Clutch effort

[mjw930]

Ok, I did my search and came up with nothing so here's my noob question.

I'm looking at used Boxster S' and have noticed a few things that I would like to understand better.

1. Is there a difference in the clutch effort between the years 2001 and 2004?

On a 2003 with 37,000 miles the clutch seemed heavy and didn't have nearly the same feel as an '04 with 15000 miles. The '04 clutch felt lighter and I noticed a slight notch or point where it got lighter, almost like passing the fulcrum point. You could also hear the actuator from the outside of the car when you pressed in the '03 clutch. I didn't notice that on the '04. In looking at these cars in the past I've noticed that some have very stiff clutch pedals. Is this a sign of worn bushing or a throw out bearing being on the way out?

Note: the '03 was not running, the '04 was. Is there power assist on the clutch pedal? (I know, it's a really dumb question but on one of the threads here I saw mention of a tech note for clutch power assist springs)

2. I've had many older Porsche's, the last being a 1989 911 turbo so I'm used to some oil smoke on cold start but I was surprised to see this on the '03. Is this normal after the car has sits for a while or a sign of bad things to come?

Of course both of these cars have factory warranties remaining so some of these things I would either take to the dealer of have the selling dealer do it for me prior to my purchase.

I've always lived by the motto, "Buy the newest Porsche you can afford" and the '03 Boxster S can be had for $36K, only about 3 or 4K more than many of the '01's I see on the market. It's a 2 owner car with a few minor issues but otherwise in great shape. What are some things I should look for / check out if I decide I really want this car?

Thanks,
Mark