Used vs New - 986 Forum - The Community for Porsche Boxster & Cayman Owners

04-20-2005, 01:55 PM

How many of you bought a used Boxster vs buying it new?

scoobyrex27 · 04-20-2005, 03:01 PM

I guess I would be at the "budget" end but I was looking for a 97-99 tiptronic for under $20k. I am now the happy owner of a 97' hardtop tiptronic with 59k which I purchased for $19k.

I would have loved a new Porsche but will have to wait until California decides to pay teachers a little more!

ViO · 04-20-2005, 04:00 PM

You can do what I did.... Buy last years model's left over... as long as it has all the options you want, this way its a "new" car but for MSRP or lower, in my case I had a few "dealership" miles on it. Bought a 2003 with tiptronic/xenons/bose in April 04... which is while they were selling 2004's.

Brucelee · 04-20-2005, 04:28 PM

You cannot beat the price/value equation on a "properly selected" used Boxster S. 2002 and 2003 valuations are very favorable for the buyer right now. A lot of car for the money!

Rowag · 04-20-2005, 04:30 PM

My wife and I just got our new (to us) baby - used. It was the find of a lifetime:

'98 Boxster, silver with black int.
16k miles
Sport Touring package
17" wheels
5-speed manual (the wife wouldn't have it any other way

)
Side airbags
Traction control
Colored wheel crests
Premium audio

The prior owner had about a dozen other cars, drove this one 2k miles consistently each year (weekends), garage kept (heated at that), all work done at the dealer (even TIRE CHANGES - sheesh!), never driven in the rain, etc.

When we got the car it was even wearing the original front 2 Pirelli's from the factory, which were just beginning to dry rot.

The car looks immaculate and has never been wrecked. The exterior looks virutally brand-new, and the interior looks maybe a year old. The seats aren't cracked, torn, etc. It's a BEAUTY, and we love it. It gets mistaken for a new car all the time.

Picked it up for $22,000 US. That's definitely on the upper end for a '98, but we both think we got a good deal on a car that cost twice that much new.

There is something about that "new car" feeling, but considering what we were after (a garage-queen older 986) we love it. It did, however, take about 3 months to find "the one". Don't rush into a used car, that's for sure.

graybeard · 04-20-2005, 04:40 PM

Did both, the used is what caused the new.If you are asking what to do and can afford new save time and money get new. Up until now letting someone else take the hit on new cars has been fine but the boxster changed that.

ntmatter · 04-20-2005, 05:03 PM

I recently got a 2001 non-S with less than 15K miles on it for $29K. This is just a bit over half of what a new one would have cost, with only 15K miles of usage. So, the previous owner paid $1.66 per mile in depreciation, or, put another way, I get 30K or so "free" miles on the car before it's mileage catches up with its age. All in all it's a heck of a deal, since I expect that if I were to sell it (for another Porsche, I expect) then I won't get reamed on depreciation as the first owner of my car did.

A

Morelli · 04-20-2005, 05:39 PM

I picked up a 1999 Boxster November of last year with 57k miles, for $18,888. Ran nicely but needed a tune up. I did the 60k mile service and had them perforate the airbox and throw in a K&N filter, which cost me $988. Now she runs perfectly. Overall the car is in pretty good shape...not great, but very good. The engine is strong, and it HOWLS above 4,000rpm with the airbox perforation...overall, VERY happy with my purchase.

Perfectlap · 04-20-2005, 08:04 PM

Used. I watched the top gear episode talking about the Boxster being excellent as a used car and started looking the next day. The lowest mileage humanly possible was my #1 goal. And cha ching just like that I Found a 2000S with only 10,000 miles! Took her home for $30K two weeks later. Taxes and fees were another $2K

But the 6 month powertrain warranty mandated by NJ convinced me not to ship it in from another state to avoid the taxes. Drove it over to the big Porsche dealer here in new jersey and they said it was A. O. K.
I'm very glad I didn't convice myself to spend more, totally unecessary! This car has exceeded every expectation. I wouldn't change one thing.

wetstuff · 04-21-2005, 04:54 AM

I agree with our host - there are great values to be found in the emotional discards of others. However, if that new Sycamore interior was irresistible - you have no option.

I'm not objective, but can't see how either is a mistake?!

jim

ranbar2 · 04-21-2005, 06:41 AM

Used. 2000S with 25K miles for $30K a little over a year ago. At the time you couldn't touch an S for anything less, although the 2000's are now down around $27-$28K. But what really sold me on it (other than the incomparable styling, handling, perfomance, exhaust note, convertible, comfort, 2 trunks, etc...) was the color. 99% of the boxsters in my area are silver or black but, as far as I know, I've got the only green boxster in Tampa.

Brucelee · 04-21-2005, 06:45 AM

"I'm not objective, but can't see how either is a mistake?! "

Indeed. I have found that some folks must simply buy new, it is an emotional thing with them, and that is fine. "Horses for courses!"

wingboat · 04-21-2005, 06:56 AM

I bought my 2000 Boxster on Ebay. It is non-S, standard, 30K miles, and cost me $22000. Flawless int./ext., guards red, black top, and Fulda tires. It had lived in Miami before I drove it up to Boston. Tough trip on my 6'3" body, what with noise and stiff ride, though well worth it! Ebay even has some still under factory warranty, though mine had expired.

It runs like a top, and all of the accessories are working perfectly. The wheels are a bit noisy with the top up, which may mean I need new rear bearings. All in all, I got a great car for peanuts.

I'd much rather buy a well kept used one, preferably still under warranty, than pay the full price for new. Also bought an off-lease Jaguar XJ8 on Ebay. Another perfect car, which was under factory warranty.

Go for "lightly used", IMO.

Porschekid · 04-21-2005, 07:15 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by ranbar2

But what really sold me on it (other than the incomparable styling, handling, perfomance, exhaust note, convertible, comfort, 2 trunks, etc...) was the color. 99% of the boxsters in my area are silver or black but, as far as I know, I've got the only green boxster in Tampa.

Thats one of the things that sold me on my Box and made me not hold out for an S for fear of not finding the same color. I love the Forest/Rainforest Green metallic especially with tan interior.

My neighbors had their 996 turbo in the same color before mine and I knew that I needed to find the same for my Box. Everyone who makes a comment on the car always says something about the color too. Mine looks identical to yours with the same wheels. Only difference is your big red brakes and S on the back.

Jeffrey776 · 04-21-2005, 09:54 AM

I bought my Box new in 2004, however I be buying my 911 Turbo Cab used. Need the back seat for my dog.

Brucelee · 04-21-2005, 02:00 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Jeffrey776

I bought my Box new in 2004, however I be buying my 911 Turbo Cab used. Need the back seat for my dog.

That is the lamest excuse to buy a Turbo that I ever heard!

Mind if I use it sometime?

limoncello · 04-21-2005, 02:03 PM

I just went used, got it a last week.
2001 (non S)
13,300 miles, truly like new, led a pampered life garaged
$28,500
5 spd
Sports package
Yellow with matching roll bars, seatbelts & console
warranty till August
Got the sticker - MSRP was $48,212 plus some dealer adds
Glad I didn't have to eat the first depreciation.
But hey, if I had the money I would buy new too.
Concur - neither is a mistake -
Yellow? the color of my first Triumph in high school, circa 1970.

Purists stop reading here.
Had to sell the Miata. Wrong place for these sentiments, I suspect, but they are great handling cars for not much money (yeh, they're grossly underpowered). Good cars to practice driving skills, though.

Love driving the boxster! Wow! There really is a heaven...
Joining PCA and look forward to joining future events. Already in SCCA.
Carolina Motorsports park is not far away - anybody out there familiar with their driver's ed?

Brucelee · 04-21-2005, 04:05 PM

No need to make excuses for the Miata.

Tons of goodness, cheap in the extreme!

One of the better gear boxes in the world.

Rowag · 04-21-2005, 06:45 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by limoncello

Had to sell the Miata. Wrong place for these sentiments, I suspect, but they are great handling cars for not much money (yeh, they're grossly underpowered). Good cars to practice driving skills, though.

Hey man, no problem with the Miata! That's a great car, and it put the roadster back on the map for the 90's up through today... heck, if it wasn't such a great seller there might not even have been an IDEA for the Boxster, Porsche would've tanked (or made something whacked, like a pickup truck), and then where would we be?

tqtran · 04-21-2005, 06:50 PM

I decided on a Boxster because it was a two seat mid engine FLAT-6. Two seats was important to me because I did not want to drive people around. You know those people, "Hey can we ride in your car?" I say, "Sorry, I only have two seats :dance: "

btw: Rowag, did you ever pick up that box?