944kid

OT- itsme-itsme and Irishdriver you each have a PM.

My vote (of course!) goes to the 944 series, but as deliriousga says, they tend to be in poor shape, so ditto his response.

Doug&Julie

In 1993 I bought my first Porsche, a 944 n/a with 43k miles, for $12,500. Over five years of ownership and an additional 105k miles, it left me stranded twice (almost caused a divorce twice...which, in hindsight, would have been fine..), almost left me stranded three more times, and cost me about 150% of the purchase price in "service and maintanence" over the span of ownership. I loved the car, but I'm not so sure I'd call it "reliable".

Unfortunately, based on experience I can't vote for the Boxster, either. I had one of the dreaded slipped sleave motors in my second '99. $8600 later, I had a brand new motor. Other than that, the two I've owned (and the '03 my brother owns) have been excellent and trouble free.

By the numbers (and records) the most reliable Porsches I've owned hands down have been the 3.2 Carreras. (Why I sold those...I have no idea.) You can certainly get good 3.2 Carreras for under $30k...under $20k even.

Just my $.02.

schnell987

I'll have to agree with Doug regarding the 3.2 Carreras. Rock solid cars and loads of fun to drive. The 3.2 would be my first choice for the price range that you are looking at.

However, the three cars (911, 944 and Boxster) all are VERY different cars as far as handling, feel and creature comforts are concerned (I know from experience). In the end, you need to have the car that fits the kind of driving that you love. I'd suggest driving all three and see what fits your needs and lifestlye the best.

Hope that helps.

Doug&Julie

Agree completely! The reason I kept bouncing back and forth between a Boxster and a 3.2 Carrera is I felt I could live (day to day, and even winter) better with the Boxster (which is true IMO). You are getting a 'no compromise' car with the 3.2 Carrera...you best have ideal climate for one. But if the question is simply reliability...they're hard to beat for the money.

itsme-itsme

I too started with an inexpensive (HA) 944. Then fell in love with my 78SC. But, I couldn't see it as a daily driver with the poor AC and stick shift in heavy stop & go traffic. Though the 3.2's are first choice, the Boxster will be my wife's daily driver most of the time. That's the reason for the mandatory tip transmission. The car must be reliable.

Maybe it's just me, but why can't Porsche get it right? I don't understand how you can have so many failures in a modern era $50K vehicle, especially given the heritage synonymous with Porsche.

Doug&Julie

To be fair, most of the "big" problems with the newer cars are blown out of proportion. RMS is just a leak. That doesn't make it OK, but it truly is harmless in 99% of the cases. The bad motors are pretty much limited to the late '98 - early '99 production Boxsters. Most Boxster owners, on the whole, are very, very, very happy with their purchases. I'm hearing of more and more 986 and 996 owners sailing through the 100k mark without any major problems.

Cars are simply more complicated today and engineering is stretching to the limit to make them better and better...with that are more chances for mistakes and problems. I know...it's not a good excuse, but that's the reality of a market that wants cars to truly do it all.

itsme-itsme

Example, my 88 Chev Tk. Dad bought it new in 88. I bought from estate in 03 with 107K. Now has 160K. In all that time, it's had a new alternator and front rotors due to "failure". Just like the Volvo and P-cars, it was serviced on a timely schedule, with nothing taken for granted. The Volvo has had new brakes, radiator, heater core and motor mounts. The p-cars list is too long to print here.

2003 Boxter $47K new
1998 Volvo $27K new
1988 Chev $13K new

If I wasn't already hooked, I'd consider a Z3 or Z4.

It's just a question.

Doug&Julie

Hey, I understand. After my Boxster's motor failed, I ran out and bought this new Subie. I told myself I wanted at least one car that won't fail on me (and if it did, it's under warranty). So far, so good...knock on wood. And, even if you add the cost of the Subie and now my old 911, I'm paying less than I did for the Boxster.

But we could play "For That Kind of Money I'd Buy..." all day long.

I WILL add that I do miss my Boxster. Man that thing was smooth... *sigh*

Jay Laifman

I have a 2000 Boxster S (and the pictured '73 911), and I love the Boxster. As far as I can see, Porsche has gotten it right. The Boxster is on top of a number of published reliability lists. And, many auto magazines year after year put it down as the best sports car. It's also an absolute blast to drive. And, if you want to just cruz through town, it does that with ease and pleasure too. All cars have problems. Some owners and chat lists make it seem to be every car. But, the Boxster is not high on reliability lists for nothing.

I too debated a Carrera through the 993 instead of the Boxster S. But, in the end, my 911 gave me all the pleasure of any of the newer ones without the added weight or general fatter feel, while the Boxster S provided a whole new teutonic pleasure.

In the end, it's always personal preference. Drive them and decide what you like best. That's all that matters.

Renaud Bizet

I have been driving daily a 2000 Boxster S for the past 2 years.
The car is a blast to drive, especially on the windy roads of northern California.
It has been pretty cheap to maintain so far. The only problem I had was the rear wheel bearing that failed. When the car was under warranty with the previous owner the catalytic converter failed, RMS leak and cam cover leaked.
It is as trouble free and almost as cheap to own as my previous Miatas (except tires !!!!)

Good luck with your purchase

itsme-itsme

I suspect that because most postings address troubles and failures instead of carefree days of reliable service, it distorts the big picture.

I hope to join the 986 club in the not so distant future. I'll say hello again when it happens. Thanks for the input.

Bill Coleman

I have to agree with Doug. I had an '89 Carrera that I, too, wonder why I ever sold.

A 944 can be reliable. I leased a brand new one back in '87 and and for 5 years and 50k miles it needed almost nothing. But the 85.5 944 I bought a few years later always had something or other fail, usually faster than I could fix them. I sold it below book value just to get rid of it!

ppbskis

My first Porsche was an 87 944S, and way back in the days of " porschlist.net"was it ? I posted my first situations of the car. I'll never forget being told by I think it was Martin that the 944S was as difficult to maintain as a helicopter, he was right on as far as I'm concerned. Next came a new Boxster S 01. My first motor lasted 200 miles and caput. Second motor may still be runnung, strange thing is that first motor ran like a bat out of hell! I stayed at the 4k break in but man, there really was something about that first motor that was crazy! Even my salesman commented on how it seemed to run extraordinarily well. Turned it in after lease and had the pleasure of a company furnished Cayenne, missing the boxster I bought my own car. An 01 base boxster with 23k, I now have 36k with no problems at all. All in all I think the Boxster is a reliable piece.

Jay Laifman

Funny you should mention that. I drove quite a number of Boxsters over the years before I bought mine. Now don't get me wrong. I love my S. But, there was one, the first S I drove, another 2000, that really still sticks in my mind as being extraordinary. I have generally attributed it to the first S that I drove. But, maybe there was this same gremlin. Well, I guess I can now take comfort in thinking that that car may have only lasted a few hundred before it went too . . .

Cajun

1999 Boxster, Bought new, mother drives it all the time, rain or shine, 140,000 miles and counting.

Other than oil changes, tires, a fraying roof at 35,000 miles (which was replaced under warranty), and replacement headlamp bulbs, ZERO count them ZERO problems. Drive them, and they will love you forever. The thing keeps running better and better.

The car still looks like a million and drives like ten million.