purchase choice - 2003 S or 2005 2.7?

[mikefocke]

There is a guy with a national reputation for his knowledge of Boxsters in Florida who is very wired into the scene and who has a business which, among other things, does an excellent PPI. He does everything from preparing a racing Boxster to producing products for Boxsters to conducting tech training sessions at national Boxster get-togethers.

Pedros PPIs

I highly recommend him based on reports from people who have used him. He is very well known on PPBB , another Boxster forum.

Get in touch, let him know what you are looking for and then use him for the PPI. He may know of a car that is just right. The site has a picture of his forms so you can see the type of inspections he does.

[Sloan]

TO: mikefocke. I appreciate your thoughtful responses, and I already did as you advised and expanded my search. I stand corrected, in that in a literal sense there are 'hundreds' of Boxsters for sale, however when I narrow back down to ones I would actually want, not so many. I think I have a decent idea of the price ranges - I've been searching for long enough now that I have a sense of what is 'right', the possible exception being the value of some of the more obscure options, and whether the 2004 550 special editions are worth the premium many of their sellers seem to think they should command.

Thank you as well for the information on Pedro's garage. He is very local to me, so that could be an excellent resource.

I am hoping to get out to look at at least two cars this coming weekend - the 2003 S with about 20k miles, 18" wheels w/ NEW tires, Tiptronic & Bose (but no PSM) that I mentioned a few posts ago, and a 2004 base with 8k, Bose, Tip. (again, no PSM) that looks absolutely spotless. Asking for the 2003 S is 32.5 (I got the sense they would take $30k) and asking for the 2004 is $28.6k. I will report back on my findings if I make it up to see both of them.

[mikefocke]

They add perhaps 10% of their value to the selling price so they are almost ignorable in the pricing equation, but they can be important in why you buy a car.

Here is what I'd like in my car:

Litronics because you need to see as far as you can at night
Porsche Stability Management (PSM) because I'm no longer a trained in emergency situations driver
Windscreen because it makes driving with the top down possible in a wider range of weather/speeds.
Heated seats for the same reason.
18" Carrera Wheels because I like them and they are light contributing to better handling via unsprung weight minimization
On Board Computer just because it breaks up the long trips to fiddle with it.
Cruise control so I can take long trips
Any Old Radio because Becker radios (including Bose) are so crappy I'd want to put in a good sound system with MP3/IPOD/BlueTooth (Not amped up, I value my ears, just good reception) and better speakers.
Storage box above engine so I could mount rear speakers there)
Michelin Rib tires (because they are great summer tires in all summer conditions)
In your location, a light color like silver or white with a light interior.
A top with a glass rear window.
My choice of transmission (I like the TIP but some don't).

Things I wouldn't value from Porsche:
GPS because theirs is crappy and updates aren't available any more.
Any radio gear because theirs is crappy.