buying a 02 986 Boxster S
 

help guys. new to this forum

buying either a 02 986 Boxster or 01 986 Boxster S for the same price

where i live HP is not something that is too important. cuz the traffic wont allow you to go anywhere over 50km/h

what is a better choice and what should kind of things should i pay extra attention when inspecting the car before final purchase?

i am leaning towards the S simply cuz its the smae price as the 2.7 eventhough the 2.7 is a 2002....



also.. 2005 987 Boxster. is that consider a New model or face lift of 986?

as u can tell never own a Porsche so the question might seem abit amature to you guys.

is the 987 a new model like say the New 3 Series E90 of BMW or is it a facelift model of 986?... cuz use to have a 3 series.. when E46 had a facelift its model # was still E46....

but 987 looks very very similar to 986 that is why i am wondering and also want to think about resale value in 2 or 3 yrs.

thanks

well both things being exactly equal I would go for the S.
At this curb weight there is something that happens when you slap on an engine with at least 240 hp. The Honda s2000 has it and the super/turbo charged Miatas I've driven also had it. Hard to put into words but the extra torque, HP,oomph,go makes the car come "alive".
an additional 50 hp(maybe less?) over the standard Boxster doesn't seem like much on paper but it makes a far bigger impact in your gut. You don't need to head to the track to appreciate that feeling. Everytime you merge with traffic or pass a slow car you'll appreciate it.
In year's past you'd have to pay allot more for this kind of power from Porsche.
Passing it up nowadays seems inexplicable to me.

I would purchase the S.

Enjoy!

I just bought an S after looking at lots of base models and couldn't be happier. Performance aside the little things count, the red calipers, interior tweaks etc. But, as said below, the condition of the car and mileage is important too, IF everything is equal get the S, but if other factors lean against it give it more thought.

Chris.

anything i should pay extra attention to when purchasing a 2nd hand Porsche


oil leakage? anything?

i herad alot of bad things about Boxster's engin seize up and had to replace it ...

is that common?

i guess S is what i will get but advise on what i should look for and pay extra attention to .. thanks

Get it inspected... inspections vary, you need to get one comparable to your level of confidence. I had quite a cheap inspection done as I had a lot of faith in the car and previous owner, plus over a year of factory warranty left.

A simple inspection will be pretty much a quick look around, usually for an hour. Others have suggested something more in depth where they check alignments with lasers to check for accident damage etc.

A check with a paint meter is probably a good check for prior damage.

Would choose the S
 

The car will have better brakes, (911's brakes) more than likely it will have the PSM, might have the sports suspension with the upgraded tires, 250 hp. Only negative is the plastic window but I seen people that have replaced them with the glass window similar to the 2003 and newer models.
The 987 is indeed a different model. Changes bigger engine, lower ride with more head room, interior done with more luxury, 18" or 19" tires, a host of other bells and whistles. Sheet metal wise the headlights are oval design, new Carrera alloys, new nose similar to 911 turbo.

PSM?
what is that?

i thougth only the 03 model has it

the S will be an 01....

the 2.7 will be the 02


the 01 S has a multi spoke wheel ..

posting pics of the car.. see if u guys can tell me what kind of package it has and what should come with it

i dont konw much about Porsch ... only reason why i am getting it because i test drove a Boxster 2.7... and i was suprise how good the car actually drives... alwasy thougth boxster will not drive like a Porsche...but was i WRONG....

Under the front hood you will find a series of numbers and letters that show what options were ordered on the car from the factory. You should find those, call a dealer and ask what they are...

Looks like you have cup holders and a CD tray inside... that's nice and these aren't cheap to add later. It's a tiptronic, and that extra drain on the engine really demands the S from what I've read on this forum and renntech.

I encourage you to have a four-wheel laser alignment (non-laser is not nearly as good in my book) because it will tell you if you have any bent subframe problems, bent struts or shocks, bent control arms, etc. All this is very expensive to repair and you only really discover it by rapid tire wear and driving the car for a while, so it's always worth doing it.

Pretty car though. Hope it checks out well so you can buy it and drive it! :D

Looks like it has heated seats, by the handbrake there are two sets of switches, two for the windows and two for the heated seats. If it has heated seats there will be an image on them, if not they'll be blank.

Try to get a picture of the center console and the six switches (three each side) and the sticker under the hood (mentioned below) with the option codes on it.

Check the tires too, see how the tread is, also if there is a windstop (piece of perspex that slots between the rollbars to cut down the wind).

Have a look at the headlights too, if they have a small 2-3" circular bulb set in (I think) they should be Litronics, another nice option to have.

You could post where you are and ask for a board member to go look with you, post here and/or at ppbb.com and you should be able to get some tips on where to take the car or people who can help you out.

[QUOTE=showboat33]PSM?
what is that?

i thougth only the 03 model has it

http://content3.us.porsche.com/prod/boxster/boxsters.nsf/usaenglish/safetypsm

Porsche Stability Management. I sent you the above link to read about it. It is now standard on the Boxster and Boxster S.

buying this car in Taiwan.,.. the little island with 25 million people... that is why i said the road here dont really allow to go over 50 unless its past mid night

but i guess since its a Step the S should be a good push ....

is that 18" wheels?

it has HID projectors?.. is that what UKchris is refering to as Litronic?

thanks guys....