Salvaged, but it has potential...

[cliyde]

...even if it is a Boxster.
Cheap 1997 Porsche Boxster

Admittedly, over time I've been drawn in by my neighbors car. However, I'd never trade the 3.2 for it. But as cheap as these cars have become, it's almost plausible especially at that price.

What's everyone else's take?

[JP911]

I've thought about it too. Here's the short version of where I end up every time: cheap to buy, expensive to fix and hard to diy.

[Bobboloo]

You can buy a no issues 97 Boxster for their Buy It Now price and this car has a salvage title.

The going rate for a decent 97' Boxster is $12k these days.

[LeeH]

Odd to see a color change on a newer car. If you look closely at the pics you can see red peeking through in several places.

[Dan in Pasadena]

That's a lot of car for $12,000. Personally I am very drawn to (what I saw) as the original Boxster in silver paint with the sort of dark saddle interior. I still remember that "550 Spyder Driver Emerges from a Coma" commercial.

I am perturbed by the idea that it is a "chick's car". Besides the fact that that is sexist as hell, it is intended to somehow connote that it is a lesser car. Everything I have ever read about them is they are a true road car and better than most particularly when they were new. I have also read plenty of opinions that well setup and driven by someone who knows how they are very competitive to the S. I say if you can get one for a price you consider good, I'd go for it. Probably make a hell of a daily.

[450knotOffice]

All I can tell you is I have a hard time keeping up with them at the track when I'm driving my 996 balls out. That should say a lot. Very capable cars.

[EarlyPorsche]

It is amazing to see the repaints of the long hood years starting to peek up on newer cars. I thought we all learned years ago not to change a cars color, I guess not.

[DARISC]

narp, narp, narp

[450knotOffice]

...until one blows by your SC at the track and the only time you'll see him again is when he laps you (and I'm not talking about you as a driver. The cars are just that good.) These are most certainly Porsches.

And yes, I get that you were poking fun at it in good humor. I just had to point out how capable this narp really is.

[catser911]

I wonder if this is a Katrina baby.........

[rlh930]

I'm sure the hood would shut perfectly if you just push on it lightly.

[LeeH]

Still... '97 Boxsters with good titles and in their original colors are selling at the wholesale auction for $10K-$11K. Why buy one like this when $12K will get a nice one?

Recent sales:

WP0CA2984V 99,903 M BLUE 02/27/2007 $10,500

WP0CA2984V 100,078 M BLUE 03/13/2007 $11,100

WP0CA2987V 97,392 M BLACK 03/01/2007 $11,200

WP0CA2987V 97,721 M BLACK 03/13/2007 $10,900

[JMatta]

Speaking as a 911 owner all these years (probably close to 12 cars), I bought an '02 Boxster S last spring to compliment my '73 911. Anyone that thinks these cars are "girly cars" is either horribly naive or from Mars. I do alot of instructing for PCA and other car clubs. When I first started driving Boxsters, I could not believe how wonderfully balanced and fun these cars were to drive fast. My S (with 11k miles) is nicely set-up with H&R sport springs, bigger rubber, Evo mods and a sport exhaust. I love 911s, but my S will kick most of their rears any day.

cliyde, I don't recommend investing in a salvage car with a bad paint job...look around, you can find a nice early 986 for cheap; and when you have some extra cash, plant a 3.4 in it. It will really kick butt then.

[berettafan]

I make it a rule not to buy a car from someone that has an airbrushed license plate.

[MRM]

Lee, do you have any recent auction sales of 996s for comparison? I'm curious to see how they are doing in the wholesale market. If they get cheap enough I'm going to get an 02 cab.

[rbuswell]

Originally posted by catser911
I wonder if this is a Katrina baby.........

Wouldn't evidence of the reason for the salvage title show up on Carfax?

[Groesbeck Hurricane]

Not necessarily. And Carfax is not that reliable. My '83 shows as no issues with the mileage, my title shows that the mileage shown on the car is incorrect. My mileage is just that, incorrect. On my 2000 Ford Carfax shows as the mileage being suspect/wrong. I have owned the truck from new (less than 120 miles on it) and KNOW the mileage has never been touched. Some yahoo added a one in front of my truck's mileage when it was at under 70K, that showed up on Carfax. Go figure...

[Quicksilver]

Anyone who has priced the market recently realizes that the base price of early Boxsters has dropped to the point where a fair trade is two early Boxsters for one good early longhood. As has been mentioned here, these things are not cheap to replace anything on.

The price is low enough that you might be able to purchase a non-salvage runner and easily part it out for a good profit. Thinking of this as anything other then a parts car is a good way to spend money.

. . .

Oh, and...

Originally posted by JMatta
. . .
Anyone that thinks these cars are "girly cars" is either horribly naive or from Mars.
. . .

[NOMEXUNDIES]
Didn't we have this exact discussion on another thread recently?

BTW - Your avatar kinda looks like it came from some sort of reddish planet.
Hmmmm...





(Well it certainly isn't as "girly" as a Rabbit convertible with Holstein patterned seat covers...)



[/NOMEXUNDIES]

[azasadny]

Get a PPI and see what happens, this may be a good project car for you as long as you know what you're getting into...

[LeeH]

Originally posted by MRM
Lee, do you have any recent auction sales of 996s for comparison? I'm curious to see how they are doing in the wholesale market. If they get cheap enough I'm going to get an 02 cab.

2002 PORSCHE 911 2DR CONVERTIBLE ? 37,751 $42,000
2002 PORSCHE 911 2DR CONVERTIBLE Tip 40,788 $35,500
2002 PORSCHE 911 2DR CONVERTIBLE 4S 30,858 $41,000
2002 PORSCHE 911 2DR CONVERTIBLE 4S 22,931 $39,750
2002 PORSCHE 911 2DR CONVERTIBLE 6spd 40,315 $33,500
2002 PORSCHE 911 2DR CONVERTIBLE 6spd 68,132 $34,000