frightened of big bills

[jim o'hara]

8 hours ago, PaulQ said:

Just make sure you buy one with all the common parts that fail/wear replaced, and it's unlikely you will get any big bills.

No guarantee though

 

paul, that is exactly what i am thinking

cheers

[jim o'hara]

10 hours ago, stevemag said:

I have a mate selling a 987....but it's black 3.2s

sorry, can't do black - lol

[jim o'hara]

5 hours ago, Araf said:

Unless I'm wide of the mark, you'll struggle finding a 987.2 in Boxster or Cayman flavours for that.

Go for a 2006 car, registered before the end of March as it will have the lower tax.  You should pick up a sorted car for similar money to a 986 (around £10k for a Cayman or £7.5k for a Boxster).  Don't be scared of high miles - my 987.2 has done just under 100k and is fine.  You do see them with 150k + miles on the clock.

As for big bills, you will need a budget for when you first get it.  I've always managed to spend £2-3k in the first year on bits that are not necessary but make the car how I like it - being wheels and tyres, cruise control, colour change etc.  The current one had £3.5k thrown at it in the first 6 months.  Apart from servicing and warranty, it has cost me nothing since (over 3 1/2 years) - though I'm expecting big bills with the next major service for brakes all around, gearbox service and another 2 years on the warranty.

Good luck with the search.

thanks Araf,

i get what you are saying in 'getting the car the way you want it', but i aint going to be dropping £2-3k after I've just bought it. I assume the car you spent £3.5k on the first 6 months may have been really cheap to start with???

[jim o'hara]

5 hours ago, sa utah said:

I prefer to buy a car at the lower end of the price spectrum and spend money on all the common stuff that needs doing.  That way I know in my own mind it’s been done to my satisfaction.  Plus I really like buying shiny new parts.  
my own 2006 2.7 so far has had a water pump , discs and pads all round and is currently in bits awaiting front coffin marks and tuning forks , top mounts and new dampers.   
ive never bought a car that I haven’t spent money on almost instantly as I really buy them as a small project to keep me occupied.  If you do t want to get surprised with bills I’d just get yourself an Mx5 on lease hire.   Cheap as chips and you’ll have no surprises at all. 
 

 

actually, you sound a bit like me - anything i buy, i have it as a project too, and don't mind spending the money as long as its reflected in the purchase price

the full point of my thread though was, what can i expect, and it seems that IF you buy a well sorted car, then potentially the bills can me minimised 

jim

[jim o'hara]

4 hours ago, naim22 said:

I think it may be better to buy a 986 or older 987 & use your remaining budget to get the car set right so you have the peace of mind. You can definitely reduce the work needed by looking for a good example.

The only way round avoiding the potential of big bills for is to go for something really new. Unfortunately your budget isnt going to do that, even the newest of 987.1 are 10 years old now.

I've never really been stung by a huge must fix now bill but like all old cars as soon as the preventative jobs starts in my case it just tends to snowball. Things like corroded bolts etc either take time (labour unless DIYing) or lead to changing more bits than originally needed which do drive up the bill. 

Overall I'd say they are well engineered compared to most cars, 15+ year old cars are reasonably ubiquitous which is not always the case for cars this age. This is normally a good sign that these cars aren't typically on the end of uneconomical bills. I also have a 2007 335d and that is much the same story. 

thanks Naim

[jim o'hara]

4 hours ago, PaulQ said:

That's fine if you know what the issues are before you buy the car and are mechanically minded, or have some idea of what needs doing and the costs involved. 

Someone who isn't/doesn't or who buys what they think is a sound car for a not so low price, thinking that paying a little more will get them a better one could soon rack up ££ worth of work, especially if using an opc or specialist garage for all the jobs. 

Unfortunately a full opc history, and nice shiny paint doesn't make a good car. 

If I was in the market for a cheapish 987 with reasonable mileage that would be least likely to throw up bills, then I would be looking for something with all the wear and tear stuff done like front coolant pipes, condensers, radiators, suspension arms, water pump, AOS, window regulators, brake pipes, door locks, discs/pads/tyres etc....etc.

Unless your very lucky you probably won't find something with everything done, just because it doesn't yet need the work, but if you know what could potentially need replacing then you will be much better prepared. 

I can appreciate that not everyone has the time, inclination or the interest to spend hours on end researching stuff on the Internet, but if you do you will be much better prepared for any jobs that are likely to need doing, so can budget accordingly. 

And yes, an MX5 will be less hassle, until it starts rotting around you

 

 

Paul

this is exactly what i am thinking

i know cars very well and know what is a good history and what is not

i agree just because it has a SERVICE history doesn't make it the best - servicing is one thing, but maintenance is another !!!!!

i think you are totally spot on - look for a car that has had most of the main parts sorted (and i know what all of these parts & problem areas are ), and if stuff needs done, then plan for it 

i think if i do man homework (which i have done) then big bills (IMS failure excluded), can be avoided

thanks again

jim

[jim o'hara]

3 hours ago, Muddy said:

I earn a less than average wage live in a tied cottage with my job and work in woodland conservation and should not run a Boxster but l do and share your worry. BUT big BUT sounds naff l should be saving for my retirement but l need a petrol naughty lump of metal in my life. Be safe and run a MX5 l can’t and if you have that tug for a Boxster do it if you don’t it will niggle you always. 3 years now 986 start and now 987 yes new tyres all round, pads discs all round, water pump and now live happily with my Porsche paranoia. I have a dedicated credit card for my Boxster if he needs it. I have tried to convince myself to sell and buy a Audi TT roadster but there is nothing for the money to compare. You see those badgers on land rover ONE LIFE LIVE IT as much as it makes me cringe you can apply it to a Boxster. 

Cheers muddy 

thanks Muddy - wise words indeed

jim

[jim o'hara]

1 hour ago, John K said:

If you have a good indy near you why not ask them if the know of any cars they have looked after are coming up for sale.

If they have looked after the car they will know what has been done and what is pending 

That's how I got mine

Good luck..!

thanks John, that's the plan 

jim

[jim o'hara]

2 hours ago, Mattman42 said:

@jim o'hara - I’ve recently updated my thread in members rides which includes a breakdown of all my costs to date for a 2010 987.2 bought with 65k on it.

not every car needs £2k spending on it, but a bad one might cost you more - buy from a reputable dealer and extend the warranty if it offers good coverage.

Even a good one can throw up the odd bill, but then so can pretty much every other car out there too - the difference is the Porsche ‘may’ intimately retain more of its value over time

Good luck with the search 

thanks Matt, ill check that out

[jimmy p]

 

 

This is what I picked up late summer. 2.7 57 plate excellent spec, low mileage and recent rads, condenses, coolant pipes and tyres.

Should think one like this should be achievable close your budget.

Buy a good example and although you will never be exempt from bills you can reduce the risk. Good luck. We are always happy to help.

 

 

[stevemag]

10 hours ago, jim o'hara said:

sorry, can't do black - lol

Alas me niether, I went Artic silver with red interior 

[DaveEFI]

20 hours ago, jim o'hara said:

looking in the region of £10k

Some 18 month ago, I got £10,000 trade in for my 2005 2.7 Tip with about 35,000 miles, 2 owners, FSH and a high spec. It had no faults, and only needed a service and a few body dings fixed (London parking) Dealer sorted those, and it went on the forecourt at £13,000. Only reasons I changed it were I didn't like the Tip, and the silver colour. So £10k should get a really nice 987 now with no faults you can't see on an inspection.

[jimmy p]

I do also know of a really nice looking 987 gen2 2.9 low mileage car with good spec that a friend of mine is considering trading against a 981 if you could stretch your budget.

[jim o'hara]

3 hours ago, jimmy p said:

 

 

This is what I picked up late summer. 2.7 57 plate excellent spec, low mileage and recent rads, condenses, coolant pipes and tyres.

Should think one like this should be achievable close your budget.

Buy a good example and although you will never be exempt from bills you can reduce the risk. Good luck. We are always happy to help.

 

 

thanks Jimmy, so that goes to show that they `re out there

can i ask what you paid?

jim

[jim o'hara]

2 hours ago, jimmy p said:

I do also know of a really nice looking 987 gen2 2.9 low mileage car with good spec that a friend of mine is considering trading against a 981 if you could stretch your budget.

how much of a stretch?

[jim o'hara]

17 hours ago, Mattman42 said:

@jim o'hara - I’ve recently updated my thread in members rides which includes a breakdown of all my costs to date for a 2010 987.2 bought with 65k on it.

not every car needs £2k spending on it, but a bad one might cost you more - buy from a reputable dealer and extend the warranty if it offers good coverage.

Even a good one can throw up the odd bill, but then so can pretty much every other car out there too - the difference is the Porsche ‘may’ intimately retain more of its value over time

Good luck with the search 

thanks Matt

read you report and apart from the head unit, nothing there that worries me at all

all about finding the right car i think - and that is something i am good at finding, so im on the hunt 

 

[frozen]

14 hours ago, jim o'hara said:

actually, you sound a bit like me - anything i buy, i have it as a project too, and don't mind spending the money as long as its reflected in the purchase price

the full point of my thread though was, what can i expect, and it seems that IF you buy a well sorted car, then potentially the bills can me minimised 

jim

Hi Jim,

I think you're looking for certainty where there isn't any.  You're looking at a gen.1 987 or a gen 2 - gen 1's started production in 2005 - so that's potentially a 15 year old car - and porsche extended warranty stops at that age. The chances of any 15 year old car being 100% fault free - even if the previous owner was as diligent as I am 😉, is near zero. So you'd best factor in some contingency.

I'm on my third boxster over the last 20 years or so, and currently have three porsches, and the odd bill is (mostly) inevitable sooner or later. Of my three boxsters two have been faultless and entirely predictable and one had a huge bill - sorted by porsche though on that occasion thankfully (thats another story). 

Of the others, condensers fail (1k bill), brake /coolant pipes go (another 1k), brake discs and tyres (2k+), exhausts corrode (1.5k) etc. These things happen.

If you budget a 'sinking fund' of 1k a year - hopefully you'll never need it - but when you do, it's there. Probably you don't tell the wife that bit though.

Don't take this as negative - just realistic.  I've been through all this and yet I still keep buying them - that's for a reason - they're fantastic cars and worth the effort to maintain them.

[jim o'hara]

5 minutes ago, frozen said:

Hi Jim,

I think you're looking for certainty where there isn't any.  You're looking at a gen.1 987 or a gen 2 - gen 1's started production in 2005 - so that's potentially a 15 year old car - and porsche extended warranty stops at that age. The chances of any 15 year old car being 100% fault free - even if the previous owner was as diligent as I am 😉, is near zero. So you'd best factor in some contingency.

I'm on my third boxster over the last 20 years or so, and currently have three porsches, and the odd bill is (mostly) inevitable sooner or later. Of my three boxsters two have been faultless and entirely predictable and one had a huge bill - sorted by porsche though on that occasion thankfully (thats another story). 

Of the others, condensers fail (1k bill), brake /coolant pipes go (another 1k), brake discs and tyres (2k+), exhausts corrode (1.5k) etc. These things happen.

If you budget a 'sinking fund' of 1k a year - hopefully you'll never need it - but when you do, it's there. Probably you don't tell the wife that bit though.

Don't take this as negative - just realistic.  I've been through all this and yet I still keep buying them - that's for a reason - they're fantastic cars and worth the effort to maintain them.

thanks FROZEN, appreciate the honest response

jim

 

[edc]

AC condensers can be much cheaper than £1k. Think £40 each delivered. 

[jim o'hara]

2 minutes ago, edc said:

AC condensers can be much cheaper than £1k. Think £40 each delivered. 

i was thinking that tbh - and the fitting is a breeze 

likewise tyres & brakes can be done for c£1k im sure 

[CAZ]

Wise words there from Frozen.It might seem silly but I stick £20 a week away in the back of my purse behind my driving licence and save up all my £2 coins - once that £20 a week has effectively "been spent" into my purse I forget about it - this gives me a fund of just over £1 k a year - i'm 8 months into my ownership and have had 2 smallish things crop up, a window micro switch needing replacing and she is going in to my Indy to have her ignition barrel replaced on the 6th

If I could do the work myself it would be cheaper,but I can't,so have to pay out for labour.I also cut back in other areas so that I can fund my Porsche - she isn't my daily,so I save quite a bit on petrol and I don't smoke or drink (would rather drive ) or do the £3 for a coffee or pay out for lunch everyday - all things that help me keep her running.

[jim o'hara]

14 minutes ago, CAZ said:

Wise words there from Frozen.It might seem silly but I stick £20 a week away in the back of my purse behind my driving licence and save up all my £2 coins - once that £20 a week has effectively "been spent" into my purse I forget about it - this gives me a fund of just over £1 k a year - i'm 8 months into my ownership and have had 2 smallish things crop up, a window micro switch needing replacing and she is going in to my Indy to have her ignition barrel replaced on the 6th

If I could do the work myself it would be cheaper,but I can't,so have to pay out for labour.I also cut back in other areas so that I can fund my Porsche - she isn't my daily,so I save quite a bit on petrol and I don't smoke or drink (would rather drive ) or do the £3 for a coffee or pay out for lunch everyday - all things that help me keep her running.

thanks Gaz, sounds sensible

as i work from home, i won't be doing a great deal of mileage, so probably 3k/4k a year on mileage 

i am quite handy and if its an easy enough job, then ill do it (pads & discs etc)

don't smoke & drink very little, but my wife shoe addiction does cost a bit - lol

thanks for the words

jim

[jimmy p]

Jim, PM sent

[frozen]

5 hours ago, jim o'hara said:

i was thinking that tbh - and the fitting is a breeze 

likewise tyres & brakes can be done for c£1k im sure 

true enough for condensers and o-rings and minor maintenance  - but I don't do my own maintenance and car is under warranty - so I pay opc for it.

Yes could do it a lot cheaper myself, but my wife's P&J (technically - ish) so gets very well looked after, hence sinking fund.

You can look after these cars and DIY quite a bit if so minded, but thought realistic to provide full price for someone else doing it, worst case.

Again, not negative, and I keep doing it because it's worth it :-)

[PaulQ]

20 hours ago, jim o'hara said:

Paul

this is exactly what i am thinking

i know cars very well and know what is a good history and what is not

i agree just because it has a SERVICE history doesn't make it the best - servicing is one thing, but maintenance is another !!!!!

i think you are totally spot on - look for a car that has had most of the main parts sorted (and i know what all of these parts & problem areas are ), and if stuff needs done, then plan for it 

i think if i do man homework (which i have done) then big bills (IMS failure excluded), can be avoided

thanks again

jim

Some nice cars come up for sale on here, and you have the advantage of looking through all their form posts, so you can usually get a good handle on what's been done if they have owned it for a while, but that doesn't mean you won't find a decent enthusiast owned car from elsewhere. 

I got mine as someone mentioned on another forum that they were thinking of selling, so the car wasn't even advertised as such. 

Good luck in the search