The 5-6k Boxster - good/bad idea?

[PaperCut]

I've driven an early (2000) 2.7 model and it was great. I remember AutoExpress did a feature on the £4k Boxster and said it was worth getting as long as you carry out a proper inspection from either a Porsche specialist (preferable) or at least an RAC or AA one.

In dark colours - black, blue etc. & with the clear light lenses, they can be quite understated and subtle IMO.

[lestershaw]

i know where there is a really nice black 3.2 for sale, its done 73,000 miles and had a new clutch and ims seal and intermediate shaft done recently. its black on black with full psh :-)

[anonymous-user]

5678 said:

I've moved onto looking at 3.0 Z4s now, IMS issues (slim chance it may be...) put me off.

I had a 3.0i Z4 and they are great cars!

[5678]

lestershaw said:

i know where there is a really nice black 3.2 for sale, its done 73,000 miles and had a new clutch and ims seal and intermediate shaft done recently. its black on black with full psh :-)

Send me a PM with the details...

[cooldude00]

funnily enough, i moved from a 3.0 Z4 roadster to a 3.4 Cayman S... different breed of cars in my opinion.. the Z4 used to bounce all over the road with the run flats and even after swapping those out, the drive was great but not fantastic... and i kept it for 7 yrs...

the 3.4 cayman feels much tighter and yes i do worry about the issues that may come with it sometimes but at the end of the day, it's a once in a lifetime thing...

[walm]

I had a W-reg 3.2s 6sp manual from 65k to 75k a few years ago, and it was a joy!

The radio even turned its own volume up as I pressed the loud pedal.

Only problems:
- I split the plastic rear screen. This is common. Costs c.£250+ to fix.
- Aircon was leaking. (I never bothered to fix this.)
- I didn't have to buy any but I imagine a full set of tyres will cost >10% of the value of the car!
- It didn't have heated seats - they are nice.

At £6k I would buy another one just for the weekends!
- Roof down in seconds.
- The sound. Dunno why, but it just sounds like a Porsche.
- I am a frightful badge snob - it's a Porsche.
- Everything worked - all the time.
- Build quality. Felt like a MUCH younger car.
- No one called me a hairdresser.

[TOENHEEL]

Away from engine problems the 2.5 and IMHO 2.7's performance in a straight line is lacking, i've owned the very last of 986 in a 2004 facelift 225bhp and was never happy with its straight line grunt.. frustrated me somewhat. I know straight line grunt isn't everything and you can wind it up on a twisty b road and keep it up there but don't get carried away a hot hatch will keep up with you for grunt. Irrelevant in this argument I guess as with a limited budget I would buy the newest and cleanest car for your money which means avoiding Boxsters all together and looking at other alternatives!

[Onemcs]

My brother bought a 2001 boxster about a year ago. Is his daily commuter into london and not a problem yet! Paid about 7500k with 40k on the clock.

Seriously tempted myself!

[tr7v8]

V8Triumph said:

5678 said:

V8Triumph said:

What would you like to know?

What constitutes horrendous parts prices? What were the bills that put you off?

It was mainly silly stuff like a new hood being over £1000, centre caps over £100. Trim prices were shocking. Then there was general servicing it cost over £200 for just a minor service, as a comparison, I can do that for under £25 on my MG. I found it was far too expensive to run for what it was.

The other major issue was the car was rather quick but didn't come alive until well after speed limits had been reached and for me, it felt like a licence losing car.

Not sure I understand this, hoods even today aren't £1000 & aren't a consumable any way. Again with trim, not consumable. I can't believe you get a service at the same level on an MG for £25 compared to the Boxster at £200. Most of the specialists are quoting £250 for a 12k service on the Boxster, I assume by MG you're talking MGF? So who is servicing it for £25? It must be £25 of bits without labour.
I've just bought an immaculate 78K mile 3.2S Tip with hood with glass screen on a W for £6,500. Yes the RMS is weeping & it'll need a few other bits looked at.
But these will move to the same place as 944s are now which is people who can do their own spannering will buy them & work around the issues. A new RMS & uprated IMS are £300 or so. So at some point I'll drag the Tip box out & sort them out myself.

[ThunderSpook]

My Porsche specialist advised not to replace the RMS on older cars unless it's leaking badly. Apparently a bit of seepage is good as it puts less stress on the engine whereas if it's replaced and doesn't leak at all then the additional stress might cause something more important to go.