Premium?

[js/sj]

Does this seem like a decent deal? What do you guys think a fair price would be for this car? I will be buying a LN IMS and installing that, what else should i do before its ready to drive? What else should i ask for in the deal with the dealership?
1999 Porsche Boxster Best Deal In Town

[recycledsixtie]

I would check your owner's manual as to what u should use. I have a 2001 Boxster 2.7 and I use premium. There should be somebody with a 2.5 come onto this thread I would think.

[jbs986]

I live in Mi. I bought a 2002 Boxster in Oct. 2011 W/68K miles on it W/all maintains done by the seller and I paid $9,000.00.

I would not pay more then $7,000.00 OTD for this and for God sakes, have a Porsche shop inspect the car before you buy it.

[Sumflow]

Originally Posted by js/sj

Does this seem like a decent deal?

No-price

What do you guys think a fair price would be for this car?

Trade-in value

I will be buying a LN IMS and installing that, what else should i do before its ready to drive?

Have the suspension aligned by the best shop in town. This car is a handler and you have to be able to trust it. Maybe it will cost less than a hundred dollars. Buy a set of used VR rated tires of the correct size. Don't fool around with the ratings, it will oversterr if you put a lower rating on the rear, and don't even think about putting less than Porsche suggests up front. Used is OK but the must be VR. Remember to always keep the power on in turns. What do you know about Taruffi?

What else should i ask for in the deal with the dealership?

Tell them if they can't sell it you will take it off of there hands for what they paid for it if they did not pay to much. Have them guarantee the IMS until you do a clutch change. With over 100,000 miles it is to late for this to be a garage queen. After 60,000 miles IMS failures are rare. You have to tear the whole car apart to replace the little piece, so absorb the cost of labor in your next clutch change. See Dempsey's book.

What you really want to do on price is get it at the trade in value. Stay up tonight and go into eDmunds, Blue Book and I think there is somebody else. Find out what they would give you if it was yours and you traded it in. That is your target price. If they paid to much, walk away, so that you do not have to pay to much. There are plenty of cars around no longer advertised. Run free adds yourself. Find out about the cars that were not sold. Personally I stay away from dealers, and always pay cash. All a dealer can do is add overhead and markup to any deal. Go drive it!

[Sumflow]

What fuel should I use in my Porsche?

Originally Posted by recycledsixtie

I would check your owner's manual as to what u should use. I use premium.

The Boxster, and I have a 2.5 original. uses the same fuel as was required in the 914 in ancient times. Nothing has changed. Porsche wants 95 the top they sell in my state is 94. No big deal if you are a little off because the computer will adjust.

BUT not any 95 will do. It should be a top-tier detergent gasoline like VW recommends for all of it's companies cars. Got that?

Get the highest octane top tier gasoline that you can find. Check with your local Porsche dealer about which grade of synthetic to use instead of oil in your part of the country.

[js/sj]

Ok they are asking 11,999 i thought that was alot but these cars are rare in MI and i really want one so i dont want to loose it. Also all we have here in MI is 93. I run race gas (110 octane in my jet ski). 8500 if they put new tires and change the IMS and new clutch? I am only 17 and just getting into this car thing. I just want a fun little reliable car. I do know alot about engines and such considering i am a pro sponsored Jetski rider so im not dumb. lol

[Sumflow]

Originally Posted by js/sj

Ok they are asking 11,999 i thought that was allot but these cars are rare in MI and i really want one so i dont want to loose it.

Not the way to negotiate.

... all we have here in MI is 93.

That is OK Porsche probably wants 94. Just get the best that you can and use the 93.

The computer will adjust. 93 will be fine.

$8500 if they put new tires and change the IMS and new clutch?

Take a look on Pelican so you have an idea what those parts are going to cost them before you go in there to talk price. Make sure the tyres are rated for the car "VR," very rapid." They could make the deal and give you some tyres that will not let you reach the cars potential safely for many years.

I just want a fun little reliable car.

Don't get into debt over it. This is not a Maita. Save your income for unexpected surprises. If you are a pro then you must travel around. Any place that you are going might have an unsold Boxster waiting for you. People that you race may know someone.

[js/sj]

Thanks for your help. How do I know if they are VR tires? Also $8000 sound like a good price? What else should I look for?

[Sumflow]

Originally Posted by js/sj

How do I know if they are VR tires?

Deciphering sidewall graffiti: What those tire codes mean

It should say in the door jam what tires the car should have. ZR Tyres are V W Y or Z. They do not have to be new. It will be part of your price negotiation. You need to know what they cost if you are going to put them in the deal. The tires on the car might already be alright. I would bring a flash light and look myself. They cannot sell you tires that they know are unsafe. So you can show them the tag in the door and make them comply. Your side is anything below the recommended rating is unsafe for the way that you plan to use the car.

This car has ZR which are better. We don't know what they paid for the car, or if they took it as a favor on a trade in. But if you use the online tools and determine the trade-in price. And then you can add the cost of all the stuff you want to stick them with to that price. That will give you a pretty good idea of what they will not go below.

If they cannot sell it in your area they can wholesale it to someone who thinks they can. They will not get stuck with it, and they will not sell it for less than it cost them to make the deal with you. Some states allow the previous owner to buy there car back in 30 days. If you can find out who that owner was. You could make a deal with them they could get it back from the dealer at the trade in price and sell it to you. What is the Blue book, and what is the trade in value?

You can find a Boxster for that price, but I am not sure you can do it from a dealer or get them to tear the whole car apart for you at that price.

[Soetekouw]

Originally Posted by js/sj

I am only 17 and just getting into this car thing. I just want a fun little reliable car. I do know alot about engines and such considering i am a pro sponsored Jetski rider so im not dumb. lol

A Porsche is not cheap to own. They are not rare cars. Their reliability is not any better/worse than any other car, but if it breaks, it'll take a bucket full of money to fix. Get a PPI inspection done before you get too excited about this car.

[tonycarreon]

Originally Posted by js/sj

i thought that was alot but these cars are rare in MI and i really want one so i dont want to loose it.

wrong attitude. they may be "rare" in your area but they're everywhere in the country. no one says you have to buy a car at the local used-car lot. check craigslist, classifieds, ebay, etc. get a PPI then take a nice flight out somewhere, pick up your car and take a long drive home. best 2-3 days you can spend with your car.

[Bob O]

Originally Posted by tonycarreon

wrong attitude. they may be "rare" in your area but they're everywhere in the country. no one says you have to buy a car at the local used-car lot. check craigslist, classifieds, ebay, etc. get a PPI then take a nice flight out somewhere, pick up your car and take a long drive home. best 2-3 days you can spend with your car.

That's exactly what I did whe I got mine. I live in KC and got mine from a seller in PA. Had a ppi done, had the seller send me a TON of pictures, got a one way ticket to Pittsburgh and spent about two days driving it home. It was a great way to get acquainted with the car (especially since it rained all the way home! lol). I haven't had a speck of problems with it other than normal maintenance items. Bought it with 20K on the odo and it's now got 85. Don't limit yourself to your local sellers. Like Tony says there are Boxsters for sale all over the place. Cars.com and autotrader are a couple of other places to check.

[js/sj]

I dont even know what a PPI is. Sorry guys Also here is the actual link to the car

1999 Porsche Boxster Base - Cars For Sale Grand Rapids, MI

[AZCanna]

Originally Posted by tonycarreon

wrong attitude. they may be "rare" in your area but they're everywhere in the country. no one says you have to buy a car at the local used-car lot. check craigslist, classifieds, ebay, etc. get a PPI then take a nice flight out somewhere, pick up your car and take a long drive home. best 2-3 days you can spend with your car.

+1 on more than one level.

I love my Boxster and the last 9 months have been awesome with it. The first 2500 miles cross country to bring it home was sheer heaven...The curves in the Appalachians or the straightaways in W. Texas.

However...These are not rare birds and the Boxster you want is out there. Don't chase this one just cause you want one badly. The right one is well worth the wait.

[ProjectM96]

I called Porsche.

The 986 Boxster accepts a minimum of 91 octane, but higher is recommended for better performance.

[js/sj]

What is a PPI?

[AZCanna]

Porsche Purchase Inspection or Pre Purchase Inspection....Not quite sure but the upshot is the same roughly $200 for a Porsche mechanic to give it a once over and tell you the condition of the car.

[js/sj]

Originally Posted by AZCanna

Porsche Purchase Inspection or Pre Purchase Inspection....Not quite sure but the upshot is the same roughly $200 for a Porsche mechanic to give it a once over and tell you the condition of the car.

The dealership said that they gave it a full inspection. Should i get a warranty on it?

[tonycarreon]

Originally Posted by js/sj

The dealership said that they gave it a full inspection. Should i get a warranty on it?

would you expect the dealership to say "no, we didn't check it out. just pulled it on the lot looking for suckers..." most "full inspections" don't deal with the nitty-gritty. they're more "are the tires bald? does it need coolant? is the oil low? does it make a loud banging noise" type of inspections. you want someone who knows what to look for - is the rms leaking? are the control arms worn? is the suspension messed with...

get someone who doesn't have a vested interest in the outcome to check the car out. you may discover some things that can bring the price down.

as far as aftermarket warranty, most of the time they are worthless. forgot to change your oil at exactly 3000 miles (as the warranty might state) - out of luck. didn't check the coolant level? out of luck... 9 times out of 10 they won't pay for the repair and you're stuck having paid for a worthless warranty and paying for a repair out of pocket. best thing to do is have your own repair fund.

to note, i may sound jaded and pessimistic. just trying to give my honest opinion. for all i know the car you're looking at may be the most pristine, perfectly maintained and 100% solid car in the country. it could also be a huge lemon...

[2003S]

Originally Posted by js/sj

The dealership said that they gave it a full inspection. Should i get a warranty on it?

Don't trust the dealership -- get an independent PPI.

Warranty is a different question entirely -- personally, I self-warranty; set some dough aside for repairs, and pocket it if you don't need it.