RAC

I am interested in knowing what people have paid in the last few months. I am currently looking at a 03 S that is a certified car, asking 44k. 23k in miles has the options I want, minus one. Can't recall all the options but the MSRP when new was 60k. Giving serious thought about pulling the trigger, but I don't want to over pay with the 987 coming out so soon. What the current prices?

smshirk

41k is absolute top dollar for an 03 Boxster S. That will drop when the 987s come out in Jan or Feb by 2 to 5%. Don't pay 44. Go for 38.

docjackson1

my advice-don't pull the trigger at anything close to 44k. there is no shortage of new 04's out there for 10k off of msrp-therefore, you can easily get a new 04 for 45-47k. remember, there is no shortage of new boxsters around, and the demand is low. for the car you describe, i wouldn't pay a penny over 35k-remember, for a little over their asking price, you can get a new one. hope that helps.

designman

Also consider the following:

1 - New Boxster sales are reportedly down about 30%.
2 - Years 02 and 03 were overproduced.
3 - Leftover 03 Boxster Ss were going for up to $12K off MSRP at this time last year. If dealers are overstocked with 04s, well, there's your benchmark.
4 - Private sellers are reportedly having a real hard time unloading.

On the other side of the coin:

1 - Porsche is supposed to be holding the line on production and determined not to discount like they did last year. If they are giving $10K off retail as reported above, then demand is even lower still.
2 - The new Boxster will be getting close to retail—I think you can bank on it. This should buttress used prices. How long this will last is another story.

Due to the glut of 02/03 and the plummet in demand, I agree with the above posts, there is no way I would pay even close to $44K on a used Boxster with 24K miles—that's retail. I think you could get one with 6K miles for less and have more time left on the warranty. And that's just from a dealer. The deals from private sellers should be much better.

Curious how there isn't much discussion of prices around here and we're right in the midst of deal season. In addition to leftover 04s I would keep my eye out for the overproduced 02s and 03s coming in off leases. Dealers don't like them to sit, and if demand stays low they will be piling up.

Personally, I don't think Porsche can hold the line on Boxster prices over the long haul. Competition in the roadster segment plus lack of demand is a pretty lethal combination. And I hope I'm wrong about this but I think the new SLK and Corvette could really add to the headache.

Now that I sound like a prophet of doom here's the obvious silver lining—if you have a heart throb for this car it's a great time to jump in.

docjackson1

designman-you and i both agree-you wouldn't want to buy that 03 for 44k, and then 2 months from then, have to sell it. in the sunday ny times, there is no shortage of new 04's for 10 off msrp. let's face it-demand for most porsches is kind of weak now, but the weakest, buy far is the boxster, especially with a new model on the horizon. the only way that i would be a buyer on a boxster, new or used, would be at a deep discount. and you are right, corvettes, with way more performance, are now being discounted-kerbick in atlantic city is selling at 2500 off all c6's. there is no room for an emotional buy on a boxster-there are just too many out there for sale.

RAC

Thanks for the replies. I just wanted to get a feel for prices. Just to be clear, the asking price was 44K and no I was not going to buy it at price. I made an offer at 38K. Which I felt was a very fair price. It was received like, I just told them that I had ran over their dog, slept with their wives, and disciplined their children on my way out the door. Anyway they did call me the next day with a counter offer. Was no where close. I didn't bother calling them back.

So I will continue to wait and look. Maybe I'll wait to see what the coupe will look like.

docjackson1

rac-keep on searching for that right car at the right price-you will soon find it.