2000 Boxster Purchase Help.....
 

I found a very nicely optioned 2000 Boxster, non S. I originally had my heart set on an S, but after driving this one, seeing how well taken care of it has been, and all the nice options, I am leaning towards it. How much do you guys think a car like this is worth....

The owner just bought a brand new 2008 RS 60 so this one must go....


• Speed Yellow with Black Interior, Black Top
• 5 Speed Manual
• Full leather interior
• Special Chassis Rigidity Tuned
• Headlight Washers
• HI-FI Sound Pkg w/Speakers
• Single disk CD player
• Litronic (Xenon) Lights
• Rear Center Console Painted Exterior Color (Yellow)
• Painted Roll Bar Exterior Color (Yellow)
• Porsche Crest in Headrest
• Seat Belts - Speed Yellow
• Exterior Color Seat Stitching (Yellow)
• Dev Color-Door Panel Stitching
• Black Mats - Porsche lettering
• Power: Steering, Windows, door locks
• 49,3xx miles.
• Maintenance is current and records available.
• New tire set replaced 8K miles ago, $1K+ spent. Best tires available (Michelin Pilot Sport PS2, Comes with lifetime balance/ free flat repair/ nitrogen filling). I got 41K miles from previous set.
• New MAF sensor, replaced a month ago ($700).
• Registration paid till March 2011
• $14,499 OBO
• Clear Title
• Private seller

That car has some nice options. Full leather, Xenons and the deviated stitching are items I wish I had on my car. The asking price would have been extraordinarily low three years ago when I bought my car. Times have changed though.

Check out the "cars for sale" on PPBB. Here's a 2001 that probably went for less than $14,000. http://www.ppbb.com/phorum/read.php?13,1553128,1553818#msg-1553818 That car had a new glass-window top, but the car you describe has some features the one on PPBB does not. Also look at eBay and check the prices on cars that sold.

Speed yellow is a little "flashy" for some folks, so that may affect future resale. Another factor is your location. Are you in an area where Boxsters are relatively plentiful, or do you live in an area where the climate causes folks to store their sports cars in the winter? If demand is low and/or supply is high you might have some more leverage to bargain.

If there are no mechanical problems, it appears that the asking price is in the reasonable range. Obviously it would be nice to get it for less than $14,000. Others may have different opinions, but I doubt you could buy it for less than $13,000.

Even with some nice options, which don't really add much value, that car seems way, way overpriced. For $15k you should be able to get a nice 2001 or 2002 S.

Kelly Blue Book isn't a source I'd stake my life on but it at least gives you a good ballpark. Trade In: ~$8k. Private Party: ~$10k. Retail (exc cond): $12k. Edmunds.com is another source and values there are quite similar.

IMHO, looking at eBay closed auctions is most telling about where the market is. There are really clean Boxsters listed and ratty, abused ones, and everything in between. Not many cars sell, but where the bidding stopped for unsold cars is pretty revealing. You'll see a clear value picture after looking closely at 20-30 cars. There are LOTS of recent threads on this board from 1st time buyers like you asking for opinions on cars they're thinking about buying. Read them all and learn before you jump in.

I get the impression you haven't seen/driven many Boxsters before, this being the first really clean one, and now you're smitten. If you want an S, go for an S. There's absolutely no reason to settle. There are so many of these cars around. Prices are in the tank. Never a better time to be a buyer.

This site is great place to start your research:

http://sites.google.com/site/mikefocke2/buyingorsellinga1997-2004boxster

Step back, take a deep breath, research, research, research, pick the brains of people on this site (opinions are like rear ends, everyone's got one), look at lots of cars, find the right one, get a Pre-Purchase Inspection (PPI), and if it comes up clean then "do the deed."

Good luck.

Make Em An Offer He Can't Refuse
 

I paid $15,700 for my 2000 S...sticker on this baby was $69,700. Had 64K on the clock. I found what I wanted, I negotiated this best price that I could get it for by pointing a few things that needed to be replaced like the rotors. Haggling works, cash offers work and if he really wants to sell he will. I assume this has a 2.7 liter where as the S has a 3.2 liter that also make a difference. If this is the car you want the price is and should not be the determining factor. Remember, it is used...get a PPI. :cheers:

jcb986, love the seal grey w Boxster Red interior. :cheers: Rare combination, and can't blame you for grabbing it.

Many sellers are unwilling to move down to market price right now, as ebay "completed listings" illustrate.

mile2424, since you asked ... here's one vote that you choose the Silver/Red S pictured in your other thread over the yellow bomb.

There's a Porsche Yellow 2001 S with 63k on the clock in my hometown for sale. They were asking $18,900 but I got him down to $13,500. Just don't like the yellow so I picked up a silver 2000 with a new engine instead.

The car is at a UC dealer. PM for more info.