04 will have different front and rear bumpers and side vents also.

The purchase
 

Well I thought I would write the rest of the story as a way of showing my appreciation to those of you who have read this and offered your advice. Based on the comments I read here I asked the dealer to run down the error code. They found a loose wire to the knock sensor, reattached it, and reran the scan. No error code showed up after multiple attempts. I ended up selecting the 2004 Boxster S, black on black. Although the 2002 was well cared for and cosmetically very nice, it was missing several options that the 2004 had. Mainly, heated seats and the trip computer along with the enhancements to the 2004 model year.
I purchased the vehicle in Houston, and after spending all day at the dealer finally got on the road at 6 o'clock yesterday driving home to Cincinnati. I am now passing through Nashville Tennessee. The car is running flawlessly and I've taken a couple scenic detours along the way. Several times I have involuntarily smiled as the car navigated through twists and turns or effortlessly responded to the need to accelerate.
The only negative has been the fact that the key remote does not work, maybe because of a dead battery. As a result I have somehow engaged the alarm system and must race to put the key in the ignition before the horn goes off after unlocking the door. And it's embarrassing to be at a gas station trying to figure out how to open the gas fill door and not sure exactly what I'm doing to lock or unlock it.
Thank you again for your counsel. All of the suggestions help me to research the right decision, assisted me in asking the right questions, and helped me negotiate a better price then I would have without the information.

how do you like Nashville? my stomping grounds.

Nashville is very nice. Lots of good culture, great food and beautiful countryside. The longest part of the trip seemed to be the stretch from Memphis to Nashville, so I was really glad to see it in my rear view mirror.

yeah, not a whole lot on that stretch of road. at the least Nashville to Cincinnati has sights. we have a site in Fairfield so I make the drive to there from Nashville pretty often.

good choice on the 04,the variocam+ is a performance upgrade, also if you were to consider an engine upgrade it would open up a lot of options. I am also considering upgrading to an 04 996. a friend has made me an offer I cannot refuse on my 00 boxy and a 3.6 will probably put a little more smile on my face than the present 2.7.

Really enjoying my new daily driver
 

I am very happy that I selected the 04 S The acceleration and power in each gear is really amazing. The handling on twisting roads is also what makes this is really fun ride. Now I'm trying to figure out the best solution for Bluetooth connectivity to my iPhone for hands-free calling and streaming music.

you of course can replace the head unit

If you just want to add Bluetooth, look at the iSimple solution. Its around $100 and connects at the antenna.

iSimple iSFM2351 Bluetooth Hands-Free and Audio Streaming for all FM Radios :: iPod Adapters & Interfaces

I was about to get one, but have decided to replace the CDR23 with a Parrot Asteroid Smart and it has all the bell and whistles