I just felt that I needed to add; yes, I have mounted my own tires plenty of times (including removing the old tire from the wheel). I wouldn't even try it on a low profile tire like the 986, but I've done plenty of normal tires using nothing but a 2 x 4 and two tire irons. ;) :D

I'll toss in my thoughts as one of the most costly old boxster drivers on this forum:

I spent a couple of grand the first six months I owned my boxster in repairs. Coolant overflow tank. Oil filler tube. Horn pad under the airbag. New tires.

Then I turned into a village idiot to make the car look more updated, spending wads of money on newer seats, steering wheel, door panels, litronic headlamps, new tail lamps, 18 inch aftermarket Carrera lights (which are NOT light, but HEAVY) etc.

Then, if you don't think that last bit was genuinely idiotic, I put in an aftermarket exhaust and headers and coilovers and adjustable toe arms and a smaller underdrive pulley (and replaced the water pump and front motor mount while I was having the UD pulley installed).

OP, all this to say this car is not an easy car to own if you are not happy with the stock look and worn out interior parts and want a really nice looking ride that sounds good and is a tad faster.

If I had it all to do over again I would have saved a lot more and just bought a 3 year old 2003 S(what I really wanted) with some extended warranty on it and I would have spent a lot less money.

All in, my 1997 Boxster (purchased in 2003) has cost me $45,000 including purchase, maintenance, repairs, and mods.

BTW, this car eats rear tires annually if you drive it 10k miles or so with the factory settings for alignment.

I also own a 1997 purchased in 2003 and I spent about $6000 to this date and that includes reupholstering the seats, clutch and flywheel, rear control arms, tires, maf sensor, and regular maintenance.


Good Luck with whatever decision you take.

It all depends on what parts you need.

Water pump Porsche, $400. Ford, $80.
All brake components Porsche, $800. Ford, $150.

And the truck has 230k hard miles being used for real work. Way more weight, smaller engine.

Cost per oil change, 11mpg, needs brake fluid every other year, same with coolant, and so on.

On the flip side, I can't get over how easy the Boxster was to work on compared to the Ford. Just finished the clutch in the Boxster. Very easy job. Did bearings, water pump, AOS, fuel pump, and many common jobs typically turned over to an Indy. Enjoy it, actually.

I just picked up pads for all 4 corners for $24 total, new in box (no, that's not a typo) and 2 new rear tires for $292 shipped (total, not each). $316 total, so far. :p

New water pump is under $100, so it looks like my estimate was about $200 too high on the low end.
The deals are there if you do your research and know where to look. ;)

Randall, I think if you had purchased that 03 986S you would have had fewer repairs in the short term but if you had kept that car as long as you've had your current '97, you would have likely spent another pile of money anyway. Put it this way, had you bought a 996 C4 and laid out $50K, after more than 8 years you'd be $70-80k in the car total.
Had you bought a Cayman S for $40k, after 8 years you'd be $60K into the car with repairs and mods. However high you choose to go in up front, is just how much higher you'll be into the car. And if you buy a slightly used car that won't need long-term care you'll be eating depreciation for the same $10K-$30K. I favor avoiding the depreciation because that's a lot more certain than the repairs.