944armadillo

I'm looking at several 981 Boxster S models (from 2013-2016) with similar options with as little as 10k miles and as many as 40k miles. Lower mileage examples cost more, of course, and I've also looked at depreciation rates. I would drive this car about 2500 miles per year.

These prices do not consider the cost of future maintenance at various Porsche recommended intervals. I'm thinking that it makes sense to spend more for a lower mileage example because major maintenance will then be pushed out further into the future. In other words, I'm trading a low mileage premium for deferred future maintenance costs.

Or more directly, is a $5000-$7500 premium for a 10k-mile car worth the cost over a 35k-mile car?

Thoughts? Best, 944armadillo aka Kevin!

jago

I think with your low annual mileage you should get the lower mileage car all other things being equal. 10 years down the road you still have a 35K car and that will hold its value better.

Randy_B

I think it's worth it in the long run to get a lower mile example. The car will most likely be in better shape cosmetically as well. I recently purchased a 2016 Cayman S 6-speed with 7k miles and paid just under $65k. It's a low option car which I preferred, and with an original MSRP of $66,750 I likely paid more for it than the original owner in this crazy market.

Mine was not quite as clean as I originally thought with some minor scratches in the clearcoat, etc. that could not be seen in photos. It is now, however, after paint correction. I was able to get out all of the scratches with clearcoat to spare, thankfully.

Nip are

It's a good question and one I wrestled with when I was buying. A couple of things to consider. These are solid cars and I would not be afraid to buy a higher mileage car if it's been well maintained. I think the real bargains are the ones with over 50k miles. Those can still be had in the $40s which is a hell of a lot of car for the money. Those make the most sense for someone who wants to just drive it and not worry about it. Also keep in mind that maintainence is based on miles or time whichever comes first. Of course you don't have to follow the recommendations unless you get a CPO car. Then you do to keep the warranty in force. Maintainence costs are not crazy high if you use an indy shop.

The future value equation doesn't change that much whether you go low mileage or high if you don't drive it much. So it really comes down to what you can afford and what matters to you. In my case last January I bought a 2015 highly optioned BS manual with 5k miles, 1 owner and dealer completed 40k service. It had no flaws and still smelled new. It stickered for $82 and I paid $63. So while it was a high price for a 7 year old car it was a fair price for what was almost a brand new car. The low miles also meant that my fidelity 6yr/60k warranty was a very reasonable $3k.

There's no right answer, just what's right for you.

Cyclman

I think the mileage is less of a factor in the equation compared to the maintenance history. A higher mile car with a solid maintenance history, that has been well loved, is in my opinion the better deal. That is presuming you’re going to keep it enjoy it for a while. The advantage of low mileage is you hope that it was hardly used, I think that was the case when I bought mine. All should have a thorough PPI. If you diy maintenance, services are not a huge deal.

rockhouse66

Just another consideration. If you are thinking about buying a warranty like Fidelity, I think the premium is much lower on cars under 10k miles. I don't know the actual $$ so this might be worth researching.

944armadillo

Thanks for your replies and you've confirmed my original thoughts. I feel like the lower mileage premium (if bought right) is a worthwhile investment both for less major maintenance and for resale value.

Im finding that these cars are not readily available, not even here in Southern California, which was surprising to me considering these are not rare vintage cars. Especially if I want all three of the options I'm looking for including:

1) sports chrono package
2) sports steering wheel
3) upgraded alloy wheels

Only time will tell, but I feel the 981 will eventually have more collectibility than other Boxster models. Big upgrade over the previous two generations and still a flat-six unlike the 718. And if that's true, then lower mileage will be even more important in the future.

Fun stuff for sure and I'll keep you posted as I'll be actively in the market after the final sale of my 951 which should take place later this week.

I'm really going to miss this low-mileage classic, but I have neither the garage nor the budget to keep two fun weekend cars. That said, the 951 is smaller and lower than a Boxster and at nearly 60 I find it more difficult to get in and out (how sad is that?). You just can't keep them all, but I've thoroughly enjoyed the experience!

Nip are

Talk about a car that has aged well. It looks as good to my eye as any new car, just beautiful!

WV997S

I feel like I overpaid a small amount for my 981 two months ago, but I got exactly what I wanted with 14k on the clock. It just went over 17k with at 1250 mile round trip to see my family in FL and it was a joy all the way. I say find the car optioned the way you want. Your car is out there.

944armadillo

Agreed. It's a wait and see game. Even if you "over pay" a bit, the value for these low-mileage depreciated cars is just amazing. I'm looking at a 2013 S with less than 10k miles and I know it's practically a ten year old car, but it just has 1-2 years of miles on it. To me, it's basically new and the only thing you're really missing is the updated tech, but that's not important to me while the sound of the boxster flat six is!

WV997S

Mine has the BT connectivity and the Nav and it feels perfectly up to date but I am 55. I actually like the Porsche nav better than the Apple car play. When you have an upcoming turn, it alerts you in the dash and I like that. I think you are on the right track as the sound of the car is glorious!!

Prairiedawg

If you were considering a Fidelity Platinum warranty then make sure you get it soon, before 10k miles. There is a drastic difference in cost after eclipsing 10k miles.

I think i paid around $2400 for a 5 year Platinum plan with 8,700 miles on my BGTS last year. Something to think about.

I too wanted a low mileage car because typically, they look better cosmetically inside and out. I'm very pleased with my low mileage example.

mojo12345

Get that 2013 981 s … I have one loaded and I love it !! I got a salvage but she is perfect !! Been a pain in the *** but I saved 20 k on a 88k msrp car.

Mtea

I bought a 2014 BS manual almost a year ago with 6k miles on the clock CPO from a Porsche dealer. Turns out it was always under warranty as it was CPO before me. Dealer did all time sensitive maintenance like serpentine belt, oil, brake fluid and put on new tires replacing the originals. The prep invoice was almost $6k for them. It was essentially new for me. I paid $66k and the car originally stickered for $76k. I searched every day in lots of places for a couple months (autotrader, finder.porsche.com, carvana.com to name a few). I found that a manual added $4-5k and the low miles more than that. My must have included seat heat and ventilation,manual, and not red, black, or white. That cut down the available pool by about 80% at least but I found a good car that also had some other nice options on it. I’m happy with the low miles and the car should last a long time.

Ernest72

I am going to add a different view. I hate purchasing something I really want thinking about how much I can sell it for. It takes some fun away. Therefore I tend to do my research ahead of time and really make sure I get what I want first and in most cases maintain it well and keep it forever or a long time. Therefore, I think the mileage does not matter as much as the condition and maintenance history and it is exactly or close to what you want.

If you hold onto things long enough they almost pay for themselves. For example I still own my 04 WRX wagon with 154k miles and she runs like brand new. No payments in 15 years. My hope and plan is I can say the same about my 14 base years from now.

If I have to worry about resale value maybe I should just not buy it.

I realize that my thinking is more in experiencing life and not necessarily sound financial advice. But it has worked out great so far.

let’s be honest the overwhelming majority do not make money on car purchases. It’s not an investment when you consider all the costs. So personal enjoyment should be first on the list because it will cost you.