986 Budget - Anything i'm missing? (AU)
 

Hi All,

Great to see such an active community for these cars!

Looking to buy my first Porsche for weekend/enjoyable drives, as I walk to work.

I have never purchased a car not from a dealer so want to make sure I am doing this correctly.

I like to try and do all the maths before I get too excited and travel for a PPI and test drive (car is interstate)

Have landed on a Green 2.7 - 2001 986 Boxster Manual with 60,000 miles - 2 owners one “a member of the local Porsche club” + the current owner is 81

Green is my dream colour

It was listed as $25k now reduced to $22k (AUD)

Known issue so far is only that the indicator is not self cancelling

Looks like a full service history but will need to see more info - The seller has not sent any additional info yet, but from the blurry picture I can see services were completed at either a Porsche specialist or a Porsche main dealer up to 2018 and then a few home oil changes and a local (non specialist) mechanic in 2024.

As far as I am aware the IMS has not been touched.

I have a quote to replace the IMS for $4k

I am thinking, try and get this down to around $20k

Budget:

$4k IMS (For my peace of mind)
$2k tyres/alignment (if needed)
$1,800 - 90k mile service (want to do this early within first 6 months)
$500 indicator fix
$2k for anything a pre purchase inspection brings up.

Total budget - $10.3k
Purchase - $20k
Total cost - $30.3k (AUD)

So you can get a feel for the AU market, there is a silver 987 for $30k manual with 100k miles on it. Cayman's start at $40k and 996's start at $45k

So basically a sorted manual 986 vs the cheapest manual 987.

Is there anything I’m missing?

I have never actually been in a 986 so if anyone is in Melbourne Aus give me a shout (or if you have one for sale)

Alternatively looking at a Mazdaspeed Miata

I’m not seeing anything amiss in your strategy. Your $30k AUD looks like around $18k USD.

Better to over budget than under budget but you can pick up a used indicator and replace it yourself for a lot less. There is a plastic bit that breaks in it.

There are IMS replacements and there are ....

Been discussed endlessly. Price varies widely as does quality.

Search the forum when you have an hour to spare. Chose one that your Porsche specializing mechanic has done and has the specialized tools for.

I'd suggest that at 60K miles the IMS isn't going anywhere. Drive it hard to get the oil flowing. You should be fine. Monitor your frequent oil changes closely.