*High Milage Boxster: Yes or No????

[Cloudsurfer]

I would ideally look or wait for an 03 or newer "S." However, at the least, I would search for 00 and newer cars. High mileage isn't, by itself, a horrible thing, but the degree to which it was maintained and how many things have been replaced recently will have a huge effect on how expensive the car proves to keep running.

Patrick

[jdub2348]

the thing is, i dont have time and money on my side. im a junior in high school and im looking to spend under $15 for a boxster that i can enjoy during my last two summers at home. so a '00 or newer would probly not be an option...

Originally Posted by jdub2348

the thing is, i dont have time and money on my side. im a junior in high school and im looking to spend under $15 for a boxster that i can enjoy during my last two summers at home. so a '00 or newer would probly not be an option...

I have to go with fatmike here. When I was your age, I wanted a GTO my dad had on his lot, someone traded it on a Fiat. Wisely, he said...no. You have the rest of your life to have a great sports car, at your age you might very likely not have the rest of your life if given such a powerful capable sports car. Sorry to sound old & frumpy but how bout a Miata?

[Perfectlap]

in this economy you have to be nuts to buy a high mileage anything.
Way too much supply to be picking through the bottom of the barrel.
Car loan defaults are at an all time high. I wish I could have bough my BoxsterS in this economy. I would have made out like an Oil Man in uhhh 2008.

p.s.
don't buy a car kid. If you've noticed there's a famine and the price of oil is through the roof. Invest that money in some agriculture, fertilizer, and oil exploration stocks and in four years you'll buy yourself a great head start on the rest of your life (and a Ferrari F430) while that Boxster will be worth less. At your age you can afford to take some risks.

[Brucelee]

I have owned this forum for almost 4 yrs now and have seen thousands of posts. I would NOT buy a 97 high mileage car unless it was under 10G and something about it grabbed me, like special color etc

Assume this car will cost you tons after you buy it, ala Randall.

Listed to him, he's been there.

[j.fro]

That car sounds like it will make a fine track car very soon!

[jdub2348]

thanks for your opinions - although i don't think youll be able to talk me out of a boxster, im starting to think this '97 with high milage is a bad idea.

[cbenitah]

Even though I am not a junior in high school I can relate to your sentance: I would do anything to own a Boxster.. I do not own a company and I am not rich, but I managed through hard work to get my Boxster. Although I do not recommend a -97 like most here, I do recommend a Porsche 914. I started with a -73 bug, a -74 914, a -70 914, a 73 914 then I ended up with my -02 Boxster S..

A Porsche 914 IS the old Boxster. Same layout just smaller and much much more simple. Again not a hassle free car by any means, but you will learn how to fix your own car and there are tons of good forums out there to gain the knowledge. Either you stopped reading here or if you are interested, try to find a pre 75 914 and enjoy that during high school. Its not modern but it still corners the same or better than the Boxster AND its still a Porsche..

Here is my 914, (before and after picture) and as you can see I spent a lot of time (not money) to modify if. Boxster calipers, 911 suspension, 911/Boxster wheels.. It is a really fun car and it can be had for more than half of what your -97 will cost you.

I know everyone may not agree with me, but it taught me how to appreciate cars in a whole new way..

Link 1 to 914 Material
Link 2 to 914 Material

[silver arrow]

1. Sell the Audi.
2. Don't buy a Boxster
3. Get an inexpensive, reliable car that is good on gas until you finish college unless you have very nice, rich parents. (if you did, you wouldn't be looking at a high mileage Boxster)
4. I just paid $15,000 for a 2000 Boxster with 50,000 miles, so if you don't listen to anything on this board and buy the car anyway, know that there are better deals out there.

[PWebRPH]

Originally Posted by silver arrow

1. Sell the Audi.
2. Don't buy a Boxster
3. Get an inexpensive, reliable car that is good on gas until you finish college unless you have very nice, rich parents. (if you did, you wouldn't be looking at a high mileage Boxster)
4. I just paid $15,000 for a 2000 Boxster with 50,000 miles, so if you don't listen to anything on this board and buy the car anyway, know that there are better deals out there.

Good advice. A college buddy of mine can back up #4 as well. He bought a 97 base last year with 15k miles..... for $17k

[KevinH1990]

You have to understand that most of the men on this Board are significantly older than you. (Their daughter's boyfriends call them "sir".)

When I was a senior in high school, I found a 1956 Porsche convertible D for $1500. My Dad wouldn't let me buy it. (Actually, he told me I could buy it, but I couldn't park it at our house.) I will never admit it to him, but that was a good parenting decision even though the car would be worth $30,000 or more today.

I bought a low mileage 2000 two years ago. I'm reasonably handy, but the thing can be a distraction from time to time. I'd wait a few years on a Boxster. I had two Miatas and they are almost as much fun and a lot less trouble.

Originally Posted by KevinH1990

You have to understand that most of the men on this Board are significantly older than you. (Their daughter's boyfriends call them "sir".)

When I was a senior in high school, I found a 1956 Porsche convertible D for $1500. My Dad wouldn't let me buy it. (Actually, he told me I could buy it, but I couldn't park it at our house.) I will never admit it to him, but that was a good parenting decision even though the car would be worth $30,000 or more today.

I bought a low mileage 2000 two years ago. I'm reasonably handy, but the thing can be a distraction from time to time. I'd wait a few years on a Boxster. I had two Miatas and they are almost as much fun and a lot less trouble.

I'm sure that GTO would be worth a scheckle or two as well. Sounds like he's buying a Boxster, I hope he's careful and that his parents enjoy the inevitable traffic court dramas.

[renzop]

Originally Posted by jdub2348

the thing is, i dont have time and money on my side. im a junior in high school and im looking to spend under $15 for a boxster that i can enjoy during my last two summers at home. so a '00 or newer would probly not be an option...

Kid,

Don't do it. You can't afford it. I speak from experience.

In 1978 I was 22 and just out of college. I had a little money in my pocket and got an ok starter job. I bought a used Porsche 914. It took every cent I had to buy the car. The clutch went out 1000 miles later. The car sat for two months and I took the bus to work while I earned the money for the clutch job.

About 2 months after the clutch was repaired, the heat exchangers rusted out. Every time I turned on the heat the cockpit filled with exhaust fumes. I spent the winter driving with no heat and the windows open.

In June of that year State inspection was due. It failed because of a blown shock, a bad foglight, the heat exchangers and no broken windshield washers. This time the car sat for 4 months while I earned the money for repairs.

After missing the summer, I got the car back on the road but I realized that it was not reliable enough for a daily driver. I bought a used Impala for $500 and it ran without repairs for 5 years.

Rust finally got the better of the 914. In 1983 it started eating halfshafts. Turns out the upper rear mounts were completely rusted out. Repairs would have cost way more than I paid for the car originally. I gave up.

I had fun with the 914, but If I had waited a few years I could have saved the money to buy a nice one.

Learn form my mistake. If you only have enough money to just afford the purchase price of a car then it must be totally reliable. A '97 Boxster with high mileage is not that kind of car.

REgards,
Alan

[RandallNeighbour]

Suspension parts and emissions stuff wear out on cars of this age. Boxsters have a lot of plastic parts in them too that wear out far earlier than the Porsches of the 70's.

They're built by Germans, but they're not bullet proof like a German tank by any means.

Some guys on this board swear their boxsters are bullet proof, but I always see that they're driving a very low mileage car, a very new car (1-2 years old) or one that the previous owner dumped a bunch of money into to fix up.

Throwing caution to the wind and buying that 97 may possibly be the most expensive car you have ever purchased.

Now if the dealer throws in a bumper to bumper warranty for 3 years or 25k beyond what the car has on it now and the warranty doesn't have all sorts of exclusions, it's worth a second look.

Check my web site for tips for purchasing a used boxster.

[RandallNeighbour]

jdub, we posted at the same time.

I think you're gonna shoot yourself in the foot. The car will need costly repairs over the next two years and it will be parked if you can't pony up with $600 for this and $1200 for that. These cars also burn through rear tires in 8000 miles or less and they're $200 a pop.

No offense, but you should find another kind of car to buy for the next two years. If I didn't have a great job and a willingness to dump $5000 a year into my car, I could not afford to own it.

You better call your insurance company as well. That might help you make a quick decision on the boxster purchase.

[gmboxster]

Boxsters certainly are not built like tanks but putting $5000 a year repairs in them is way over the top too. But I agree with Randall, I have a 98 model which had 46K on it. It was taken extremely good care of and I've had no problems thus far. Having said that I would rather have an 03~04 Boxster S. I would just be leary of a car with almost 100K on it no matter the make of car. Good luck with your decision.

[jdub2348]

well i realize that service will be expensive but im sort of used to expensive services here and there since i currently drive an '02 audi a6 with 64k and it can't seem to go 300 miles without some little thing going wrong. ive looked at other sports cars but the boxster just feels right and im prepared to do what it takes to own one, even if that means spending all my cash to keep it up. i have seen 98 and 99 boxsters with 50 or 60,000 miles for around $15,000. these are out of state tho and i'd have to mess with shipping costs and all that junk.

what i want to know is will it be worth it for the two years that i have the car to buy the cheap high milage or the more expensive lower milage.

- this '97 has branddd new tires with almost no miles on them which is good.

[fatmike]

I stopped reading at "I'm a junior in High School". I can't recommend a Boxster to you. Its not a good choice.



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[SinnerDC2]

I got my 2000 for 14,700 a couple of months ago.. you just have to shop for the deals.

[brent95m3]

Originally Posted by jdub2348

well i realize that service will be expensive but im sort of used to expensive services here and there since i currently drive an '02 audi a6 with 64k and it can't seem to go 300 miles without some little thing going wrong. ive looked at other sports cars but the boxster just feels right and im prepared to do what it takes to own one, even if that means spending all my cash to keep it up. i have seen 98 and 99 boxsters with 50 or 60,000 miles for around $15,000. these are out of state tho and i'd have to mess with shipping costs and all that junk.

what i want to know is will it be worth it for the two years that i have the car to buy the cheap high milage or the more expensive lower milage.

- this '97 has branddd new tires with almost no miles on them which is good.

Honestly its probably luck of the draw and how well the car was maintained. Owner's could have deferred maintenance longer on the higher mileage. Of course, maybe they did it, and the 50k is due for service. I bought a high performance car in high school, on my own dime, and yes almost killed myself multiple times. Take some drivers schools and don't think you're invincible (tough to do I realize). If you learn how to do basic maintenance yourself, the costs to maintain will likely be significantly less. I say do it and just get a PPI on the 90k car to find out where you're at.