Tom M

Here's round 2.

I'm still looking for a C4S and have run across this well optioned one that looks quite nice.

http://www.gearsmotorsports.com/03911C4S_624149.htm

It's good except for 2 things; the price seems a tad high even given the condition, and the miles. I'm planning on this being a DD with about 8K miles per year.

My goal for a replacement for my 75K miles Boxster S is that any replacement should have no more than that mileage at the end of 6 years - which this one fails after only 3 years. An aftermarket power-train warranty with Fidelity would run $4K.

As a comparison, the MY05 I was looking at in Houston had 14K miles and a 6/60 power-train warranty was $3K. The dealer has lowered their price again and is still after me to buy it for $42K at this point - up from my $41.5K offer.

The final option is to dump about $3K+ into my Boxster in the form of new tires, new top and have the damaged passenger-side door panel repaired.

Tim Wasmer

37k seems better as it is fairly low optioned. But it is a great color...................

twebb

That looks like a nice car. Granted we are in different markets, but perusing craigslist here in the southwest I come across a few other options for you as well.

http://sfbay.craigslist.org/eby/cto/1723549433.html
http://losangeles.craigslist.org/sfv...722180461.html
And a turbo that looks enticing:
http://phoenix.craigslist.org/nph/cto/1715034271.html

I tend to try to purchase from an individual as opposed to a dealer, b/c I am able to gauge how the car was cared for better. It also seems on occasion I can find a better deal that way. That's definitley not saying to not get a PPI done. Anyhow, I hope my limited search helped a little. Best of luck. I know once you have the itch it's tough to be patient.

Macster

That is one nice looking car.

You know the routine. Gather trade-in, private, retail sale prices for cars say from 2002 to 2004 from as far away from you as you want. I'd search nationwide.

Then try to get a feel for how this car priced compared to what you learn and take into account condition, miles and whatever else you consider important.

Remember: Price not fact only an opinion. The seller has his opinion. Develop your informed opinion.

You know if the car's being offered at $39980 it can almost certainly be had for less. How much less? How well does the car suit you? What is value of the car?

Assuming car checks out -- PPI and all -- would you like this car at say $37.5K? (Or substitute a number that you think better reflects the value of the car based on research and me not just pulling a number out of thin air. BTW, $39.980K seems a mite high for a car with 46K miles, a mite high indeed.)

Visit the dealer with checkbook in one hand and papers of other similar cars -- ideally selected to sell for nearer your price -- and make a serious offer for the car.

Note: Similar cars doesn't have to be Porsches. It can be BMWs, Mercedes, Corvette, etc.

I can't believe a car dealer would let a sure sale walk off the lot -- especially if you were convincing in your attempt that you were going to buy a car this day -- to make a purchase at another car lot.

Midnight blue a nice color. Neighbor has a 993 Turbo in this color. 993 pretty enough in any color but in midnight blue it is striking.

But the miles are a mite high and so's the price. Just my opinion without the benefit of doing even one search of similar cars for sale on say www.autotrader.com.

Sincerely,

Macster.

Macster

That SF Bay area car looks nice.

The 2nd car indicates the Midnight Blue car's $39980 price way high, not just a mite!

And after owning an 03 Turbo I'd say Tom M. check it out! Turbos are nice cars and have a better engine than the 996 cars.

Sincerely,

Macster.

Tom M

Original options on the '03 from the as-built report I have include; Colored wheel caps, Lumbar support (right seat only), heated seats (a must have for me for winter use), X54-stainless exhaust pipes (as far as I can tell this is just the exhaust tips and not the PSE?), BOSE upgrade, Supple leather. The listing shows the PSE (not sure it's really there) and Bi-xenon - not on the option list.

rajeshr

I think folks put too much stock in the mileage and not enough on the overall condition of the car. 46K miles is not a lot - over the course of 6 years, it works out to less than 8K miles a year. I'd rather buy a car that was driven (within reason) and not a garage queen.

Having said that, there is definitely room to haggle on the price. As Macster mentions, look at comparables and develop your own informed opinion. Use some of the other cars listed in the thread to set your price.

All the best with your search.

Tom M

The CL one is new since I looked the other day and have fired off an email so thanks for that lead.

The others look good too but I'm trying my darnedest to stay away from a black interior.

As far as the search goes I'm open to a PP listing and have preconfigured bookmarks for cars.com, autotrader, ebay, and searchtempest set up that get used daily searching for new listings.

Tom M

Ran across this 01 Turbo... http://www.mintmotorcarsinc.com/webt...px?iid=2714569

Only downside is it's a Tip.

Macster

Don't sell the Turbo with the Tip transmission short. That's a superior transmission -- sourced from Mercedes -- to handle the Turbo's torque/horsepower.

The Turbo accelerates so blindly fast -- gains revs like a two stroke dirt bike -- that unless one is a very quick and smooth shifter one can't really derive max. acceleration from the car. I kind of have to shift the Turbo like I used to shift my 06 GTO under hard acceleration: Very deliberately.

Sort of distracts from the effect a bit to have to be so deliberate cause there's such a noticable pause/break in the acceleration. Imagine a jet airliner taking off but then imagine the pilot having to grab another gear every so often until take off speed obtained...

Drive a Tip Turbo -- and a manual one too -- before you dismiss the Tip.

Sincerely,

Macster.

LVDell

SPOT ON!

Barn996

I may have missed it, what is the price on the turbo? The pics show a very clean looking 01'...sweet car.(I'm not wild about the tip either, but driving it might sway me in my choice)

Tom M

They are asking $40,900.

Phil G.

IMO, that '03 with 46K miles is worth $35K, tops. There are just too many of them out there. My '04 with 3400 miles (yeah, that's right 3400 miles), completely flawless, well equippped car went in the low $40's almost a year ago.

Tom M

The trick, at least in my view, is to try and balance the combination of year, mileage, overall condition, and price.

In any event, they're pretty much stuck on getting $39K for the Midnight Blue '03 in Georgia with 47K miles, The Lapis one was sold over the weekend so no luck there. The Houston dealer with the '05 is still pushing it and has dropped the price some more making it a bit more attractive.

It seems like the market is actually holding pretty well at the moment making it a bit tougher to get any sort of a real deal. I'm pretty sure if I were to hold out until Fall things would improve, but then I would need to sink $3K into the current ride. If I wait too long the other issue is that my potential buyer may also not wait for it. It's all a delicate balancing act!