wellcraft290

I am interested in buying a boxster. Prefer newer but want to spend 15k or under. What years are best? Also see ims failures. They haven't fixed that yet? Any advice??

Plyman438

For $15,000 or so, 2000-2002 model years are doable with 50,000-75,000 miles and clean body and interior. Add some more dollars if it's the S model. I just bought a 2001 red, standard Boxster for $15,400 with 54,000 miles and happy with it so far anyway. As has been stated so many times on here, drive the vehicle check it out throughly, and if it passes your muster, move onto PPI. I wouldn't worry too much about IMS if there are no oil leaks and it passes PPI. You will just drive yourself crazy. Warm motor up before putting revs into 5,000 + territory, change the oil often, don't lug the motor, and enjoy it as with a little luck the IMS will be fine. I look at buying a Porsche like being in the stock market. If it's going to cause you to lose sleep, then the market and the vehicle is not for you.

wellcraft290

Now with the IMS are there fixes? and what should I expect to pay for that?
I currently own a 964 and just don't want to buy a car and then have to replace the motor.

Ray S

Install the LN Engineering replacement bearing when you do your first clutch change out (will add around $1,200 to the job).

http://www.lnengineering.com/ims.html

Plyman438

LN Engineering sells an IMS bearing retrofit kit that includes a flange seal, improved bearing, and a few other parts. Best time to do this is when RMS is leaking and/or new clutch is needed. Parts and labor are around $2,000 or so. I will have this done on my Boxster if RMS starts leaking badly or just wait until clutch wears out and needs replacement. In meantime, I keep eye on any leaks, change the oil regularly, warm engine up before doing any high revs, and don't lug the motor around town. If the vehicle you are buying already has 50,000 miles + like mine with no problems, chances are good that it won't have any IMS issues. If you are still weary of IMS issues, then get the IMS retrofit done right away, find another Boxster that has LN retrofit, or just stay away from Porsches that have IMS. LN says that IMS should be maintained just like any major part on vehicle. That means go to more durable bearing when trans has to be dropped like with RMS fix and/or new clutch and change the oil and filter regularly.

I think it also matters greatly on how you drive your Porsche. For me, the Boxster is a second car and driven for pleasure only on nice days about 6 months out of year. I could be all wet and probably am, but it seems to me many who are having IMS problems track their Boxster. In manual, Porsche recommends no racing tires as the ultra high g forces will starve engine for oil. I don't see the Boxster as a daily driver either, but I'm sure many on here drive theirs to work every day and put tons of miles on it/year. I know some state garage queening Boxster may lead to premature IMS failure, and driving it will extend life of IMS. I don't know that anyone has the answer on why the IMS sometimes falis. All I know is that getting the LN IMS retrofit kit makes good sense when the time comes and IMS should be maintained like for example the water pump and serpentine belt. Pay attention to it and think about kit when the time comes.

racer

If you plan on creating a "spec boxster" type car, you need to stick to '99 and earlier

If that's not a concern, I'd look for a 2000+ model year. These cars had upgrades in the interior as well as a small hp/displacement bump in the base cars from 2.5l / 201hp to 2.7l / 217hp.

If you can find one a 2003 would have a glass rear window that makes a nice upgrade.

Figure out color combos and options you "must have". My boxster didn't have heated seats.. After while, I wished it did (I really liked the top down driving feel). There were TONS of options available on these cars so it seems no two are really alike.

Plyman438

The heated seats feature is really nice if you live in cold weather state like me. I use the heated seat feature all the time if temp drops like at night or during day if cold wave comes through. They work great as you can keep the top down and still feel comfortable. I personally would rate heated seats a must have even in FL or CA where it can get cold at times like during colder months or at night. Another great feature is the windscreen which is an option. But should be easy to find and buy online if it doesn't have one. Even cruise control in an option and comes in handy. Of course the S model in itself was a $9,000 option and will add quite a bit to you license tabs if your state charges by what vehicle cost new. My 2001 Boxster had a sticker of about $48,000 new. Even the red paint was an option. And my license plate tab yearly runs about $190 and on my Ford Taurus it runs $84. Like was stated earlier, check out the options on vehicle and figure out what it cost new. The base price for standard Boxster with no options was about $39,000 in 2000 and $48,000 for S model. Very easy to add $10,000 in options the way Porsche plays the game. For that matter, option game on any new vehicle can get very pricey quickly.