1997 vs. 2013 pricing - 986 Forum - The Community for Porsche Boxster & Cayman Owners

RandallNeighbour · 07-25-2012, 05:34 PM

Can someone help me verify what the retail price on the 1997 base Boxster was?

I'm thinking it was $49,500 or thereabouts.

If so, the base 2013 is the same price! That's amazing! No?

particlewave · 07-25-2012, 06:30 PM

This is my '99 window sticker...

Jager · 07-25-2012, 06:35 PM

$39,980 - Base Price

1997 Porsche Boxster Review by Richard Truett

RandallNeighbour · 07-25-2012, 06:39 PM

$10k creep in price in 16 years. Not bad.

Overdrive · 07-25-2012, 06:41 PM

What Jäger said, only a $10k increase in MSRP over 15 years, not bad, really.

Jager · 07-25-2012, 06:43 PM

Yeah, but $45,134 as tested

Overdrive · 07-25-2012, 06:53 PM

True, but we're also talking about a base model nowadays that's at or really even beyond the level of the 3.2 S when it debuted in 2000.

WhipE350 · 07-25-2012, 07:16 PM

My 2000 'S' with very few options listed for almost exactly the same as a base 2013. The difference is the 2013 base has 15 more hp. I'd say looking at salaries then and now it is much easier to purchase the 2013. I'm amazed they got away with selling a pretty stripped 2000 'S' for over $50k.

thstone · 07-25-2012, 07:53 PM

$39,980 in 1997 would cost $56,629 in 2012 according to an online inflation calculator, so Porsche has tried to keep the base price down but we all know that they make tons of profit on the options.

Overdrive · 07-26-2012, 06:33 AM

Well of course, but for those of use who are content with a base or S without extra bells and whistles, we're getting a good deal on a good car.

Ghostrider 310 · 07-26-2012, 06:40 AM

A better measure would be the cost of add ons, they are stupid expensive.

RandallNeighbour · 07-26-2012, 08:17 AM

Overdrive: I love the bells and whistles!

Ghostrider: "stupid expensive" is exactly why my new neighbor bought a Merc SLC instead of the Boxster, which she was just dying to buy instead, but the cost of some basic add-ons like bluetooth and an MP3 enabled radio were deal killers for her.

Now I will say that a 2-3 year old Boxster purchase is much better. Those add-ons don't hold their value at all, just like any other luxury car... which is the only way I purchase cars any longer. I pay cash and I don't buy brand new vehicles. I let some other guy take the massive depreciation hit just to get the full-on formaldahyde new car smell.

Ghostrider 310 · 07-26-2012, 08:29 AM

Best way to go Randall, especially with a car most people baby. I saved an astounding amount for accepting 3,100 on the odometer and a few low nicks where some idiot used a string trimmer too close at the dealer. More than happy to love it as it is.

vitaminC · 07-26-2012, 09:11 AM

And how will those 2013's be priced in 2029? By then the 97's should be just about free

Overdrive · 07-26-2012, 10:05 AM

That or people will pay out the nose for a first-year car that's not dead...who can say?

:dance:

ekam · 07-26-2012, 10:46 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by vitaminC

And how will those 2013's be priced in 2029? By then the 97's should be just about free

So according to your logic... Porsche will have to pay me money to drive those 365 or 550...

vitaminC · 07-26-2012, 10:59 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by ekam

So according to your logic... Porsche will have to pay me money to drive those 365 or 550...

I think we can all agree that, in general, air-cooled pricing ≠ water-cooled pricing. I expect that this will still be true in 15 years, and there is little danger of anyone confusing a Boxster with a classic pcar. That being said, I would be really happy to see the values of our cars reverse direction!

Ghostrider 310 · 07-26-2012, 11:05 AM

Might have a shot with a spyder of having something unique into the future but I didn't buy it for that. I learned in my youth the only way you are going to make money on any car is to buy it broken and fix it cheap. My first car cost $400.00 drove it two years and sold it for 700.00 repaired. As for the P car, I have already put more miles on the car in one summer than any of my other previous. Yesterday I started to feel bad about the miles and for a split second I thought about not taking it. Thank god my little voice correctly said, hey idiot WTF are you making payments on it for then?

milliemax · 07-26-2012, 12:13 PM

my 99 base born 06.24.98 MSRP $46,882.00

Overdrive · 07-26-2012, 01:20 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Ghostrider 310

...I have already put more miles on the car in one summer than any of my other previous. Yesterday I started to feel bad about the miles and for a split second I thought about not taking it. Thank god my little voice correctly said, hey idiot WTF are you making payments on it for then?

Amen. Can't understand why people buy them and park them the majority of the time they own it. If I met someone with 200k miles on his 356 and they were all his, I'd shake his hand and maybe even get my picture with him. I can appreciate and all original example with less thank 20k on it, sure, but these weren't meant to sit around looking pretty all the time...that's what we have the museum in Stuttgart for. Drive it! Especially when you have something as nice and rewarding as a Spyder.

I managed to put about 5k on the car this year right about the same time it was due for an oil change based on time interval, but the year previous I put maybe half as much on it in the same length of time. I know that 8,000 miles over a period of 2 years isn't impressive by any means, but as the car's issues get worked out I'm able to comfortably drive it more frequently and farther distances. I'm getting my money's worth, plain and simple. I didn't buy this thing to have it sitting in my driveway unless there's snow on the ground, and it'll be getting autocrossed considerably this Sunday.