[Perfectlap]

interesting. I have the opposite feeling after pouring well over $10K in repairs and maintenance into my Porsche that's well under 100K miles and was always garage kept driven only on weekends. And I've still got another $3K in repairs to do... (water pump, rear control arms, new top, rotors, probably motor mounts and some repainting at $500 per panel). Granted, this is keeping the Porsche up to a higher standard than the typical higher mileage Boxster owner who probably isn't keeping up with the car.

My lesson: don't hold onto to a Porsche for more than couple of years. Find a lightly used one, avoid mods as much as you can (money you don't get back), and if you go higher mileage try to buy it from a warm climate. After a few years switch to a newer model when used prices for the newer series hits the sweet spot -- best to stay on the early side of 50K miles. But not having a monthly payment is DARN NICE too ...just don't think you're ever going to get away with NOT putting at least $1,500 into the car each year. If you're holding onto it for more than 4 years/60K miles all those years will catch up to you and possibly all at once or a very short time period.
As they say with Porsche, you can pay now or you can pay later but you will pay.

p.s.
The IMS gamble is not a good one if you don't have a dual row bearing (those older Porsches rolling around with 100+K miles were not single row).
At the end of the day the cost of upgrading the IMS is small relative to the price of a new engine. And if you bump up the clutch job to get the IMS out of the way, you still have the utility of a new clutch which you had to replace eventually. So if you discount something you're going to do anyway, it's really a $600 no brainer. Most guys probably spend more on mods.