im so torn

[schnellman]

Remember the three P's when buying any used car, and especially a Porsche. They are: Patience, patience, patience. Waiting a week per $1K sounds like a good idea. I'm on my fourth Porsche. I got my latest, a '98 standard with 15K on the clock for $15K by waiting and watching. I don't agree that you need an S or 18 inch wheels. If we had an autobahn here I might feel differently. I enjoyed my Carrera during my ten years in Germany, but don't think that much performance is necessary here, unless you intend to drive competitively. PIP is a must. Like every post here, this is just my opinion, based on 30 years of Porsche ownership. Good luck.

For 20K you should be able to hook yourself up with a premium car, that is especially true given the economy and time of year.

[mrfredsporty]

please dont stop posting on this. im getting ready to turn 65 in april. . im in extremely good shape for my age. ive been a sportscar guy since i was 14. i can heel and toe with the best. i have a very violent harley v rod and have been reading every blog , article and forum i can get my hands on. this will maybe be my last chance to have a real sportscar.i still am torn because i see so many really low mileage s cars of about the 2000 vintage. on the other hand i think the advice to get as new as possible is good too. i just dont know how a boxster does in the 48 plus k area (mileagfe wise). i would use it as a daily driver but i would not put very many miles on it except on weekends. im determined but still not sure which way to go. i appreciate all your input. like i say dont stop.
thandks
fred from nashville

[blue2000s]

These are seriously incredible cars from a driving reward standpoint. Any and all years, any and all engines/options. The general pricing last year on the used Boxsters were a bargain, this year, they're a steal. As long as you know what you're getting into (risks), and you make sure that you're getting a good one, you won't be anything but happy, like me

Mr. Fred you sound excited and you should be these cars are very capable and fun to drive. One thing I would consider is a newer non S, many are available and @245 base hp they are comparable in output to earlier S models. Of course the six speed of the S would be nice to have, it's your call. I have the 2.5, slowest of the line and you still need to concentrate on not speeding with it.

[gerrygug]

Originally Posted by EE3racing

Mr. Fred you sound excited and you should be these cars are very capable and fun to drive. One thing I would consider is a newer non S, many are available and @245 base hp they are comparable in output to earlier S models. Of course the six speed of the S would be nice to have, it's your call. I have the 2.5, slowest of the line and you still need to concentrate on not speeding with it.

+1 on the above.
Get the newest model you can afford.

[Perfectlap]

I could have opted for a Boxster S that was three or four years newer but the mileage was higher. So I decided to go for a just out of warranty four year old that barely avearged 2400 miles a year. I think I made the right call there.
A saw a few one or two year old cars had more than 10K annual miles and decided to skip a car that was a year round daily driver. I think these should go to the bottom of the list.

Some argue that the 2000-2002 intermediate shaft design was better than the revised version. Nobody really tracks when those fail (car catastrophe) but at one point Consumer Reports was recording consumer complaints and the 00-02's were receiving the lowest number of issues for the 97-2005 period. But who knows how accurate that is. I've put nearly 57K miles on my 2000S and have only had one repair that cost more than $200. Pretty amazing. It also depends how you drive. I always wait for the oil temp to go up before letting the the RPMs go over 2000. I try to use the brakes as little as possible by using the throttle smoothly. Since gas had its little trip into $5 territory I have learned to drive at the speed limit with the car in the 6th gear as soon as possible to go easy on the engine.

also, check the bodywork closely. Painting these cars the right way is not cheap.
I had my whole front end repainted and it was a real job to find a body shop that had enough high end cars but weren't charging high end rates. Fenders, hood and my GT3 bumper done for $1100. Most places wanted closer $2000-$2500 but I managed to get my way, the other partner at the bodyshop was pissed when I picked up the car

p.s.
In this economy get the S. They're practically giving it to you for no extra charge.
Also in my opine and after driving a 2.7 and a 3.2, a car of this curb weight comes "alive" out of corners at about the 240-206 hp mark. Drive an S2000 for comparison. If you can't find an S keep looking. This car should've had a 3.6 from the start because it's really a Carrera roadster in my book, but for political reasons at Porsche they decided to make it a 2.5 and give it a different name even though from the doors to the front bumper it's 99% a 99-01 Carrera.