Is the Boxster the unloved stepchild?

[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.