Need some quick Boxster buying advice
Race Director
Joined: Sep 2006
Posts: 19,031
Likes: 268
From: Bentonville, AR
I know a whole bunch about the 911 but nothing about the Boxster. I'm trying to help my girlfriend with a purchase.
All other things being equal (color, mileage, condition, etc..), would you rather have a 2002 Boxster S or a 2005 regular Boxster if both are the same price? I'm thinking the S, but know very little about this car.
All other things being equal (color, mileage, condition, etc..), would you rather have a 2002 Boxster S or a 2005 regular Boxster if both are the same price? I'm thinking the S, but know very little about this car.
Basically you want to help your GF avoid buying a bad car and help her find/buy a good car but if she likes the S over the base '05 or vice versa or even decides neither car is for her -- you might consider getting a new GF in this case.... -- that is her call.
Have her test drive the car like she'll use it. I find my 02 Boxster a bit harder to see out of and while it is easy to drive in town I do not like the view out. It seems like other cars are just not being piloted all that well anymore and the downside is with the poorer visibility out compared to my 996 Turbo I am not driving the Boxster as much as I used to, even though the Boxster runs as well as ever.
Your GF might find the view out unacceptable too. Oh, I should mention I never drive with my Boxster with top down and if your GF is going to drive the car with its top down a lot then the view out may not be that big of a problem.
As for the question of IMSB, both the 02 and the 05 have that risk but I can't say what the risk is though some info coming out from a lawsuit says the risk is from 1% to 4%. Which MY is more at risk I can't say.
The only way to avoid the IMSB risk to to buy a car with the redesigned engine, the DFI engine which is IMBS-less.
I think this new engine appeared in 2009 but you need independent confirmation so you are sure you are considering cars with no IMSB if that is the way you and your GF decide you want to go.
