all day long for under $22K. After driving both the 996 and 986, I couldn't understand the substantial price difference, so I bought and am enjoying a 2000 986S.

Icing on the cake is I got my (high mileage, but pristine and with on 25Kmi on a new engine) 986S for under $17K. Half of what I was prepared to spend on a 996.

it's a buyer's market for uh....everything.

You know in the 90's we had "irrational exuberance" with stocks and this decade we had 'unsustainable leverage" with lending. And here we are.

I think these times make a great argument for buying used, no doubt new car purchases are going to see some of the biggest drops in depreciation we've ever seen. No doubt about it there will be fewer buyers of new and used.

Which makes me think if you are thinking of selling because you need cash well sell now. If you are not in cash crunch and have no plans for buying another car then you're better off forgetting about all that resale value stuff and enjoying your car because prices are heading south fast.

I have a feeling that well maintained, pampered Boxsters are going to do well 10-15 years from now. The 986/996 generation is going to be the one period that doesn't quiet fit into the rest of "round headlight" lineage of Porsche cars. It could become popular to "practical" vintage Porsche buyers because of its reliability and styling. I also have a feeling that although many many 996 and 986's were built only a very small % will still be in good shape in 10 years time.

I agree, used Boxsters represent great value right now.

Used Boxsters, especially the S, represent a huge value. Also, a stock S has far more capability than 95% of their drivers; save your money on suspension mods and spend it on a few track days, along with a good set of DOT-R rated rubber.

^ see I'm wrestling with the suspension mod thing right now as my shocks are on their last days (really bad rattling from the passenger side). I always said that if the shocks had to come out I would replace them with full coil overs (PSS9). But now I'm having second thoughts. The sport suspension on the 986S is first class and being lower isn't really going to produce significantly quicker lap times. The gains by spending nearly 3 grand in this department will be dwarfed by a set of street legal R-Comps like the RA-1 which can shave SECONDS.

right now I'm leaning towards just replacing the shocks with same and maybe adding ROW springs, maybe... I don't want a harsher ride.

boxster prices cheap cheap cheap
 

I was just looking on ebay a good running high milage 98 was $7900 buy it now I seen a few 01s for $15000 to $16000 I even seen a nice 03 with 50 k miles a few weeks ago on there for $16500 the prices are crazy I sold my 90 944 s2 convertible on ebay a year ago for $13900 and then at the same time bought my 98 boxster 78 k miles with a factory body kit and extras twist wheels etc on it on there for $12500 crazy that 944s in a way are worth more then a boxster who would have ever thought

I got my 2000 base for 14,700ish from a dealer with 72k and lots of upgrades like TC, 17" wheels..

So I'm guessing buying from a person I could have gotten the car for 12k or 13k.

I don't think it's so much that used boxsters are so cheap, rather new boxsters are wayyyyy too expensive. They are great cars to drive, don't get me wrong but compared to some other cars they are over priced. I love driving my box, but when it comes time to upgrade I'll do so with a used boxster S.

it all depends on the mileage too.

Here's a sub 10K mile 2002 tip that's about to go for nearly $30K without Litronics and a pretty plain interior.

2002 Boxster S

Those bids look suspicious. I can't believe that car will sell for that.

Well, the prices are the prices. How much SHOULD a boxster be worth? Well, what can you sell it for?

PS-EBAY is of limited value to determine values.

Too many off line transactions, too many failed purchases. These data escapte EBAY information.

Why not? That's my whole point. That these lower mileage cars should sell for more. This car that Perfectlap found is a 2002 S with Tip, 18" wheels, lot's of add on's and only 7,800ish miles. At $30K that's less than half it's original price for basically a new car. Try to buy that car today brand new and you're looking at $65K to $68K. My post was about low mileage well optioned Boxster's selling cheap relative to new ones. Yes new Boxster's are way over priced. But that's beside the point.

It's not a good time to sell anything, I might be selling my house and car and I certainly don't expect a fair dollar value for either, if you can, delay selling it till the economy bounces back a bit.

Ebay is not very accurate in terms of gauging car values but they're there if you want to buy them at relatively 'fair market' values and many auctions for Porsches are getting fewer and fewer bids. I check these almost daily because I'm shopping for a C4 winter beater. The starting list prices are dipping fast.
When cars do sell I've noticed some crazy bargains recently.
I'm thinking the economic slow down and the mortgage mess is pushing many sellers to accept very low offers.

A depreciating assett in a tight credit market is a double whammy.

p.s.
The 02 tip has 4 bidders north of $26K. That sounds very healthy.
Mileage is going to the make or break. Another reason I want to quit driving my car year round. I only drive the thing on weekends as it is.

I'm not selling my Boxster. I have only thought about it only to quickly realize what a bargain I have. It's not just now, I've noticed that the used prices have been low going back to when I bought mine back in March 2004. I bought it when I lived in southern California with 23,280 miles on it for less than half the price of a similarly optioned new one at that time. I'm happy I was able to save so much money on a pristine Porsche. So my point is don't buy a new one buy used.

I think buying a lightly used car is always a better bargain no matter the brand. The only new cars I ever had were all leased to Kodak back when I was a big swinging dick, I miss those days, a lot...

I wonder how many of those "$77K" BoxsterS's are actually paid for by Cash as opposed to leasing.. Heck, if a LOVE having the newest and greatest every 3 years,. why pay $25K for a 5 year old car when I can pay $25K in payments and drive a new one?

So.. Where do you want to spend your money? And, well yes, we all know about supply and demand, and depressed markets, especially right now. Also consider the number alternatives out there to a Used Boxster.

So yes.. keep it and modify it as you want and tell your friends who don't have a Boxster yet what a great value they are :)

Your car is 8 years old and worth 1/3 of its original MSRP
 

Your car is 8 years old and worth 1/3 of the equivalent current MSRP.

BMW 3 series average price for a 2000 328i on Autotrader - $11000
Current MSRP for 330i 41K average.

Seems like the Boxster value is holding up well!