Please help! Viewing a Boxster today and need some advice!

[MrBoxHead]

Hi All,

I am completely new to Porsche cars and don't have a great deal of knowledge of cars in general. Especially buying used cars from second hand car dealers.

Please can you let me know what you think of this used Boxster:

Used Porsche Boxster Convertible 2.7 [245] 2dr Tiptronic S in Iver, Buckinghamshire | London Trade Centre Uk

I am going to view the car this afternoon and would really appreciate any advice as to what I should look out for in terms of wear and tear, engine noises, gear changing etc.

Do you think this looks like a good example for the price? Should I try to negotiate the price down to £14,000 or at least £14,500? And what sort of things could I use to negotiate the price down on this particular model?

I have seen a few similar Boxsters at the same sort of price on AutoTrader and eBay etc, but they all have in excess of 35,000 miles on the clock and this one I am viewing tomorrow only has 20,000 miles on the clock.

I have spoken to the guys at London Trade Centre and they have said the car has just had a full AA inspection prior to be delivered to them. They are going to give the car a full service before I arrive tomorrow afternoon and it comes with a free 12 months parts and labour warranty and the MOT is valid until March 2015. Unfortunately the service history has not been done with an official Porsche dealership, but instead with a service centre based in London.

Any help would be much appreciated!

Thanks in advance

[MrBoxHead]

I posted this in the General Discussion area but unfortunately it was not approved by the moderators.

Can anyone give me some advice before a
I view the car tomorrow?

Thanks

[Davev]

Your best best is to read as much as you can. Tons of pre purchase info already on here. Good luck.

[MrBoxHead]

Thanks for the the reply Davev. I have had a read of some of the pre-purchase threads on here, but wondered what people thought of this particular model I am viewing this afternoon.

www.londontradecentre.co.uk/used-cars/porsche-boxster-2-7-245-2dr-tiptronic-s-iver-201403052253722

Is it a good deal? Is it worth £14,995? Or should try to negotiate the price down and pay £14,000 max?

Many thanks,

BoxHead

Originally Posted by Davev

Your best best is to read as much as you can. Tons of pre purchase info already on here. Good luck.

[2003S]

Honestly, only a PPI from an experienced Porsche tech can tell you if the car is worth it. Could be good, could have expensive problems lurking. I wouldn't pay a dime (or shilling) without having it looked over by a pro.

[MrBoxHead]

Surely with only 20,000 miles on the clock and one previous owner I can't be running into any major problems?

It had a full AA mechanical inspection last week and the car is having a full service carried out today before I view the car.

Ideally I'd like to get it for £14,000.

Could anyone suggest any bartering points I could use in my negotiation?

I've also been told to listen out for any unusual noises when doing a full lock turning circle?

Thanks

[2003S]

Originally Posted by MrBoxHead

Surely with only 20,000 miles on the clock and one previous owner I can't be running into any major problems?

Low mileage is no guarantee of "not running into major problems". It's an old(ish) car, with a slew of potential money pits. Sitting unused is worse in some people's opinion than being driven regularly. Garage queens have their own issues as they age. A Pre-Purchase Inspection at your own cost will give you the best ideas of if there are any problems that might change your mind about the car (e.g. the bigger things that typically have problems RMS, IMS, water pump, AOS, etc.), or if you have lesser severity issues you might use to shave some cost, tire wear, paint damage, worn rotors, top quality, etc...

Seriously, if you don't know much about these cars, you should have someone who does look it over. In the US, for a couple hundred dollars, you can save thousands. I would not trust the evaluation done by the seller. If the seller won't let you take it to a shop for an inspection at your cost, run away.

Also, you may want to search for "annual maintenance costs", there are a few threads on the general upkeep you may find of interest. My low mileage car (~40K when I bought it) has cost me around $1,500 / year in upkeep, over the past 3 years -- and it was (and remains) a fairly good specimen.