more info on the 3 cars

[kriss]

car 2003 s: you were right-it was the seals(ims,rms) that were replaced not the bearing. I assume that indicates there was a leak at one time and so the bearing itself is still in danger and may need replacement.

car 2001s: strange deal: a subaru dealer has the car and can only sell to a dealer due to airbag light issue. good price,low mileage,supposedly 1 owner-no service record...but I need to get a dealer(I know one but it will add to the cost of car for his time/services) and there is no pre purchse inspection allowed. would a carfax suffice?

car 1999: price high but immaculately maintained by 'wealthy' owner;garaged,winter trickle charge on battery...I am thinking it may be worth the price for trustworthy owner,good service record....although it will need the ims bearing proactively done despite low mileage according to the talk on this forum...

[WhipE350]

Have you driven all 3? That is your starting point, there was big difference between the 201hp and 250hp and the headliner starting in 2000 I think made a big difference, but that was just my experience when I test drove many cars. There are many people on this forum however that are very very happy with their pre-2000 cars. The difference between 01 and 03 to me was not noticeable.

From what I saw when looking, that price for a very low mileage 99 is what folks felt they should get, are they getting it...donno, as others say it is a Porsche not a collectors item. If you like the car though it maybe worth close to that for you, I can tell you most won't go below $12k around my part of the country, I see in other places they often do, probably supply and demand. You know it is cool though to drive a basically new car.

The 01 could be nice, price is very close, but that is a strange situation. Is the car really nice? I don't trust that no purchase inspection thing.

The 03, hey nice car might be worth 19k. I know one thing, when I started looking in sept/oct that all dealer cars look about 3k over priced and from what I can see they still have them all. I said heck with it and went private sale, much much better way to go I felt.

One BIG thing to me, I won't touch a northern car if it was a winter driver, but that is just me, probably a little over sensitive and snobby but I don't want everything under my wheel wells corroded. In my view if the car has below 50k miles on it the brakes should be in excellent visual shape (if not repainted) and the back window show be in good shape to. Find someone private who knows their car...so ya the 99 looks nice.

In the end what are you going to enjoy, if you get within 1k or so of a good price get it and enjoy it, I know I sure am and I think I probably overpaid by 800 bucks...but then some of those things I mentioned were in great shape (which was important to me) and they guy had money and serviced the car, he didn't change the oil enough for me but hey hard to get everything you are looking for AT the price you want to pay. One other thing with my car, if was filthy but I could tell under it was in perfect shape, since I'm good at restoring I figured it was perfect for me. It can be a journey friend. Hope you find something nice and enjoy!

[mikefocke]

I bought my second Boxster when it was covered with salt spray. Drove it on warm enough roads that had pools of salt brine to work for years. Never a spec of rust seen except on some exhaust/muffler bolts.

So I think there is an over-reaction to the car being from a salt the roads state here.

[WhipE350]

Originally Posted by mikefocke

I bought my second Boxster when it was covered with salt spray. Drove it on warm enough roads that had pools of salt brine to work for years. Never a spec of rust seen except on some exhaust/muffler bolts.

So I think there is an over-reaction to the car being from a salt the roads state here.

Hi Mike, enjoy reading your articles over on google. Ya I understand and agree with what you are saying. If a car is kept clean it is not a big problem, and really more then rust my complaint is just how everything seems to age more. When I was looking this fall all the cars that came out of the north and had been driven not garaged had brakes, strut, and rims were very old looking. Just a personal preference I guess. I drove mine this week after the snow and cleaned the heck out of it today, I just put new nice yellow Bilsteins in and keep the panels in my wheel wells clean and treated since with the 17 inch wheels the inside of the wells are very visible. I'm weird like that though, you can eat off the inside of my rims.