Hi Everyone!

new forum member here.

Pardon my vague post but I'm trying to make this as short as possible as not to bore you yet give as much information as possible at the same time.


simply put, I'm interested in purchasing a Boxster 987. Right now I'm really indecisive on whether to go for the S version or the normal one. I'm also indecisive on what year model/ mileage. I'm even not too sure if I should buy it in the first place.

First, a bit of a background on me. I'm currently a grad student (tight budget) and I own a 2001 Toyota Celica with 170,000 miles on it. I loved it and had a blast with it and now I want to upgrade. I'm graduating soon so finances should be better hopefully and as of now I can afford to buy a car going up to say about 50,000$. But I hope I never even approach that number let alone pay it. I'm actually considering high mileage older 987s for bargain prices (20,00o to 35,000$).

When I bought the Celica I mainly bought it as a fun car and wanted to see how bad a high mileage car would be to live with. It served me for years and aside from regular maintenance not much to worry about.

So my questions are:

Q1: How expensive is it to maintain a 987?

Q2: Is it a bad idea to buy a high mileage 987 (say 70,000 miles)?

Q3: Is it easy to find people who can service a 987?

Q4: Do you really get to enjoy a 987? I mean in my measily Celica I can hardly tap its power or handling limits before I'm in licence losing territory. So how can you enjoy a 987?


That's what I can think of right now but I'm sure more questions and information will come up as I hopefully get some replies.


DISCLAIMER: Yes I did read through and used the search engine. I didn't really find what I needed and interactive discussions are also more detailed and much faster in getting answers.

Thanks in Advance.

 

1. Porsches are not really expensive to maintain. If you got a independent mechianic shops, its cheaper.
2. 70,000 miles without good serives history and a independent mechanic shop check is not good.
3. I am in Los Angeles, there are lot independent mechanic shops. So it depends on your location.
4. Power is not eveything, when you take the roof down, you can free the freedom and space, also you feeling you drive faster than normal.

 

If you are not mechanical at all and have no enthusiasm about learning then the Porsche will cost more to maintain than a Toyota but it will return a superior driving experience. Coming from the car you have, a 987 base should feel like a road scalpel, if you already feel you can't plant your foot in the Celica then you don't need the S. My car is so damn fast I simply don't understand how you could drive a more powerful Porsche on the street and row any gears. When you have to concentrate on not going above the speed limit constantly, you have a fast ride. As for mileage no need to fear a car with 70K just understand the entire car has that wear, suspension, motor mounts, AOS, water pump, clutch. The car is going to need those items eventually so if you can find a lower mileage car, do it.

 

Go test drive one. For me, that was what sealed the deal.

Porsches are not cheap to maintain so allocate $2-3k year for maintenance to be on the safe side.

You don't have to go all the way to 70k miles to get a car within your price range. Under 40k miles should be fine.

Get an S (with no or low options, 18" wheels) as the diff in price + maintenance vs the base should be small.

Oh, and make sure you actually have that job/paycheck before you buy it.

Good luck!

 

There should be plenty of cars available in the $30-$35K range.
Get a 2006 or newer model year. Prefer an S model.
Mileage should be easy to find in the 20-40K mile range.
Maintenance is not expensive, but repairs are more expensive than a Toyota.
Good maintenance will nearly eliminate the need for repairs.
The driving experience cannot be beaten, by any other car, for the same money.

 

I've owned a '05 Boxster S since new. It is low mileage, and I doubt I have spent more than $300-$500 per year on maintenance. It has been flawless, which is why I decided to keep it and do some mods, rather than ordering a 981S. It is also the most enjoyable and rewarding vehicle I've owned out of 68, and I've owned everything (all the Germans and 2 Vettes) except Ital exotics.

 

I bought my first Porsche a little over a year ago and asked the same questions, base or S. Research showed that the S brings better brakes and an extra gear (if you drive 3 pedals) along with the power. Since this may be the only P car I'll buy, I didn't want any nagging 'Should I have gotten...' regrets, so I got an S and I've never looked back. yeah, I have to watch the speedo to keep my license, but then there's also an extensive schedule of track days available once you join the PCA, so there you can run as quick as you and your car are capable.

Good luck with your decision. I know you'll enjoy it!

 

Thanks ****

follow up questions to anyone,

what is not really expensive? I mean I heard that oil change alone is 200$


And if I get an independent mechanic, does this still count in the service history of the car?

 

Thanks terbiumactivatd

Just a question, are you saying your car is the non S version? if so do you miss having 6 gears?

I sort of love shifting through gears and I always wanted to have a 6 speed manual. More so now since they're being phased out by Dual Clutch systems I don't really like.

Oh, and I can certainly handle powerful cars no problem at all. It's the worry of cops that scare me not the horsepower and handling.

 

I actually did a while back. I also tested a 911. I didn't like the rear end bias of the 911 (also not a fan of the looks).

I absolutely loved the steering feel of both. To me that's very important. One of the most important aspects of a car personally.

I am also looking at the 911 but just for those rear seats and thinking of the future. I will most likely buy this Porsche and keep it forever. So the 911 is sort of more future proof in case I get married and have a child.

But yeah, the 911 isn't as alluring to me as the Boxster. The Boxster has that nice silhouette of the 918

$2-3k is a bit high but manageable for me. I probably have my own ways of reducing costs too.

I also don't drive much either. In my Celica, I've had it for over 4 years now and during that period I only drove about, 20,000 miles. So I hope the 987 will be lower than 2-3k/year.


Nice to know that

It seems that the S is harder to find than the base. I was guessing it would be easier to find a bargain price for the base than it is for the S.

And yeah sure I would definitely go for no or low options. Luxury items are just toys to me and I couldn't care less. I think I've only used the radio of my Celica 20 times since purchasing it.


LOL! thanks. I sort of already have one deal in the bag hopefully. So I should start thinking seriously of a purchase.

 

What am I better off with? high mileage newer model? or lower mileage older models?

 

What's your driving style? I tend to be really brutal on my engine. Revving up full throttle on a regular bases as well as a lot of fast full throttle openings.

How well can Porsche handle such abusive driving? especially the engine as I tend to be really harsh on car engines.

 

3 pedals all the way! I absolutely hate automatics. Can't stand them. I usually let someone else drive if the car is automatic.

I'm also not really impressed with the Porsche PDK setup (drove a 911 I think model year 2010). I felt it was laggy and didn't really give me the control I wanted.

how abusive is this to Porsche? From what I've heard, tracking your car is a really fast way to deteriorate it. Do you think so?

 

Nope, my car is actually more powerful than the S. I have the seven speed PDK as spine damage from a motorcycle accident now prevents me from shifting with a clutch. I do agree with everyone that the S in general is a better investment and a better more fun car. I only typed what I did because you specifically said you cannot explore the limits of the Celica without fear of tickets, that sentence made it sound to me like a base model would satisfy you. You might be able to drive a better bargain on the base and save some cash. As for oil, if you are a "dealer maintenance guy" then two hundred for an oil change is probable. As others have said find a good indy wrench, you might even go talk to an indy mechanic before you buy to get pricing information.

 

I bought a 2010 base a little over a year ago with only 1300 miles on it and now I kind of wish I had gotten an S model. That being said the base in no way holds me back or takes away from the extreme driving pleasure I get out of this car. As for maintenance, I got my first oil change at the dealer (just because) at $300 (ouch) and have since set myself up to do my own oil changes, air filter and other simple maintenance myself. Join PCA, (great club events) and enjoy the hell out of the car. Oh and also, get a 2009 or newer, IMHO.