1998 Boxster Residual Value?

[jjs5082]

If I am able to purchase a well-maintained 1998 Boxster for $6500 with 115,000 miles, approximately how long will it continue to depreciate in value before its residual value levels off and/or increases?

[Giller]

Are you going to drive it or lock it up in your garage like a museum piece?

Cars depreciate. So far, there is zero evidence to demonstrate the Boxster will do anything other than what other cars do. Depreciate.

I would think, once a car hits 25 years and becomes 'historic' - there may be the possibility that it's worth something...depending on condition. You already have a lot of miles compared to other Boxsters out there.

That's my .02 anyways. Really, who knows for sure?

[thstone]

Generally, an early Boxster with a blown engine is worth about $3-4K. So, your car will depreciate from $6500 to $3000 over the remaining life of the engine. If it is still running at 180K miles, it will probably have reached $3,500 and level out waiting for the day the engine finally grenades.

I don't think that a 986 Boxster will ever appreciate in our lifetime. A lot of old cars are just old cars.

[mnc-i]

jjs5082,

I would hate to know what my 1999 Boxster with all of 262,804 miles is worth?

I just hope it makes it to 300,000 miles (original IMS). I've promised myself a 996 (1999 of course with a dual row IMS) once I reach that milestone.

I guess I am a glutton for punishment.

MNC-I

[jjs5082]

Yes thank you. I forgot to mention this would be our third vehicle since my wife and I already have daily drivers.

[j.fro]

Excellence magazine believes that the 986 has hit the bottom with prices in the 4-6k range. That seems right to me, as 944s in decent shape but with lots of miles are just a tick under this number.

[Xpit77]

If your concerned about the residual value on a $ 6500 car maybe a Porsche isn`t for you. You WILL be replacing parts, some are expensive . This is part of it. Mines a 99 with 144kms . I replaced the IMS and added headers and a pulley @ $ 2600 CDN. @ 132000 kms.

[jjs5082]

Also forgot to mention that I am not new to Porsches. I had a 1968 912 that I purchased in 2008 for $8000, put $2000 into it to get it running well, then sold it in 2011 for $13,000. Just can't touch a nice running 912 now for under $20K. I simply do not know enough about 986 Boxsters.

[dghii]

So, What else could you buy for $6,500 that would be as much fun?

My take is that, at least here in the south, any decent rag top is worth $2500 (if A/C works!).

98's are very nice cars. I've owned two that had similar miles and needed a good cleaning and maintenance brought up to date. I paid $4,800 for one (2012) and $5,400 for another (2013). Both ended up as very nice drivers with no real surprises. Both cars were sold in the low $8K
range to friends of mine.
Go get it!

[78F350]

Dollars aren't worth much compared to what they were twenty years ago. I'm expecting that they will continue to decline in value at about the same rate as our Boxsters for the next five years or so, then the depreciation of the Boxsters will probably be slower that the Dollar. Over that five years, I will have spent the $5k to $7.5K that the car is worth on maintenance costs. Like 'investing' money on a vacation, the return is in enjoyment.

They have reached a value where the 'low hanging fruit' is being picked up by people who will not maintain them. Those will quickly turn into the sub-$1k 944s I see on Craigslist just needing 'a little TLC'. This will probably drag down the value on the higher mile cars.

[flouese]

jjs5082,

Good info on the 912. I have a 66 3 gauge 912 I picked up in 1995 for $2,500. Did a ground up re-build on it then used it as my daily driver in Sardinia, Italy for 4 years. Brought it back, drove it for 3 more years and now it's sat untouched since 2007. Once I get my 99 Box back up and running (see ouch!!! thread), I will shift gears to the 912. I've been following the values on it for a while and was tempted to sell it, but, I love the car and would hate to part with it, unless some walked up and offered me a boatload of money for it...

[jjs5082]

Originally Posted by dghii

So, What else could you buy for $6,500 that would be as much fun?

My take is that, at least here in the south, any decent rag top is worth $2500 (if A/C works!).

98's are very nice cars. I've owned two that had similar miles and needed a good cleaning and maintenance brought up to date. I paid $4,800 for one (2012) and $5,400 for another (2013). Both ended up as very nice drivers with no real surprises. Both cars were sold in the low $8K
range to friends of mine.
Go get it!

Hey DGHII,

You seem to have gotten two VERY good deals on 1998 986's when you paid $4,800 for one in 2012 and $5,400 for another in 2013. Makes the one that I am looking at look like not so good a deal. Of course you are in Florida and I am in New England so I suppose that could be part of it.

[DWBOX2000]

There is a nice yellow 986 s for under 10k down the cape with 80k I think. It looked nice. Craiglist