2004 Boxster Anniversary Edition question
 

What has happened to all of the low serial number cars in this series of 1,953 units? I thought I had read at some point that the first ten cars produced were sent to the Paris Auto Show for show/demonstration. Anyone know anything about this or know the whereabouts of any of these early editions for 2004? Also, I have noticed that the 2004 Boxster S anniversary edition cars for sale are typically higher series cars (e.g. upper three digit and four digit series cars). I have never seen lower than a three digit series car for sale. Are the lower series worth more? Where are they being hidden? Thanks for any input.

My number is in my sig line.

Oh.. the GT Metallic silver, cocoa brown leather interior are my favorite combination, do you have more pics?

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I just bought #310...
 

.....was a one owner, some middle aged woman in Colorado that kept to herself and the car slept in a garage her whole life.

The cars are out there, but most folks don't troll the forums.

Cheers.

Oh, and she is magnificent!

:)

I have #317

http://i868.photobucket.com/albums/a...psbrvhuutr.jpg

http://i868.photobucket.com/albums/a...psiefxathc.jpg

More in the light later.

The brown leather and black gauge faces and chrome rings around gauges are very tasteful. I really like the car color highlights and am torn between wanting the painted seat backs. I'll post the sales brochure shortly.

http://i868.photobucket.com/albums/a...sf634ade6.jpeg

http://i868.photobucket.com/albums/a...s0bdef9fb.jpeg

http://i868.photobucket.com/albums/a...sc8996256.jpeg

http://i868.photobucket.com/albums/a...s9fc1c318.jpeg

http://i868.photobucket.com/albums/a...sdedbd7ab.jpeg

http://i868.photobucket.com/albums/a...s99a761e1.jpeg

http://i868.photobucket.com/albums/a...s7cbb72b3.jpeg

http://i868.photobucket.com/albums/a...s74f20484.jpeg

Which is magnificent, the woman or the car? LOL

From the flyer: "The brakes feature ventilated aluminum discs..."
Really? Can someone verify this? Or was it a typo?

Is it possible to install such a cluster in a 2003? Or they are specific to 2004+ models?
Thanks.

I only sat in a few other cars since I test drove them. I can only imagine it would fit right in unless someone else sees some difference. Wonder if it's available or if you need to find one being parted out.

As far as i know the instrument cluster in a 986 550 Spyder is the same as in a 986 non S.

The difference is that the inner bezel is painted in silver and that each instrument has a chrome bezel. There are aftermarket chrome bezels available.

http://i.auto-bild.de/ir_img/2/0/8/0...4b1665964a.jpg

http://cdn04.trixum.de/upload2/17500...f0c2da3153.jpg
http://cdn04.trixum.de/upload2/17500...27adcdf2a8.jpg
http://cdn04.trixum.de/upload2/17500...216b9f9f6c.jpg
http://cdn04.trixum.de/upload2/17500...bd59d55461.jpg
http://cdn04.trixum.de/upload2/17500...2fa8e5b1ad.jpg

Parts number:
http://cdn04.trixum.de/upload2/17500...cb7146d8ac.jpg

In germany there are a lot of 986 550 Spyders for sale at the moment. Prices are higher, because the series is limited. But that doesn't mean that the cars didn't have the same problems than other 986 when getting older. ;)

I don't see that the Boxster prices raise in correlation to normal money inflation. Whereas 993 and older models have raised a lot in the past 2 to 3 years. Also 996 Turbo, GT2 and GT3 (everything with a Mezger engine) raises extremly. Whereas 986 and 996 still fall due to the many expensive problems the cars can have.

Regards from germany
Markus

I don't know if supply of 986 and 996 is abundant there but, prices are falling here because there are simply too many Porsches of all models for sale. Too many Caymans/Boxsters, far too many Carrera variants, too many Cayennes, too many Panameras and now the Macans have sold out which means there will a glut of those going into the already saturated used car market in only a few years. Americans in general are very skeptical about buying luxury German cars with an expired factory warranty because of the perception of overpriced parts and the specialized labor required to work on these cars. After 8-10 years just about any $70,000 USD Audi, BMW, Porsche or Mercedes will be only worth the cost of its used engine, so maybe 10% of that original sticker price.

Also, 996 and 997 Turbos indeed have some of the best engines found in a Porsche but these car have been notorious for suffering the sharpest depreciation in the first few years. Enough to buy a used 987 Cayman and 986 Boxster. When our economy crashed in 2008 some Carreras were losing as much as $20K value in a single year. A knew one guy who stole a 996 Turbo for $30K when the were selling for $60K barely a year earlier. The Boxsters and Caymans did not drop in value nearly as much because they were not so overpriced to begin with. When credit markets dry up the public has a way of showing you what they think something is actually worth in a hurry. The only cars that really did well during the crash were the ones with very limited production engines like the GT3, GT3 RS and RS 4.0. Generally here in the U.S., if the engine in a Porsche is not limited production it really doesn't matter how good or bad it is, it will not hold value well. The 911's, 964 and 993's have done well because Porsche sold so few of those cars and once they unexpectedly became trendy bidding wars erupted. For instance in 1998 Porsche barely sold 1,500 993's for all of North America during a very strong economy. very ironic that this poor sales performance is now working in its favor in the used market. While the cars like the 986 and 996 that saved Porsche from becoming part of Toyota sold so well in the U.SA. that this supply is now negative in their resale. Seems reminiscent of the crude oil markets now...

Broadly speaking I think what you wrote is similar for most European markets too.

In the UK you can buy early 2.5 986 for £3.5k or 5.5k USD.

How can one activate the 3-line display then?
I have only 2 lines on my IC, and it's a 2003 base.
Thanks!

2004 Boxster Anniversary Edition
 

Interesting comments on this model. I own #0007 in the series of 1953 thus my interest in the early units from this series. I have never seen anything this low on the market for sale. Mine has the charcoal interior and top which I love. It has had no IMS issues and runs like a champ with about 33,000 miles on the clock.

I am interested in more history on the early units in this series if anyone has information.

I just purchased # 174 in Ontario with 98,000kilometers.
Gt Silver with Coca Brown.

Low number...
 

.....doesn't really mean anything. I remember a single digit numbered one being used for the press launch vehicle....maybe yours.

According to the data out there, which is hard to verify, of the 1953 built, only 500 came to the United States.

What is interesting about the depreciation of the 986/996 cars, is that if it is a combination of large production numbers and fear of engine failures keeping their value down, one of those is a relatively easy fix.

I decided I wanted to own a Boxster last spring. After 20+ years of Miata ownership, I wanted to step up and own my dream car before I was too old and feeble to enjoy owning one.

I researched a LOT, and decided that the car I wanted to own was the 2004 50 Years of 550 Spyder Edition.

It was just dumb luck that the car I bought came onto the market the same day I started searching and I found her first. I was thrilled to find a six-speed manual car, with the cocoa top and interior, with the right options, with only 25,000 miles, owned by a non-enthusiast middle aged woman who just kept it in a garage and drove it on sunny Sundays for twelve years. With a full service history from her local Porsche dealership, and a friend of mine being close enough to the car to perform a PPI for me, I had to buy her.

So, I chose THAT car for many reasons, and the known engine problems was one of the reasons I bought an '04. That model year was the easiest to fix and had the right mix of engine management and PSM and such.

So I bought the car knowing that I would drop another few grand to remedy those issues. I factored that into the purchase price. I shipped the car to Jake Raby at Flat 6 Innovations and he replaced the IMS and all the other known failure points and now I own a bad ass, 2004 special edition Boxster with only 30,000 miles on her and I can drive her in confidence until she reaches about 80,000 miles before I have to drop large coin on her again. It's just oil changes and tires for a long time. She should get me into my 70's. I figure by age 75 I might not want to be driving a stick shift anymore. If I'm even around.

So, I tell folks all the time these days, find a good, unmolested 986/996 and then just ship her to Raby and pay the "Porsche Tax" and start enjoying a great car for a little bit of money compared to any other semi-exotic car out there.

Cheers!

:dance:

Mine has 3 lines. Does you car have a built in on-board computer? Maybe that's why you're missing a line?

Regards
Markus

I have a similar story to 10's. I researched and knew what I wanted (550 special edition) and looked for almost exactly 1 year. Found her in a Trading Times ad in Buffalo NY, a true garage queen with the cocoa top and interior with 31K on the clock. Made a beeline to Buffalo and made the deal and drove her home. I also knew I wanted to preserve her so the prevention package was completed by a Porsche indy enthusist 4X Raby understudy graduate who I trust immensely and the rest is history. She's pure stock and will remain that way. Is she an investment?....I don't really care since she's in my garage. I'm now looking for a older 911 that I can work on and perhaps rebuild.