im so torn
 

help! help!. im sooo torn. i want to get a used boxster and will be able to swing about $20,000. i see these great standard boxsters one owner with less than30,000 miles about 99 or 2000 models. i see older s models and occaissionally see a standard 2003 with medium to high mileage for about that price. do i go for a medium to high mileage older s? do i go for an extremely low mileage older standard. or do i go for a high mileage 2003 model. help help help. what do you experienced boxster fans recommend?
thanks for your input.
fred from nashville
ps anyone want am 09 spectra 5 kia for only #12.900?? great little car but i NEED A boxster!

Careful, that kind of enthusiasm can get you a nice looking car that will cost you ALOT more than you paid to buy it. Buy the newest, nicest Boxster you can afford. By afford, conventional wisdom is to keep $2-3k in reserve for the unexpected. Like all Porsches, these cars aren't cheap, no matter what the purchase price is. By that, I mean 4x what you're probably used to for replacement parts and maintenance, that is if the car remains reliable. Get a PPI and read through these forums. You need to be well informed about the potential financial risks of owning one of these cars before buying one.

I don't mean to scare anyone off, but you need to know what you're getting into before dropping coin. Only after all that should you join the rest of us in Boxster driving heaven!

I agree with Blue, spend the next 2 weeks trying to talk yourself out of a Boxster, if after 2 weeks you still want one, maybe you should start shopping. I can't remember who posted this or even where I read it, but the advice went something like, "Spend 1 week for each $1000 the car will cost really thinking about the purchase", so a $20,000 car needs 20 weeks of consideration. It may help you from making an uninformed decision.

I like the $1000 a week idea.
People that rush into Boxster with a lot of enthusiasm but not a lot of knowledge are more prone to getting a bad deal, and an unreliable car. Calm down, do your research, look at your options, and make an educated decision. A cheaper Boxster will cost you more in repairs than a more expensive Boxster that has been cared for.

Extremely low mileage cars aren't always a good deal either. The rule of thumb for Porsches has typically been to look for cars that have 4,000 - 9,000 miles for each year of life. Less that that and you run the risk of seals that can crack/leak due to lack of lubrication - much like dry rot on tires.

You need to read around the forums on a couple of IMS and RMS issues, you sound like a kid and a candy shop, not to be disrespectful but a Porsche is going to be abosultely nothing like a Kia and you don't need one, but you do need to be well informed before any major purchase, they are great cars, I don't have one myself because I talked myself into reality enough to realize I can't drop $12,000 into my only car at the moment, but if you can and know what you're getting into than the reward will be pretty unmatched.

Look around and you might be able to find everything that you want for a good price! I ran into a guy yesterday at an autocross. He had a 2004 Boxster S with 21K miles on it. Bought it last week from a gal he met at a gas station when he was admiring her car. Got it for $18K!!! What a steal! This is definitely a buyer's market now.

Kirk

1. ZERO accidents
2. get an S
3. lowest miles
3. 2000 or newer
4. buy from someone who had more than one car and only used it as a toy.
5. make sure it has HID (aka Litronics) and 18" wheels if you don't want to spend $2400 or more on new wheels and tires.

Try autotrader, Porsche Club of America website, Dupont Registry.
p.s.
don't buy black unless you like driving a car that is dirty half the time.

Start your education here:

http://mike.focke.googlepages.com/mikesporscheboxsterwebpages

Is this car going to be your only car? If so then don't do it.

Buying a cheap Boxster is fine but you must expect repairs. Those repairs might be lengthy or might cost more than you can afford. That's ok if you have something else to drive but if its your DD then you're in trouble.

There's a reason why most Porsches are owned by guys over 40. They're the only ones who can afford them. Sure there are exceptions but many of them only have a Porsche for awhile and then economics gets the better of them and they have to sell.

Take It Easy
 

Remember the three P's when buying any used car, and especially a Porsche. They are: Patience, patience, patience. Waiting a week per $1K sounds like a good idea. I'm on my fourth Porsche. I got my latest, a '98 standard with 15K on the clock for $15K by waiting and watching. I don't agree that you need an S or 18 inch wheels. If we had an autobahn here I might feel differently. I enjoyed my Carrera during my ten years in Germany, but don't think that much performance is necessary here, unless you intend to drive competitively. PIP is a must. Like every post here, this is just my opinion, based on 30 years of Porsche ownership. Good luck.

For 20K you should be able to hook yourself up with a premium car, that is especially true given the economy and time of year.

very interesting
 

please dont stop posting on this. im getting ready to turn 65 in april. . im in extremely good shape for my age. ive been a sportscar guy since i was 14. i can heel and toe with the best. i have a very violent harley v rod and have been reading every blog , article and forum i can get my hands on. this will maybe be my last chance to have a real sportscar.i still am torn because i see so many really low mileage s cars of about the 2000 vintage. on the other hand i think the advice to get as new as possible is good too. i just dont know how a boxster does in the 48 plus k area (mileagfe wise). i would use it as a daily driver but i would not put very many miles on it except on weekends. im determined but still not sure which way to go. i appreciate all your input. like i say dont stop.
thandks
fred from nashville

These are seriously incredible cars from a driving reward standpoint. Any and all years, any and all engines/options. The general pricing last year on the used Boxsters were a bargain, this year, they're a steal. As long as you know what you're getting into (risks), and you make sure that you're getting a good one, you won't be anything but happy, like me :)

Mr. Fred you sound excited and you should be these cars are very capable and fun to drive. One thing I would consider is a newer non S, many are available and @245 base hp they are comparable in output to earlier S models. Of course the six speed of the S would be nice to have, it's your call. I have the 2.5, slowest of the line and you still need to concentrate on not speeding with it.

I agree that it should be a 2000 or newer. Very low miles are actually ok. Just check out the seals, look for leaks, etc. Usually the brake system suffers the worst with low miles because of the caustic nature of the fluid. Take a long test drive, check the tranny, front end shimmy, break wear etc. Take a look underneath. Make sure all the electronics work.

Look for all of the owners manuals...maintenance receipts...original window sticker (most people who baby and cherish their cars will keep the dealer window sticker).

Spend the money for Carfax or some other vin report program. It was worth it for me. Several of the Boxsters I considered came up with accidents on the vin report even though the owners claimed not to know anything about an accident. I eliminated those vehicles from my final list right away.

Also look for a car with only 1 or 2 owners and no auto auctions on the history.

By the way, black is difficult to keep clean but it is also my favorite color. I get more compliments on black than any other color.

Good luck and good hunting!

I completely agree with those recommending that you take your time. I spent about an hour a day for 9 months researching my 2003 Boxster S with 17,900 miles on it, before I bought it. They seem to go for about $7k less now (only 18 months later!).

I also agree with those who say to keep something in reserve. Depending on where you live, the DMV may collect sales tax when you transfer the title. I think I paid $2,200 to the DMV to transfer the title and register it.

Like everyone else had added already

Be ready to fix the thing.
Good luck in the hunt and hopefully we will see you soon with a photo of your new toy.
:cheers:

+1 on the above.
Get the newest model you can afford.

I could have opted for a Boxster S that was three or four years newer but the mileage was higher. So I decided to go for a just out of warranty four year old that barely avearged 2400 miles a year. I think I made the right call there.
A saw a few one or two year old cars had more than 10K annual miles and decided to skip a car that was a year round daily driver. I think these should go to the bottom of the list.

Some argue that the 2000-2002 intermediate shaft design was better than the revised version. Nobody really tracks when those fail (car catastrophe) but at one point Consumer Reports was recording consumer complaints and the 00-02's were receiving the lowest number of issues for the 97-2005 period. But who knows how accurate that is. I've put nearly 57K miles on my 2000S and have only had one repair that cost more than $200. Pretty amazing. It also depends how you drive. I always wait for the oil temp to go up before letting the the RPMs go over 2000. I try to use the brakes as little as possible by using the throttle smoothly. Since gas had its little trip into $5 territory I have learned to drive at the speed limit with the car in the 6th gear as soon as possible to go easy on the engine.

also, check the bodywork closely. Painting these cars the right way is not cheap.
I had my whole front end repainted and it was a real job to find a body shop that had enough high end cars but weren't charging high end rates. Fenders, hood and my GT3 bumper done for $1100. Most places wanted closer $2000-$2500 but I managed to get my way, the other partner at the bodyshop was pissed when I picked up the car :D

p.s.
In this economy get the S. They're practically giving it to you for no extra charge.
Also in my opine and after driving a 2.7 and a 3.2, a car of this curb weight comes "alive" out of corners at about the 240-206 hp mark. Drive an S2000 for comparison. If you can't find an S keep looking. This car should've had a 3.6 from the start because it's really a Carrera roadster in my book, but for political reasons at Porsche they decided to make it a 2.5 and give it a different name even though from the doors to the front bumper it's 99% a 99-01 Carrera.