2000S or a 2010 Base - Need Advice
 

I am contemplating my first Boxster purchase. I have driven over a half dozen cars now and have 2 cars in mind right now. I don't have a ton of Boxster knowledge, but I have been reading the forums and doing my research over the past month or so, but I want you folks to share your thoughts on this to help me get my mind around a purchase decision.

Car #1: 2000 Boxster S
This car is being sold by the son of the 2nd owner (his dad has been diagnosed with dementia). I love the dark blue color (my boss had one back in 1998 and I have a soft spot for that color...), the paint and top are in good shape. The car has 37K original miles and a Tiptronic transmission. However... there are no maintenance records available on the car at this time (they may exist, but at the dad's house), and I can see the following work is needed (with an estimated cost to address):
Front Windshield (12" crack): $750
Rear Plastic window (crazed/cracked): $750
Tires/Alignment (tires are old/hard: $1,000
Major Service (car is likely due): $1,000
Only 1 key, "Frunk" struts need replacing: $500 for both
IMS/RMS/AOS (no idea if done, assume needs to be done): $4,000
Brakes (unknown, assume all new pads/rotors needed): $2,000

The guy was given a verbal estimate by CarMax for $10K, but given the cars needs, I cannot see them offering him more than $7K as it sits.

So, assuming a $7-8K purchase price and no surprises turning up in a PPI (yet to be performed), I figure I will be into this car for about $18K.

Car #2 2010 Boxster Base

This car is a certified car at a local dealership (in SF Bay Area). It has 47K miles and the dealer is asking $27.9K. The car has been sitting for 9 months (according to CarGurus). The car drives wonderfully, and I reviewed the CPO paperwork (tires at 8/32" brakes = 100% pad life remaining). I would figure that I can get it around $23-24K ($5-6K premium over the 2000 Boxster S)

Boxster S Advantages:
Cheaper buy-in
Less expensive to get "up to snuff"
Car has more/less fully depreciated
Broader market interest in the 986 S cars (although maybe not as much in a tiptronic car)
Low Mileage

Boxster S Disadvantages:
10 years older
More potential stuff to wear out/fail simply due to age
Plastic rear window
IMS (unless I spring for "the solution")
No CPO warranty (2 years unlimited mileage for the 2010)
Doesn't have the benefit of the redesign/improvements in the 987's

The car would be used primarily as a weekend car (I walk to work...) and "fun" excursion car... I am a checkbook mechanic, so I am on the hook for any repairs that come up (the CPO delays that for 2 years at least...).

What are your thoughts? 986 or 987 and why?

Thanks

Gary B

Tough choice.

I have a 2000 S blue 6 speed. Love it.

Seems you are pretty educated on the pros and cons. I understand the driving experience is totally different between the 2 models.

The ppi on the the 00 may reduce your list of possible repairs. However, getting in at 18K is probably too much for a 00 S car. Also, would consider a full top change to a glass top.

Probably comes down to which car is really talking to you! Good luck.

I own a 2000S, and a 2011 Cayman. Can't compare the 2 since the 2000S is a street car, and the 2011 Cayman S is a fully caged race car. My 2000S needed some work when I bought her, but I paid $7k for the car, then did the DMF, clutch, IMS, RMS, AOS, so was still under $10k all in, but I do all my own work.

I oil starved a rod bearing on the track in the 2000S. That said I am rebuilding the engine and keeping her for a DD. That car is really a ton of fun for the $.

I agree with Cunningr - buy the one talking to you. If you were to do all the work to the 2000S you have listed, you shouldn't have many problems with it for a long time for just weekend use, so if you like it better don't be scared off. Now if you said you were going to track it, I would steer you to the 2010 as all the M96/M97 engine issues had been addressed.

I love my 986, and actually prefer it to the 987...if in a purely hypothetical world, if the two were same age I would always go for the 986, however they are not the same age, and with age comes some condition issues and repairs. For some background, I've owned my 986 for a decade, so it was a 7 year old car when I bought it...if it was a 17 year old car (as it is now) I think I would have been more reluctant. You mentioned you are a "checkbook mechanic" (btw, I love that term) and that they car is more or less just a fun toy....given those two points, I would think the newer option would suit you better as the 986 *might* become a hobby in its own to maintain. If your looking for a hobby (not just a toy), the I would reccomended the 986...as a car and a hobby, it's a blast, but you will have to accept some additional responsibilities and start thinking of it as a "classic car".

Each person is different and asking for advice on decisions is really just looking for a way to reinforce what you already really want to do. You know yourself better than any of us, and somewhere inside you already know what you want to do. Either way, your getting a big scoop of fun, and in the end, does it matter if it's on a cone or in a cup? ;)

Buy the 2010. The common advice is to buy the newest car you can afford. You will be way under water at $18K for an 00S. The cars are similar performance wise. The 10 will be ready to go now vs the 00S having significant down time while you have someone fix the issues.

I just sold an 09 base Boxster w/ 28K mi in the price range you suggested for the 10. You are defn in the ballpark with your est.

CPO - is the 10 at a Porsche dealership? If it was a CPO car and now being sold by a non-Porsche dealer, the CPO is no longer good. However, if the dealer CPO's it, they will be less likely to drop their price since they had to invest ~ $2K to CPO it.

I'd have a look at this one just posted, it's a year older and not an S, but it's half the price and sounds like everything's already done ... http://986forum.com/forums/boxsters-cayman-cars-sale-wanted/72579-1999-boxster-sale.html

Thanks for the input guys!

Yeah, I figure I would be underwater on the 2000 S by around $5-6K (assuming market for a low mileage, West-Coast, maintained Boxster is around $12-14K). And I would realize the loss immediately after spending the money. In contrast, the 2010 Base, I would realize the loss a bit more slowly, so if I had a change of heart, my financial "exposure" would be less with the 2010.

I also agree, that I have a direction I want to go, but I was looking for additional insights from the forum folks...

My Gut: 2000 Boxster S - Love the color, car seems a bit more basic (my Miata is a R Package, so I obviously like basic...), and it strikes me as a bit more "special".

My Brain: 2010 Boxster Base - 2 year CPO warranty (the car is at a Porsche dealership), easier to finance, car is turn-key, 10 year old newer car, less of a monetary hit if I change my direction on Porsche ownership in the near term.

My Wife: Save your money and buy a SUV to replace our 2004 Lexus RX with 160K on the clock. <...clearly she is a kill-joy...>

I am ok with the plastic window as I intend to keep the car garaged. I have owned my 1994 Miata since 2003 and it still has the same plastic window in it. That car is now garaged up in the Sonoma Wine Country, waiting for my 12 year old son to turn 16... I did drive a 2002 Boxster with a glass window (not a 2003+ transplant top) and the window was rather small and somewhat misplaced... I am sure the 2003+ tops are a much better solution... any ideas on what those tops cost and where they can be obtained? I am assuming some company is marketing/selling used ones...

Lastly, has anyone done the LN Engineering "the Solution" bearing on their car (vs the standard upgraded bearing). The Solution is double the part cost, but you are only paying for the labor once (and for a checkbook mechanic, that is important...)

Thanks for the link to the Seattle Boxster! It's a nice car, but I am not a big fan of black/black however (had a black car once, I was washing it twice a week...ugh).

Wives are always killjoys, my wife was against buying a sports car initially! Then funny thing she was more protective over the car than me! Lol

I have no major bug with my plastic window either, and i bought it for like you weekend get away, just to have some fun car. Usally drive it on Fridays to work too.

Now looking to do projects here and there, but I love it its a real driver car. Its not over fast especially at todays standards, but it is just enough to have fun on a lonely back road stretch.

As someone mention if you go the 986 direction you need to think of it as maintaining a classic.

Normal advice as mentioned is newest lowest miles you can afford.

But for me on a weekend toy, best go with gut feeling.

You dont necassarily have to do all the work at one time either. As i pointed out a PPI may reduce that list. And as mentioned in other threads the ims issue is actually a low percentage.

2010 all day every day.

If you must have a 986, I think there are better examples at a lower all in price, low mileage notwithstanding

Yeah, I am hoping this car has the double row bearing. That would alleviate some of my maintenance burden/worry in the near term. Of course the PPI may cause me to "run like heck too..." I am only estimating stuff that can commonly go wrong, I didn't even factor in the coolant overflow, MAF, O2 sensors and the like...

@Quadcammer - yep there are a lot of 986s out there that are done or can be had "all in" for less. I looked at a 2002 that was owned by a Porsche independent shop, it had everything done and the asking price was $8,8750 (110K miles Silver/Black Tiptronic). But on the test drive, the car released a huge (and I mean huge) plume of white smoke after I accelerated hard after 10 minutes of easy driving. I seriously thought I had blown a head gasket for a second or so, but the smoke screen only lasted for a couple of seconds and then the car exhibited no further bad behavior (ran fine, no codes, eng temp normal) for the next 10 minutes of my drive. I guess I should accept it as a little "preview" of what owning a 15+ year old German sports car may entail....LOL

I really like the 2010 Boxster, but it may be too much car for what I am looking to do...

Here is a link to the 2010:
https://www.cargurus.com/Cars/inventorylisting/viewDetailsFilterViewInventoryListing.action?sourc eContext=forSaleTab_false_0&newSearchFromOverviewP age=true&inventorySearchWidgetType=AUTO&entitySele ctingHelper.selectedEntity=c22059&entitySelectingH elper.selectedEntity2=c22059&zip=94070&distance=50 &searchChanged=true&modelChanged=true&filtersModif ied=true&sortType=undefined&sortDirection=undefine d#listing=190779183

I also prefer the 986 to the 987 due to my old fart mentality about oil dipsticks and spare tires and such.

BUT, I strongly urge you to buy that 2010 model and never look back.

ALWAYS buy the youngest, best Porsche you can find, unless you are NOT a checkbook mechanic.

Good luck.

Which car do you like better? If you like the 986 S better you can find another with a manual (if you want that) that has service records and needs nothing immediately for a decent price. If you like the 987 better go for it. Unless you have the skill, time and space to take care of all of the maintenance and repairs yourself, buy the newest and best condition car you can find.

A 987.2 Boxster (09-12) will hold its value better than other Boxsters because it was the first generation w/o an IMS AND there were few of them sold because of the stock mkt crash / recession. So owners of a 987.2 have 2 things going for them. However, it doesn't have a lot of options - looks like heated seats and PDK. It has CPO going for it, so you have 2 yrs of coverage. That said, the Porsche dealer will want more for a CPO so you can't go with Guru's price scale. A dealership that CPO's a car had to pay Porsche $2K to CPO it, then adds $3K to the regular price. Consumers then have a 2 yr warranty for $3K. Since they've had this car so long, they may be getting to the point of wanting to get rid of it, but it will take a lot of arm wrestling to get them down to $24.

There are probably better options out there than the 00S. It has many of the common issues a low maintained Boxster has. Based on the needs, the price is too high. If Carmax offered $10, why didn't he take it? Find one that has these items addressed.

You don't have to marry the first girl who kisses you.

Thanks Husker! Yeah, CarMax gave the seller a verbal "over-the-phone"offer pending the whole 1.5 hr actual inspection. I strongly suspect that once the car goes through CarMax's inspection, it will be valued in the $6-7K range, for what it is worth, the seller knows this too...he just hasn't faced the "music" yet.

I think for Boxsters in general, CarGuru's analysis won't make sense, because things like IMS replacement, routine maintenance get overlooked, while low mileage is prioritized.

While I am in love with the idea of the 2000 S, I am also aware that I will be underwater on it once I get all of the cosmetics/maintenance items addressed. So, if I tire of the car sooner (rather than later), I will be the chump taking the financial hit... LOL

Garv, I've been fantasizing about this one and it's in your neighborhood! https://sfbay.craigslist.org/eby/cto/d/2004-porsche-boxster-with/6602487146.html

BTW, if I had to pay someone to work on my car, I'd get the one that needed the least amount of remedial work.

Yeah, I recognize that ad :)

Heck, if you buy it, I am sure my 19 year old daughter will be willing to drive it home to you (She goes to Univ of AZ). LOL

well, I tried. LOL, indeed!