Pricing question

[gsy4771]

I have been lurking on the site for a couple months with hope to purchase a Boxster in the next 12/18 months. I was curious how much the time of year impacts the cost of the car. I am guessing it is better to purchase in the Fall instead of the Spring. I guess I could wait to March/April to see what happens but I thought I would ask. I'm probably looking in the 2004-2008 price range, mid to high teens.

[Anker]

Right now is the best time! Spring is the worst time!

[san rensho]

Also location is important. Cars in Southern Florida go for very very little, and I've seen cars for sale in the Northeast where people are asking absolutely stupid prices.

[thstone]

"If you’re looking to replace your car in the next couple of months, you’ve probably got half an eye on the weather. You might be considering an SUV or other four-wheel-drive model that is better able to cope with severe weather and floods.

What’s unlikely to be on your mind, with the threat of freezing temperatures and biblical amounts of rain on the horizon, is a convertible. But, for the canny used car buyer, it should be.

Industry data backs this up; according to used car values organisation CAP, the average advertised price for a pre-owned convertible in May this year was £17,286. By August – supposedly the height of the British summer – it was down to just £15,944. And by September it had fallen again, so anything left in showrooms now will be priced to go.

Philip Nothard, the editor of CAP’s Black Book price guide, said: “As the weather becomes increasingly less predictable, sellers are extra-cautious about how long they hold on to cars, so prices start to see a steady decline."

Why winter is the best time to buy a convertible - Telegraph

[speedyspaghetti]

Originally Posted by san rensho

Also location is important. Cars in Southern Florida go for very very little, and I've seen cars for sale in the Northeast where people are asking absolutely stupid prices.

Hey man, totally unrelated to the thread here, but you have an awesome repertoire of classic Italians in your history - I'm curious, did you live over there, or were these all imported to the US? What was your favorite? My family is from Italy, so I remember spending my summers dreaming of owning some of the cars over there.

[Brian in Tucson]

If I lived where it got stupid cold, I'd be sure to get a Boxster with a glass rear window (which includes a window de icer.) If I lived in the salt belt, I'd probably look somewhere that's in a different region. Salt is tough on convertibles--I once had a bug convertible that the top frame was pretty stiff from rust (and other places were corroded out.) I'd look in another region than the upper midwest or upper north east. My 01 has a more than adequate heater/defroster/AC. I wouldn't hesitate to drive it in cold, snowy weather.

Some general rules it seems to me. There's NO such thing as a cheap Porsche--if it's cheap, it needs work. If you can't do the work yourself, you're at the mercy of expensive technicians. And lots of things can be wrong. I can do my own work, and I was very tolerant of having to restore my Porsche. But knowing what I know 4 months later, I wouldn't have bought my car.

Good deals are not season dependent. If you do the research, you can find deals that aren't outrageously spendy. If you're willing to have the car shipped or you can go get it, even better. If you fly, buy, and drive, have it inspected and serviced before you start back.

Do your research on what the designations mean. A Boxster S has a bigger engine, and fancier stuff on it. Heavier tho. I have an 01 Base, and I kinda wish I had an 01 S instead.

[mikefocke]

Buy with snow on the ground. Get a PPI. Pay attention to the type of tires and their condition and age. Know why the seller is selling. Get a PPI from a Porsche expert so you know what it will need now and in the future.

Bought 2, one in the spring and one in January. For the same money the January car was 2 years newer and an S where the spring car was a base and 2 years older.

Wonderful cars.