Thinking about a new 986, have some questions.
 

Edit: New to me 986 :P not a brand new one. Title fail :(

Hey guys,

I'm a long time lurker and have decided to register as I am seriously thinking about getting a Boxster. My current target is a Boxster S, 2002-2004, between 60-80k miles. I'm hoping to get something less than 10k if possible (around 8k) but can do up to 15k. Is that realistic? I've done a lot of reading regards to IMS, RMS and such and know that I should get a PPI with a leak down and compression test. Whatever car I buy I will probably run it till it die and will upgrade it with creature comfort of bluetooth audio etc.

A few concerns still nags at me and I've found some inconclusive/nonspecific answers that I was hoping you guys can help.

1. If I'm buying the car from an independent used car dealer, should I ask for 5k off the price if they cannot provide proof that they have the IMS and RMS addressed, and a recent clutch change? And then take the car to a reliable shop and have all of those done at the same time before I even drive the car? Yeah, I guess I'm a little paranoid about it, lol.

2. I'm not a great car/DIY kind of guy. I was wondering the realistic yearly cost of maintenance for the 986 Boxster. I have been looking and everyone have said that "Oh, it's really expensive" but really no price point given. "Real expensive" to one person might not be to another person, so if you guys can fill in the price gap I would really appreciate it.

3. Do they still make parts for the 986? Do indy shop still service these cars? I would hate to buy a 10-12 year old car and then realized that no shops including dealership will service these cars or have parts for them.

Thank you so much!

Buying a 986 is not the hard part. Affording ownership is the challenge. I bought a 2002S 4 yrs. ago with expectations that it would likely need some work It had under 30K mi. This car was in excellent condition for it's age. The only info I could get other than owner's maintenance log was talking to Porsche service tech from last documented service. He said RMS leaked. During the four years of ownership I have replaced the top, all 4 wheel bearings, parts of top opening mechanism, clutch, RMS, IMS bearing, pilot bearing, lower rear control arms, all 4 rotors, brake pads, thermostat, AOS, Various hoses, coolant, LCD face on climate control, engine mount, transmission mounts, 2nd gear detent, wiper blades, two sets of tires, 2 keys w transponders, brake line flush and numerous oil changes. Oil changes alone can be up to $300 at Porsche dealer. If unable to do most of this myself I probably could not or would not afford this car. Was all this absolutely necessary? Probably not. This is a high performance auto and equipment failure at speed is not an option. I have only put a little over 20K mi as a daily driver. Is it worth it? Fortunately I enjoy working on this car and find that doing this maintenance is part of the fun of ownership. Drive one and you will know.

Thank you for your input and wisdom. This actually echos my concern with the rms, ims. Maybe I will hold off a year until I can budget more than 3k a year before buying one. Any that I buy will def take off money from asking price for ims and rms as well as clutch if not done.

With 60K-80K miles, you should be able to wait and do the IMS bearing upgrade when the clutch needs replacement. Same for the RMS.

As for asking about $5K off the price - everything is negotiable - if you can get that deal, take it. But it shouldn't be a deal breaker because the car is presumably still running fine with the original IMSB.

General rule of thumb is to budget $2,000 per year for repairs and maintenance. If you're taking the car to a shop for all of this work, plan on $3K/yr.

This is a general rule of thumb - you could spend a lot more or a lot less depending on the car you purchase, how you treat it, and how meticulous you are about its condition.

In general, realize that in 3-5 years you will likely spend the equivalent value of purchasing the car on repairs and maintenance. This is why people say that they are "expensive" to operate. As you stated, "expensive" is a relative term and for many 986 owners, it is money well spent to drive such a fine sports car! :)

Parts are readily available, though some can be expensive. Indy shops and dealers everywhere can service the 986. You won't find any problem in this regard.

You might as well adjust the years you're looking for a Boxster S to the 2003 & 2004 model years. In my opinion, you won't find these in the sub $10k for these years and the mileage window you're looking at. I would say if you can find them in the $13-14k range, that's a good deal. $15k-$17k seems to be the going price on them.

For sub $10k, it will have a lot more mileage on it or in need of "some work". Again, this is just my opinion and experience... I probably spend way too much of my free time just looking around at Porsches and their pricing. I travel frequently to TX & CA and I live in FL so, those are the areas I look at Porsche pricing.

I paid $17K for a 2000 S with 25K miles on it about 20 months ago. In terms of maintenance I had to do, it's amounted to two oil and filter changes.

If you're squeamish about maintenance costs, buy a low mileage or newer Boxster.

This. I bought in Los Angeles then drove home. Great market, lots to choose from.

You describe a $15-$17k car.

Wow, thank you so much for the replies guys. All posts have been super helpful.

Being as I'm in AZ, I'm definitely considering expanding my search to LA and SD to find a good car. The reason why I said 2002-2004 is that I've been stalking the page for this car..

Used Porsche Boxster For Sale Phoenix, AZ - CarGurus

If I want a newer MY, there's also this one but it is not an S and the mileage is a bit higher.

2002 Porsche Boxster For Sale in Phoenix, AZ - CarGurus

I think I can get both of these to come down. The downside is I can't find a carfax for either of them. Probably the reason why they are still up for sale. What do you guys think about these?

N/M my post got approved :)