Considering a 2003 Porsche Boxter - 986 Forum - The Community for Porsche Boxster & Cayman Owners

ecwink · 09-17-2010, 11:03 AM

I'm 65 on SSecurity and was thinking about buying my dream car. I found one in Indiana, did the usually " Auto Check" with no info on prior service. I contacted the selling dealer in Florida and was informed that the car was last serviced there in 2007 at 34,000 miles. Car has just 46,000 miles now and has been sitting on dealers lot(Non Porche) for about one month. I asked the dealer about this particular year and model and he indicated the "Intermediate Shaft Seal" was the biggest concern along with Foam coming thru the air vents which is very costly to repair. There aren't any Porsche dealers around here ((90 miles away) is closest but there are 2 import dealers that service foreign autos. According to what I was told this Intermediate Shaft or seal can go at any time without warning. Now I'm having second thoughts about getting the car. Car would only be used in summer months for local driving but can't afford to spend my entire check on repairs. Any suggestions?

blue2000s · 09-17-2010, 11:24 AM

Read posts on this and other forums, become more informed, and decide if the car is right for you.

Scared to Death of these cars !

bonefx · 09-17-2010, 11:36 AM

ECWINK
Porsche Boxster is a great car but can be expensive to drive. Call a local Porsche Dealer and ask for a standard Boxster service schedule and cost. I like to turn a wrench which helps reduce my overall service cost. Please review all Boxster information before making your decision. Just my two cents...Good Luck

mikefocke · 09-17-2010, 02:02 PM

would you take on a potential liability and reduce your savings by the cost of the car? Keep life simple and save would be my suggestion.

Having said that, my Boxsters have been very very reliable and have cost me very little...most years gas, oil change and insurance. But with any car that old, things can go wrong. And the gas is premium, the oil change cost is $60+ in filter and oil cost even if I do the labor and insurance costs are higher than if I only had a Honda CRV...my other car. I live about an hour away from any dealer. And I'd only want a mechanic experienced in Porsches working on the car, I've had horrible experiences with "foreign car" mechanics on other brand cars.

I lived in northwest Indiana, had a roadster there in the '60s. Not the most practical car for the climate.

I'm 67.

Gforrest2 · 09-17-2010, 03:48 PM

My 2 cents? You're not getting any younger. If the Boxster is your dream car than by all means, get one. Yes, do your research and make sure you get a good one, but you don't want to be 70 and say, "I wish I would have got that Boxster 5 years ago". I wanted one too, and I've always wanted a Harley, and also wanted a sport bike. So in Sept. 09, I bought my hog, in February, I bought my Ninja, and this past July, I bought my Boxster. Yes, I'm in debt up to my ears (but I did my part to stimulate the economy). I thought I should save up or get something more pratical, but I wasn't getting any younger, so I just went for it, while I could still enjoy these toys. Besides, you'll gonna leave all that money to your kids? I'm going to spend mine while I still can. Good luck with whatever you decide.

VGM911 · 09-17-2010, 06:59 PM

Buying any used car is a risk. Perhaps even more with an older Porsche. That's why many Porsche buyers look for newer models that are "certified pre-owned" so that a substantial part of the risk remains with Porsche, rather than the buyer.

But in return for the risk one assumes when buying a used Porsche, is the pleasure of driving a wonderful high-performance sports car. And we who buy them think that's a good trade.

kpm · 09-18-2010, 07:26 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by ecwink

I'm 65 on SSecurity and was thinking about buying my dream car. I found one in Indiana, did the usually " Auto Check" with no info on prior service. I contacted the selling dealer in Florida and was informed that the car was last serviced there in 2007 at 34,000 miles. Car has just 46,000 miles now and has been sitting on dealers lot(Non Porche) for about one month. I asked the dealer about this particular year and model and he indicated the "Intermediate Shaft Seal" was the biggest concern along with Foam coming thru the air vents which is very costly to repair. There aren't any Porsche dealers around here ((90 miles away) is closest but there are 2 import dealers that service foreign autos. According to what I was told this Intermediate Shaft or seal can go at any time without warning. Now I'm having second thoughts about getting the car. Car would only be used in summer months for local driving but can't afford to spend my entire check on repairs. Any suggestions?

Where in Fla. is the dealer ? Above all spend the money for a PPI (pre purchase inspection). I didn't and it cost me $1400.00 to get the car through Maryland inspection.

Locate a dealer or a Porsche qualified mechanic where the car is and have them do the inspection. It will save you a lot of headaches.

These cars need to be driven, often and hard. Letting them sit for long periods does them no good at all.

All that being said, I love my '01 S. With all its clunks and weird rattles. With the top down on a twisty road...winding it up to 6000 rpm through the gears...that's when you find out what they mean by...there is no substitute.

blue2000s · 09-18-2010, 07:55 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by kpm

All that being said, I love my '01 S. With all its clunks and weird rattles. With the top down on a twisty road...winding it up to 6000 rpm through the gears...that's when you find out what they mean by...there is no substitute.

If you're not using the last 1200 RPM of the engine's rev range, there's more fun to be had.

Brucelee · 09-18-2010, 10:33 AM

If you only have your SS to live on (that is what you said) then I don't see how you can afford to purchase, insure, and repair any car that is as expensive as a 2007 Boxster.

If you truly are real (and not a poser) then, I would exercise extreme caution with yout limited funds.

If funds are not limited, then your life span certainly is (that is a joke from a guy who is 61 himself).

Therefore, proceed to buy the car with all due speed.

Good luck.

kpm · 09-18-2010, 01:59 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by blue2000s

If you're not using the last 1200 RPM of the engine's rev range, there's more fun to be had.

Waiting on a new motor mount !

kpm · 09-18-2010, 02:01 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Brucelee

If you only have your SS to live on (that is what you said) then I don't see how you can afford to purchase, insure, and repair any car that is as expensive as a 2007 Boxster.

Good luck.

It's an '03 .

Brucelee · 09-19-2010, 04:45 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by kpm

It's an '03 .

To be truthful, if really only gets SS, I would doubt his ability to buy a Porsche coffee mug.

eightsandaces · 09-19-2010, 06:38 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Brucelee

To be truthful, if really only gets SS, I would doubt his ability to buy a Porsche coffee mug.

Wouldn't that really depend on factors unknown? SSI is based on your highest earning year as well as career length. It's also important to know if said person owns their home or is still servicing a mortgage.

IMO a retired person on SSI could afford a 03 Boxster with ease depending on circumstances..

ekam · 09-19-2010, 06:45 AM

Don't forget majority of people only drive their boxster 5000 miles or so a year. Repair/maintenance will be much less compare to those who drive them more often.

Mark_T · 09-19-2010, 07:34 AM

If you've got the money to buy the car cash, what's the worst that can happen? Maybe something breaks and it takes a while to scrounge up the money to fix it. You still own the car, and owning a broken Porsche is much better than not owning a running one. It still fits within the dream of owning a Porsche.

And you may well get a great car that just needs gas, oil and filters for the next five years and gives you a face-splitting grin every time you turn the key.

Too many people use the bad things that might happen as an excuse for not doing the things they say they want to do. I don't think those people really want to do whatever it was they said they wanted to do in the first place, otherwise they surely would not be so easily deterred.

I'm 52, not quite as old as you are, and all my life I've made happen the things I really wanted to do. The scale on which I do these things is of course limited by funds available, but there is always a way. When I get to the end I won't be saying "Gee, I sure wish I had done (insert activity) when I had the chance."

Carpe Diem, dude!

VGM911 · 09-19-2010, 11:47 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by ecwink

I'm 65 on SSecurity....can't afford to spend my entire check on repairs. Any suggestions?

The brief/sparse description of this gentleman's finances provides insufficient information for several of the sincere responses given. You guys are to be commended for caring about his ability to support the expenses relating to the purchase and upkeep of a Boxster.

But....we have no real insight into his balance sheet, or other sources/amounts of income he may have, nor do I think he wants us to analyze whether he can afford a car.

I do think it's interesting, however, that he hasn't revisited this thread since his original post.