the flyin' scotsman

hi folks......looking at a '01 Boxster tomorrow, 103k kms $12,800

Apparently just out the shop after a crank position sensor change which was causing an occaisional no start.

Appreciate any points I should be looking out for.

cheers......Malcolm

ep3_lol

Rear main seal. Some of them leaked and were recalled, but at this point you will have to pay out of pocket to have it replaced unless Canada has some generous consumer laws.

zedcat

Are you getting a PPI? Or is this just the first look at it? Check service records- Has the 60k mi service been done? clutch, RMS done in recent past? Has IMS been upgraded? If not may need to budget for it depending on your risk tolerance. Check for fluid leaks of any kind. Coolant can indicate water pump issue, and check the coolant tank in the trunk- it's prone to leak and the part is expensive and time consuming to replace. Check for grease leaking from CV joint boots or clamps. That's pretty common at the age/milage and is another lengthy job. Motor and trans mounts are possible failures too. 2001 has a plastic rear window in the top- check for cracks. It's more expensive to replace than you might think. Of course, condition of brakes, tires, battery, do all switches work, AC, top operation etc. like any used car. Good luck, keep us posted.

the flyin' scotsman

thx folks.........looked at and drove the car this morning. The car passed first inspection but didnt get wheels off or in the air to do a proper test.

The IMS and clutch have not been replaced. Thx for the advice on RMS, coolant leaks and rear window........all will be gone over at PPI.

perfectlap

If you have a single row IMS that will cost you probably $3,000 with the clutch. If the flywheel is scorched add that, proably like $800. I would stick with OEM. The axle boots are probably torn so those need servicing probably another 2 hours of labor.

Here's a list of repairs (with labor) I had done at just the 70-80K mile mark. However, my car is winter driven and it goes out at least 10-12K miles a year. I have driven it well.
So if I were buying, I would stick with California cars as a first option, the more south the better. I would also ask for an oil analysis from Blackstone labs if the owner has it.

Waterpump $1,000 (lasted almost 90K)
Rotors $1,000. (originals from 13 years ago)
coolant tank (before the waterpump, which lasted another 30K miles) $600
AOS (known Porsche weak spot)
MAF (DIY)
Starter and alternator (went at nearly the same time).
Shocks ~$2,000. (OEM)
catalytic converters (decided to upgrade exhaust but could have replaced with used cats for like $300).

and IMS/RMS upgrade with the clutch and flywheel. $3,000
(dual row bearing cars are cheaper to do now)

Must have options for cold: proper snow tires on a second set of wheels. A good choice because you're nicer wheels don't take a beating and your expensive sticky rubber can last a lot longer. I don't skimp on those, what's the point of buying a Porsche to run on crap tires.
And I guess you already know how long lasting snow tires are.

If you have a smart phone, or tablet/laptop I highly recommend you buy 101 Projects for your Porsche Boxster by Wayne Dempsey. It lists the expected labor and cost of parts for every Boxster repair. Which I use to calculate how much my next repair will run. It was right on the money down to within $10 on my last two repairs. Handy to keep on your phone if something comes up while you're on the road. There's also plenty of maintenance advice. The book is on Google Play Books, I don't use I-tunes so I don't know about that. I think its only in hard copy on Amazon.

p.s.
Budget $1,500 (over-printed U.S. dollars) a year on maintenance. Eventually you'll spend all that money.

PelicanParts.com

Very well stated and thorough! Here's a link as well to one of our tech articles regarding the engine/potential issues for your review:
Common Engine Problems 911 and Boxster

Agreed about Wayne's book, very helpful and informative. You can review it here:

101 Projects for your Porsche Boxster

Mark/Pelican Parts

gfl

$1000 for rotors? really?
$1200 for water pump, really?
RMS is an annoyance at worst, not any kind of urgent need
IMS is a crap-shoot. Some fail, some come out at 150k and look fine. Mine fell into the latter camp, although i put the LN in when the tranny was out anyway.

Replacing struts with OEM, but not servicing every piece of rubber in the syst6em results in a very mediocre repair. I have one just like that that I'm tearing apart again.

I would suggest looking at service history and at a PPI by a specialist, rather than lists of items that may or may not be the highest priority in your context.

Grant

goatfarmerdave

Maybe buy a later one thats more sorted out and had most of these done?If you pay 5 or 6 grand more you would be even in the end. 2003 and later?Just my 2 cents.Good luck.

gfl

Certainly its a good idea to buy the best condition used car available. But, going back to the facts, i see nothing at all unsorted.

He notes that the IMS and clutch have not been done, but there is no indication that the clutch is in poor condition, and the vast majority of IMSs are not "addressed". Furthermore, nearly anyone who DOES address the IMS plans to keep the car, so i suspect few are on the market. The rest of the list was thrown in from left field, but a different person who simply said what he did at 70k ish as a reference.

I'll note that things like rotors are regular maint items, simple to do, and often cheap, $50-100 ea. Since i track regularly i keep a stack in my garage.

So, yes, its generally cheaper to buy a good car than to make a bad one good, but until a proper PPI shows something wrong, its all random speculation.

Yes, 2003/4 cars have quite a few improvements - glove boxes, glass rear windows, etc. But mechanically, they are very, very similar ( i have one of each at the moment)

Grant

recycled sixties

Hi Malcolm,

Just thought I would say hi. I have a 2001 Boxster base and bought it with 30k miles and have it now 2 years later with 40k miles. The price is reasonable but likely needs work. You can expect to spend $1500 a year on it . Pay now or pay later. You need to get receipts for work done in the past. As the other poster mentions you can possibly get a later model with the glass window(but less access to the engine).

This is a buyers' market. Many Boxsters sit unsold for weeks/months. Do not be in a hurry to buy.
Things to check:
how are the tires - how much tread left?
convert. top works?
Make sure all caution lites work before you start engine. CEL light particularly!
Does it have the options you want? Eg. PSM, heated seats(you need that in this part of the world).
Air cond. works.
Color you want ?
Only if you are happy and satisfied with it then take it for a PPI.
Deduct repair costs from asking price. Bargain hard. Study up on RMS and IMS.
We are here for you. If in doubt ask!

wolfpcar

Hi, did you end up this boxster?