Thinking of buying a Boxster ? - MUST READ !

[thstone]

Originally Posted by KyleBus

2001 Boxster 5spd with 91K miles

2001 Porsche Boxster 5spd

I would appreciate some other peoples opinions on weather I should go for it and buy it, or if there are too many miles on it.

Thanks in advance!

To start, 97K miles isn't too many.

What matters is how well the car was cared for during those 97K miles;

Is the owner offering any repair history or receipts? That will tell you that the car was well cared for. Its not a deal killer if they don't have that info, more of a bonus.

Regardless, get a Pre-Purchase Inspection (PPI) from a reputable Porsche specialist (independent or dealer). That will be the best $300 you ever spend. They will be able to tell you exactly what you're getting into.

Despite the affordable purchase prices these days, a Boxster can be somewhat expensive to maintain and repair. The rule of thumb is to budget $2,000 per year for maintenance and repairs. You might not need that much, but better to have it than not.

Also, consider doing some of the maintenance/repairs yourself. Boxster's are not hard to work on and there are tons of instructions on how to do everything from change the oil to rebuilding the engine. You can save quite a bit on costs this way.

Either way, find a competent, reasonably priced local Porsche independent repair shop. They will become your best friend.

Do some searches on this Forum about "PPI" and whatever else you're wondering about and you'll find a lot of good, constructive discussion.

Be sure to do a search on "intermediate shaft bearing failure" or "IMS bearing failure". This failure can affect a small percentage of Boxster engines. There are replacement parts that will mitigate the risk. You'll need to educate yourself on this subject.

A Boxster is one of the best handling cars in the world and it will put a huge grin on your face every time that you get in the car. Guaranteed.

Best of luck and I hope that you join us soon!

[KyleBus]

Originally Posted by thstone

Despite the affordable purchase prices these days, a Boxster can be somewhat expensive to maintain and repair. The rule of thumb is to budget $2,000 per year for maintenance and repairs. You might not need that much, but better to have it than not.

Thanks for the response! What type of maintenance and repairs should I be expecting yearly?

[78F350]

Originally Posted by KyleBus

Thanks for the response! What type of maintenance and repairs should I be expecting yearly?

Fluid changes, tires, brakes, and clutch are the most common. Searching the forum for more specific info on these will give you the details. Of course the clutch, tires, and brakes will probably not be needed every year, but fit into that 2-$3k budget over time. Oil change can run about $80-$100 and the coolant is just silly expensive compared to an average car. Search and read up. It's all been covered.

There's lots of support here, Pelican parts: Porsche Boxster 986 (1997-2004) / 987 (2005-2008) Technical Articles | Pelican Parts, and rennlist forum

[KyleBus]

Hi everyone, just got back from checking out the car from the link I posted a few days ago. In the ad it says there is a "crack in rear quarterpanel paint, black tape over it right now to cover it up"

To specify the location of this a little better, it is located right above the vent that leads to the engine on the driver side (where the sticker covers in one of the photos below)

I'm curious if you guys think a body shop would be able to fix this or if i would have to have that whole area replaced, and what you guys think that would cost..

Thank you in advance!

[78F350]

I'm curious if you guys think a body shop would be able to fix this or if i would have to have that whole area replaced,...

I'm still pretty new to these cars, but I think that area actually takes some significant stress from the roof mounting points and mechanism. Not that the whole car will split in 1/2, but it needs a qualified professional to evaluate it.

You can get lots of opinions here though. I'd stop-drill the cracks and put a stainless doubler over it with sexy looking aircraft rivets every 1/4 inch. Maybe a few bullet hole decals to top it off. (Sure you want opinions?)

*I'd suggest starting a new thread rather than continuing here.

[deekshaa]

i like the informations based on boxster , i like it very much