Early model second-hand porsche boxster a good buy?

Hi,

I've just moved to the US, and need to buy a car. Looking through the second-hand car market, I am amazed at how cheap you can buy Porsche Boxsters for - in the LA area. I have seen them advertised as low as $13000 and there is a lot of stock around the $16000 range. These are typically 1995 - 2000 models.

Given my respect for the boxster, this seems almost too good to be true. Do people have advice on whether an early model boxster is a wise purchase or not? Are they reliable? What are maintenance and repair costs like? Insurance?

I realize that maintenance and repair is likely to be higher, but I also suspect that the boxster should retain its value better than almost any other car at the price range - since they still look modern and are considered a "prestigious" brand.

Do people think I should go for it, or should I look at getting something else for that price?

Reply to
Mark
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"Mark" wrote

The '97-99 years had more problems than 2000 and on. One of the main concerns was multiple oil leaks. The 2000 model year has the larger 2.7L engine with more HP. Insurance and repairs are about any other car - especially if you don't insist on dealer repair shops.

FloydR

Reply to
Floyd Rogers

Within your parameters, you certainly want a 2000. Larger engine (2.7L) with more HP. Much more fun to drive. Few if any chronic problems from that year on. If you happen to run into a great deal on a 2000 Boxster-S...with the 3.2L engine. Grab it...they are terrific.

Reply to
Weekend Guru

Although Porsches tend to hold their resale quite well, Porsche of America claims that more units are sold every year in California (pre-dominantly southern California) than anywhere else in the world. Because of this, there is a glutton of them on the used market in areas like Los Angeles and the resale value falls. The only reason the dealers tolerate this rather than sending the cars to out-of-state lots where they might garner higher prices is because the same demand that sells so many new cars also equates to a high demand for less expensive pre-owned units. This of course is driven in part because older models such as the 964 and 993 generation 911s are still considered "cool" (and rightly so), there's nothing negative about driving an "older" Porsche for most people. That said, you may want to consider trying to find an early 993 or a late model 964 as opposed to the Boxster, which had early engine problems and can't match the performance of the 911 unless you get into an "S". I've also heard some complaints about the longevity of the plastic window in early Boxsters. I'd reccomend contacting California Cars in Thousand Oaks, they predominantly specialize in Porsches, usually have several used models in stock to choose from and can generally find a car for you if they don't have it. You can see their inventory list (with pictures) and

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although it sometimes takes a week fornew vehicles to hit the website so you can always call and ask ifthere's anything not yet listed. They also have a Porsche trainedmechanic on-site, so the cars are well looked over before they are putfor sale.

Reply to
Filmophile

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