buying 97 boxster?

[harrylarry]

what should I be aware of if I were to buy a 97 boxster with 105,000. what are some common problems with boxster's that have this many miles. Also is 15,000 too much to pay? I am new to boxsters and do not know as much as I would like. I have another car and would only plan on putting 10,000 miles on it a year, maybe less. How much should I anticipate spending on maintenance if I only plan on putting that many miles a year? Also I would be buying it from a small dealer, should I spend another 1,500 on a 2 year warranty that covers engine and transmission? Any feedback would be greatly appreciated. Thank you

[Jeph]

Explore and search this forum and all your queries will be answered. Welcome.

[larez2]

Here are a few things to check in order of importance:
These are things that you would want to check on any convertible vehicle

1. Engine and Tranny - have a Porsche dealer or good independent mechanic do a PPI, pre-purchase inspection, the check everything on the car - see if you can get a compression test too. Since it is a mid-engine car it's not as simple as popping the hood to check out the engine. Make sure they check for oil leaks, RMS leak specifically.

2. Body, top, tires, if you can get a paint meter to check if paint work has been done, look closesly - all panels should line up, if they don't that's a sign of an accident. See make sure the top works properly, and that the rear window folds properly and the that plastic on the rear window is good. Check the wear and condition of the tires, the insides should be slightly more worn than the outsides, unless the tires are brand new. This is because Boxsters have negative camber.

3. Other: make sure you get 2 sets of keys and that they both work. Since it is from a used car dealer, i doubt you will get any service records with it. That's a bummer.

Those miles are high, but I don't think it's unusual considering the age. Have you ever owned any car that's over 100k miles old? Any non-japanese vehicle is bound to give you some issues simple due to parts wearing out. Emissions control stuff - anything really. Things on the Boxster do typically cost more than your run of the mill economy car - oil changes at the dealer are $150, use that as a baseline for how much things will cost to fix or replace.

Extended warranties can be tricky things, read the fine print, if you feel it will give you peace of mind, go for it.

If I were you, i would not buy that car, I would try to save up a bit more and go for something a newer and with less miles.

Good Luck,
Larez2

[nautiquelfe]

If your able to add a couple thousand dollars you could get a boxster w/ 50,000 miles or so. There seems to be many many boxsters for sale this time of year. Definately a buyers market. I've seen several 97-99 year models w/ 40k-60k at bargain prices. I'd say find one on ebay and email seller before you bid. Try to negotiate a grace period after auction so you may get a PPI at t he nearest porsche dealership. As far as the aftermarket warrenty goes, i'd research some suppliers on here. I've heard good and bad stories on them. Any repairs will be pricey compared to that of other cars you've owned. You can save w/ performing your own maint.
There are alot of posts for DIY maint. on this forum as well as Renntech.com. Good luck w/ whatever you choose to do. This forum will offer alot of support in the future. :dance: