new to the 986 world

[Perfectlap]

In this day and age of cheap airfare, the internet to find trusted and reputable mechanics to perform PPI, and just about anything else you would need to make a wise car purchase I see no reason not to travel out of state. Like anything in business, you must go to the deal if you want to pay below market. Place want adds on the Porsche forums, there are many, and speak with Porsche mechanics in different cities to see if they can help in locating a car that they know well.
That Dallas car Bruce H posted is a prime example of a deal worth travelling for. I would let him know that I would pay the asking the price on the condition of a clean pre purchase inspection and put it in writing before heading down.
That way he knows you're serious and won't try to make some low-ball offer cash in hand.


And yes it's true, many guys in the big CA markets think their cars are not mass produced and there is a terrible shortage of water-cooled Boxsters and Carreras. I don't know who put this in their heads.
But it's also where you're most likely to find a car that has been driven year round (a good thing) in mild weather and not extreme heat and cold (a bad thing). However, there's a limit to how much that advantage is worth paying up for.

p.s.
A 2.5 Boxster is a great car for stripping down weight and adding lightweight parts. There's a decent chunk of weight that can be trimmed on what is already one of the lightest water-cooled Porsches.
But I don't think this would be a low cost endeavor, even if the person did all the wrenching you're still looking at a few grand for the aftermarket wheels,exhaust, brakes, headers, and expected maintenance you'll find on any 15 year old Porsche.
But the performance, feedback, low COG/mid engine handling, and easy maintenance (for a Porsche) that you'd get in a modified ~2,600 lb 2.5 Boxster is pretty tough to duplicate in another car, Porsche or otherwise.

However, at 17 I wasn't really looking to put $10K-$20K into a car yet. In fact my first two cars combined didn't cost $7K. I didn't spend over $10K on a car until I was many years out of college and had a fairly significant pile of investments relative to guys that age. Most had all their money in their cars, bikes and other toys. But if you can score a deal like the car Bruce H posted that's another matter. That way ownership and upgrade costs have significant wiggle room.