First sorry for posting a Boxster Q here. I have been monitoring this forum for quite some time, saw some really good info here and since I couldn't find a descent Boxster forum, decided to post my question here. Hope nobody get offended.

So, I ran accross an ad from a local private seller for a 2001 Boxster (with no options), but with only 20K miles on the odometer.

Asking price is $22K. Condition is described as perfect, with clean history and owner has all service records.

I will be test driving this coming weekend. Before I do this I wanted to get your opinion on whether this sounds like a good deal. Clearly the car is somewhat old: 2001, but it has only 20K miles. What should I expect in terms of maintenance costs (hopefully low miles will translate to trouble free for a while...or probabaly not)?


Please advise.

Thx,
Michael

Price may be a bit high, but that is just the asking price. Get a PPI if you are serious. For things to look for, Google Mike Focke's Boxster buying guide. A good Boxster forum is PPBB.com

Without going into the specifics of what to look for on a Boxster, much of the buying advice for the 996 and to certain extent the Cayman apply to the Boxster. Obviously there are some unique issues to look into for each model but generally buying advice for a modern Porsche can be cross applied. For example, a PPI (pre purchase inspection) is higly recommended unless you really know what you are looking for. It should cost somewhere around $200-$300 dollars. Additionally complete records of the maintenance history of the car is important. Obviously, pricing is somewhat specific to the models, however, in general the 986 and 996 cars have depreciated quite a lot and the market is soft for those cars. Excellence (Magazine) runs a buying a guide that should look for that really goes into some great examples of what to look for and gives a general idea of the pricing spread (although I think it is a little high for the 986/996 cars).

The MY 2000 had significant changes in the Boxster with increased power and better interior materials and the prices reflect this (as compared to the 99 and older cars). However, as you said they are getting up there in age now and many people don't want to deal with maintenance. I have been watching the 2000-2001 Boxster market for a few months now as my wife would like one. The price for the car you mentioned is a little on the high side for cars that sell IMO (good examples of the Boxster S with 40-45k miles can had for less than $22k). The car you mentioned should sell in the 19k range IMO. I know the mileage is low but there comes a point when this really isn't as big a price premium IMO as things just wear out with age and limited usage. The used market for 2 seater convertibles is soft right now, you should be able to negotiate on this car. There are lots of cars for sale...look for the one with the options and conditions you want and then negotiate from there.

That advice given, I personally am willing to pay a priemium for a well documented car that shows lots of preventive maintenance and care. The boxster is a fantastic car. I had a 2000 Boxster many years ago that right now I wish I had not gotten rid of.

As for maintenance cost: Tires are a big expense..you can expect 9-14k out of rear tires depending on how you drive and the alignment settings. So the condition is important. With the age of the car I would want all the fluids replaced recently or after purchase. Items like brake pads/rotors will depend on the usage. You can expect a coolant tank overfill replacement if it hasn't been done yet (which can run up to $600). Top condition is another area to pay attention to. The factory maintenance intervals are well spaced but if a dealership performs the service they are pricey. Parts are not cheap either. If you are DIY guy you can save significantly on routine maintenance. In general the Boxster is pretty reliable but when something does go wrong it usually isn't cheap to fix.

__________________
Brian

Hi Michael,

that doesn't really help you now... but may be interesting for you when you've found your Boxster.

Boxster-Group - Offizielle Homepage, Boxster, Club, Deutschland, Motorsport, Ausfahrten, 986, 911, Carrera, Cayenne

Bye,
Marcel.

__________________
993 4S
944 S2
987 120 ...soooon

Thanks to all for the userful info.

Michael

Think I heard of some issues with the tranny of the older models Boxster, be sure to check it out (think it should be part of a PPI). Also, check the top, open and close it a few times to make sure the mechanism is working well.

Everyone has given you very good information. I would just like to add that I wouldn't consider the purchase of a Boxster to be a risky endeavor. Mine was absolutely trouble free for the time that I had it. Of course you need to take some precautions but they are pretty decent cars over all. Like bet said, get it inspected and plan on spending big bucks when it comes time to get new tires. Enjoy!

__________________
Porsche Cayman 2.7
Mercedes E320 Bluetec
Ducati Paul Smart LE
BMW R1200GS

There were two major problems with the early Boxsters. The first was the Rear Main Seal (RMS) failure which took up to the Cayman introduction to fix and the slipped liner issue on the earliest of the line. These have been endlessly discussed on PPBB.com.