Is the Boxster the unloved stepchild?

[kk2002s]

This is a tread that will go on and on. We say we don't care but we reply, because we do care. For me and I think for many others, a used Boxster allows many entry into the P-Car experience at a some what reasonable price.
!!! I'm loving the experience - my grin making machine !!!

The 911 style is what many, including me, associate as traditional Porsche. Those of you with both in your stable have the inside view that can give the rest of us a more relevant comparison. We all know, along with the majority of the Driving press, that Porsche can't power up the Boxster because it will hurt 911 sales. That's the car Business. So it's one thing to have a 911 owner snub a Boxster owner, it's another, somewhat more painful for a company man to do it. I hope his boss and above don't have the same disregard

[Perfectlap]

Originally Posted by kk2002s

For me and I think for many others, a used Boxster allows many entry into the P-Car experience at a some what reasonable price.

I always find this statement a bit odd. If you can't afford a new 991 or newish 997 you can buy an old 911 all day long. The papers are full Carreras going for the same money as a low mileage Boxster or Cayman. In fact, some 996 Carreras can be had for barely $10K. High miles of course but a water-cooled Porsche can handle it.

The notion that a Boxster is the default option for a limited budget is misplaced.
Water-cooled Carreras are depreciating just the same as Caymans and Boxsters.
Actually when the stock market crashed in 2008-2009 they took a nighmarish beating. Some 996's that stickered well over $80K could be had for less than $40K before the factory warranty had even expired. Ouch.

[NoGaBiker]

Originally Posted by Perfectlap

I always find this statement a bit odd. If you can't afford a new 991 or newish 997 you can buy an old 911 all day long. The papers are full Carreras going for the same money as a low mileage Boxster or Cayman. In fact, some 996 Carreras can be had for barely $10K. High miles of course but a water-cooled Porsche can handle it.

The notion that a Boxster is the default option for a limited budget is misplaced.
Water-cooled Carreras are depreciating just the same as Caymans and Boxsters.
Actually when the stock market crashed in 2008-2009 they took a nighmarish beating. Some 996's that stickered well over $80K could be had for less than $40K before the factory warranty had even expired. Ouch.

You are so right. My brother bought a 2002 C2 Cab 6speed new for $96k. It was a 3rd car so by 2008 he had put only 17,000 miles on it. It was perfect -- garaged all day, under a car cover inside. Never driven to work. Not a tiny stone chip, interior and wheels perfect. Spent 3 months trying to sell it before getting an offer of 40k and settling on $42k. THe second owner got the world's best deal on a sportscar!

[Perfectlap]

Originally Posted by NoGaBiker

You are so right. My brother bought a 2002 C2 Cab 6speed new for $96k. It was a 3rd car so by 2008 he had put only 17,000 miles on it. It was perfect -- garaged all day, under a car cover inside. Never driven to work. Not a tiny stone chip, interior and wheels perfect. Spent 3 months trying to sell it before getting an offer of 40k and settling on $42k. THe second owner got the world's best deal on a sportscar!

Did he sell it in 2009 or 2008?

A $54K depreciation over 6 years isn't too bad.
The interesting thing would have been to see how much he would have been able to sell for at the height of the credit bubble when the car was only about a year out of warranty. I'm guessing holding onto the car for those last two years cost him at least $25K. Dumping water-cooled Porsches turned out to be a lot like dumping houses before the crash.

The interesting was that the Cayman and Boxster prices didn't crash as hard because their prices weren't up that high in the first place. Yet another good reason to buy your luxury used. At times the credit market has a cold blooded way of giving Porsche mark ups/margins a swift reality check.

[944boy]

When I was shopping I could have purchased my dad's 993 but instead went with the Boxster. I LOVE 993's and WILL own one variant or other of a GT3 some day.

However I do not ever plan on selling the Boxster. For me it has been the perfect balance of fun, practicality and modern comfort. Everyone will have their biases. However for someone like me, I would rather have purists pass on "less desirable models" so that I can get a better deal on an amazing car.

My ideal garage would have lots of Porsches and be a wide mix of all the models from the 356 to the Cayenne (gotta have a tow vehicle).

[stephen wilson]

Perfect, you answered your own question. The usual purchasing advice for buying a used P-car is the newest model possible. That will be a Boxster, a comparably priced 911 will be older, and/or have much higher miles.

I think the Boxster looks better than a 911 Cab. , top up or down. Eh, each to their own

[jaykay]

Porsche number 1 was mid engined as I recall, as are their race cars.

Subsequent 356s were based on VW architecture for manufacturing econ. This why the engine is where it is. The 911 was a two plus two sports car compromise; so now you have wicked polar moment; this was optimized over the years. The layout has some unique handling characteristics that can be used to advantage and there is that quirky character brand appeal along with mastering it

The arrangement is not ideal though and didn't come from a performance justification. It was mass production economy for the general public along with 2 plus 2 seating. These days the arrangement is so far optimized and developed that there probably little justification other than seating capacity and unique handling.

I am a 911 variant fan; I grew up sitting atop a beetle engine but a "real" or traditional Porsche would have to be mid-engined.

[Perfectlap]

Originally Posted by stephen wilson

Perfect, you answered your own question. The usual purchasing advice for buying a used P-car is the newest model possible. That will be a Boxster, a comparably priced 911 will be older, and/or have much higher miles.

I'm not so sure that when it comes to Porsches, if that's the best advice.

Put it this way, if I had a sum of cash on hand for a sports car, enough to buy a regular type car new, but not enough to buy a new Porsche, I don't think finding the newest Porsche would be my objective.
I'd be looking at air-cooled along with the newer stuff. And depending on the 911 series (and the specific vehicle's history) I'd have no problem crossing off many water-cooled Porsches right off my list an opting for a much older Carrera vs. low mileage Boxster/Cayman.
The newer Porsches are said to be "low-maintenance" yet I've still put in over $13K in major maintenance and unexpected repairs with mileage well below 100K miles. Did I mention I only drive weekends? And unlike some air-coooled Porsches, my car is only bleeding value every year.

[stephen wilson]

Well, I wanted a car to drive, not work on. Newer/low mileage is almost always a better bet. For an air-cooled 911 you'd be talking 15 or more years old. There's no getting around the fact that the higher the sticker price, the more it has to degrade/depreciate before hitting a certain price point.