[KevinH1990]

As someone who took the plunge about a year ago (I switched from a Miata), I think you will enjoy the change. A Boxster seems like a great car when you first hop in it, but you discover even greater rewards the longer you own it.

There are many used Boxsters with under 30k miles on them for sale in the sub $25k price range. I set my sights on 2000 models and newer with 30k or less on them and found many nice examples. The cars may be 6 or 7 years old, but I think most Boxster owners take better care of their cars than typical drivers. There are exceptions, and that is why a complete check by a knowledgeable mechanic is essential.

While the entry price may be only slightly higher than a good economy sedan, the maintenance and repair costs will be higher. These are manageable unless you have a catastrophic failure, but it will help if you learn how to change the oil and filters. If you are not an expert mechanic, you should develop a relationship with a good independent Porsche specialist. I've had three Check Engine Light incidents in about 14 months. If you have that kind of problem you need to be able to read the codes to determine the fault. While a standard OBDII code reader will help, special software will often narrow down the exact cause and eliminate unnecessary or incorrect repairs. Also, the tempatation to modify the car hits many people and that can add greatly to the cost of ownership. So, consider how much will power you have before buying.

Take your time and learn as much as you can before you buy. RandalNeighbor and Mike Focke were great sources of information for me when I was buying, and you have already discovered them.