looking at used boxsters

[steelynorm]

I have been looking for a used car for some time now.
i recently passed on a used 911sc that needed lots of cosmetic love.
while perusing my local craigslist ads i searched for boxsters. Wow their values come off sharply at around 100k miles. why is that, are they just a ticking time bomb?

Are these cars very problematic? how durable and well put together are they.

[mikefocke]

Most cars drop in price due to the psychology of passing 100k more than anything statistical. Are there Boxsters that made 200k? Sure. Well maintained ones. But if you look at a car that old it is old and things fail from use and from age. How well have the little things been addressed over its lifetime would be the important thing.

Name me a car without problems.

[BYprodriver]

Honda

[WhipE350]

Ya there is even some of a drop in price around 70k to 80k miles. I think it is more of a thing where someone wants a weekend driver/fun car to have that maintained like new look and has that new feel, not uncommon with high priced sports cars.

I have seen ones sell on forums very very fast with high mileage but they were sweet cars.

Now that I know how to work on these things I actually have been looking at some very high mileage ones because they are so cheap. I could fix it up to look really sharp and enjoy maybe doing some tracking with my son without worrying about losing a large investment.

Are you handy with cars, do you want to learn to be, if so I would get one with the higher mileage. Things will break down on these cars, I even think age takes it toll not only mileage, mine is at 54k miles (2000 'S') and it has some things that don't work but they really are age related. They are expensive to fix but if you do a lot of the work then it's not a big deal. You can even find parts at ok prices if you shop around...and used parts are a big business so most places will have what you need.

I look at it this way, if I can pick up another 2000 'S' with 135000 miles for 7 or 8k and it was at least not torn up, then man I can have a lot of fun for not much.

What are you seeing you like?

[mikefocke]

Originally Posted by BYprodriver

Honda

I've owned 3 Honda products. Civic, Acura TL, CRV.

The Civic had all 5 brake cylinders replaced at under 25k miles, rusted through by 50k. I forget what all else. Kept it till around 90k in the family. Loved the package and drive but reliable it was not.

The CRV has really only had a few problems, O2 sensor that is twice the price of the one the Boxster uses failed at 35k. Twice as expensive at dealer prices, twice as expensive at OEM equivalent prices.

The Acura has had the usual transmission oiling problem of its design and has had 3 bent wheels. Never bent a wheel on the 40 other cars I've owned. Now I've got to replace the driver's seat as the leather is deteriorating/splitting. Porsche of around the same age/miles is fine. Paint chips galore ... not the P-car.

[steelynorm]

My only concern with picking up a used boxster is just general durability.
I dont mind if i need to replace and refurbish wear and tear items.
I just dont want unknown electrical gremlins or exploding trannies or engines.
If the general consensus is these cars are pretty solid then i am going to start searching.

[bklyn]

I have both, a 2002 Boxster and an 87 Targa, the 87 Targa seems to be bullit proof but I have 77k on the Boxster and all is well. Mostly just brakes, oil changes, filters and routine maint. to this point. But remember used is used it does not matter what kind of car.

[clickman]

Originally Posted by BYprodriver

Honda

Auto tranny in our van went boom.

[chamilun]

I test drove 4 different boxsters through MY03.

all had between 52 and 80k miles, and all had either a semi-rough interior or something not right about the engine. Finally, just because Id seem them all, went and drove a 115k miles 99. I was hooked.

Just like any Porsche: the upkeep is what matters, not necessarily the miles

[BerneseMtnDog]

There are a lot of things that start to need replacing on Boxsters at about 80k to 100k miles. Most suspensions parts, water pump, motor mount. These things can really add up fast. My 2000 2.7L has 84k on it now and it's needed the motor mount and a replacement light switch but that's it. I can tell it needs a suspension overhaul from some of the sounds I hear from it and it's on its original water pump which I plan to replace this weekend. A full suspension overhaul is about $3k in parts alone (I'm slowly gathering parts for this). If you can't see any records of this sort of stuff being done I'd plan on some expensive weekend repair fun. A lot of used cars of all makes have had their maintenance ignored so I'd really only consider a car with good service records.

Steve

[randy_k]

I just purchased MY99 Christmas Eve with 104500 on the clock. Before I test drove it, I called the Porsche dealer here and asked if there was anything I should look for, besides the obvious. Oil spots underneath it. He said if anything was going to break, it probably already had. I also spoke to the local shop that I trust and asked them about the infamous IMS. Out of about 100 Boxster clients they have. He said that most of the ones that had, had that problem, were lower mileage cars?
The dealer let me take it for 3 days to test. There are a bunch of nit picky things that I have fixed. The speaker grills were cracked. New/used ones from a junk yard. 30 bucks. Interior door lights missing. 30 bucks. and so on. The other problems that I have encountered are. Bad brake booster. Has moisture in it and freezes up when the temps get below 20*F. Bought a new/used one from a salvage yard that is perfect for 20 bucks.
New crank case positioning sensor installed. As it wouldn't start once it got hot. No I'm chasing down some other small issues. Nothing major or that I can't do. But I new I was going to run into some things. It's a used car.
Other things I have done are. Change the oil, Replace the serpentine belt, air filter and had the bake fluid flushed and replaced.
I probably should have had a PPI done on it. But on the other hand. They wouldn't have known about the brake booster, unless they parked it outside over night in below 20 temps. Or the crank position sensor unless they drove it till the temp gauge hit 180, Then parked it and tried to start it a half hour later?
I gave up building Scale R/C planes after 18 years. Which are very expensive to build! And wanted something that would keep me busy instead of building model planes. At least I can insure this! $4000 plane hits the ground and poof.
I paid 7k for my Boxster and am enjoying messing with it. Next year I may get the LN IMS bearings installed just cuz. Some parts are crazy expensive and some are allot cheaper than you would think they would be.
There is ton's of info on the web on repairs, tips/DIY's. Waynes book is up next.
They're a blast to drive and worth the effort. Like people have said it's a used car. Excpect to do some repairs.
Good luck on what you decide.
Randy

[steelynorm]

Okay now i just need to find a 7000 dollar boxster.

[stew]

I am selling my 99 . Looking for closer to 9000. For it . Clean no problem arena red with about 124,000' on the clock. Just drove it 6 hrs each way to southern Oregon with no problems. And you can fit golf clubs in the rear trunk!

[steelynorm]

shoot me an email