986's a rare breed?
 

I live in a state where you can drive all year round and one thing I have noticed is I rarely see 986's on the road anymore. 10-15 years ago they were everywhere and I'm starting to think people are pulling these cars off the road as DD's and preserving them and turning them into just weekend runners. What is funny is sometimes I will hit a local cruise-in with my 00S and it actually brings attention and questions from folks about the early Boxster's and how they wished they owned one back in the day when they were new but couldn't afford them etc.. Makes me wonder if these cars are becoming rare (not worth money just rare). One thing is for sure is I have no plans of getting rid of mine anytime soon.

I still see more 986s than all other Boxster generations combined. I attribute it to the fact that 986 prices have fallen to the point where the one car as a daily driver crowd can afford to buy them and they do use them. I drive by the road test area of one of the bigger Porsche dealers in our area and have yet to see a 918.

I still see a good amount of 986s in NY/ NJ area, but most of the time, they are pretty run down looking with the old cloudy plastic rear windows, beat up/dirty looking original 17" wheels, and amber lights all around. Wish people kept them up a bit more, but at least they're using them still I guess.

They're definitely rare here. I've seen 6 others in the last 5 years. 3 of them were fellow forum members in KC. It's been 1.5 years since the last time I saw any, but I don't live near any bigger cities anymore, either.

I like it that way. Mine gets tons of attention every time I drive it. :)

Here in LA, Porsche's are pretty common and I see 986's everywhere.

In central Illinois it's very rare to see any Porsche. I see more 911's than any type of Boxster. Ironically, I live in a little town of 5200 people and there is a 987 and two 986's including mine.
I recently drove my motorhome 1600 mile to AZ. and on the whole trip never saw a 911 or Boxster until I was just north of Phoenix.

Rare?
 

Here in the mid Atlantic (NC) they are not too rare. There are probably 4 or 5 within a 10 mile radius of me. I have also seen many at the local pay and drive lots as well.

As for their future I do think over the next decade many will be removed from service for one reason or the other and eventually they, at least the first generation 986, will become more of a conversation piece but never rare.

I wouldn't say they are rare, but the number of 986's out in the wild is definitely declining. When you consider the high maintenance costs and the people buying "a cheap Porsche" and not taking care of them it is not surprising. I think eventually good condition 986's will be desirable, simply because there won't be many good condition 986's left.

Location, location, location....
 

...I live in a rural are half way between Houston and New Orleans.

If I'm in Houston or New Orleans I will see Boxsters and other Porsches all over.

Out here in flyover country, I never see any.

As for 986's, they have reached that age and depreciation where high school kids are buying them and driving them. You will either see pristine garage queens or ragged out sleds from now on. If you travel to nice driving destinations or club events, then you see folks who have well cared for 986's that actually get driven and cared for and have money spent on them.

It's all relative.

How many S2000's do you see? How many Z3's? How many First Gen Miata's? How many SLK's? How many Audi TT convertibles?

Not rare in Boston suburbia either. Pretty much every time we take her out we see one or two, and sometimes three!

I definitely see more newer Porsche generations around than Boxsters 986.
But that is no wonder living in the Porsche hotspot #1 in Germany :D

So I am kinda "wowing", when I see another 986, instead of a new(er) 911.
Yeah I hear those stories too, when "elderly" couples pass my car, saying they wanted to get one back in the time, but never did.
I reply something like ...it is never too late.
Or when "younger" people show up...something like:
"Irgendwann werde ich mal Porsche fahren. ...Warum nicht irgendwann mal jetzt?"
"Some day I am going to drive a Porsche. ...Why not some day now?"
And kids still love to see the classic 986 lines.

A 986 will never be rare, but it is a classic already. Probably the most important car Porsche ever made.
I am glad that it was designed to be in a 550 tradition....curves make a classic, nuff said :D

Bran...
 

...Yes!

Indeed!


:cheers:

Rare? It's too common here.

Northwest Alabama
 

My wife and I see 3 here on a regular basis, in fact one of those is a 01S in Black that is the twin to my car...see more Carrera's than 986's . I did see a Red Boxster a couple of times with two girls driving it and it was as "ragged out" as any car I have ever seen....looked like it had been attacked with a ball peen hammer and the headlights were virtually white from oxidation.....sad to see

Miami. Everybody and their brother has one. I see them all the time, there are 2 thst park in my building

Opel Manta
 

When I was in High school the last production of the Opel GT was happening, I wanted one so bad I could taste it.

One of my best friends parents bought him a 1972 911, since then I have always wanted a Porsche

I see about a box a week southern weather seems to mean more box than cayman. Depending on where I am going i see a 911 either 80s or 997 or newer every other drive and a boxster about once a week, mostly 986 but there are a few 981 owners I cross paths with often.

I've seen about 6 different other 986s just within my school zone but I don't run into them often and think most are weekenders at most.



(Also there is a pre 03 S that's speed yellow on campus with me, people think it's me all the time only difference is mine has litronics.)

Okay so I guess I must be living under a rock then. A swear its rare I see these cars (986's not just Boxsters) on the road. Oh well I'm just glad these cars still being driven. Thanks all !

Jay B.
 

Not under a rock, just Arizona.

:p

986 Owners Motif
 

"I love fixing things"

My wife says on my tombstone will be "I can fix this !"

Surely the 986 is a Future Classic. It's best to hold onto one and look after it well. It might become a collectors item one day and it's value will rise.

Nope, not gonna happen

Hard to speculate what will become a collectors car. I remember reading an article back in the 90's saying the Fiero will be a future collector's car. That didn't happen. I also remember when the air cooled 911's weren't worth anything. I paid $2000 for my 911sc. I don't see the 986 becoming anything special in the future for the same reasons as the 924,944 and 928. They're too expensive to maintain and too complicated for the average home mechanic to restore. I hope I'm wrong though.

As for being rare, I rarely see them on the road. Mostly new Porsches around here

Its already a collectors car. This community demonstrates it, and if you haven't noticed, the prices have plateaued. It probably won't be as hot a collectors car as the early 911s, but for those of who love them and take care of them they will be precious.

I just did a quick search on Craigslist for SF and Bay Area and surrounding cities. It showed 139 986 for sale at this time. There are duplicates but even if you cut the results in half you still have around 70 986's for sale just in the Bay Area alone. Definitely not a rare breed at least for California. Maybe in 20 years when most of the 986 have been recycled where the values go up and it will be considered rare.
SF bay area cars & trucks - craigslist

Look at that! We have a psychic on the forum! What are next weeks winning lottery numbers?
:p



I just did the same thing for Des Moines, Omaha and Kansas City (all within 100 miles of me)...I found 4. One was parts only. ;)

I don't think the Boxster will ever be a high value rare collector car. I agree with Woody that it'll be more like the 924/944/928. Its problem with the IMS until 2009 model year when Porsche did away with it also will work against it. If you want to speculate with a Porsche, buy a 911...they are the iconic Porsche...not the Boxster. If you just want some fun for relatively cheap, go Boxster.

I bought mine in Los Angles. There must have been 25 to choose from and maybe 10 were S. Found my SE the last day I could stay. Drove home.

Seems like LA and Miami and similar big money cities have more because of the poser rich guy / girl crowd. It's a Porsche.

I see 4-5 around regularly.

986's a rare breed?
 

They are everywhere in Atlanta. I even see 2 other rain forest green ones driving to work


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Yes in that it is an anologue performance car with a modern feel and convenience along with a small footprint

Get into a 981 and you will see what I mean. I have long time Porsche guys telling me that the 986 S was the sweet spot.

Agreed. A car needs a certain cache to become a true collectors car. There are a ton of cars out there with similar stats to that of the Boxster....and we don't talk about them being a 'collectors car'. I cannot believe that a 'poor man's Porsche" will suddenly be worth a significant amount from Collectors.

But who know's. I'd rather spend my time driving it and enjoying it than locking it away just in case....

Its just logic. They built a ton of them, they are considered a step down (rightly or wrongly) from the 911, they have the same fried egg headlights that are widely derided, engines are iffy, and they are not particularly revolutionary in any way.

Don't get me wrong, they are fun cars, and they might ultimately hold their value or appreciate slightly in 20 years, but I don't see any reason they would become collectors items.

^ this is the reason I think clean Boxsters will at least do as well as the s2k does in future years.

Look at a first gen NSX, it's worth more than a equivalent Ferrari or Lamborghini of the day.

Not that boxsters are likely to ever skyrocket but the 986 will probably be pulled up ABOVE the 996 some day. I think the 996 while being a great bang for the buck similar as the boxster has a less chance to appreciate than boxsters.

I think in a few years when the 25th anniversary of the first Boxster rolls around (and likely when Porsche introduces the next gen update of the 718) you'll start to see some interest in older 986s from a collectors perspective. But just like with any 'collector' car, only very early or limited edition models might see some appreciation.

1997 Boxsters with less than 40,000 miles (in original, VG+ condition). Bonus for Silver w/red interior and a hardtop.
2004 550 SE's
And possibly some first year S models from 2000.

And just like with 911's, it will be low-mileage cars with full maintenance history that will be of interest, as they become few and far between over the years.

Do a nationwide Craigslist/Autotrader/etc search for a 97 Boxster with less than 50k miles. You won't find many.

I am just north of Boston, and see 1-2 on a recurring basis - but seeing one every time I take it out - definitely not. But, as mentioned, how many 12-20 year old cars do you see? Not too many. My 986 draws comments from many who see it, most typically "what year is it?" Followed by "wow, it looks much newer."


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I keep hearing this 'They built a Ton of them' or 'They build a S@#* load of them'
BUT I just don't see them. Once in a great while I'll see one. There is only 1 that I know of in the next town over.
Now South NJ is Not the the hot bed for Porsches, Though there is a dealer 3 miles from me.
Now a Camary, there is a car they built a ton of.

Their rare status will only come up from their attrition and what's left. I Think the next push on value is the 996. It seems many U-Tubers are pushing what an excellent value these 996's can be. So that may help suppress the 986's status, even though all us know that they have excellent value.

Time will only tell. As said, the Air cooled 911's weren't always sought after like now.

For that enormous market, if you filter out duplicates, and search for 2000-2002 S 6-speed (the original and best :D), you get about a dozen, half of which look rough. Hence the observation that original owner, carefully maintained, cherry 986 S's are already rare. I live in SoCal and work on a huge Navy base, and I regularly see one other 986 S. One. Oh, and I'm still waiting for a 718 sighting :dance:

This is my second Boxster 986, first one being a 99 base.
Yes, at first, I tried convincing myself I had a fairly low mileage 2002 Boxster S in great condition with a hardtop, and that it was a collector's car. But, when I tracked it the first time, well... let's just say it quickly turned into a weekend track car and occasional daily commute on Fridays... So, as far as being a collector's car, maybe not, but it sure is sexy and fun to drive;) This will most likely be my track car and I will get a 996 or 997 for civilized road driving;)

And yes, I also had to go to Los Angeles to get this one, as I did for my 99 base. There just aren't that many in AZ...

That's funny - I'm in Oklahoma and had to go to Arizona (one in Phoenix and one in Tucson) to get two of my Boxsters - both '99 base cars - one was a heavily optioned aerokit car, the other a heavily optioned Ocean Jade Metallic. Although not surprising, both are original California cars.

Scarcity is relative! :D

Actually Rick, there are plenty of Boxsters in Oklahoma. The problem is that most of them are kept by a few hoarders.

:cheers:

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