Zanzibar Red 996

I'm considering a boxer for my 24 year old daughter (automatic)
She lives far from me and I can't dyi her car for her
So what's the best bet for a used boxer ?

I'm a 996 owner and a rennlister, but don't know
Boxers
Any help would appreciated

Macster

Maybe the Boxster is not the best car for your daughter.

There are other cars that are perhaps a better fit. They are more readily serviceable than a Porsche Boxster and do not have the potential issue of serious engine problems the older models have.

'course you can get a newer model one that has the DFI engine that eliminates most if not all the serious potential engine problems of the older/previous models, but you or she still has the service issue, unless there is a Porsche dealer near your daughter that can be called upon to keep the car in good running condition.

Zanzibar Red 996

Not interested in "other cars"
Only boxers
DFI Engine ? What's years ? Why ?

terbiumactivated

Unless your daughter is a car enthusiast, I think there are better vehicle selections. Most cars get edgy over a hundred, as a 996 owner you are fully aware that Porsche cars live happily there, that fact would give me pause before handing such a powerful car to such a young woman. How much time in the evening do you have to take her to traffic court? The DFI reference is both for the lack of an IMS and power gains, all of us who have said engines are hoping their longevity is solid.

PS if you are going to buy her an automatic I would drive both the Tiptronic and PDK before making a decision, good luck.

DennisAN

The wiki article is helpful for the 986/987/981 history outline. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Porsche_Boxster

Macster

Well, there has to be some consideration for practicality. While I thoroughly enjoy my Boxster I'm fortunate to live in an area that has good service available. It is important these cars be given proper service by people who know how.

The local gas station is not a viable service department for these cars.

The DFI engine (DFI stands for direct fuel injection) refers to a more recent engine offering from Porsche that among other things does away with a problem related to the intermediate shaft and its ball bearing in the older (pre-DFI) engines.

In some cases some of the older model cars with the older style engine could suffer catastrophic engine failure arising from a failure of this bearing. The bearing going bad gives little warning and what little warning there was is often ignored by drivers until too late.

The car comes with high performance tires and they are good tires, but their strengths also bring with them some weaknesses.

For instance while they have superior grip in good weather they do not grip very well when cold even when the roads are dry. The tires are not the best in the rain and the tires are useless in marginal traction conditions like snow and ice.

Now I have driven my 2002 Boxster for over 12 years. I have covered over 277K miles in it in all kinds of weather. I've even driven it in the snow with its high performance tires. I have been fortunate that this has never gotten me into trouble. But I've been driving for longer than I care to remember and I am quite aware of the car and its limitations and weaknesses and automatically take these into consideration. I dare say it would be the rare 24 year old woman (or man) that would do likewise.

Also, they are rather light cars. (They are light but well made and strong where it counts.) This light weight is a plus but this also means they are outmatched by most other vehicles on the road. Many parents prefer to put their children in more substantial cars with more crush space in the event their child is -- God forbid -- involved in an accident.

'course it is up to you in the end.

The Boxster is just a used car so you need to give it a good used car check out.

You want to find a car that has reasonable servicing and the seller has the paperwork to back this up.

I advise a test ride followed by a test drive. The route should cover 15 miles and give the seller the opportunity to demo the car in a variety of ways, at least like you or your daughter intend to drive the car. Then after this test ride you take the car out and cover the same route and drive the car the same way.

After the test ride/drive then give the car a thorough used car check out. Assume nothing works until you confirm it does.

After all of the above, then have the car given a PPI. This will have the car on a lift and among other things leaks checked for. (And I note after the 30 mile test ride/drive.) The DME over rev counters will be read and the engine run time that is obtained can be used to sanity check the odometer.

The general rule is buy the best example you can find and afford. If possible finding one with some factory or CPO warranty remaining is a good thing. Next best would be finding a car that you could add an extended warranty to. This though raises the issue of which warranty and how good it is and how much to pay.

extanker

09 and up,better engines[base or s]

Taipanic

Pretty much everything that applies to your 996 applies to the Boxster. Same IMS, AOS, RMS, waterpump issues, same maintenance costs. Tiptronic tranny is a pricey rebuild if it dies, ask me how I know. Get the newest, lowest mileage model you can afford, preferably with lots of documented maintenance. A PPI inspection is also highly recommended. The 2009 - Newer models have the redesigned engine without the IMS bearing issues.

Zanzibar Red 996

Ok so 2009 or newer ?

But one rennlister just said he got
272 k miles Wow ! That's a lot of miles
I could find a older one and do IMS
DOF

zedcat

A 987.2 (2009+) would likely be trouble free for years, but not cheap. If there is a reputable indy mechanic nearby and you have a repair fund set aside the 986 could be a good choice too. Keep in mind the last 986 is now 10 yrs old. As noted, lots of similarities 996 to 986. My experience is probably not typical but can happen. 2004 S with 60k mi and a solid PPI. In the first year about 5k in repairs and maintenance. To be fair the clutch/ RMS/ IMS upgrade was elective. But then had coolant tank fail, cam seal oil leak, CV boot clamp leak, water pump, battery, tires. So it can add up. Best of luck in the search.

Macster

Yes, you could find a good example of an older Boxster and do whatever preventative work you determine is necessary to give you the peace of mind to hand the car over to your daughter.

The trouble is while you have (probably) addressed the #1 issue -- IMSB -- the car, the engine, can still have issues from the miles. Maybe they aren't engine or car killers but they can be serious if not taken care of promptly.

My 02 didn't accumulate 277K miles without some problems over the years: wheel bearing, water pump, fuel pump, coolant tank, VarioCam solenoid/actuator, oh and 2 AOS's. Those were the biggies. There were smaller issues: MAF, O2 sensors, door lock assembly, door latch, window regulators, front and rear trunk lid struts, coolant tank cap, oil filler tube cap, CV boots, rear window cracked and replaced.

Your daughter still needs someone she can depend upon to help keep the car in good repair and someone she can rely upon to have a look, listen when something acts up. And she needs to know that say a rumbling sound is not something that she can ignore but must have it looked into and be prepared to leave the car then and there for -- as was the case with my car -- a water pump job.

mikefocke

Consider this. Are you willing to have your daughter driving around in a car that has no spare tire? Or one so heavy she might struggle to even lift it? One that might be farther away from factory service than the Chevy/Toyota dealer if/when it has a failure? One where an oil change costs 3x as much and requires filters and oils not always found in the local fast-lube place?

What is the best Boxster? The 981 with CPO warranty so she can take it to the dealer you bought it from and borrow or rent a car while hers is serviced and know the big things that could happen are already paid for. Beyond that it is a question of risk versus cost. One rising and the other falling as the car ages.

But it is that way with any new or used car. They wear out. And random things happen on a bell curve of length you really might know nothing about until 10 years after the car was made.

I owned 2 Boxsters. Both super reliable and cheaper to maintain than almost any of the probably 40 cars I've owned over 56 years of driving. Some luck. Some fanatical preventative maintenance.

The French Dude

If you really want to buy your daughter a Box I will go with an enthusiast ownership one.
With IMS upgrade, and why not water pump, RMS seal, AOS done...
The best would be a good indy near your daughter location.
My 2 cents

Zanzibar Red 996

All good advice and it looks like ill

Try the older boxer ( previously owned by
Little old lady )
I live in Florida and have seen some older boxers with less than 30k miles
Thanks everybody

extanker

surprised no one asked your budget nor have you stated it.