Potential new Boxster owner - 986 Forum - The Community for Porsche Boxster & Cayman Owners

MSS · 05-11-2007, 12:53 PM

I've wanted a Boxster for about three years now and I have 30k out the door to spend including tax etc. I test drove an '02 CPO Boxster and thought it was awesome but I really loved the S. The sales manager was a real jerk to me so I left and started surfing cars.com and others....a long story for another time. I've read quite a few posts about needing to have extra cash around for repairs and just wondered what the general consensus is....go for a Boxster CPO from a dealer so I don't have to worry about it (about $28,900 CPO here in CT) or go for an earlier model S and save an X number of k for potential repairs. I have to say that I own a Land Rover and it is expensive to fix when something goes wrong.....and it does go wrong so I'm a little cool to the idea of having the Boxster sit in the garage until I can afford to fix it. Advice anyone? Thanks in advance.

dmcutter · 05-11-2007, 03:49 PM

I bet you can find an 02 S for 30 grand. I just checked ebay for 03 Ss (may as well go for the glass back window) and there were a couple fairly high mileage examples for under 30 but not many. When I started looking last fall there was an 03 S with only 14k miles that ended up going for its opening bid of 28.5. I would have jumped on it but just didn't like the color. Anyway, def go for the S!

beersnob · 05-11-2007, 06:30 PM

I was in a similiar situation a few months ago and drove both an'03 and '02S. I ended up going with the S and love it. The added power and red calipers sold me. I can always upgrade to a glass top later.

There seems to be a good bit of Boxsters out there so be patient and try to find one with low miles and records. Easier said then done...huh?

As far as repairs go I do not know but scheduled maint. is way cheaper if you avoid a dealer.

Good luck,
Jeff

racer_d · 05-11-2007, 06:36 PM

A rule of thumb that has always worked well for me when buying used is to make sure you have about 10-15% of the price paid available as "back up" or "mad" money for the new toy.

I've never had an aftermarket warranty or CPO car, and I guess you could say it would be a nice cushion should you need to fix something, or around here, want to make changes just for fun!

Good luck on your search. There are plenty of Boxsters available, it will just take some time

If you have some patience, some mechanical knowledge and some tools, maintenance items are certainly a Do It Yourself proposition to save both time and money.

husker boxster · 05-11-2007, 06:44 PM

It's probably a pay-me-now vs pay-me-later scenario. A CPO car may be $2-3K more expensive over a similar but non-CPO model at the same dealer and maybe $4-5K more than a privately owned one for sale. So you pay more to start with and get 2 yrs of "free" coverage. If you are willing to roll the dice and save some $$ back for expenses, a non-CPO may be the way to go.

Mine is a CPO and I'm glad I have it. Since Jan I've had the pwr steering pump and resevoir, a pwr window mtg, a wheel bearing, and a lwr frt control arm replaced. I'm probably getting close to even on the extra cost of the CPO. I am a little concerned that things are failing so frequently lately. In July it starts coming out of my pocket.

But you may want to consider an non-CPO. Since you already own an expensive car to fix, the repair costs of a Porsche will not be as much of a shock to you. You may even be able to find a good indy mechanic in your area to do the work for less. But whatever you do, drive both an S and base before you decide. Most on the board would recommend the S - me included, but only you will know if you will be happy with a base. Don't spend your hard-earned $$ on something you'll be dissatisfied with in a few months.

Hope this helps.

Terry

larryshomework · 05-11-2007, 08:01 PM

I'll give the advice I received from this board - get what you want. Saving 2K on a compromise will still be a compromise.

I bought a low mileage 2002 out of warranty. I bought it from a BMW dealer and purchased an extended warranty through them. Probably the same final price as a CPO but longer coverage (4 years). I went for years over mileage on the warranty but I can still drive 9K per year and not outlive the 4 years. The price of the warranty was just over $2K -- the premium I would have paid for a CPO. With a PPI and the warranty terms, I feel I came out better than a CPO.

I had a PPI done at a Porsche dealer. The Service Manager told me the extended warranty was worth its weight in gold (I wasn't buying it from his dealership). I can see not getting the warranty and having a cash reserve. For me, I'm less stressed knowing I already covered myself. To each his own.

Bottomline, find the one you want.