Buying My First Porsche

[BYprodriver]

Originally Posted by joeythelyon

Hi everyone!

I got bitten by the Porsche bug some months back after driving my first sports car, and I think it's time to get something with more driver involvement and less lazy than my AMG Mercedes. So, I've been looking at Boxsters on local classifieds to work on and have fun with over the summer.

I found what looks like a good deal on a modded, but non-running 2001 Boxster S, and if you guys could give some feedback, that would be great.

Details:
-Seal Grey on black interior, interior in good shape, headlights have no fade
-140k miles
-6-speed manual
-19" iforged wheels
-Bilstein shocks and Techart springs
-VR Tune ECU flash
-Fabspeed race headers with cat bypass
-Fabspeed secondary cat bypass pipes

Problems:
-The car starts and runs, but the seller says it emits fumes of blue-white smoke. He said it happened about two minutes after he left his driveway some months ago and he has parked it in his garage ever since. Seller said that his Porsche technician said it is most likely the AOS
-Seller says the brakes "barely work" because "the AOS creates a vacuum leak in the braking system." I'm not sure how valid this is.
-Softtop rear window is completely faded and cracked. It needs replacement, or the top needs replacement.

He posted it for $5k, but says he won't go lower than $4.5k. What do you guys think?

I hope I'm posting this in the right section. This is my first post.

Good Deal IF the engine is in good condition

[joeythelyon]

Originally Posted by BYprodriver

Good Deal IF the engine is in good condition

Hi BYprodriver!

Do I just inspect the rest of the engine, like belts and rubber conditions and such? Or did the failing AOS already answer that question

[tonythetiger]

OK, so you are looking at an S, and that is where you should start. IMHO, This car is only a good deal if you can work on it yourself. Smoke is a sign of AOS failure, but also burning coolant (cracked head).
100 bucks and an hour fixes the AOS, but at 140K, there are a number of things that are due (or overdue).
Suspension, mounts, water pump, thermostat, clutch w/ flywheel, IMS (lots of debate on this), plugs, tubes, coils, alternator, starter are all things that cold fail. The only way it turns out for you is if you are fixing it, having a shop buy parts and then the labor will turn you upside down.
Have a PPI performed on the car, and wrench away.

[joeythelyon]

Thanks everyone for all the responses! I knew this forum was a great place.

@1PorscheBoxster986, I misspoke. The seller says it runs and drives, but shouldn't be on the road because of the brakes.

@tonythetiger, Would a PPI be able to reveal if there is a cracked head? I read that this is a problem with M96 engines up until 2001.