Feeler/Price Check: Ocean Blue 99 boxster 5-speed, 64k miles

[JoeFromPA]

Hi all,

I'm planning on selling my boxster in the spring but wanted to put a feeler and price check on it now for planning purposes. Figured I'd write this up now since it'll be in the garage for the next 3 months on a trickle charger and occasionally taken for a quick spin to keep it in tip-top shop. Feedback and interest are welcome.

I'm planning on asking $10k for it come ~April - with a fresh inspection sticker and full detail at that time. If you are interested, you are welcome to contact me beforehand, otherwise can anyone tell me if that price sounds right based upon the below?

Background
99 Boxster 5-speed manual with 64k miles in ocean blue metallic/savannah interior, I'll call it a 2-owner. My father bought this car in ~2003 from CarMax in Virginia with about 30k miles on it. He drove it year round for ~3 years and then started garaging it year round except for a few thousand miles driven a year on his ~100+ mile a day round-trip commute. During that time I detailed it for him and gave him maintenance directions, so I know how it was maintained/what repairs were done though he unfortunately did not keep records.

I took ownership of the car in July 2010 and have put 9k miles on it since that time. I personally performed a 60k mile service and replaced the OEM front motor mount - in 1.5 years of ownership, it's been a perfect car.

Known maintenance:

Unknown prior to my father's ownership @ 30k. At or near 30k it had a service that included spark plugs and air filter. Up to 55k, it had oil changes every 5k miles or once a year. It followed the book or better on all service intervals.

At 53k the coolant was drained and replaced by Porsche along with a new coolant expansion tank (see repairs).

At 58k, I replaced the spark plugs with parts bought off Pelican Parts. Air filter, fuel filter, serp belt, NGK spark plugs, oil change. I changed trans fluid to Mobil 1 Delvac 75w90 at 61k.

Brakes were done ~52-54k all around with zimmerman cross-drilled rotors and pads. Brake fluid was last flushed at that time - I have a bottle of ATE super blue and may flush the brakes prior to spring.

Repairs:

This boxster has been amazingly reliable. The only known repairs in 8 years of being in my family have been:

- Coolant expansion tank cracked ~2.5 years ago while my father was driving. Towed to Porsche, full inspection performed, expansion tank replaced w/ new coolant.

- The horn was going off intermittently. Porsche replaced a switch under the pass seat, which did nothing, and the horn continued to go off. I simply folded some business cards between the horn pad and steering column and it stopped going off during my ownership.

- OEM front motor mount was replaced by me with a 987 front motor mount.

Body work:

- In ~2007/2008, a branch broke off a tree and hit the pass side of the car. It somehow only broke the mirror and scratched the right fender and hood. Repairwork was done by Classic Coachwork, a smalltime chain in my area that does fine work. The fender and mirror look perfect to my eyes - though you can tell the mirror plastic is newer than the other side of the car when I haven't recently treated the exterior plastic. The hood, in my opinion, was just an "OK" job on the repaint.

- In mid 2010, road debris hit the front bumper and deeply scratched it. It was already well rock-chipped, so I had it replaced under insurance. Replacement done by Classic Coachwork. They also replaced the front grilles and some plastic undertrays - really an exceptional job. Front bumper now has 8k miles on it and looks great (albeit still with 1-2 rock chips already).

Side note: front radiators were cleaned out during front bumper replacement. Really not bad at all.

Known issues:

- The horn stopped working last month. It's most likely just the fuse.
- Leather seats show wear at bolster. It's not bad, but it's there
- Shift boot is worn.
- Vert. top fabric looks good and plastic is mostly clear, but the fabric is very slightly coming unglued at the very rear bottom. You can slip a pinky through it if you lift it up and try. Still sheds water properly, etc.
- Wheels have slight scuffs on them. Hard to see from more than 5 feet away.

Modifications:

- Litronics installed ~2007
- At 52k miles, bilstein HD struts installed along w/ front and rear strut braces. Provide a firm, planted ride - improved even from the OEM boxster in terms of handling.
- 18" turbo twist wheels shod in michelin pilot sports, 60-70% life left.
- De-snorkeled
- Zimmerman cross-drilled motors
- Spin-locks for hard-top are installed. Sold the hard-top

Summary:

Great inexpensive driver's car. Revs out beautifully, handles like a dream, stops on a dime. History of being very reliable (even moreso for a 12 year old german sports car!). Not a show car, but always ready to drop the top and blast through back roads for an hour or a weekend. It's been a wonderful car to myself and my family, well cared for, and is now time to go due to the need to drop my coupes and get a 4-door.

The boxster freshly washed


Old motor mount out, being replaced by 987 version


Spark plugs that came out 6k ago



Joe

[Mrmaddbrad]

$10,000 doesn't sound unfair... But speaking honestly, it probably won't sell for that. Blue is not the color of choice for most people, and they can find the color they really want for that price. It is a 1999 (not the year to have), but has relatively low miles on it.

You could ask $10k but be prepaired to take less. They really aren't selling as fast as most people would like them to be and I would price it more in the $8-$9k range if i wanted to get it sold in some what of a timely manner.

[JoeFromPA]

Thanks for the advice. I've noticed that about blue - frankly, it shocks me. Out of all the colors, I feel like blue & the 97-2004 boxster have aged the best. But taste is taste, so that's besides the point.

One thing I would normally never consider, but might here, is trading in. If I can trade in and get $8,500 (which then gives me a tax benefit of $510 less sales tax paid on whatever I buy), then it's practically the same as selling. I'm not saying I definitely will trade-in, just that I wouldn't have considered it before and if the offer is right...

[Idaho Red Rocket 3]

Unfortunately you should expect a dealer to offer much less for the trade in. When we purchased our 2K S last year we were offered $4500 for our '98. We drove both cars home and waited until spring to sell the '98. We got $8500 but it took 4 months and we turned down a lot of low ballers. Of course it was great fun to have 2 matching red Boxsters for 7 months. We called them the twins.

[JoeFromPA]

Thanks guys. I think I'll list for $9500 in a bunch of places and see what type of interest I can drum up. I'm looking to sell April-May, not draw it out. If the market/interest isn't there, then I'll lower.

[97 Boxster]

Originally Posted by Idaho Red Rocket 3

Unfortunately you should expect a dealer to offer much less for the trade in. When we purchased our 2K S last year we were offered $4500 for our '98. We drove both cars home and waited until spring to sell the '98. We got $8500 but it took 4 months and we turned down a lot of low ballers. Of course it was great fun to have 2 matching red Boxsters for 7 months. We called them the twins.

Very nice color choice IRR. I have the 97 GR with Savannah inside too. Would be great to see all 3 together. Super nice photo. Sorry for the hijacked thread.

[masternut]

I sold my 99 in August for 10.5K

My car was not as clean but only had 50K miles.

I miss mine already.

Please send me an email when you want to move your Box please.

mr800@woh.rr.com

[JoeFromPA]

E-mailed you. I appreciate the feedback everyone. My wife is now 8 weeks pregnant (found out about 7 days after I first posted this). I have a 2-door coupe and a 2-seater convertible - both are now on their way out over the next few months, so this has become a higher priority for me than just a "feeler".

Winter is not my ideal time to sell, and I don't NEED to sell prior to ~April, but I'm going to go ahead and freshly buff it with griot's machine polish and a light sealant for new detailed pictures soon. Right now it's tires are inflated to winter pressures, the interior & all exterior rubber and seals have been treated with Aerospace 303, leather is freshly conditioned on a recent 55-60 degree day, gas tank is full and has some dry-gas in it, and it's battery is unplugged (trickle charger was giving me some problems). I'll drive it once every 2-4 weeks until sold, otherwise it's now parked.

[mdrexelius]

Longtime Porsche Boxster forum lurker. I have a few questions about your boxster. Could you email me at mdrexelius@fuse.net so I can send you an email back? Thanks for your time.

[DenverSteve]

My suggestion, unless you sell it here before, is to wait until next Spring and see what the market is for hot little convertibles. If you put your car on the market at a time when there is little-to-no competition, you may get $9,995. Otherwise, you'll have to contend/compete with the other cars that are for sale and see what you can get. For that year and mileage I would think 10K is a little high. However, sell it outright don't trade it in unless you have to.

Congratulations on your new addition.

[JoeFromPA]

E-mailed back mdrexelius.

DenverSteve - That's pretty much where I'm at, but at the same time I do "need" to sell by May. I don't want to be going into the 3rd trimester with that on my plate

[Botoxster]

Another lurker with interest in your car.

Please e-mail me gmenifee@gmail.com

Thanks!

[JoeFromPA]

Responded!

As a broad update, tomorrow and wednesday is supposed to be quite warm around here. (~45 degrees fahrenheit). My plan is to take the boxster out, give it a quick wash, machine polish with griot's polisher and products, and then take a fresh set of detailed pictures in and out.

Assuming the weather goes along with me, I'll have another update soon!

Joe

[JoeFromPA]

Sale pending (thanks to a feeler thread!) - car at PPI now. Thanks for everyone's input.