Is the Boxster the next 944?
I was reading the thread "How common are Boxsters in your area?" and was reminded how common it used to be to see 944s all over the place. Now I see 2-3 Boxsters every day, but seldom a 944. While a large number of vintage 911s are still operational and probably kept up nicely, any time I see a 944 it is usually in pretty poor condition. It appears that for the most part those cars never really held up, and the value is quite low. Older 911s (and 914s, 356s for that matter) are for the most part appreciating in value. How do you think the Boxster will fare over time? Will it become the next 944? Just curious...
J. Tucker '99 Boxster '98 318ti |
The 944 has become a VERY popular car to buy and race. It is my opinion that many are simply not street drivers any more due to this reason.
I also think the value is low due to the 944 being a 4 cylinder Porsche, never a very attractive alternative to most buyers of used Porsches. Now, an LS1 motor will drop very nicely in a 944 making it quite the flexible flyer. I DO NOT think the Boxster will go the way of the 944, a different animal in my opinion, and I see no signs that Porsche will abandon it like it did the 944. After all, a car can't be a real Porsche with the engine in the front, right?????????? |
Like old VWs & Model Ts and many others, I think old Boxes in reeelly nice original condition will be valuable. Common cars seem to not get proper care from many as their value falls,
Their are some really nice 944s, especially turbos, on the track and in garages. They are expensive to maintain relative to current value. But maybe some day.... Even Speedsters didn't appreciate much until they hit about 25 years. We'll see, I guess, what the Box does at 25! |
Think about it. For the price that 944 cost new,they sure hold their value in todays market if they are kept up well. A well maintained 944,not even a "S" or "Turbo" can fetch $3k-5k. You must realize though that 944 were not "Porsches",they had Audi mechanics,at least the 2.5L 4 cyclinder motor did.
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Well, early Porsches were of course, really VWs. And then, so is the Cayeene in a manner of speaking. And well, the current Porsche trans is sourced in Japan, and well, You get my drift. I really like the 944 and the 968 even more. |
I should probably disclose that my first Porsche was a 944 back in '86. I didn't make out too bad on selling it after owning it for 6 years (bought for $15k, sold for $5k). It did have quite a few problems though. Since then I had two 914s which I bought and sold for same price, and a 911sc. I let a friend talk me into selling it to him, one of the more foolish mistakes I have made. I shouldn't have sold it at all and then I let him have it for a lot less than it was worth. Too bad I can't have a "do over" on that one. I know the 944Ts are well liked as track cars.
Jtucker |
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I love my 987S and it is extremely refined, but it doesn't seem to have the heft and feel of the 968. I'm talking about steering wheel, clutch, shifter. |
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They did not sell many 968s, only built them for 4 yrs and so they are a bit rare. The Coupes are actually more rare than the Cabs and the Turbo S models are even rarer. I am looking to find a 968 coupe with a trashed motor so that I can drop that LS1 or LS 2 motor in to it. I think a 968 with 400 Plus HP is the deal for me. Nicely balanced car too! |
When you guys throw these American engines in them do you put in matching American trannys?
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ive also been looking for a 968 coupe. no luck yet, but i think if im patient i will find the right one. i keep seeing nice 968 cabs on ebay, but to me that car is meant to be a coupe-just like the 911.
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I totally agree. I have driven the cab and the coupe. The cap shakes all over the place, the coupe is rigid as it ought to be. |
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Just an engine swap. Rooooooooooooooooooooom! |
Im thinking maybe the Box will be likened to the 944. Before I get jumped on let me explain. The Box is already not held in high regard because of the 911 and now the Cayman is out. The Box prices are going to continue to drop Im afraid. How much?, I dont know. I really like my car but its just a fact. I think someone on this site was going to sell his low mileage box for low 20k. They are already not bringing very good money. well, 20k for a six or seven year old car is pretty good I guess. Who knows?
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Early Boxster owners will probably shoot me, but I think that power, interior quality and looks are keeping those values down. The early Boxsters are nice cars and true sports cars when they're standing alone. However, there was a significant drop in horsepower from the 968 (despite the upgrade from a 4 to a 6). And while the 968 interior was certainly primitive by today's standards, the leather quality and sturdiness of the interior bits was superior to the early Boxster. Finally, the early Boxsters simply didn't look as aggressive as the 968s. Anyway, those were three factors that kept me away from the Boxster until the 987s arrived. (I also thought the droopy headlights were a turnoff.)
It's hard to say what will happen to future Boxster values. Porsche is sharing more 911 content with the Boxster now, and that may help. On the other hand, the numbers of cars being manufactured today are well beyond what Porsche has done for individual model lines before. That may continue to hurt values. We'll see. |
Several factors will crater the older Boxster values IMHO.
Quantity-There are a TON of Boxsters out there. Quality issues-the older Boxes have them in spades and the word is getting out. This is NOT a car to have with 120K miles on it for example. Maint/repair costs-Porsche reputation preceeds. Alternatives-There are increasingly more cars of similar ilk to buy. I could be wrong but the lack of exclusivity and power in the older Boxes will hurt values. Having said that, if I could buy a $15K Box that looked and ran good and didn't scare me to death, I would. |
"I could be wrong but the lack of exclusivity and power in the older Boxes will hurt values."
I agree with the first point, but not necessarily the second. Not everybody wants/needs a car with 400hp. Or even 300. The problem with sinking resale values is that eventually the car drops to a point where it can be purchased by people without either the inclination or resources to maintain the car properly. That, I think, is why you see a lot of ****************box 924/944s. The car has become, in a sense, expendable, so why put any money into it? It is entirely possible this will be the fate of the Boxster, but, for selfish reasons, I hope not. |
"It is entirely possible this will be the fate of the Boxster, but, for selfish reasons, I hope not."
Agreed~! |
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