996 getting close to 986 prices ?

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Originally Posted by jacabean

just think . the cost of ownership for a 996 is about the same as a 2.5 boxster . Ims , clutch , water pump almost exact. It just has to be a good one . 996 are really good deal in opinion . My next car car will be a 996 C4S for sure .

I've been getting a lot emails and calls from non-Porsche people asking about buying a second hand 996 or Boxster/Cayman. I tell them all the same thing, pick the car you like driving not the one you think you can most afford to buy because in the end they are all going to cost you the same to maintain, save for the Turbos those always cost more.

As for the C4S, coming from a Boxster/S, that's a great car to compliment a Boxster but not really a good replacement for one.
To me at least, the latter 997 C4/s's feel a lot more nimble than the early 996 C4's. Overall, in my opinion the 996-->997.1 saw a much bigger jump in performance than the 986 --->987.1
Part of me thinks that the original 996/986 "simultaneous" design was a better fit for a midengine roadster (with lower COG) and shorter wheel base, than a much longer, heavier rear engine set up from the out-going 993.

And when it comes to water-cooled Carreras, there are just so many of them out for sale that if you're patient and look in the right places you'll land a 997.1 C4S for a great price.
Maybe with a bit more mileage but still on the manageable side. There always guys who bought on a whim and the car just barely saw any mileage and that same impluse for the next car causes them to go for a quick sale.
I would hold out for one of those rather than chasing after the perceived lower cost of a 996.

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The cost delta was just a few grand when I started looking 3-4 years ago. I looked at both boxster and 996 cabriolet models, and let a beautiful C4S slide by me without buying at just a little more than what I ultimately paid for my 986s. At some point, I realized that I didn't bite on the C4S because what I really wanted was the boxster.. The fact that this left a little cash in the toy budget for extras was nice, too.

I too am under the impression that prices for the BoxsterS may have rebounded just a bit, with 996 prices slowly hovering lower.
But dang, I just yesterday saw an 01 BoxS with mileage in the 90K range, equipped with PSC and PSE, plus an Aero1 kit (long tail/dynamic spoiler delete), sell for just under $9 thousand on ebay. So deals are still out there on the 986s. And for now at least, I would still choose the boxsterS over the 996.

Now a first generation well-kept CaymanS.... I might have to expand the stable if the right car for sale tried to run me over. Would probably have to trade in the boxster on a Miata if I also aquired a Cayman, because 2 Porsches in the motor pool just seems decadent (no offense to you heathens that can do this without guilt) and I'm not ready to give up roofless riding.

And you all leave Jake alone, he seems to be more mature than half the posters on this forum, and while I'm not partial to his fluff threads - the point of a forum is to promote dialogue, and his posts seem to achieve that goal, and without being offensive except to those seeking to take offense.
Furthermore, at the rate his grammar and spelling are improving since his first unintelligible posts, he will soon be teaching college English classes!