Should I buy? Would you buy?

[recycledsixtie]

In my youth I bought used cars. Most were okay but some were crap.No PPI's in those days. I ask myself how could I do that? As the above mentioned you will not be sorry to spend $200 for a PPI. It should rule out major problems but you should read about buying a used Boxster in this forum.

You cannot run a Box for the running cost of a Miata.....

[kk2002s]

A PPI would certainly give you a better picture
I only found one other 99 w/104k miles for $5,999 (Auto trader)

As it's a third car you have the luxury to let it sit to figure out what is wrong and repair if something breaks
If this is not fun money to spend then you need to do the work your self. Labor to fix will kill your wallet.
That also means you need a place to fix it, tools and the patients to learn, make mistakes and do the work yourself.

It will be those little odds and end breaking/wearing out that will drive you crazy and questioning it's dependability. It only take one little thing that shuts you down somewhere away from home.
For me it was a $10 Fuel Pump Relay, easy, cheap fix but it took time to figure it out, internet the part in.
It's not a Miata

The dead motor problem, like others said, you could part out, etc to recoup a good share of your money

You could also get a GRIN maker that just starts and runs
14 months into ownership (and a 'S...' load of GRINS) and logically buying an older Boxster still doesn't make much sense
Now Emotionally, that is a whole different story - Hell ya it makes sense

[woodsman]

Porsche's are special. And maintenance costs can be astronomical so get a PPI by a PORSCHE PRO. If they think it's in decent condition buy it.

[RaisedOnPorsches]

Upkeep isn't cheap on Boxsters or any other Porsches. Generally speaking, buy a Boxster in the best possible condition with your desired options from the start.

I've got a '99 Boxster that I bought for $12,500 with 25k miles five years ago. I'm now up to 81k miles and have spent at least $6000 over that time on the car. Many parts aged and needed replacement regardless of the low mileage of my Boxster when purchased. I dare say that out of the four owners it has had, I'm its first enthusiast.

If I were to sell my Boxster now (which I have toyed with from time to time), I would be lucky to get what I spent on it 5-years ago (ignoring all the repairs and improvement costs made a long the way).

If you want to join the Boxstering crowd, great! These cars are so much fun. Just do yourself the favor of doing your homework first. Try to find one with the IMS bearing already retrofitted at least. Replacement of the water pump, AOS, coolant reservoirs, window regulators, motor mounts, ignition switch, and suspension (etc.) are all instabilities too, so look for one with as much of those fixes on the books as possible too.

[SJS]

Thanks for all the replies. I'm up in the air still but will take everything in consideration. Unfortunately, the local Porsche dealer charges $350 for an inspection. Granted, money well spent even if it is 7% of the price of the car.

A point I have found..people have said buy one for whatever you can afford. I just get hung up on the difference between afford and justify. I can afford a more expensive Porsche but definitely can't justify it...hence the gamble. I know it may pay off but probably won't. Thanks again