ZEvans

Hey all,

I recently found a deal on a 2002 Boxster 986 here in Dallas, Texas and I'm considering buying it as a daily driver for my self.

It would be my first roadster/convertible. My current daily driver is a 2002 Mercedes Benz ML320 AWD SUV So it would definitely be a bit of a culture shock to me.

Basically I wanted to know a little bit about boxsters before I get more interested in buying it. I know absolutely nothing about Porsche's. Never owned one or known any one who has. I just found this recently and got serious about making the purchase.

It is a soft top 2002 Boxster 986 Automatic Trans with 147,000 miles on it and the guy is asking $6,500 for it. I know this is small potatoes compared to most of you guys who talk about and Own these 911's and GT3's like their pairs of tube socks in the draw but this is around my budget.

I wanted to know are they maintenance heavy? Do they start to fall apart around this mileage? (150,000) Is there anything horrific that happens to them BEFORE this mileage that I should look out for? Just basic info like that.

I do not do maintenance my self so any work that would have to be done would be by a mechanic. I understand that the vehicle is mid-engine so that drives any kind of maintenance cost up but is it ridiculously more then a traditional front engine vehicle?

Also, what should I look out for on the test drive? Any particular thing?

I know on later model Mercedes C-Class cars, the transmission is famous for getting in really bad shape at around 90,000 miles. Is the Porsche Boxster similar in any way?

If any one can supply me with some general ownership info about these Boxsters with over 100,000 miles on them I would appreciate it.

Thank You!

zirrah

Welcome. This is a great place to get those questions and more answered, so best of luck to you.

ep3_lol

That's pretty high mileage for these cars. Does the seller have any maintenance records? They can go a long way in giving you peace of mind...it's like anything else- if you take care of it, it will last. Only big issue they have is with failing intermediate shaft bearings, but at that car's age and mileage you are probably safe as they tend fail earlier in the car's life if they are going to fail. I can't imagine that it will be any worse than a Mercedes ML; those have about the worst reputation for maintenance and reliability that I know of. Normal maintenance items should not be noticeably more expensive than with normal cars due to the motor layout. I've done a few things on mine and the labor has been easier and quicker than the same things I have done to my Civic, while the parts are only marginally more expensive.

That being said, you are scarping the bottom of the barrel on price, and so you should not surprised if you end up with the bottom of the barrel on reliability and condition as well. The saying around here is that the less you spend buying the car, the more you will spend later. I paid a little more than book value for my 986, but it had been owned by a wealthy individual and he included extensive maintenance records from the city's Porsche dealer with the car. Thus far, it's certainly been worth it, as in 2 years and 25k miles i haven't had any reliability issues.

Mighty Shilling

A good PPI will be worth the money. Spend the $150+ and have it checked out. I was looking at a nice one in Michigan, had the PPI, and it showed it needed at least $5,000 in work. Passed on that and bought one locally. Spent a bit more, but the car is in fantastic shape.

Audi Junkie

I'd consider a Z3, or MX-5 unless you have specific Porsche skills and/or an extraordinarily under-valued car.

I have a 2002 Base Auto w/42k and spent twice what you did. Still, I feel it's a bargain. Having only 42k means a LOT less wear and tear, even under the BEST of circumstances, 100k miles takes a toll.

So, unless it's an old widow selling off the sportscar at 1/2 price, or you have a family member who's trained Porsche....I would highly suggest the MX-5, which you can drive and forget. The BMW should offer a lot of clean examples in the under $10k price range. You can and should be able to raise the bar on condition and miles. Not that the Z3 is a better car, it's just more abundant and easily serviced.


I could be 100% wrong, but I'm not.

Audi Junkie

fwiw, oil leaks would be the first red flag.

Vonschmidt

Buying a porsche with that many miles is usually not the best idea. Parts for Porsche are very high and if you don't do your own maintenance this may be a real money pit.

To each his own but I would ever buy a car with that kind of mileage.

Whatever you do good luck.

Misplacedyankee

There would be many concerns at that mileage. When I sold my 02 after 5 years it had a 52K miles and I thought the convertible top was going to need maintenance and the rear window certainly should be replaced. Thats just little stuff, but you get some hard rains in TX. Then there is the engine and maintenance. Oil changes just cost more if your not doing them yourself.

I am not sure I would do it as a commuter car with those miles. Lots of great stuff you can buy with $6500. In that price range with under 100K miles I would buy a 02/03 Saab Viggen convertible. Many will say Saabs suck, but I had two of these (coupes) and they were great, easy to repair when needed and real blast to drive for the money. I would also maybe look at older Audi TTs as well. Saabs and audis are real cheap in Dallas as they aren't that popular, at least they weren't 7 years ago when I was there.

GL!

mikefocke

There are Boxsters running around with 250k on them. My 2 were spectacularly reliable. And I wrote several articles on buying a Boxster that may help.

But the question I would ask myself is would I buy a 147k car...any brand...as my only car if I lived in a spread out place like Dallas. Yes 147k takes its toll on any car and parts do wear out and age out (rubber, plastic). And proximity to a trusted mechanic and alternative transport if/when needed would be other concerns when there might be a need for service.

I absolutely loved mine, they were better than my Honda over the same years in number of trips for service and service cost. I had other cars and a choice of shops within 5 miles.

When I bought mine, I spent the money on a Pre-Purchase Inspection done by a Porsche expert that told me what I'd need to get it in excellent shape, I did all he told me to do and I think that helped it be so trouble free. But no work on a car is cheap and Porsche mechanics aren't.

e90steve

S2000 would be another one to consider. Similar hp numbers and cheap to maintain.

Audi Junkie

Top Gear Middle East Special, do watch.

gfl

..,,especially the PPI. I have a boxster with 199k mile son it and it feels pretty young. But it has lots of new parts in it, and alas, i got it when the engine blew up (purported to be, but was not, the IMS).

I think a PPI is essential.

I think history of good maint is essential.

Check the auto tranny - that's a concern. Has it been serviced? ZF calls for service every 50k.

Maint is not really bad on these cars, but porsche dealers charge a lot. Find a really good indie.

I have two , both old, drive them every day (well, every other day), track them, maintain them myself, etc.

Grant