RE: Porsche Boxster (986): PH Used Buying Guide

[HannsG]

If it wasn't for my kids. 2 and 4 years old..

I would have one on my drive. I'm stuck looking at 3 series convertibles

[andrewparker]

HannsG said:

If it wasn't for my kids. 2 and 4 years old..

I would have one on my drive. I'm stuck looking at 3 series convertibles

I have a 5 and 8 year old. As far as I'm concerned the Golf R estate is the family wagon, and if my wife or I need to transport more than one other person that is the car that gets used.

Spent the day looking at this. High miles, but looks like a good example.

https://www.autotrader.co.uk/classified/advert/201...

Edited by andrewparker on Wednesday 10th January 17:43

[PistonBroker]

I'm hoping to make an early 986 this year's achievement. 40th in June and I've still not managed to buy a Porsche, any Porsche, despite promising myself a 911 since I was knee-high to a grasshopper.

Already gutted at the Guards Red 2.7 Tip I've just missed on an eBay at a Citroen main dealer. Not exactly my desired spec, but it looked cracking value as it finished up at £4.7k. Alas, funds didn't allow just yet.

[R8Steve]

I'm looking to get one of these for a cheap summer car so good timing on this article.

[Slow]

The price should be changed from £3000+ upwards.

I managed to get a Boxster S as a swap for a £750 Merc S class.

No mot but it seems a good car from what ive seen (yet to work on it due to snow/ice!).

[noumenon]

I ran a 986S for a year until our first little one arrived. So much fun!

We have a Golf R with DSG which is easily quicker, but not nearly as involving or rewarding. Don't get me wrong, the golf is utterly fantastic, but I'll have a bigger smile piloting the Boxster.

[Cold]

So apart from engines that eat themselves, oil leaks, failing water pumps, corroding radiators, corroding air con condensers, coolant reservoir failures, faulty coil packs, leaking hoods, vario cams going phut, air mass sensors failing, worn front suspension bushes, breaking front springs and weak batteries - apart from all that, they really are "massively engineering led".

[edc]

Cold said:

So apart from engines that eat themselves, oil leaks, failing water pumps, corroding radiators, corroding air con condensers, coolant reservoir failures, faulty coil packs, leaking hoods, vario cams going phut, air mass sensors failing, worn front suspension bushes, breaking front springs and weak batteries - apart from all that, they really are "massively engineering led".

What 15 year old cars need no parts replacing?

[Cold]

edc said:

What 15 year old cars need no parts replacing?

Is an engine classed as a consumable? Given the mocking that some give JLR or even Lotus, the list of parts failures including a very fundamental component of a supposedly "engineering led" vehicle is laughable.

[Paul O]

I ran a 2.7 for three years and it was a really fun car, felt great driving it. Running costs were pretty high, with a few expensive bits going wrong.

Here's a piccy of mine - I had the genuine speedster humps on the back too!

[edc]

Good job my 986s covered circa 195k between them, not all in my ownership, to date.

[givablondabone]

Like the idea of these a lot.

It's important not to forget that to look after any serious performance car properly once it's a few years old WILL cost money. Even my stage 3+ 9-5 Aero at 12 year old, 72k and pampered all its life has cost me a grand in the year I've had it (yes yes I know it's not a serious performance car but you get the point). My brother fulfilled a dream and bought a 986 3.2S from a mate last September who has 3 others and is a proper porsche nut, so we know it's a good 'un (2003 67k IMS done, clutch, roof etc etc) but that has still cost 1k already.

This is not a cheap hobby we have.

[SmartVenom]

Yeah it’s just pub bores who mention the engine failures. Good luck with that view.

I won’t mention my engine failure or those of a friends 996, or those of others I work with, wouldn’t want to bore anyone. Oval ones on a 996 of course...

Also wouldn’t want to raise the point that a lot of specialists won’t stock or sell 986s/996s/987.1s/997.1s because the risk of engine work is too high.

They are good cars to drive but you have to be prepared to throw it away.

[EX51GE R]

My mum keeps promising to gift me hers, if I had garage space I think she would let me have it now, here it is alongside my S1 Exige....

[KPB1973]

SmartVenom said:

Also wouldn’t want to raise the point that a lot of specialists won’t stock or sell 986s/996s/987.1s/997.1s because the risk of engine work is too high.

Interesting. Which ones? Every specialiat I looked at in the last few months stocked all of those perhaps bar boggo 996's.

[ooid]

KPB1973 said:

Interesting. Which ones? Every specialiat I looked at in the last few months stocked all of those perhaps bar boggo 996's.

Ashgood, JZM, RPM and even 911 Virgin?

[edc]

Short of the 550 Anniversary model there is not much margin for a dealer in 986 cars. Somewhat undeservedly, 986 Boxsters have an image problem even amongst the Porsche aficionados. When the cars were newer they were being sold by specialist dealers more often but now they are effectively banger status they don't sell them. In the same way you barely see any 924/944 at these same dealer but increasingly you will see 968 and 928 as there prices have picked up over recent years.

[RM]

EX51GE R said:

My mum keeps promising to gift me hers, if I had garage space I think she would let me have it now, here it is alongside my S1 Exige....

What colour is the boxster? Looks great.

[noumenon]

My 986 S. It was some sort of special edition with the factory sports exhaust, sports seats, split rims and litronics. I'd forgotten just how good the litronics were - best of any car I have ever driven!

[noumenon]

A must see, though beware of having a mouthful of tea before watching...

https://www.youtube.com/watch?time_continue=41&amp...