Buying Advice on a base 1998
 

Hello Everyone.

Hoping for some buying advice.

I am talking to a person who has a 1998 Boxster Base for sale.

Asking is 8900.00

No IMS bearing swapped but he did replace:

clutch
AOS
Rear Main Seal
coolant reservoir

He has a hard top Convertible top and interior is in good condition.

He also has repair history and a PPI for me to review

Aftermarket items:

Headers
Sport Exhaust
Wheels/Tires 19"

The only item he feels needs attention is the struts.

They need replacing

Paint looks good from the pics with a small area on the convertible panel that is sun faded.

Being a 1998 how much of a risk is the IMS on this one?

I feel that if the car has reached 123,000 there is a low chance of failure.

123000 miles on the O.D.

Thanks for your opinions/advice

Mike

I am not an expert by any means for IMS, but I recall earlier models were double row, what makes them less prone to failures.

Shocks - for sure, if never replaced, will "need to be done", meaning you will be fairly OK, but the ride quality is impacted.

I personally am getting rid of 19's from my recently acquired car. Not only they rub, but also they make the ride very harsh. Maybe it will be OK for you. If stock wheels are available - take them.
Sport exhaust? Mine has "Pedro mod" and it is not for me, but that is personal.

Hard to advice - mine looked nice on pictures, but in person was not so good anymore. There were many tiny things - foam in the vents (typical), microswitches in windows (typical as well), faded paint here and there (black car in Florida - typical)...

boxster buying advice
 

Thanks PLP

I too am concerned about ride quality with the 19's

I have also heard that adding a sport exhaust can cost you power in the low end.

Thanks for the advice

Mike

For a car with a color-matching hardtop, I’d consider that a very good deal.

Replies
 

Thanks Old911DOC



Any issue with the 123,00 miles?

Are struts 1000. for just the parts?

Thanks

Mike

Mike,

one strut is 250 (front) rear 160.
that's just the "inserts".
Add all rubbers, bushings, bearings... and it easily becomes over 1000.

But I can tell you - I feel mine are weak at 110k miles and I will have to do them. Ride is rough now. Especially with the 19's...

I would have no issue at all with a 100,000+ mile Porsche.
I’ve seen lots of 200,000+mile Porsches, quite a few 300,000+ mile Porsches, but I have never seen a 100,000+ mile Ferrari.
A set of shocks will usually cost over $900, but the Pelican has Konis on sale.
Since you have to take the struts apart to reuse the springs you would do well to replace the strut mounts, steering bearings, dust boots, bump stops etc so it will add a few hundred bucks, even without replacing the roll bar down links, , the various suspension arms, wheel bearings, brake discs and pads, etc. Lots of creeping incrementalism to this project!

The most cost-effective thing you can do for your Boxster, after joining this forum, would be to join the Porsche Club of America; visit pca dot org. The club newsletter, Porsche Panorama, is the best-edited, best- produced publication in motor sports. The next thing to do, after joining the PCA, would be to subscribe to Excellence; it rivals Pano in production values. Yes, I belong to PCA; no, I don’t get any kickbacks...
...but I should.

Buying advice
 

I think that most guys on the forum would recommend a PPI. It's about $300 and will help to take some guess work out. This won't help with the IMSB decision, but it sure will provide knowledge/confidence in other areas of the car. Good luck.

Yes a 1998 with 123,000 miles is not worth $9,000. There is a old saying, a cheap Porsche
will be the most expensive car you ever own.

Check back with me in 24 months. :D

In the meantime, to the OP:
Do you DIY? If you do, then none of this is scary and you can forgo the fear some would put in your heart about needing a PPI, or the drivel spouted by some numbskulls about "...a cheap porsche will be the most expensive car you ever own..." . :matchup:

It's.
Just.
a Car.
and it's a 23-yr-old car at that.

I'll admit that I don't understand the current market on the 986 Boxsters. What was a $4500 car 18 months ago, is now an $8500 car. What was a $12k car 24 months ago, is now a $20k car. I don't get it. It's untenable, from a market-value perspective, yet the age-old addage is that the value of something is exactly whatever someone is willing to pay for it.

If the car you're looking at seems like it's the car you want to drive, then it's probably the right one; knowing up front that you're going to spend money on it in the first 18 months, because it's a 23-yr-old car.

Now, if you DON'T DIY.... then my position remains that you shouldn't be buying a 23-yr-old car, unless it has some intrinsic emotional or collectible value to it. IF it does, then be sure your pockets are deep enough to pay someone else to read all of the advice you'll find here. :dance:

Advice
 

Thanks Maytag

Sound advice regarding one needs to be comfortable DIY.

I have restored (Not complete) a few Porsche 914 but they were simple and straight forward cars.

The 986 are more modern but with that comes some complexity.

I look forward to the DIY part and appreciate the reply.

Mike914

Think of that $8900 car as a $6900 car that comes with a $2000 hardtop, and it will be a better deal.
Yes, first and foremost it’s a 23-year-old used car, from a marque which motivates parts bandits, oops, aftermarket suppliers to demand far higher prices than they demand for similar parts for other Marques. Example: Boxster shocks, $900 ; Saturn SL2 shocks, same year, $115. Is there$785 difference in the parts?
So there is a ‘prestige tax’ applied to Porsche parts: also to Mercedes, BMW, Audi, etc.

And if you think Porsche parts are overpriced, try Cessna, Beechcraft, Mooney, don’t even ask about Learjet, Boeing, Airbus, much less military stuff! I wonder what’s the price for a set of brake pads for an F35?

Life’s too short to be driving a Chevy, buy the Box!

As someone that recently purchased a Boxster - if you are searching for an affordable, fun, two-seater, convertible you have very, very few choices. Add to it that the Boxster is a well-balanced mid-engine car without too many electrical nanny systems and I think that drives up prices....also because all car prices are insane right now.

Have you bought a Boxster yet? If not, consider: you’re now 9 days older, 9 days of life without a Boxster, 9 days that you’ll never , ever , get back. Tick, tick; just sayin’…

19" wheels on a 98 is not a good idea

I have bought over a dozen 986s, taken all of them apart, and put more than half of them back together. I have three 914s and so far have only figured out the 'apart'. 986s aren't that hard to work on. :cheers:

With a hardtop and current pricing, I think that's a fair price. I'd ditch those 19's asap though. They might look nice but they're boat anchors

boxster
 

Thanks for all of the advice

Yes I was planning on selling the 19's and the hard top.

In further discussions with the owner he revealed it needs struts

I viewed some videos and in addition to 1000 dollars for parts there is quite a bit of labor.

I think I'm going to pass on this one as the owner will not go down on his price.

The hunt continues

Mike

Hello Mike - I live in Michigan - Rochester Hills. If I can help you, let me know! You can always use my email address: dmpreston356@gmail.com

Mike,
I got 2003 with 110k miles.

It needs to be repainted (too many "small things"), all suspension replaced (shocks and all the coffin arms, and so on), I just did sway bars. New tires. And a few small things, like microswitches, foam in ducts, deep cleaning.
Overall car that needs a lot of attention.

My budget was to get Boxster up to 10k.
I got this one for 5k.

But I am going to spend another 5-8k on repairs.
Now, it is more than I would be planning on spending on a car, but if you look on this from other perspective - at 100k miles the cars will need suspension. If it was done by the previous owner, it will be reflected in the purchase price.
Otherwise, you may need to do it.

Shocks - about 800-900 from B6's from "stone" auto, which is more of a rock (autocorrect does not allow for store names... interesting).
All suspension parts - from DR911 for another 1100. Small pieces to shocks - another 500 or so. Total 2500 for brand new suspension. Plus alignment.

How long are you going to keep the car? Two years? One? Drive it for a few thousand miles? Then do not bother investing. Enjoy and have fun. Of course limited fun due to the fact suspension is weak.

Mike, where are you located?