hlee96

Looking into a manual 987.2 S and I’m debating which one to purchase and I want to check what the wisdom from rennlist would recommend:
Both MSRP is within $500 and 6 spd manuals

1. 2011 Boxster S seal gray/black with 123k miles sports chronos, 3 owners with no accidents from autocheck. Radio doesn’t work and “some dings” on the passenger side quarter panel, not obvious on pics. Tow hook cover in the front is missing. Recent clutch. $23,000

2. 2012 Black edition with 88k miles, no sports chronos but has navigation. Front bra has to be replaced due to road grim/bugs stains/marks. Headlights looks to require reconditioning. $30,000

I love the seal gray color (bought and sold 2010 Boxster with PDK but wanted more power with the manual) but the black edition has 10 more hp (negligible) and a “special edition” with less miles.

neither comes with any records.

appreciate any and all advice!
hoi

bluebonnet

I think the Black edition would be more collectable, and the S would be more capable as a higher performance sports car. Mind you, I am not knocking the Black as being less car. If you want to do track events I would go with the S, especially as it is $7k less for more track capability. If you are looking to have fun, it just depends on which car seems to speak to you more when you drive it. For the street, the base Boxster is more than capable and perhaps more fun because you are not restraining yourself so much as compared to a higher horsepower car.

There is truth in some cars having too much horsepower in that they become frustrating on the street because you can almost never open the taps fully - which is when cars are most fun. I had a Lamborghini Gallardo that was very exciting, but I would come back from every drive somewhat frustrated because as soon as you try to open it up, you would be going way too fast for the street. My base 2011 Boxster PDK seems just right as I can redline it in two to three gears without being crazy, and get to enjoy that soundtrack for a longer time. Quicker 0-60 times just means you have less time to enjoy the acceleration.

hlee96

thank you for your insight. Black edition Boxsters are all S with the upgraded brakes and power, correct? They have the same output as the spyder.

chapmans

Black Edition is a S with some extra standard equipment and 10hp more

bluebonnet

Yes my bad as the Black edition is slightly higher spec than S. The Black edition must be fairly rare as I have not seen one, but seen many base and S cars. I guess it still depends on what you like and how you want to use the car, as something to drive or as something that has a rarity aspect. The 2011 S at $23k is a great deal even with the mileage depending on condition. Even the Black at $30k is still a bargain. I have a very nice base 2011 987.2 with 73k miles and I would not let it go for less than the high $20s at retail - but then I really am not motivated to sell. All are way plenty on the street, but when I am on track, I do wish I had more torque to pull out of corners.

Schwinn

Both seem to be great deals, as noted by others as well. I might lean towards the black only because it's a little newer and may be a little better maintained (on principle, and based on overall appearance issues you noted).

But, as others noted, it depends on what you want out of the car. As a car to tinker with, the standard-S might be the better choice, as you're likely going to "mess" with it more anyway (ie, taking away the "value" from the special edition). But if you just want to keep it "as is" then the black may be better. Then again, if you are not planning to sell the car anyway then the "value" is less of an issue, so who cares?

I'm cheap, so I'd seriously consider the standard... if it passes muster and gave me what I wanted, I'd probably take that one anyway. I bought a non-S myself earlier this year, because I didn't need the "S" and really didn't "feel" the higher power either... it just wasn't worth the extra $10k in the market that I was seeing when I bought mine (non-S, $24k price, 77k miles for reference). I would still be a little concerned with the 123k miles but only because it's a higher number... over 100k "looks" scarier, but there is no data to support that - it's just a feeling. Still, chances are you'll need to spend a bit more on catchup-maintenance there...

Sorry for the rambling... just trying to give you my thought process on the matter!

Zach L

In this case I would absolutely go for the Black Edition.

Bud Fox

black edition and be batman

jbx2

Being the owner of #456/ 500 Cayman S Black Edition I'd go with the CSBE. I wouldn't let mine go for less than $40K.

hlee96

@jbx2 That's a beautiful CSBS in your avatar!
Got my wife a black Cayman R with PDK (she doesn't drive a manual and no desire to), but I fell in love with the 987.2 manual that I had several months ago, just wishing a little more power for the straights.
Let me know if you are selling in the future! I am in PA too :-)

hlee96

Love your thoughts! Keep them coming. These recommendations are very helpful

mytime1

Both seem like good deals on 09' or later Caymans. I would lean towards the Black only based on your comments. If I go to look at a car and it has small issues that haven't been addressed (tow hook cover, small dings, radio not working, etc) it leads me to believe that the owner was not very meticulous about maintenance. (You said neither has maintenance records.) For the black you said the only real issue is the bra and headlights which leads me to believe at least that person cared about protecting their car.

You are also talking about a 35K mile difference. To me, just seems like the Black would be a better deal. I would suggest checking sales history on Bring a Trailer site which would give you a good idea of what recent prices have been doing on these cars. Best of luck and post pics when you make a decision.

mytime1

...and if you're near the mushroom capital, you're only about 30 mins from me!

qwe

I bought a 2012 Boxster S Black Edition. Coming from a E46 M3, I was in the market for an S in either Boxster or Cayman. My BE came up in my search, had a good PPI and service records and a reasonable price (although it was far away). The BE was a model with a bunch of popular options offered at a lower price (e.g. Bose sound, PDLS lights, etc). A Google search will get you the specifics. Mine had several other options (PASM, PSE, LSD, Short Shifter, 6 spd). While I was not looking for a BE, as a daily driver I have ended up appreciating many of those options. The one significant option that has not been mentioned is the 19" wheels that also went on the R (and Spyder?) I believe these are the lightest 19" wheels made by Porsche.

My car came with a bra that had been put on when the car was new. After 8 years, the film had dulled and had a couple of significant hits. When it was stripped off, the paint was perfect underneath mine.

In terms of your decision, if you are planning to use the car as a daily driver (like me) you would probably like many of the options. On the other hand, if you are using the car for racing or weekend blasts, the options may not be much of a factor. There will be more wear on the 2011 S due to mileage alone, but a beat up 88,000 mile BE can be in worse shape than a well taken care of S with 123,000. Having said that, i do agree with mytime1 "If I go to look at a car and it has small issues that haven't been addressed (tow hook cover, small dings, radio not working, etc) it leads me to believe that the owner was not very meticulous about maintenance". As others have said, a PPI is necessary.

jbx2

Thank you Sir, I'm outside of Reading. I will mention that the 19 inch wheels are very nice and they will bend. I recently hit a road patch that didn't have enough asphalt fill that left a nasty lip which I happened to hit yielding the same result as a pothole. I tracked down it down to UGI and sent them the GPS coordinates from my car camera and they actually owned up to it. I sent them a picture of the bent wheel and an estimate for the replacement. I received a check for $3200. Yeah they look good, but they alone are worth quite a bit of cheddar. If you go with a manual check to see if the shift cables have been replaced. Mine broke at 30K out on a country road on a Friday evening. After limping home in 3rd gear I replaced them with Numerics. One other small issue if you do your work, be prepared to replace the coil packs and spark plugs I'm aware of a few other times like the water pump and accessory drive belt are probably worth looking at when evaluating the higher mileage 987's.