Should I buy this '97 986...?

[ollie526]

Thanks everyone for all the great feedback. It is extremely helpful.

The allure of the low pricetag Porsche tends to shield some reality of buying an old car. The adage "You get what you pay for" and "cars are terrible investments" seems to always ring true.

Now I'm wondering if I'd be better off with a similar car that I know was taken care of. This one (http://newyork.craigslist.org/wch/cto/1733841693.html) for example has 7k of new parts in the last two years. This car has a blue book value of about 8k, so if I could get the seller down, I may be saving myself money in the long run. Thoughts?

[Tranlm]

Definitely don't rush with this. Porsches are EXPENSIVE to maintain and fix, so you better be ready and make sure the car doesn't need anything major (at least for the immediate future).

That being said, if you don't want to wait the 3 days, try and take it to an independent mechanic. It'll be cheaper and I'm sure they can do it the same day. I would definitely check their reputation though to make sure that they know what they're doing. Also try to verify that they are certified through Porsche to work on cars.

Lastly, if you're willing to wait a little bit, I've realized lately that it'd be a good idea to get the oil checked too from Blackstone. Could tell you a lot about how well the car was maintained as well as potential major problems.

Good luck!

[97 Boxster]

Originally Posted by ollie526

Thanks everyone for all the great feedback. It is extremely helpful.

The allure of the low pricetag Porsche tends to shield some reality of buying an old car. The adage "You get what you pay for" and "cars are terrible investments" seems to always ring true.

Now I'm wondering if I'd be better off with a similar car that I know was taken care of. This one (http://newyork.craigslist.org/wch/cto/1733841693.html) for example has 7k of new parts in the last two years. This car has a blue book value of about 8k, so if I could get the seller down, I may be saving myself money in the long run. Thoughts?

Ultimately you want to get the right one. There is tons of sage advice out there. The longer you research it and ask we will all have opinions about each one you are looking at. Bottom line is - Dont second guess yourself. If you feel like it is a good deal then go for it. The deal is not necessarily the asking price of the car though. Once you drive it away that whole "Deal" is now yours to maintain and if not done properly it could make you regret this decision.

I love my car and each day I drive it I cant believe I own it but the day will come that I will have to dump some money into it and it wont be to improve the appearance, it will be something internal.

Good luck.

[davemon]

Originally Posted by ollie526

Thanks everyone for all the great feedback. It is extremely helpful.

The allure of the low pricetag Porsche tends to shield some reality of buying an old car. The adage "You get what you pay for" and "cars are terrible investments" seems to always ring true.

Now I'm wondering if I'd be better off with a similar car that I know was taken care of. This one (http://newyork.craigslist.org/wch/cto/1733841693.html) for example has 7k of new parts in the last two years. This car has a blue book value of about 8k, so if I could get the seller down, I may be saving myself money in the long run. Thoughts?

So ollie526, what did you end up with?

If the $5500 is otherwise in great shape, that is a good price even for a roller. If you're willing to moonlight as a your own mechanic, it could be a great buy. I know I love tinkering with cars to defy the grim reaper. If you're afraid to break up your knuckles and get some grease in your hair... then this can set you back much more than the fine car you could have bought for $20k.

[al83s]

Sounds like a good price to me... even if it some day blows (worst case scenario) - you will be able to recover most of the money by parting it out... a used hardtop itself is worth $600.
Meanwhile, if the engine and transmission are good - other stuff can be fixed or lived with untill you have time/money to fix it.
I bought my boxster really cheap 2 years ago before boxster values tanked. $9300, it was an 02 w 76 k miles w clean title that was in an accident and the airbags have deployed. Everyone told me to run from that car, but I bought it, fixed it up (2 airbags+2 seatbelts+ bumper cover ~$1500) and couldn't be happier.
If you can turn wrenches - these cars are not any harder or much more expensive to work on than a honda or vw.
For example some repairs that are possible w 80 k miles: DIY clutch job - $500. M030 sport suspension (Set of shocks and springs on all 4 corners + sway bars) - $1200
brake pads on all 4 corners and rotors resurfaced - $250. key needing a new transmitter if battery doesn't fix the problem - $100.
Of course, if you are not mechanically inclined or expect a 13 year old Porsche for $5500 to be really reliable - you will be dissapointed and should avoid it.
As far as I understand, with 77k miles the porous block would have already surfaced long time ago, but IMS failure may still happen.
Inspection is still a good idea though, even the cheap one as it will let you at least get the car on the lift.
Just my 2 cents. I am an optimist

[jcb986]

Here's my 2 cents worth. If you want a daily driver but it new or no older than 2 years and get the extended warranty. Now if want a low price older Boxster be prepared to do repairs. A boxster with 60K plus miles is in need of maintenance more so than a new one. I agree with the other guys here, $3,500 to $5,000 grand is what it could cost you.