03 base vs. 02 s
03-03-2011, 08:34 PM
#1
Track Day
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03 base vs. 02 s
sorry to post a part 2 so soon,but a private party is selling a 03 base,21000miles,asking $20k and the kia dealer asking $21,000 for 02 s with 23000 miles...I realize the s is a preferable vehicle...what is a reasonable price for a 03 base ( private party) and an 02 s (dealer).I have not had a chance to drive a 2.7 but I did drive a 2.5 and a 3.2 and of course the 3.2 was much preferable so I don't have an idea what the 2.7 is like.from what I have read, in 03 there were suspension and engine improvements to the base.
03-03-2011, 09:51 PM
#3
'03 also had a revised front bumper (air inlets) and maybe a rear bumper too?
My 2.7 was a MY2000 and rated at 217hp. By 2003, I believe the base 2.7 was rated at 228hp. The BIG upgrade for the '03 was the glass rear window in the top.
The early S was rated at 252hp.. so what was a 50hp advantage when first introduced (the 2.5 was rated at 201hp) shrunk to about 25hp in your example.
I wouldn't ignore a nice base if it was the color combo and had options I wanted. That said, for same money, I'd likely go with the S for the other goodies (larger brakes, 3rd radiator, more hp)
I haven't noticed what low miles examples go for so I can't help there. Higher miles (say 50-60K) for either are mid-teens nowadays.
My 2.7 was a MY2000 and rated at 217hp. By 2003, I believe the base 2.7 was rated at 228hp. The BIG upgrade for the '03 was the glass rear window in the top.
The early S was rated at 252hp.. so what was a 50hp advantage when first introduced (the 2.5 was rated at 201hp) shrunk to about 25hp in your example.
I wouldn't ignore a nice base if it was the color combo and had options I wanted. That said, for same money, I'd likely go with the S for the other goodies (larger brakes, 3rd radiator, more hp)
I haven't noticed what low miles examples go for so I can't help there. Higher miles (say 50-60K) for either are mid-teens nowadays.
03-03-2011, 11:38 PM
#4
Race Director
sorry to post a part 2 so soon,but a private party is selling a 03 base,21000miles,asking $20k and the kia dealer asking $21,000 for 02 s with 23000 miles...I realize the s is a preferable vehicle...what is a reasonable price for a 03 base ( private party) and an 02 s (dealer).I have not had a chance to drive a 2.7 but I did drive a 2.5 and a 3.2 and of course the 3.2 was much preferable so I don't have an idea what the 2.7 is like.from what I have read, in 03 there were suspension and engine improvements to the base.
Or find the most recent issue of Excellence with the Boxster/Cayman buying guide with pricing info and see what prices are.
These are just numbers but you can reasonably believe the car is worth something around the wholesale number, that is the trade in value, or less.
Less? Yes. Almost always dealers offer trade in values less than the public trade in values, labeling their lower numbers 'below the book' or 'back of the book'. These are values based on what the dealer knows it can sell the car at an auction (which may or may not be open to the public) should the car prove to be a non-seller.
How much over wholesale depends upon many factors some of them obviously not under your control.
Even though I have not viewed the prices at the sites I gave above, I will offer the opinion/observation that it appears the private party is asking too much for his car or the dealer is asking too little for his car. The cars are nearly the same year and the upgrade from the 02 to the 03 MY are not that substantial, and both cars have nearly the same miles so I would expect the S to retain some of its new $5K (IIRC) price premium over the base.
The 03 base I would have to say is a very good car, though I have no direct experience with the base 03 Boxster. But I have considerable experience with my 02 base now with nearly 240K miles on it, and still running just fine on the original engine and transmssion and clutch, and it has been a fine car. So much so that I have bought two more Porsches though I still have and drive the Boxster. The Boxster top and rear window have held up well, although I cracked the original window a few years ago on cold weather and had to have it replaced.
The top is lined and the car has some good options: auto climate control, cruise control.
Not sure the S brings that much more to the party. The extra hp's nice but the base is pretty quick (and there's always a faster car). The 5-speed is one fast shifter. My very limited time in an S found the 6-speed's shifting to be rather ponderous and slower compared to the 5-speed's shifting.
The 2.7l engine is pretty easy on the gas and it is an easy engine to drive. I'm always amazed at how tractable the engine is even at 1K rpms and the redline is 7200 rpms and it runs good up there too.
The 03 base cars came with a glass rear window which is nice and the engine gained a few hp which is never a bad thing. The body received some cosmetic changes too and there might be other changes/additional options too but I am not current on what they were.
But drive them both. You may find the S more to your liking.
Sincerely,
Macster.
