Help for future owner

[Britus]

Good Morning.

I am a BMW and have owned 7 of them over the years, but have always wanted a Boxster as a second car. Recently bought a new 550i and thought that would make the urge go away, but guess what it is still there. Have been doing research on this site for about a month now and am ready to buy a early model weekend car for fun. Probably want to spend in the $10-18k range and am located in the Dallas area in Texas.

My question is outside of Craigslist are there other good sites to look for owner owned vehicles for sale? It seems the majority of the ones here are dealer driven, and some do and some don't have any type of records. My hope is to find one with the IMS already done, but not sure if that is super realistic. Sorry if this is a dumb question, all my cars have been bought new so this is first time venturing in to the used car market. Any other advice would be appreciated.

All the best

[thstone]

Welcome! I also was a BMW guy for a long time before buying my Boxster so I can relate to where you're coming from.

In regards of where to find a car other than Craigslist, take a look at AutoTrader.com, Cars.com, and of course, eBay. Also check this site and a few of the other Porsche enthusiast forums.

In regards to finding a car with the IMS bearing already replaced, the odds are somewhat low but not impossible. I wouldn't consider that a deal breaker. You can always just replace the IMS bearing yourself when the clutch needs replacement. More important is to find a good car that has been well cared for (because there are a lot more components than just the IMS bearing that can go wrong and cost substantial money on a poorly maintained car).

You'll have to decide whether repair maintenance records are a dealer breaker or not. They were not for me. Many well cared for cars do not have records for many different reasons that have nothing to do with a bad history. The trick is to be able to sort the good from the bad without any records and this is where the PPI becomes so important.

In closing, I will say that driving a Boxster is 10 times as rewarding as almost any BMW. Not to kick dirt on BMW's but a Porsche sports car really is the ultimate driving machine.

[Chuck W.]

Another BMW owner here; 2012 535I M-Sport.

thstone is spot on. Shop the nation and have it shipped in if you have to. Be sure to get a PPI. If you don't you could get hurt real bad on these cars. Check out Porsche dealers for a used one too. A lot of people buy these cars and don't put many miles on them. Then they trade them in for another Porsche.

As far as the IMS, just factor 2K into the price from the get go.

Good luck and keep us posted.

[l3m]

You'll have better luck finding an IMS-replaced Boxster on the forums. Check out these links every once in a while.

Automobiles For Sale - 6speedonline.com Forums
Vehicle Marketplace section in Rennlist Discussion Forums
Boxster & Cayman Forum - Pelican Parts Technical BBS
PedrosBoard :: Cars for Sale
Planet9 Enthusify Marketplace

Welcome to the forum. Where in Texas are you?

[BruceH]

Ditto on the above advice and welcome! I am here in the DFW area also. I found my 2001 S in Atlanta. I wanted an S in either Black or Lapis Blue with Grey interior. I used Auto Trader, Cars.com, CL and individual Porsche Dealer sites. Also kept an eye on eBay. You can also try shops that work on Porsches. You can give Wayne at Zims in Bedford a call (817-267-4451). He is the service manager there. He usually knows of one that might be for sale. Other shops can also help. Zims is also a great place to get a PPI once you find a good prospect. It would also be worth checking out the PCA site. There is a classified section on their site. Patience is important IMO. There are lots of these cars out there, it just takes some time to find the right one. Good luck on your search.

[recycledsixtie]

Welcome Britus,

As the above states I would trust buying from a Pelicanite owner first. I bought privately from somebody in our city and got receipts from him for work done. Look at lots of cars and if you find one you like get a PPI done for sure. I used to buy new and the last 2 cars have been used. Reduce the offer price by estimates for work needed to be done. Chances are there will be no lineup to buy that used Box so u likely will be in the driver's seat. Do not be in a hurry. I would definitely meet the seller in person. Lots of mediums to buy a used car. Newspapers, online etc etc.

I really like to meet the seller in person, I think it is pretty easy to recognize a curber.
Check for accident damage etc etc. Do your research. Buyer beware etc.Enjoy the ride!