Friday 10th November 2017

The £5K Boxster: Spotted

The really cheap Porsche Boxsters are gone, so don't miss your chance at the fractionally pricier ones!

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"It's flipping yellow" I hear you cry. To which I say, at least you won't lose it in a car park, unless you've parked in the employee car park of Ambrosia custard of course. Still, if you can get over this special order colour, you'll be getting into Porsche ownership on the cheap, and you won't have to wear Porsche branded clothing to convince people you drive one.

It's different, at least

The Boxster was unveiled at the 1993 Detroit motor show as a concept car, its styling aping the sweet and petite 550 Spyder; you know, the one James Dean referred to as Little Bast**d. However, when the production car came out, it had grown in size considerably to meet packaging requirements and also crash regulations. It did gain two boots as a result, even if it didn't look quite as pretty.

If the looks weren't enough to upset purists, the new engine got tongues wagging. Instead of having an air-cooled engine, the new Boxster and soon-to-be-launched 911 would get water-cooled units instead. The Boxster received a 2.5-litre flat-six. It put out 205hp, which sounds a bit pedestrian today, and Porsche must have agreed because they added a 3.2-litre engine with 255hp was added to the range in 1999. That engine was more capable of challenging the excellent chassis balance the Boxster.

Of the engines on offer, it is actually the understressed 2.5 which is perhaps the safest option. Intermediate shaft bearing failures is rare on earlier Boxsters built before the year 2000, so this often mentioned issue is unlikely to occur on this one.

Rather more formal in here

That isn't to say that early Boxsters are fault free; so when looking at buying a Porsche, it would be irresponsible to not conduct some form of due diligence. Once you have found what you believe to be a good one, you should have it inspected by a Porsche specialist who will unearth any problems, both present and potential future ones, which will save you from purchasing a lemon. No pun intended...

Once you have found a good one, which this one should be considering its full service history and evidence of expensive maintenance items such as a new clutch and flywheel. It also has four matching Pirelli P Zero tyres all-round which is a good sign the previous owner was on top of looking after it.

So buy it and enjoy the mid-engined Porsche Boxster before prices take off. We've already missed out on the £3,000 Boxster, let's not miss out on the £5,000 one. It may not be the most powerful version, but that just means that you're less likely to overdo it on the power as you learn how to get the best out of it. Just imagine, you'll be driving a Porsche for city-car money. And what's more, everyone else will know it too. It is yellow after all.

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PORSCHE BOXSTER (986)
Engine: 2,500cc, flat-six
Transmission: 5-speed manual, rear-wheel drive
Power (hp): 204@6,000rpm
Torque (lb ft): 181@4,500rpm
MPG: 26.8
CO2: N/A
First registered: 1997
Recorded mileage: 115,200
Price new: £33,950
Yours for: £4,995

See the original advert here.

Max Adams

[edh]

Those guys know how to clean a car and take nice photos...

Better off hunting on boxa.net IMO

[mooseracer]

Hardly a full service history given the 5 year gap between 08 and 13, regardless of miles traveled in that time.

[monzaxjr]

EEEEEEEEEEKKKKK. From what I've heard of and read about this seller avoid this like the plague. Run away. There are numerous horrendous reports all over the internet regarding this dealer.

[culpz]

"The really cheap Porsche Boxsters are gone, so don't miss your chance at the fractionally pricier ones!".

Are they? I'm sure i saw one up for about 3k the other day, regardless of the condition (i assume not great). I've also got to point out that steering wheel. It's awful! It looks like the standard MK1/MK2 MX5 wheel but with a Porsche logo stamped on it. I actually like the colour though.

It's alot of car for the money, even at 5k. However, it's also a big risk and easily able to bankrupt you, if you doing this on a budget. I'd get a MK3 MR2, personally. Similar looks and recipe. Slower but potentially more fun to drive and a hell of a lot cheaper to run.

You could even transplant the 190 engine in there, from the Celica T-Sport, for the same price as this, which includes buying the car. That's if you needed a fair bit more go to match the handling. You may even have change left over!

[jakesmith]

Colleague asked me about these recently
I said if a £2k bill would make you wince then don't bother
I've been looking for one of these for a while having run them before
The service bills can be eye watering and plenty of expensive parts to wear out / go wrong on a 20 year old car

[edh]

The MR2's have a propensity for eating their engines don't they?

Like most cars, Boxsters have their weak points, but they are great cars.

[J4CKO]

I call Custard....

[2 GKC]

Nice to see one on ambers.

That interior is awfully low spec though - would need to find one with a few more options ticked

[sideways man]

I really fancy one of these as a daily, Having had a NA mx5, I figured one of these is next step up on the PH ladder, before I have a TVR

Are they really that expensive to service ? I know it’s mid engine, but surely not stupidly expensive to run.....

Edited by sideways man on Friday 10th November 13:49

[JMF894]

Lot of car for the money but whilst performance may only be warm by today's standards, maintenance costs will very much be the Porsche side of hot still.

And there lies the problem for me.

And the colour.

Show me a Cayman 3.4 on the other hand........................

[callahan]

I bought a 1999 2.5 Boxster in April for the reasons stated in the piece - it is the most reliable (or least prone to explode) engine, but also uses the cheaper parts overall, compared to the 3.2 S - brakes being a notable one.

I love mine, it is fast enough to be fun, but without risking your licence. A bit like an MX5 then, but considerably less rusty.

[culpz]

edh said:

The MR2's have a propensity for eating their engines don't they?

Like most cars, Boxsters have their weak points, but they are great cars.

Mostly pre-facelift models, eating their pre-cats and lunching the engines. Buying a post 2003 model pretty much solves the issue. Other than that, they're pretty solid, as far as i'm aware.

[culpz]

J4CKO said:

I call Custard....

Was that referring to my post?

[edh]

culpz said:

edh said:

The MR2's have a propensity for eating their engines don't they?

Like most cars, Boxsters have their weak points, but they are great cars.

Mostly pre-facelift models, eating their pre-cats and lunching the engines. Buying a post 2003 model pretty much solves the issue. Other than that, they're pretty solid, as far as i'm aware.

That's what I was getting at - didn't know they had fixed it in later cars. A lot cheaper than a Boxster, but not a Porsche.. (or a flat 6)

[IknowJoseph]

jakesmith said:

I said if a £2k bill would make you wince then don't bother

Exactly this. I'd be keen on a slightly cheaper 986, but given the bills my 996 already produces, and the shared parts between the two cars, there's no way.

I imagine there's going to be a lot of these bought at this sort of price and either run into the ground or sold on / scrapped at the first MOT.

[culpz]

edh said:

culpz said:

edh said:

The MR2's have a propensity for eating their engines don't they?

Like most cars, Boxsters have their weak points, but they are great cars.

Mostly pre-facelift models, eating their pre-cats and lunching the engines. Buying a post 2003 model pretty much solves the issue. Other than that, they're pretty solid, as far as i'm aware.

That's what I was getting at - didn't know they had fixed it in later cars. A lot cheaper than a Boxster, but not a Porsche.. (or a flat 6)

Oh, 100%. I was just referring to going for a sports car at a particular budget. The pace is much more like it in the Boxster but, if i was going to go for one, i'd be budgeting to spend a bit more and get a decent one, as apposed to looking at the lower end of the scale.

Bargains can be had but the potential for big bills would scare me silly.

[DavidWearsPrada]

edh said:

The MR2's have a propensity for eating their engines don't they?

Like most cars, Boxsters have their weak points, but they are great cars.

I honestly have never heard this about the MR2 i owned a mk 3 for 10 years from 20k miles to 160k miles and had very very few problems only sold it cos i wanted something quicker. I am not saying it isn't true, just never heard it before.

The reason i have never bought a Boxster is because the equivalent cars available are normally much newer for the same money and similar performance. As an example £11k would get you a 3.0 Z4 on a 59 reg, 70k miles, with folding hardtop, 0-60 in 5.8 secs etc, (whilst retaining the lower £280 road tax). Whereas the same money gets you an 05 3.2 Boxster which will feel a lot older especially when using it to commute.

But then, the feel good factor of owning a Porsche, the chasis, the handling, the confusion continues....

[_Neal_]

culpz said:

J4CKO said:

I call Custard....

Was that referring to my post?

I think it was referring to the colour of the car

[J4CKO]

_Neal_ said:

culpz said:

J4CKO said:

I call Custard....

Was that referring to my post?

I think it was referring to the colour of the car

Yes, lame half arsed joke, dont think anyone needs to call Custard on Porsche engine problems !

[M3333]

IknowJoseph said:

jakesmith said:

I said if a £2k bill would make you wince then don't bother

Exactly this. I'd be keen on a slightly cheaper 986, but given the bills my 996 already produces, and the shared parts between the two cars, there's no way.

I imagine there's going to be a lot of these bought at this sort of price and either run into the ground or sold on / scrapped at the first MOT.

Exactly the reason I am caught wondering what to do with mine. Late 2004 986s with every toy except the PCM Nav which I am glad about because it's rubbish and very dated by today's standards. Mine has anniversary wheels etc. I have the original purchase invoice and all the Porsche stamps in the book with receipts. It's had an easy life and garaged. Never had an advisory on an MOT. I had the gearbox out and a new clutch fitted and at the same time had the IMS bearing changed and the RMS seal done. I really fancy a newer 981 or 718 but something tells me to keep mine garaged and look after it. It's a great little car we did the Italian Alps in it last year and it was perfect for it. Keep or Sell arghhhh