986 Boxster S…?

[CJM]

Performance Golf enthusiast here looking for a summer roadster. So I’ve been looking for a Boxster. Roughly £7-8k budget. I’ve seen some decent 2.7 models but a 3.2S has caught my eye. One owner (now retired) for the last 15 years. It looks like work has been done when needed… serviced every 2 years though… 2004 (04) and 79585 miles. Any thoughts from those more in the know? Currently on AutoTrader for £7950. 

[½cwt]

From what you've outlined it is a fair option but mileage shouldn't be too much of a driver.  Buy on condition and history.  The main thing to remember is it is 20 years old and so all the rubber bushes, CV boots and suspension joints on it are also 20 years old etc...  The rule of thumb is whatever you pay, budget another 1.5 to 2k to sort out the longer term maintenance bits that may not have been addresses recently over you first year or two of ownership.  Remember these were £35k + cars when new in the 90s/00s and their running/parts costs reflect that.  You may find a better option is a 3.2 at around £6k then you know you have that budget for the longer term bits and pieces.

Just to scare you a factory or high spec aftermarket exhaust system (i.e. not an eBay drone box) is going to cost you in excess of £1k plus labour.  A suspension refresh (quite commonly required on a 986) is £1.5k in parts and then labour on top. If you are  a keen DIYer then parts only helps to keep the budget under control.  Ignoring tyres and annual servicing and extras I've chosen to do, I've spent about £3k on top of a car that cost me just under £5k 5 ½ years ago.

Yes, go for a 3.2S, more torque and the 6 speed box, the 2.7 5 speed needs pushing along up the rev range top get the best out of it, you can access the performance more easily in S and there's more of it too.

Edited April 21 by ½cwt

[phazed]

All as above.

I bought a very cheap S with more problems than I thought were present. I have upgraded a lot of items as I am going to use the car for track days as well as for the road and I have spent somewhere in the region of £7-8K…. In parts alone.

Do have a good look around, there are good ones out there. 2 years ago I bought a 3.2, 987 tip with 50k on the clock. Mechanically very sound but with bodywork dings here and there. I paid £2.4K for it…

[Bbooxxsstteerr]

23 hours ago, CJM said:

Performance Golf enthusiast here looking for a summer roadster. So I’ve been looking for a Boxster. Roughly £7-8k budget. I’ve seen some decent 2.7 models but a 3.2S has caught my eye. One owner (now retired) for the last 15 years. It looks like work has been done when needed… serviced every 2 years though… 2004 (04) and 79585 miles. Any thoughts from those more in the know? Currently on AutoTrader for £7950. 

After having a 2.7 986 in the past I recently bought my 48k 04 S from a marque dealer for a shade under 12k. Most people would consider that the very top end for a 986 S but it had all the bits I wanted and the colour was illogically important.

Notwithstanding the low mileage, as noted by others the age of the car means  stuff will need doing so don’t let 70k miles on its own put you off.   It’s a Porsche so it’s quality is peerless but so are parts prices. Buy on condition.

But a fit Boxster is frankly the best driving car I’ve ever had and a lot easier to live with than most other performance cars I’ve had - my old 944 Turbo included. 

My mk1 MX5 which I’ll likely sell is a roadster and a child’s toy compared to the Boxster, which can cross continents in a day and tear up the Stelvio at the end of it. I have done this. Cubes count and it’s a flat 6.

Yes you have to work the 2.7 to get it going. The 3.2 is just there. They are both legends of cars though. Get the Boxster, which sounds a fair price but don’t wince when you spend at least a couple of k on it. 

[Menoporsche]

If you are 6’2” or over, sit in one first. Some can’t (some can). 

[scorpio63]

I own a Boxster S  and after 9 years it still puts smile on my face and nothing looks as good on the road. .fantastic car....

[jmsgld]

I have a 01 986 S manual that will be for sale shortly, you should have a pretty good idea of values if you are looking currently, would you be able to give me an idea of how much to list mine for and where is best to list?

Just under 79k , original owner for the 1st 15 years and serviced annually at Porsche in his ownership (he was a director at Janspeed and has one of their custom exhausts), new engine under warranty at 17k. He then sold it to his gardener who had it for almost 2 years but barely used it and didn't service it, I have had it since and used it daily until last summer, serviced annually, complete front end suspension refresh last year - Koni / Spyder, Ps4s on the rear less than 300 miles ago, coil packs last year, glass rear screen, otherwise original, no heated seats. It hasn't wanted for anything in my ownership and I have receipts. Will come with private plate that was on it when I bought it; K10 MLS, MOT history speaks for itself.

I started a new business last summer, which means that I have barely driven it since as I always need to take a bigger car, hence sale. 

Based in Dorset

[Menoporsche]

9k for more money, 7k for a fast sale. New engine and front suspension is good.

[jmsgld]

Thanks, will list for 8k and see how we get on.

[½cwt]

2 hours ago, Menoporsche said:

9k for more money, 7k for a fast sale. New engine and front suspension is good.

Suspension, definitely good, not necessarily so much on the engine as the new motor will likely still be a single IMSB (I imagine Porsche swapped like-for-like rather than an earlier or 987 engine) if a buyer is worried about that sort of thing of course.

[jmsgld]

I'm sure they did, would be a whole new can of worms to put a different engine in a car still under warranty, but would have thought IMS would have gone by now if it was going to, the engine certainly runs sweet and will have only done 61k or so... I am a little sad to get rid of it but it's just not getting used.

[½cwt]

2 hours ago, jmsgld said:

I'm sure they did, would be a whole new can of worms to put a different engine in a car still under warranty, but would have thought IMS would have gone by now if it was going to, the engine certainly runs sweet and will have only done 61k or so... I am a little sad to get rid of it but it's just not getting used.

My point was that if someone won't buy a later 986 due to IMS, this one would still not be on their list even with a new engine. 

By the way could you message me with your current engine number to add to my research?

[jmsgld]

I will have a look through the paperwork when I get the chance, I don't have any way of getting underneather the car though.