Which Boxster would you buy?
 

Two cars have fallen on my lap for around $12k. Both almost showroom condition. I'm looking to pull the trigger on one or the other.

2000: Lapis Blue/Tan, 39k, recent RMS with clutch (NO IMS), coolant tank, tires, seller said seats were dried out so he had them recovered. Nice job but a trained eye can tell it's not factory. Curb rash on wheels. Brake rotors had a slight lip so may need brakes soon.

2002: Black/Tan, 54k, new IMS bearing (clutch not replaced because it looked recently done), oil return tubes, brakes, tires, belts, alternator. Fluids all flushed. Idled slightly rough on cold start but ran flawlessly otherwise. I really liked the post face-lift dash. Non PSM car.

Do I go with the older 2000 model with less miles, or the facelift 2002 model with a few more miles? Both look/run/drive equally nice.

Both vehicles meet similar criteria. Buy the one you like best. If happens to be the one with out the IMSB upgrade, then simply have it done. :)

Buy the 2002.

neither
 

buy an s model instead you will thank me later.....i'm just sayin 05 as well if budget allows dont be afraid of higher mileage porsches love to be driven

Black Falcon, the 2002 and 2000 are essentially identical mechanically. The 2002 gets the 3 spoke steering wheel, the lined top and has the small cupholders, moving the HVAC controls behind the shift knob (less convenient and allowing spilled fluids to run down over both the controls and the stereo); it also has the digitial speed readout made smaller and moved to the bottom of the analogue speedo. The advertised curb weight is also about 30 lbs more than the 2000, likely from the changes to the top and the steering wheel more than the cupholders!

Check the engine serial numbers on the 2000 and, as I say, if it is a double-row IMS bearing, that is a big advantage. If it is a single-row (the same as the 2002), since you prefer the 2002's interior, go for it. I would have either car PPI'd - and keep in mind, there can be a number of reasons for a rough idle on cold start, which should not be happening.

If there is a dual-row bearing on the 2000 and you are interested in it, you may be able to use the 2002 as a comparison to push the price down a bit. Keep in mind that the difference in failure rate as between the two is quite significant (much less than 1% versus 8-10%). Also keep in mind that LN Engineering say that the only two or three of their ceramic bearings that have failed (albeit they say through faulty installation), have been on the single row.

The slight lip on the rotors in the 2000 is no huge deal and, in any event, you'll find that rotors for the 986 are relatively inexpensive when you get your next brake job. If pad depth is good, there is no need for a brake job. The recovered seats suprise me a bit as usually only the driver's side bolster gets any cracking on low mileage cars that have not been left out a lot in hot sun. Compare it to the bolster on the 2002 and you should be able to see what I mean. Which do you prefer, the signs of wear on the side bolster of the 2002 (likely pretty slight), or the non-standard seat covering on the 2000?

Does either car have service records? This is quite important as, amongst other things, it will tell you how often oil changes were done - something that is very important with these engines. Did they replace rotors on the last brake job on the 2002? If not, it will need to be done on the next brake job anyway, so that issue may be a wash. Does he have a bill for the IMS bearing on the 2002? If not, I wouldn't necessarily believe that it was replaced (and since the clutch was left, perhaps just the RMS was replaced). If so, what type of bearing was used?

Either wa,y good luck and good motoring!

Brad

2002. Or, like JD said, buy the one you like better. No mater what was done mechanically to them, it is still a roll of the dice, just be prepared for any unforeseen problems. Get a PPI for either.

Both have crazy low miles, so that's a plus, but I would lean towards the newer fresher model, if all things equal.
You need to really really like black...I have a black & tan model and its a PITA to keep clean and shows lot of swirls, and heats up to egg grilling temps when I try to wash in the sun.
I've been digging the silver models with the red interior, or maybe that coffee brown interior.

The problem with the red interior is that the carpeting ends up fading to pink!

Brad

For me, I would have to change the red carpet out to black. You are right, that carpet becomes pink.

My general Porsche advice always buy the S engine for the model you're considering. Often Porsche make cuts not just on displacement but on build materials as well. The value of any Porsche basically boils down to the engine. Without a running engine the rest is worth shockingly little. Its basically the only reason Turbo and GT3 Carreras are the only Carreras since 1999 that are worth anything near their original base prices. And obviously the build quality of these engines are on another level as they are race-proven and not just street versions.
With a 986 S engine you are getting materials that weren't even used on early base Carrera engines the lack of which has lead to engine failure in many (allegedly) gingerly driven cars.

And the other issue is that today 250 HP is not as much power as it was 11 or 13 years ago. For the street, today that level of power is really entry level for a street driven sports car at this weight. The early 2.5 Boxsters were very light, particularly with a few well placed upgrades(near racing level weight of ~2,500 lbs.without ripping out the interior wholesale ), so the reduced power on a bone stock 2.5 doesn't hold it back on the street today. But as the years went on so did the weight. IMHO at those heavier weights carrying at least 250 HP adds an extra element to the feel of the car off braking, slow corners and of course when highway merging and passing. For the track the 2.7 and 2.5 are more than enough but most Boxster drivers never go near the track so the benefit for most is strictly on the street. With used Porsche depreciation putting S and non-S engines at practically the same price points I don't see why someone would pass one up, the pros simply outweigh the marginal up front savings.

'02 has improved Fuel injection and Non-serviceable fuel filter and pump- the pump,filter and tank are one unit and has to be replaced as a whole!$!$!(Bentley)