Best time to buy a boxster...what year?
 

Eventually want to get a Boxster. When is the best time to buy? I see prices falling slightly as fall nears, I expect in Winter they will fall further. Just want to get the most for my money...I have narrowed it to 97-01 most likely tiptronic as my wife may occasionally drive as well. I think the 2.7 is a better engine than the 2.5 for longevity...I do all my own mechanical work. My budget is around $15,000 but need to import to Canada as well. Probably west coast car makes most sense...just a fun car not necessarily a daily driver..Thanks

Best time to buy...
 

during the rainny season. Not sure of what yr., do your research here. Good luck

Hi Suburban99 welcome to the forum. The Boxster will be a great purchase for you regardless of what year or model.

I'm from Vancouver and I honestly thinik your budget is a bit too low (espeially if you have to import one yourself). Boxsters are fairly good and reliable cars (although we all have our minor issues and annoyances). However, mileage seem to dictate pricing on these cars more than anything and if you're looking for under 20K Canadian you're looking at a very high mileage car from the states.
It's great that you work on your own car but parts can get expensive and the higher the mileage the more that needs to be replaced or looked after.

If you are importing one yourself you will need to pay 6% duty as well as taxes and the actual cost of bringing one to Canada. A broker can do it for you for a cost of about $1500-2000 on top of the fees and taxes. If you do it yourself you will need to factor in travel, accomodations, time, insurance and fuel as well. From what I have noticed you can pick up a pretty good boxtser locally for about 20K to start. I have seen a few sell over the past year for 16K to 18K but they were in horrible shape and very high mileage.

If you were to import from somewere closer to avoid expensive airfare and travel/transportation costs and go to Seattle or Portland their prices are not significantly better once you factor in all the costs.

Good luck with your search, it will be worth it.

Thanks angman and speedyellow for the replies...
I travel to Tacoma regularly for business and have been looking for a good used 97-99...prices are definitely cheaper in the USA, and I have looked at about 5 in the 12-13,000 range. Allow $2000.00 for import and it's still much more economical to import. I have looked at a few in BC and they are all around $18-$20,000 and not much if any better shape. I am thinking the prices will drop around October as the economy tightens and weather gets wet...

it's always cheapest to buy a convertible in the winter since so few people think about buying a convertible while it's cold out.

most expensive at the beginning of spring.

Two years ago the nearest Porsche dealer to me only had two used Porsches on the lot, and neither were convertible. I pop over there every now and then and never really noticed much of a used car inventory. I drove by last week and there must have been a dozen Boxsters alone. There's a lot to be surmised from that, including availability. Now is an excellent time to buy. With tuitions and taxes and job losses and Christmas coming I don't think you have to be terribly strategic as to time of year.

Good luck with your search Suburban99. If you can't find what you're looking for I might be selling my beloved Boxster. I really don't want to sell it but the wife won't let me buy another newer Boxster or cayman unless I sell this one first. I believe I have one of the best boxsters around in BC or Canada as I have practically every expensive option on the car from the factory. Believe it or not the car out the door in 97 cost about 96K Canadian all in. I have the paperwork to prove this! The car has been retrofitted with new Xenons, Porsche clear side markers and tailights as well. Only 68,XXX kms on the car.

I have recently replaced the rotors, pads, spark plugs, filters, oil and an overall tuneup. (over $2000 spent).

I want 21K for it with the stock sport wheels/exhaust and headers.