Wanted to buy a used porsche, now afraid

[posabsolute]

Hey guys,

So i'm 30 got a house & currently saving money to buy a second car (a sport car for me that is)

My budget is 18k maximum, looking into 350z & all I was surprised to see some 2002 boxster with under 50,000 miles for about 15k. You know, having a porsche would be kind of awesome.

So I started to do my due diligence & it seems that a lot of thing can go wrong & that's going to cost me a lot of money. Let's say that I want to have that car for 5 years & do not want to put more than 5k into it, is that realistic or I better look elsewhere?

PS: That would be a weekend & night out car, I will not go to work with it which should put my milage in the 6k & less miles

[Perfectlap]

I think if you find an enthusiast-owned car in the Porsche forums that has had its IMS bearing replaced, and the owner can produce records that indicate the oil was changed regularly (twice a year ideally if mileage is ~10-12K per year) and has known issues already addressed like the waterpump/coolant/coolant cap and AOS, you might have a shot at keeping repairs and maintenance under $5K for a once a week driver during 5 years. Daily driver, I doubt it.

I would gravitate towards car owned by So Cal drivers. Those year round moderate temps seem to result in cars that can handle 100K miles withou the need for big repairs. Places with extreme heat or cold I would put at the bottom of my list.

[jb92563]

In my first year of ownership of my (55k) 2001 S as a daily driver, I put on about 7000mi and the only maintenance cost was 1 oil change that I did myself for $50.

However, I also bought 4 new tires, replaced the brake pads and flushed the brake system for Auto-X and bought a floor jack, jack stands, touch screen DVD/navigator and installed an after market muffler.

In the next year I expect another oil change or 2, perhaps a water pump, a new serpentine belt, another set of tires

I don't worry about the IMS as I fall into the dual row bearing class which makes the IMS less of an issue.

I'd say that if you work on the car yourself you will save half or more of the maintenance costs.

In my experience its no more trouble than any other car, but the parts and labor cost more if you are not a DIY'er

[peterek]

Originally Posted by posabsolute

Hey guys,

So i'm 30 got a house & currently saving money to buy a second car (a sport car for me that is)

My budget is 18k maximum, looking into 350z & all I was surprised to see some 2002 boxster with under 50,000 miles for about 15k. You know, having a porsche would be kind of awesome.

So I started to do my due diligence & it seems that a lot of thing can go wrong & that's going to cost me a lot of money. Let's say that I want to have that car for 5 years & do not want to put more than 5k into it, is that realistic or I better look elsewhere?

PS: That would be a weekend & night out car, I will not go to work with it which should put my milage in the 6k & less miles

I'm was in the same situation as you, 30, with mortgage , own a car and looking for a sports/toy/fun car,
I had lower budged but had to bump it up to 17-18k to find something good.

I was looking and test drove 350Z convertible, Z4 Convertible and boxster and the boxster altought not the most comfortable car gave me the most fun from driving

so it took me almost a month to find one that was worth spending 17k on something i dont really need but i kind of want it

got 2000 boxster S with 21k miles, one owner, with maintenance records, IMS wasnt done so im driving on my luck, but even if something happens i will not go completely broke

Im in chicago, i plan to drive the car only in summer for pleasure, ( i walk to work) but i already did almost 700 miles in 2weeks since i bought it...

I found a prosche mechanic that charges $80/hr which i think is not that bad, not cheap not too expensive...

if you really want a porsche then go for it , but if you really want just a fun roadster, maybe take a look at something newer for the same price, saturn Sky RedLine, Pontiac Solstice, Z4 etc Im sure they will be much cheaper to maintain, with more updated interior(audio and all options) and they also look nice, the one thing you will not get is the ego tickling saying " i just drive my PORSCHE"

good luck

Forgot to add, people on this forum are really helpful, and they dont seem to get mad when newbies are asking the same questions over and over again

[recycledsixtie]

A little bit of fear is okay. In fact it is healthy for self preservation and your bank account. I have a 2001 Boxster base which now has 41k miles and got it two years ago and have done 10k miles since.

Budget $2k a year for maintenance and if the motor goes well it will be a lot more than that. I have driven mine for the last 2 winters and to tell you the truth I don't look forward to any winter driving and don't like to see salt and dirt on the Boxster.

Was in the Mazda dealership looking at a Mazda 3(it had to have heated seats for our climate !) but the thought of trading in the Box I would take a bath. Selling it privately would likely be more successful next spring. My daughter's boyfriend says that I will miss the Boxster or at least something sporty if I got rid of the Boxster and got a Mazda 3.

I take it to a local indy shop tomorrow to fix some rattles. I find as a DD there are ongoing relatively minor issues that require $$$ if I don't do it myself. As the above says as a weekend car it should be okay but as a DD it requires a lot more care. My Miata before was a lot cheaper to run but then the Boxster is a lot more car. Hope this helps!

[fatmike]

You can wait for the mid-life crisis to go into over-drive when you hit 40.


(or you can just go get the car you want now)




/

[Verhag]

Waited 40 years to buy my 1st Porsche....after worrying and fretting over SAI concerns finally pulled the trigger at 56 years old and bought a 993 from a forum member. Good history, decent records, and a thorough PPI. Finest, most enjoyable car I've ever owned. Recent stroke resulted in me selling the car to another forum member.

Elected to pick up an older 2000 S Boxster (Tip no less,as shifting a DD is not what it used to be). So far the car is totally enjoyable and offers plenty of mod projects. X Wife had a new 350Z for about 2 years....sorry boring!, personal preference leads away from front engine - rear wheel drive. Interestingly, she now has a BMW 330i and we both prefer the BMW 3 series over the Nissan. No knock on Nissan, drove a 3.6 Altima with similar engine /drive train for company vehicle and they are reliable, sound, practical autos......

However, as the saying goes..for me "There is no substitute". With both the 993 and now the 986, I've tried to pre plan with a healthy maintenance budget, planned on IMS retro before I purchased the Boxster.

Only regret....I should have started my Porsche experiences far earlier in life. To go through life having not owned and experienced these two cars would have been a huge miss. Do your research, plan on a maintenance budget and experience an amazing car. forget about the hype or prestige factor, baloney, they are simply fabulous cars to drive.

[The French Dude]

I turn afraid after buying it
And now I take the IMS retrofit in buying cost...

[patssle]

Best thing is to buy below your budget and use the remaining budget as repair/maintenance if you're tight on money. With 18k...buy a 13k or 14k car (which can be found in great condition - but probably not an S) [especially pre-2001 with dual row IMS] and keep the rest for repair/maintenance.

[runjmc2]

One question, what do you do if the engine light comes on? If your answer is take it to the dealership....get the 350Z.

Seriously if you don't want to take the time and hassle to really understand this car and cost-effectively deal with the issues that can and will happen save yourself the headache and get the Z.

[Frodo]

Originally Posted by Verhag

Waited 40 years to buy my 1st Porsche....after worrying and fretting over SAI concerns finally pulled the trigger at 56 years old and bought a 993 from a forum member. Good history, decent records, and a thorough PPI. Finest, most enjoyable car I've ever owned. Recent stroke resulted in me selling the car to another forum member.

Elected to pick up an older 2000 S Boxster (Tip no less,as shifting a DD is not what it used to be). So far the car is totally enjoyable and offers plenty of mod projects. X Wife had a new 350Z for about 2 years....sorry boring!, personal preference leads away from front engine - rear wheel drive. Interestingly, she now has a BMW 330i and we both prefer the BMW 3 series over the Nissan. No knock on Nissan, drove a 3.6 Altima with similar engine /drive train for company vehicle and they are reliable, sound, practical autos......

However, as the saying goes..for me "There is no substitute". With both the 993 and now the 986, I've tried to pre plan with a healthy maintenance budget, planned on IMS retro before I purchased the Boxster.

Only regret....I should have started my Porsche experiences far earlier in life. To go through life having not owned and experienced these two cars would have been a huge miss. Do your research, plan on a maintenance budget and experience an amazing car. forget about the hype or prestige factor, baloney, they are simply fabulous cars to drive.

I REALLY hope this isn't a dumb question, but...what are "SAI concerns"??

[trimer]

Half the fun of owning one is figuring out how to tell your wife you need 800 bucks to fix something . Don't be afraid. Dive in and enjoy. I've now done it twice with Boxsters and would do it again!

[coreseller]

Originally Posted by Frodo

I REALLY hope this isn't a dumb question, but...what are "SAI concerns"??

"Secondary Air Injection", Porsche's attempt to stay compliant with emissions while still running an air cooled motor. Going to water cooling cured many of the pollutant issues inherent in the 40 plus year old original design.

If you are REALLY interested:

SAI CEL FAQ - Pelican Parts Technical BBS

[j.fro]

SAI= secondary air injection, which is an issue w/ 993's.
Life is full of risk. If you enjoy sports cars, this is one to take ... In a calculated manner!
My 2000 986S owes me nothing after 7 years and 110k miles. My 996 C4 is looking good after 3 months and 10K miles!

[barkinfool]

Test drive samples of both & you can make your own determination whether they are cars in the same ballpark. We're biased probably, but I don't think there is really a comparison between the 2 imo. I've not had any major issues in 4 yrs & 5k miles per year (like you're planning). I'm no mechanic at all, but to save money I've bought the self-help book, asked q's on this forum, & enjoyed doing work over the winter months to maintain the car. My vote is buy the p-car with a proper preinspection. Best of luck whatever you choose to do.

[Johnny Danger]

Putting the IMSB failure issue aside, as far as I'm concerned, there's nothing different about owning a boxster in terms of reliability and cost than that of any other high performance European automobile. And, just like every other sports car, reliability and longevity is predicated on the overall care and attention to maintenance the vehicle has received. A 350Z in my opinion is not the equivalent of a high performance European sports car.

[Verhag]

SAI...related to secondary air injection ....a concern for 993s from 1996 - 1998
In AZ we have emissions testing

[flybird]

Was watching wheeler dealers the other day and heard it said all cars should be convertables, I could not agree more. Never drove a Z but the boxster is the real deal if your looking for a true sports car. Just don't lug it around because the motor is small but wound tight so it is made for high rev driving. And how sweet is the sound of the motor just behind you. So top down and drive it like you stole it!:dance:

[fatmike]

I drove my Boxster S for 6 years and 60K miles as a daily driver (in the northeast). I sold the S for $12K less than what I bought it for. You can't drive a honda for less than that.

Other than routine maintenance, I did a wheel bearing (or two), an axle, water pump and a few ignition switches. None of that is really a big deal. Routine maintenance costs more than a normal car (so do tires, brakes, oil changes, etc). Also, routine maintenance is REQUIRED on a Porsche. You have to proactively change things like fluids, belts, filters, etc.

Also, you should be able to find a quality S for thousands less than your budget (that has windscreens, litronics, PSM and a glass rear window).

Buy the Boxster, but get a proper PRE-PURCHASE INSPECTION.



/

[AKnowles]

I've had a few sports cars over the years and can honestly say I've never had so much fun driving one as I do with my Boxster. But I don't worry about the IMSB, water pump failures, or other issues. I just fix them as needed. I will replace the IMSB when I replace the clutch and will just treat it as a replaceable wear item each clutch replacement.

When I purchased the car, I planned to do all of my own work when practical. If you plan to have someone else do the work, you can expect higher maintenance costs. Personally, there is a certain satisfaction for me working on a car or motorcycle. Most times I enjoy it. Only time I don't is when I really need the car and its down with a problem. Then it's no fun at ll. I get around it - and plan to with this car - by buying another vehicle. My Boxster is my DD, so when I get something else to have around in case of need there will be no stress involved with working on it.

The bottom line so far as my experience goes is to look for a pre-2000 model, or a post-2000 with a duel row IMSB. Or find one with a IMSB retrofit. That will eliminate - mostly - the fear of a catastrophic engine failure. It will not do anything for regular maintenance items. A pre-2000 model will also cost a bit less and you can use that money for future maintenance. But the best recommendation I can give you is don't buy one if you can't afford it and will worry too much about it (no one needs that level of stress over a car).

After all that, if you buy one, drive it like you stole it. I do it everyday. I enjoy my ride to work and look forward to the harepin turn close to the office. It's just darn fun to drive!