Which is a better deal?

[racer_d]

#2 sounds problematic.. Low miles and NOT properly maintained tells me someone would rather sell the car than put money into it.

#1 sounds better, imho, but will reserve judgement untill you look at it and report back. The front bumper cap is from a 996 GT3.. Check to see if there was body damange or why it was replaced. Maybe it is a "track junkie" car

While some say buy the newest, some others say buy the one with "reasonable" miles as these cars don't seem to age well if NOT driven frequently enough.

Let KBB, NADA, Edmunds etc help you get close to a price. Realize that February, in the NE, is NOT selling season for a convertible. A buyer should be willing to deal. Perhaps the "firm" price is because of an outstanding loan that needs repayment?

BTW, Original MSRP means nothing. Just shows how much these cars depreciate. IIRC, there were very few changes between '01 and '02.

RMS - Rear Main Seal. There is no cure. Some cars have failures, others do not. It is a small, cheap seal. The issue is you need to drop the transmission to access it. If not leaking, don't touch it. If leaking, consider how much it leaks and if you want to pay say, $1k to get it replaced. If you have to replace it, consider reviewing condition of the clutch and replacement if needed.

[mikefocke]

Has lots of subtle mods. The headlights aren't 2001s, for example. Owned by a fanatic, bought another P-car. Short shifter, exhaust, etc.

The problem will be getting a PPI where it is located.

I would ask about the front end and any accidents as there is a lot that isn't "original" in the front end...all to the plus IMHO as very tasteful. Consider that these aren't collector cars, they last 200k if driven and maintained. I'll bet he maintained it well. Wheels are an upgrade, extra set of tires may be a plus if mounted.