Need advice on Pre Purchase Inspection report

[Jeremy Cronin]

Thanks everyone for your feedback!
I posted a reply last night but I got some odd message about a moderator needing to check it, and I never saw it again.

I did speak to a local Porsche specialist about the PPI results, and what he said corresponded with a lot of what you guys are saying (the spark plug tubes, the brake rotors, the not-gasket for the valve cover etc).
When I do get a Boxster/Cayman I will likely get it serviced there. They were very helpful and knowledgeable.
Their prices were also less than I feared. 175 for the oil leak, 500 for transmission mounts, 720 for front brakes.

Given the repairs and the missing spare (which the seller knew about but did not disclose in all our correspondence and phone calls), I stuck with my $11,400 and the seller would not budge from his $12K, so the deal hasn't happened.
As many of you are saying - there are more fish in the sea, and possibly juicier ones.

I do agree that both early Boxsters & S's are probably near the bottom of their price curve and now is the time for me to buy.
As they get cheaper they also get less well maintained, and the stock of good ones depletes.

I won't buy my BRZ off the lease when it ends soon, because then I will probably just stay with it until Cayman prices bottom out, so I'll probably get me some old bimmer with a manual gearbox and winter tires to tide me through till I find the right Boxster. (wasn't planning to drive the Boxster in the snow - would buy a cheap fwd beater instead)

[thstone]

Originally Posted by Jeremy Cronin

720 for front brakes.

For $720 , I'll buy the rotors and pads and you can fly me from LA to Cleveland and I'll personally install them.

[Jeremy Cronin]

Originally Posted by thstone

For $720 , I'll buy the rotors and pads and you can fly me from LA to Cleveland and I'll personally install them.

I can't wait till you find out how much a nice house costs out here

But seriously - Todd Mac here below was citing $1100 at a dealer, so $720 sounds reasonable compared to that.

[jdlmodelt]

go to cars.com and see what we have in Colorado. There are a few to chose from in the greater Denver area or Arizona. They look a LOT cleaner. repainted sounds troubling to me as well. I'd look for a different car. When I got mine I had a list of half dozen dealerships I intended to visit until I found the right one.

In the end I had them install new front tires, and they reimbursed me for the driver's seatbelt since the sensor threw a code when I got home. I replaced the brakes and rotors with a budget set all four wheels drilled and slotted for $125 parts and my own labor. Everything else was fine... mine is a 99 base model. had 58k miles on it. the engine had been replaced with Porsche factory rebuild at 38k miles. It has the Porsche factory big bearing solution so it can't be replaced without splitting the case. I paid $12,000. Car was spotless, tight, clean. Arctic Silver. Other things I've replaced the past 4 years of ownership, engine starter, shift cables since one of them broke. Starter cost me $85 new, shifter cables cost me $95 used and included the shifter assembly. I replaced the radiator cap with the new improved one early on as well.

[Jeremy Cronin]

I'm pretty set on an S only, which limits my choice and leaves most sub 10K Boxsters out of the picture.
I want that extra bit of performance, that 6th gear, and the factory brake and suspension improvements.

[Oldcarguy]

Originally Posted by Jeremy Cronin

I'm pretty set on an S only, which limits my choice and leaves most sub 10K Boxsters out of the picture.
I want that extra bit of performance, that 6th gear, and the factory brake and suspension improvements.

If the S is what you really want, don’t buy a base. The base model is a great car, but that’s not the point.

I bought my 550 SE in the dead of winter and had to park it at a neighbor’s house for three days because I couldn’t get it up our ice covered road on its summer tires. It was worth the trouble because I finally found and bought the car I wanted. I did have to buy it in the winter b/c I was sure it was not going to be on the market long (bought directly from a fellow enthusiast, great condition, decent price ($15,500), maintance docs, LN IMSB, etc).

Regarding the car in your OP, I’d pass. Too many red flags for me with a price that’s too high IMHO.

Buy the beater and make do until the right S comes along. It’ll happen when you’re least expecting it. Besides, the hunt and anticipation of making ‘the find’ is a big part of owning a car like this.