Boxster 550 Special Edition Spyder
Discussion
Just been looking at a Boxster 550 Special Edi. Going for £22995 on a 04 plate. Looks good, 55k on the clock, OPC Reading Service stamps throughout. Seriously tempted but wanted a 3.2 under £20k, but after seeing this and driving it my breaking strain is going like a Kit-Kat!
Dealer offering me £9.5k on my 53 Plate Subaru Impreza on 38k miles, does it seem like a good deal?
Any help appreciated.
Dealer offering me £9.5k on my 53 Plate Subaru Impreza on 38k miles, does it seem like a good deal?
Any help appreciated.
Edited by smudgesmith on Thursday 30th August 14:12
I bought one of these earlier in the year, a lot lower mileage but quite a lot more expensive.
As long as everything checks out service history wise (does it have the Porsche warranty?) then I would consider pushing your budget. Remember that these come pretty much fully loaded. Personally I like the colour, the painted wheels took a bit of getting used to but now I really like them.
I was also going to say that as they are a limited edition there should also be an upside when it comes to resale, however the price that this one is on offer at doesn't back that up
Perhaps your dealer hasn't realised the significance of what he's got and has priced it as a standard 986S?
As long as everything checks out service history wise (does it have the Porsche warranty?) then I would consider pushing your budget. Remember that these come pretty much fully loaded. Personally I like the colour, the painted wheels took a bit of getting used to but now I really like them.
I was also going to say that as they are a limited edition there should also be an upside when it comes to resale, however the price that this one is on offer at doesn't back that up
Perhaps your dealer hasn't realised the significance of what he's got and has priced it as a standard 986S?It seems clean enough. New tyres all round, bodywork is good. Picked up some slight marks on the interior which would "be sorted on sale etc".
Dealer is respected and has other Boxsters for sale as well as other hi-performance cars so i have no problem with where im getting it from.
Dealer said it belongs to bosses mate who wanted him to sell it.
As i have said previous, didnt want to go over the £20k mark but with it being a Ltd Edi, im thinking it would be worth eating bread and water for a few months!
Drives well, and got the looks on the test drive but then thats probably more to do with the fact myself and my mate were in Army uniform at the time!
Dealer is respected and has other Boxsters for sale as well as other hi-performance cars so i have no problem with where im getting it from.
Dealer said it belongs to bosses mate who wanted him to sell it.
As i have said previous, didnt want to go over the £20k mark but with it being a Ltd Edi, im thinking it would be worth eating bread and water for a few months!
Drives well, and got the looks on the test drive but then thats probably more to do with the fact myself and my mate were in Army uniform at the time!
My thoughts exactly, ok its a little expensive if it was a "normal" 986 3.2, but the fact of the spec and rarity i think its worth it!
Im not in it to make money or too bothered about resale value. My Subaru, in 5-10 years time, will end up on every other chav estate, blinged up, worth £3-4k. Whereas i will take a loss on the Boxster but i dont think it will go the way like the Subaru.
And i must admit, the way i felt driving the Porsche this afternoon, was the same way i felt picking up my brand new Subaru 4 years ago!
Im not in it to make money or too bothered about resale value. My Subaru, in 5-10 years time, will end up on every other chav estate, blinged up, worth £3-4k. Whereas i will take a loss on the Boxster but i dont think it will go the way like the Subaru.
And i must admit, the way i felt driving the Porsche this afternoon, was the same way i felt picking up my brand new Subaru 4 years ago!
Yes, the one i drove today has the chocolate interior. But you could get some with black as well. Must admit when i read about the colours inside i thought "uurgh" but sitting in it, it actually goes well.
Im still thinking about getting it and will probably make a decision tomorrow.
Im still thinking about getting it and will probably make a decision tomorrow.
smudgesmith said:
It seems clean enough. New tyres all round, bodywork is good. Picked up some slight marks on the interior which would "be sorted on sale etc".
Dealer is respected and has other Boxsters for sale as well as other hi-performance cars so i have no problem with where im getting it from.
Dealer said it belongs to bosses mate who wanted him to sell it.
As i have said previous, didnt want to go over the £20k mark but with it being a Ltd Edi, im thinking it would be worth eating bread and water for a few months!
Drives well, and got the looks on the test drive but then thats probably more to do with the fact myself and my mate were in Army uniform at the time!
About time they did something about those old Landrovers! You'll get letters to the Telegraph.Dealer is respected and has other Boxsters for sale as well as other hi-performance cars so i have no problem with where im getting it from.
Dealer said it belongs to bosses mate who wanted him to sell it.
As i have said previous, didnt want to go over the £20k mark but with it being a Ltd Edi, im thinking it would be worth eating bread and water for a few months!
Drives well, and got the looks on the test drive but then thats probably more to do with the fact myself and my mate were in Army uniform at the time!
Chocolate interior = special interior colour cocoa? If so its beautiful. Drove a cocoa interior cayman last year. Its the only colour i'd have over black. Pardon my ignorance but could someone explain what a Boxster 550 Special Edition is? I know what a 550 is etc but hadn't heard of this one.
I would also say that its more important to get a good one than save a few quid. You no doubt know what you're about, but are you getting an extended Porsche warranty in the deal, also is it worth having an independent check?
Edited by cardigankid on Thursday 30th August 17:02
cardigankid said:
Pardon my ignorance but could someone explain what a Boxster 550 Special Edition is? I know what a 550 is etc but hadn't heard of this one.
The Boxster 550 Spyder Anniversary Edition was created to celebrate 50 years since the creation of the 550 Spyder.It got lots of extras from the Telequipment parts bin including the steering wheel, sports seats with dimpled leather (in Cocoa - although mine has black), exterior colour is Carerra GT Silver, painted 18" wheels. Lowered and wider track, different exhaust, silver brake calipers rather than red (as well as lots of interior kit heated seats, Bose etc).
However it is important to remember that this is basically the last of the 986 Boxster will lots of bits bolted on to sell it. However there are only 1955 in existance (there is a numbered limited edition plate on the batwing panel), I'm not sure how many are in the UK, Bournemouth OPC told me 50 but I'm sceptical about that I would suggest 50% went to the US and then a good chunk of the remainder would have gone to the UK - maybe several hundered??
Oh yes and I must remember the extra 6bhp as it uses the 987 air intake
Edited by Mosman on Thursday 30th August 19:32
Well after thinking long and hard over it (well more like getting the calculator out and seeing what the going rate is for one of my kidneys!
) i think ill go for it!
It looks like a solid car, and its from a good dealer, so ill visit them on Sat and go over it with a fine tooth comb. But at that price im not expecting too much off it, but the salesman was more than happy to sort out any things that i would pick up.
Its a shame that im getting rid of my Subaru. Had it since new, did a few tours abroad to afford it and its never failed me. Friend i know, who sold his Porsche 996 to a Southampton football player, i took out in my Subaru. He was actually quite impressed with it and as it was a rainy day, said he wouldnt want to try the same route, and speed in the 996. But to be honest, i wont be in the same situation as im in now to get the Boxster, just dont let on the to the Subaru forum i go on that i have deserted ship!!!
) i think ill go for it!It looks like a solid car, and its from a good dealer, so ill visit them on Sat and go over it with a fine tooth comb. But at that price im not expecting too much off it, but the salesman was more than happy to sort out any things that i would pick up.
Its a shame that im getting rid of my Subaru. Had it since new, did a few tours abroad to afford it and its never failed me. Friend i know, who sold his Porsche 996 to a Southampton football player, i took out in my Subaru. He was actually quite impressed with it and as it was a rainy day, said he wouldnt want to try the same route, and speed in the 996. But to be honest, i wont be in the same situation as im in now to get the Boxster, just dont let on the to the Subaru forum i go on that i have deserted ship!!!
Got one of these. I love it.
That is my second boxster s, and i just bought it after selling my 964 rs.
The only options were tiptronic gear box, pcm and bose.
Mine is manual, pcm, no bose, but you get sound pack and you can buy rear speaker kit from pelican parts, with chocolate inside which is a must have for this car imho.
The car is slightly more powerfull than standard because it has the airbox of the 987s. The exhaust is the same contrarily to common thinking, only the cromed tip is unique.
The car has 266bhp vs 260 bhp for the regular facelift 986s.
As mentioned above it has a lot of very nice options. The sport chassis is a good one too, although a touch stiffer.
It does have a shorter gearshift stick too (although not the short shit mechanism!!).
It was built in 1956 examples to celebrate the year of the real 550 spyder.
For me the boxster s is the swiss army knife of cars: convertible yet rigid and balanced, practical (2 boots), relatively fast, well built, economical on fuel.
Only thing i changed is the exhaust, that i bought from oettle in germany (see ebay), as they modify standard boxster s exhausts using the same principle as a factory sport exhaust but in a much more cost effective manner. the sound is now glorious.
The boxster s is an amazing car, often under rated due to its hairdressers image.
Believe it or not, but coming out of a 964 rs, i am really chuffed with this car...
That is my second boxster s, and i just bought it after selling my 964 rs.
The only options were tiptronic gear box, pcm and bose.
Mine is manual, pcm, no bose, but you get sound pack and you can buy rear speaker kit from pelican parts, with chocolate inside which is a must have for this car imho.
The car is slightly more powerfull than standard because it has the airbox of the 987s. The exhaust is the same contrarily to common thinking, only the cromed tip is unique.
The car has 266bhp vs 260 bhp for the regular facelift 986s.
As mentioned above it has a lot of very nice options. The sport chassis is a good one too, although a touch stiffer.
It does have a shorter gearshift stick too (although not the short shit mechanism!!).
It was built in 1956 examples to celebrate the year of the real 550 spyder.
For me the boxster s is the swiss army knife of cars: convertible yet rigid and balanced, practical (2 boots), relatively fast, well built, economical on fuel.
Only thing i changed is the exhaust, that i bought from oettle in germany (see ebay), as they modify standard boxster s exhausts using the same principle as a factory sport exhaust but in a much more cost effective manner. the sound is now glorious.
The boxster s is an amazing car, often under rated due to its hairdressers image.
Believe it or not, but coming out of a 964 rs, i am really chuffed with this car...
Thaks Eric, and all other posters for the info.
OPC Reading did a major at 48k and mileage is now at 55k so it should be ok for servicing for a few thou yet. Just wanted to confirm though, the intervals for the 986 are 15k? I know they were increased on the 987 to 20k.
Spoke to OPC Reading on the phone and they confirm the servicing book details on the car etc so thats another tick in the box.
Still in "should i-shouldnt i" mode but then im always like that with cars. And i havnt bought a dog yet!! Honda CRX (vtec, one before the girly metal roof type), RS2000 (4x4 type), Ford Puma, Subaru Impreza and a Fiesta 1.1!!
But all the lads at work say "buy it", but then they would!, but it will make a difference to the tax free Z4's and SLK's that lads bring back from Germany!
OPC Reading did a major at 48k and mileage is now at 55k so it should be ok for servicing for a few thou yet. Just wanted to confirm though, the intervals for the 986 are 15k? I know they were increased on the 987 to 20k.
Spoke to OPC Reading on the phone and they confirm the servicing book details on the car etc so thats another tick in the box.
Still in "should i-shouldnt i" mode but then im always like that with cars. And i havnt bought a dog yet!! Honda CRX (vtec, one before the girly metal roof type), RS2000 (4x4 type), Ford Puma, Subaru Impreza and a Fiesta 1.1!!
But all the lads at work say "buy it", but then they would!, but it will make a difference to the tax free Z4's and SLK's that lads bring back from Germany!
Smudge, I hope you hold your nerve you won't be dissapointed by the car, I went way over budget to get mine (and as I said in my earlier post it was a lot more expensive than the one your looking at) but I don't regret it at all.
erics, The only thing that I would change is the exhaust (I agree with you that the sound is not that inspiring). I was trying to see from the picture on your profile, is it possible to change the exhaust and get the fancy tip put back on? I really like that but was thinking of getting a sports exhaust of some sort.
erics, The only thing that I would change is the exhaust (I agree with you that the sound is not that inspiring). I was trying to see from the picture on your profile, is it possible to change the exhaust and get the fancy tip put back on? I really like that but was thinking of getting a sports exhaust of some sort.
Mosman,
Yes you can!!
Trust me i have been exchanging emails back and forth with Marcus at Oettle on the subject.
What you have to do is either:
1/ Get yourself a second hand 'facelifted' exhaust for 986s on ebay or pistonheads for £100-150, ship it to Marcus. Then undo the tip on your car (super easy, only 1 screw) and send it to him too. He will return you the whole thing ready to fit on your car within a week. Cost of the whole operation, less than £400 fitted and you keep your standard exhaust if you ever want to revert or resale. You can also drive your car on stdrd exhaust while your new one is being made (albeit with no end-pipe on)
2/ Undo your exhaust and send it.
The reason why you have to send your tequipment pipe is that they cost £300 alone... and not really available 2nd hand...
The look remains entirely standard.
The sound becomes almost exactly as a 996 c4s with factory sport exhaust on.
Transformed the experience for me. No booming, no droning, not intrusive at motorway speeds. Amazing when roof down and when you 'want to drive'.
Yes you can!!
Trust me i have been exchanging emails back and forth with Marcus at Oettle on the subject.
What you have to do is either:
1/ Get yourself a second hand 'facelifted' exhaust for 986s on ebay or pistonheads for £100-150, ship it to Marcus. Then undo the tip on your car (super easy, only 1 screw) and send it to him too. He will return you the whole thing ready to fit on your car within a week. Cost of the whole operation, less than £400 fitted and you keep your standard exhaust if you ever want to revert or resale. You can also drive your car on stdrd exhaust while your new one is being made (albeit with no end-pipe on)
2/ Undo your exhaust and send it.
The reason why you have to send your tequipment pipe is that they cost £300 alone... and not really available 2nd hand...
The look remains entirely standard.
The sound becomes almost exactly as a 996 c4s with factory sport exhaust on.
Transformed the experience for me. No booming, no droning, not intrusive at motorway speeds. Amazing when roof down and when you 'want to drive'.
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