Advice on selling a clean Boxster S
 

Hi,
Unfortunately, it looks like I have to sell my Boxster S to make room for a 911. I don't have enough garage room for 3 cars. Absolutely love the 986 S, never thought I would sell it. Wondering if anyone with experience with 'For Sale by Owner' have any advice for me?

I've only put the ad on Craigslist for now.
Porsche Boxster S 2003 (986 model)

Am I putting too much info there and scares people away?
Would you say the price is fair?
I have a feeling only another Porsche Enthusiast would understand about the car's condition. I don't want to trade it in and let dealers auction a great car into just another car with its service history wiped out.

Thanks so much for your input. :)

Any bites yet? I have a 2002 that is nearly identical to yours that I was thinking of listing. BTW; how did you arrive upon that asking price?

Excellent ad, I think. And a beautiful car. I would be flying out right now to write you a check if I were in the market. Not sure your average Craig's list shopper will appreciate the work you've put into this car unless they know what they're looking for. Are you a PCA member? If yes, you might consider placing an ad in your regional magazine/website.

Again, gorgeous, superbly maintained car.

I think it is a great ad.

+1 for the suggestion of putting it in the PCA regional or national ads.

Having recently bought a 986 S off CL myself I think it's a great ad and I'd have contacted you straight away if I were still on the market and local to you. Pictures could be nicer but the content is there and that matters most.

That being said, I do think it might scare away the casual shopper but your rig rightly should be at the high end of the price range so that person probably isn't your customer anyway.

-Roger

Having sold multiple cars on craigslist, my recommendation would be more pictures. Buyers like to see the car in detail before contacting you.
A partial reason for this is the sheer number of bad cars and scams on craigslist.
Craigslist allows 16+ pictures I think? More pics make your ad stand out.

Look at some of the dealer ads for relevant shots /angles of photos.

At a minimum, all 4 sides, plus a shot down each side for showing dents/lack thereof is preferred.
Interior shots, both seats, console, dash, odometer
Engine shots,
Shot of each wheel, tire for tread and curb rash
shots under the car if you can get them.
Exhaust shot
Truck Interior, Frunk Interior

etc


You can never have too many pictures. Especially with high mileage car. Show the wear on the seats etc. Most people expect it to be in much worse condition than you describe

And most people don't read, they just look at pictures.

If you have a subscription to Excellence Magazine I think you can have an ad on their online site for free - Excellence | The Magazine About Porsche, at least that's how it used to be with them.

Thank you so much for everyone's input.

Great tips on the photos. I will definitely take more photos and max out the allowance I can, along with different angles plus the inside showing the perfect leather. Probably add a link to Dropbox with even more photos and show any imperfection with rock chips and little dings. I don't want to waste anyone's time, I know Porsche owners like us love their cars.

I will also post on Autotrader.com, PCA.org, rennlist and Carguru.
I know about Excellence mag but never subscribed to it.

@Kenbefound - To come to this price conclusion, I have searched all over the net for prices of 03-04 Boxster S nationwide. I can't find a single one with full history and all the preventative maintenances done right. Looks like people who love their cars that much don't usually sell them. I priced it based on the current asking market.

To be honest, at the current market if I have the garage space no way I would sell it. A 911 is great but it's no Boxster when it comes to handling and fun.
We all know it's really hard to find a good 986S, especially with all those owners who bought a Boxster and then neglected it due to the costs of the up keeping. It has really hit our well maintained car's value hard.

I was first thinking of posting the ad after I have the 911 but I heard it can take quite a long time to sell a used Porsche of this age? I am hoping its full documented records and all the work put in would give me an edge over the ones sitting around for months at dealers.

Should I post this now because it might take months?

GREAT narrative. Very well done.

I would add the cost of the recent service you had done in the listing. The 94K and 105K services had to be very expensive.

I have to agree with jedblanks. More and better quality photos. Take the car to a park or some place near your home with a green background just after sundown. Then take the photos of the exterior of the car from the cars level; low to the ground. And show off the interior and the sport seats.

You can put up to 24 photos in your Craigslist ad, use them all! Show the instrument cluster lit up, the white tag under the hood with the option codes, the paperwork fanned out, the books & manuals for the car, the keys. Photos, photos and more photos.

If you're not a member of Rennlist or Pelican Parts forums, join them and list it in their classified. Porsche Cars For Sale - Pelican Parts Technical BBS is a very good place to list. Very active classified section that you can list but no comments can be made.

IMHO, I would list it now. It may take a day or three months to sell. I would much rather have it gone now than have it sitting outside with the 911 in the garage and be pressured to sell it.

GLWS! Which 911 did you buy?

@Chuck W. I am looking for a 997.1 or .2 C2S Cab, still looking for 'the one' at the moment. Finding that unicorn haha!

I think I've met you before? I remember this amazing red Boxster S in Agoura. Didn't I buy a 4 stalk unit from you to do cruise control retrofit?

Thanks for the tip on Pelican, forgot about that. :)

Fantastic ad and all good suggestions above. I definitely agree with more pics, especially including the interior. I hate ads that have 27 views of the outside of the car and none of the inside - where you'll be spending most of your time. I think you may be selling yourself a little short at $14,500. Someone is going to get a great deal!


Sent from my iPad using Tapatalk

I am and we did! I came sooo close to selling the Boxster a couple years ago and didn't. Worked out well.

Look at the 2009 to 2011 997.2. Better engine and some nice upgrades. Prices are dropping on those 911s too.

Best Barns Sierra 12 ft. x 24 ft. Wood Garage Kit without Floor-sierra_1224 - The Home Depot

Have you considered this?:)

Hello,

your ad needs more and better pictures. Don't shoot against the sun. Take pictures where you can see the car from all sides and where you can see all details.

Regards, Markus

I'll re-iterate that you need more pictures, better pictures.

I recently sold a car on Bring-A-Trailer. I think there's no better enthusiast marketplace, and these cars deserve enthusiast owners.

To get shots like the ones you see on BaT, detail the car, drive to a pretty place (like a park), and wait until the "golden hour". https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Golden_hour_(photography)

Take lots and lots of shots.

Yours looks like a really well cared for example, GLWS.

Just to pile on: More, better pictures! Take her out for a real photo shoot. Choose a nice location, and the right light. (golden hour) That will get an emotional response. Then your fantastic ad copy will do the rest. GLWS!

@grc0456 Thanks, price adjusted. I hope it is still a fair deal at 15500?
I guess I have to leave some room for bargaining lol.

I think your price is good, everyone wants to negotiate. Same advice on the pictures, more and with better lighting. Great deal for someone. Make sure you post it here on 986 forum as well! Good luck on the sale and finding your 911:cheers: Oh and keep us posted as to both outcomes ;)

Advice on selling a clean Boxster S
 

Depending on how fast you want to sell, I'd stick to your guns on price if it was me. Your target buyer is someone who is an enthusiast or wants to be, who has done their research, and does not want to buy a cheap Box, unloved, undocumented Box - having to spend a lot to bring it up to par. You've loved the car, spent the money on nearly everything anyone could ask, and want to pass it along "turn key" to someone that doesn't want to deal with those things right off - they want to drive the car. Maybe I'm biased, but I was such a buyer and paid a reasonable premium for such a car. Good luck with whatever happens (and post pics of the 997)!

Sent from my iPad using Tapatalk

Advice; look for illicit in-car scent (avail on dark web, x.onion only). Sold in 'Pine Tree' format! You install this in the interior of the car to incapacitate the potential buyer of his/her capacity to make a negative judgement. 98.7% chance he'll buy the car. Petroleum based and heavy uses of H2SO4 (sulfuric acid). Odorless and invisible fumes careful. keep children far.

~Dr. BSter

ps: enjoy the upcoming 911

Fred, I just spit my drink out my nose [emoji23]


Sent from my iPad using Tapatalk

+1 on what everyone else said.

Photos.... It looks like you just grabbed a few old photos rather than taking fresh ones for the sale. Selling on CL at a good price is a competition. You are marketing and promoting your car, trying to get top $$$ against other sellers and buyers looking to score a deal. Best view, close pic first, then show off the highlights.
Hushypushy takes great pics. Here's my uneducated notes:

http://986forum.com/forums/uploads02...1470261839.jpg
See more shots here:
http://986forum.com/forums/499883-post38.html

Just for copmparison
 

Agree with all about more pics. Keep #5 and get rid of the rest. As others have said - don't take a pic into the sun. Take pics with the sun, then turn the car around so you get the other side in the proper sun.

You're in SoCal. Get a pic at sunset by the ocean. Living the dream, etc.

The pic you have of it at the mechanic makes me think "what's wrong with it". Leave that one out.

Take pics of the side bolsters of the driver's seat. Good or bad, people want to see the condition.

Have the car running and take a pic of the instrument panel to show no cel lights (be sure to put your seat belt on so that light isn't on).

Your 2003 has 3 features over older Boxsters - a glove box, a glass rear window, and de-ambered headlights & tail lights. Might want to add those into your ad narrative.

And finally - add a line at the end about not needing assistance to sell the car. This prevents all the stupid people who call you and want you to fork over $500 so they can sell your car on CL, AutoTrader, etc. All the places you already have ads. It can be as simple as I do not need assistance selling this fine automobile.

Take Husker boxster's advice and add the note about not needing assistance selling the car. I had a 63 Chevy listed on CL a while back and I got phone calls for months after I sold it and the ad was no longer available...from all over the country offering to "sell" the car for me.

Thanks for everyone's advice.
Yes, I really need to learn how to take pictures properly hahaha! Damn I am bad at that.
I will drive down Malibu and do some pics there!

Good thing about pointing out the advantages of the 03 with the glove box etc.
If they read that much, hopefully they would know a 1 thing or 2

@grc0456 - Really nice Boxster, hope you get the asking price!

Not mine. Just wanted you to see another 986.2 S for sale. Good luck to you. It looks like a great car, and I know someone will snatch it up!


Sent from my iPad using Tapatalk

Shred,

Have you gotten any response to your Boxster? Your car should have enthusiast buyers all over it. When I went to sell mine within an hour of posting it (lots of pictures and a super detailed write-up) on PCA, Excellence and Cargurus.com my phone/email exploded. I had about 5 local buyers lined up and two out of state buyers that were willing to put up deposits based on the ads and talking to me about the car. First local buyer to see the car took it at asking price. We went to the bank for the financial piece and then to the local registration place all on the same day.

@Porsche9

I received few responses less than an hour after posting it as a test on Craigslist only!
I had to tell people to wait, as I can't show the car yet because I have to be away on business.

I think what I will do is get new pictures done right and then post it all over 'after' I bought a 911.
I don't want to be without a Porsche and have no idea how long till I find that 997 unicorn :D

There is also that problem of, the longer I drive the Boxster, the more I don't want to sell it. I am sure you can all relate to that :cheers:

Not a good idea to turn potential customers away. Hopefully you kept their phone #s. I was selling an 06 Cayman S a few yrs ago. I advertised it and got a call from someone but he didn't sound like a great prospect. I had an issue with the TPMS so I didn't push to hard for him to come and look at it, as I didn't want to show it with a problem. Took 2 wks to get it straightened out, so I then called him back. He said he'd already bought a Cayman. You never know how serious a customer is.

My dad used to tell me you've always got time to take money.

I have almost that exact same car, except 105,000 miles, although I don't plan on selling, it's nice to know what its worth. Have you had any bites yet?

Also your ad says "411 18" Lt Alloy Carrera Wheel", should that read "911?"

Don't forget the best part. Interesting trades considered.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=83sz_PG4dLc

Let me start off by saying I have no affiliation or financial stake in this company but I've been using CarGurus.com for years now. You can specify exactly what features you want/have and it will indicate the market value based on actual listings. Plus, like Cars.com they will grab ads from other sources.