Snap up a 986 now before prices go the way of the air cooled 911 according to the Hagerty report

[edc]

The 986 Boxster may well appreciate from where it is now and become a classic. It is best in class. Ok there are cars like the Z3M and Z4M that have an appeal too but they are one car in a range. The thing that makes me think it may not happen is the MX5. Another best in class car built in quite large numbers but still cheap as chips. Maybe it's because the mk1 was a rip off of the Lotus that hinders it. Also it's a run of the mill brand but saying that, it doesn't stop Fords from being appreciating classics.

[That986]

4 minutes ago, edc said:

The 986 Boxster may well appreciate from where it is now and become a classic. It is best in class. Ok there are cars like the Z3M and Z4M that have an appeal too but they are one car in a range. The thing that makes me think it may not happen is the MX5. Another best in class car built in quite large numbers but still cheap as chips. Maybe it's because the mk1 was a rip off of the Lotus that hinders it. Also it's a run of the mill brand but saying that, it doesn't stop Fords from being appreciating classics.

The MX5 is too numerous at the moment, there is still plenty around to choose from. Once the numbers go down on them then the good ones will come up in price especially the special editions like the Berkeley.

[CarlM]

Not forgetting the MX5 isn't German . Possibly the availability of cheap grey imports hasn't helped either.

[hmg66]

A few low mileage mint MX5s have sold for £10 k plus  at KGF cars this year. What would you rather put £ 10 k into:)

[Muddy]

Why are the boxster so expensive to repair for engine gearbox etc. Is it just the position of engine and time equals labour equals lots of monies. If there are plenty on the scrap heap then parts should be plentiful but guess the main engine components are why they are at rest.  Cheers muddy 

[Mr96er]

I don't think most Boxsters die of mechanical failure. I think most are killed in action. 

Just my observation having visited two major Porsche graveyards...

[Terryg]

On 17/08/2017 at 10:23 PM, Loz987 said:

I don't think most Boxsters die of mechanical failure. I think most are killed in action. 

Just my observation having visited two major Porsche graveyards...

And of course personal experience

[pquadro]

On 16/08/2017 at 10:39 PM, hmg66 said:

A few low mileage mint MX5s have sold for £10 k plus  at KGF cars this year. What would you rather put £ 10 k into:)

A 986 boxster S 

[Jason986S]

Mk1 MX5's will start to creep as many have rotted out like most other early 90's cars from Japan. They're still massively popular in the modified world and are in theory cheap to modify and skid for a beginner. 

I cant see the average Boxster being mad expensive in the next decade. But I can see low mileage silver/red 2.5's and anniversaries going up. More and more people will eventually click that they can afford a Porsche for under £5k (initial purchase) and the demand will help the values slowly rise on good examples.

I don't see 986's depreciating any more than they have over the last year or so, where even when bargain basement examples are worth more in parts! I do hope that the used parts prices come down (through breakers/owners in parallel) but I'm not sure they will. 

On a personal note, I've had my 2001 3.2 for 16 months now and I think I paid decent/strong money for it. Not bargain basement but not concourse £10K+. I honestly can't see me loosing a penny against what I paid for it in April 2016. I didn't buy it based on future values, but it's nice to know and a nice place to be. 

Truth be told, I've been offered £1500 more than I paid for it in fact, but I can't see what else I can buy that would tick the same boxes for even that extra money. So I'll keep it indefinitely. 

 

[marseille]

On 17/08/2017 at 10:23 PM, Loz987 said:

I don't think most Boxsters die of mechanical failure. I think most are killed in action. 

Just my observation having visited two major Porsche graveyards...

"Killed in action"

Hahahaha I like that one

 

[hs0zfe]

On 17.3.2017 at 6:31 PM, PaulQ said:

This is a good point.

My car is now 20 years old, and I can't find any rust on it at all.

I think it will be a long time before these cars start getting scrapped due to corrosion issues.

Are you sure about that? I've had massive corrosion on a 1997 from Bedford. Even the screws holding the rims were rotted. And don't mention the cooler on the left side when facing the car's hood.

Moreover, 986s' prices are very seasonal. Buy in November! 

Personally, I'm very bearish on the stock market and the economy. Too many cars... something has got to give. And while I regard the 986 as an incredible value and better than the competition on many levels, I do see prices falling. 

Read my lips, there can be lots of rust - but perhaps I was unlucky and they keep using more salt in Bedfordshire?

[PaulQ]

32 minutes ago, hs0zfe said:

Are you sure about that? I've had massive corrosion on a 1997 from Bedford. Even the screws holding the rims were rotted. And don't mention the cooler on the left side when facing the car's hood.

Read my lips, there can be lots of rust - but perhaps I was unlucky and they keep using more salt in Bedfordshire?

 

Yes. By rust I mean structural, ie in the body panels, sills, chassis. Obviously fasteners & fixings etc will be corroded.

Its never been welded, or had any advisories on the MOT for corrosion, which on a 20 year old car is pretty damn good.

Loads of other cars this age will have been scrapped due to corrosion. Go and look at a Mazda or Ford for example.

 

 

 

[Terryg]

We are all guilty of trying to apply logic to a subject that has little to do with logic and more to do with emotion. If logic applied no Ford would ever be worth more than any Porsche. Best example is the Capri versus 924, not massively different in concept but drive each and tell me the values make sense.

[chrishak]

3 hours ago, Terryg said:

We are all guilty of trying to apply logic to a subject that has little to do with logic and more to do with emotion. If logic applied no Ford would ever be worth more than any Porsche. Best example is the Capri versus 924, not massively different in concept but drive each and tell me the values make sense.

Hmmm - I beg to differ. I love Porsches as much as anybody, but I also think that Ford's motorsport ambition has resulted in a heritage of the finest 'blue-collar' performance cars of any manufacturer, anywhere. A few examples - Lotus Cortina Mk1 & 2, Escort Twin Cam, RS1600, RS1800, RS1600i, Cosworth, Capri RS2600, RS3100, Turbo, Sierra Cosworth, RS500 (need I continue?). Most of them almost handbuilt and all very desirable. Even the more mundane examples such as the Escort Mexico, RS2000, Capri 3000E, GXL, 3000S, 2.8 injection etc. would have been halo cars in most manufacturers ranges.

I have a lot of respect for the much maligned 924, but it will never be as special (or desirable, IMHO) as a Capri RS2600, Escort RS1600 or Sierra Cosworth.

I'll don my hard-hat and retreat now...

[Terryg]

But even the humble stuff goes for silly money, plus a Capri will never have the balance of a 924 and some of them are more than the Le Mans. The Sierra is what is because of the Cosworth engine, the build quality of the rest is not great, likewise the Lotus Cortina. In my opinion people with limited imagination lusted after Capris et al when they were young, they grow up get a few pound and buy them at prices they are not really worth.

I'm heading to my nuclear bomb shelter.

[kevs]

I'm 9 years into ownership of my 986.  My choice when buying was between a Boxster and an Elise.  If I'd bought an Elise it would still be worth almost the same now, certainly not something that can be said of the Boxster.  I'd still make the same choice even with the benefit of hindsight.  

Maybe in another 9 years prices might get back to where I started!

[hs0zfe]

A friend has a TRV and when it comes to enjoyment, practicality and value, I see the 986 leaves all the rest  

 

@Kevs, will you keep it much longer? 

[Southy]

Mine is still worth more today than I paid for it 2 1/2 years ago, I got a Porsche Boxster bargain haha or so I thought! - now I've spent a pretty penny on it, I'll never recoup that money but should get at least my initial outlay back if I sold

 

[kevs]

@hs0zfe hopefully, I still love it. Passes the look back after parking test!  Now that I have the airbag deactivation switch fitted and the coding done, I can take my toddler out so it's serving as a handy second family car!  One day, a 911 would be nice but that's not happening any time soon.

[hs0zfe]

Yesterday, I read a study on car owners. Porsche owners were accused of lacking brand loyalty. No link, 'cos it was in German (the study was by the University of Bochum). Let's just say no fool like a learned fool 

http://www.wiwo.de/unternehmen/auto/autos-und-emotionale-bindung-wo-opel-porsche-ueberholt-hat/20221874.html They say the 911 only sold about 3x k units vs the Macan's 95 k etc. Well, I bet it would help if the author ever experienced ownership of a Porsche 

People's views will always differ. Decades ago, I chose a Polo G-40 for my mother (without bothering to test drive it). The GTI before that was a joy and wouldn't stall when stuck in 3rd gear at a traffic light. The 1.3 liter engine lacked torque and was terribly disappointing. But a friend collects the dreadful "G-Lader" cars and has repaired thousands of those. 

The other day a nice "S" sold on Ebay. http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/2001-Porsche-Boxster-S-Grey-Superb-Condition/112529233623?ssPageName=STRK%3AMEBIDX%3AIT&_trksid=p2055119.m1438.l2649  r e l i s t e d. 

So you get such a car serviced and invest in new brake disks all around or whatever. Then you can enjoy the car without the depreciation of a new DACIA.

[Boxob]

10 hours ago, hs0zfe said:

Yesterday, I read a study on car owners. Porsche owners were accused of lacking brand loyalty.

Not a too surprising conclusion. Porsche have moved their brand into main stream car production. That helps with profit but opens the brand to a much wider market competing for the same customers. Customers are fickle!

 

[Rev Ken]

I've had three MX5s, and all of them have corroded more than my 14 year old Boxster, but then they had higher mileages on them. 

[mxm1275]

Funny old thread this... 

Surely, just drive, enjoy, maintain... repeat.  Unless you're an investment banker looking to back an investment horse of course. ;-)

[Paul O]

On 20/08/2017 at 2:49 PM, Terryg said:

We are all guilty of trying to apply logic to a subject that has little to do with logic and more to do with emotion. If logic applied no Ford would ever be worth more than any Porsche. Best example is the Capri versus 924, not massively different in concept but drive each and tell me the values make sense.

I agree with this, it's the emotional connection that you had with a car when you were growing up but couldn't afford. Mine is the escort cosworth, I see it as a legendary car with cool looks. My dad sees it as an old, massively overpriced escort. My dad has legends from his era, that I just see as old classic cars. Same for any era really.

All fast fords seem have this same 'icon' status amongst their respective youth years.

I'm not sure that the MX5 or the Boxster ever had this kind of following. Plus they were built in enough numbers to depreciate to the point that they are easily attainable by those who may have revered them in their younger years. Consequently, I can't see them ever been worth a ton of money until they are exceptionally rare and move into the hands of the next generation of collectors.

[bally4563]

I'd rather nail my testicles to a plank than own anything by Ford!!,