Hello Guys,
First of all thank you for reading this... I need your help. Here are my questions

1. is 2005 boxster a reliable car? is there a certain part that always or almost always breaks down? how much is this going to cost me to keep a year?(repair expenses)

2. it is RWD car! I live in New Jersey, so a lot of snow and i plan to use it in snow as much as I can. Is this wise? will it be safe?

3. am I crazy? am i just going to end up paying thousands more to fix it every year and end up driving it for few months and hate it?

http://www.cars.com/vehicledetail/de...1085/overview/ this is the specific car by the way...

anyways thank you guys a ton for any replies

Bill~

 

what is your budget ? is this your first car? an 09 and above are more drama free.good luck finding a shop that knows these cars and has the scan tools [dealer oil changes start at 300.00].you will need snow tires.

 

hey thank you for the reply.

so my budget is approx 20K. I originally wanted a used convertible manual car. I was looking at mazda miata and then realized for few more thousand I can get a Porsche(dream car)...

before this i had a 2005 saab 9-3 manual, and now I have a 2012 BMW 528i auto.

 

Look for a thread something like: "Boxster reliability - lets get more info." Every once in a while it is updated with reliability numbers.

I can't recall any specifics but the few times I've read the thread after it has been updated I don't recall seeing reliability issues with the MY you are considering.

The car you are considering is a used car and if you continue to use it will require regular servicing of course but over time will probably -- almost certainly -- develop other problems. Water pump. Fuel pump. Battery. Things wear out and need to be replaced.

Any car would behave the same way so it is just a matter of which car would you rather be driving and having to spend money to keep it in good operating condition? A Porsche Boxster or something else?

Your cost to keep the car on the road depends upon how many miles you cover and how hard you are on the car. Roughly my experience from driving rather big miles in my 2002 Boxster is rear tires last 20K miles, front tires double that. Oil/filter services come every 5K miles -- you probably should run 0w-40 in the winter where you are -- and other vital fluids are done at the factory scheduled mileages or more often. Same goes for things like air filters, plugs.

Brakes last a long time I can't really recall the miles at which they get replaced.

There can be other things that need attention. Things like for instance brake light, clutch interlock switches. Door locks or window regulators. These wear out over time but my experience is we are talking 10+ years of time and 250K miles and more.

I drove my Boxster in mid-west winters off and on. Couple of things I learned. Be sure you get a set of very good real snow tires. This is not a place to scrimp.

I scrimped -- ran summer tires even in the snow -- and while I got by I was damned lucky and also had a 2nd car to use on the really bad days.

Be sure you keep the body water drains free of trash as this can block the water from draining and water can get into the cabin. This ain't good.

Also, keep the radiator ducts clear of trash too. This collects and holds moisture and salt and the A/C condensers and radiators can suffer corrosion and premature failure.

The side glass can freeze/stick up so when you open the door be mindful of this. I would use the lower button to try to lower the window while wiggling it gently and pushing down gently to get it free then make sure it went up and down ok and was down before closing the door.

Even with my car's plastic rear window and no rear window defogger the heater would clear the rear window in no time of any snow/ice and after a while the top would be completely free of snow/ice build up as it would melt and dry.

Unless you really enjoy the top down driving experience you should consider a Cayman. Same basic car just a coupe vs. a roadster.

Be sure you check the car out very very thoroughly. A 15 mile test ride then a 15 mile test drive to experience the car as you intend to use it.

Afterwards a thorough used car check out using a CPO check list the techs use. Do as many of the checks/tests as you can.

After all the above if you still like the car have a PPI done. Among other things this gets the car in the air and a careful check for any leak sign can be made.

 

Oh, I searched for that thread I mentioned and can't find it here. I think it exists on another forum. Email me and I'll supply the name of the forum.

 

thank you macster, I definitely plan to test drive it as long and as thorough as i can. in mean while I will continue to look for the CPO check list. I am giving myself a month before i pull the trigger and buy it so that i don't make any emotional decisions.

 

I don't know your size or really what you are going to ask of the car.

A Miata (MX5) costs half what most Boxsters cost new. So your budget would allow a much newer Miata.

When I was looking 10 years ago I felt the Miata didn't fit me (6' 200lbs). My eye level hit the top of the windshield. The trunk is tiny compared to the Boxster. It is far lighter, tires are smaller (cheaper) and thus better in snow. But the engine is in front so definitely snow tires will be needed.

The Boxster is more luxurious, a fabulous driver, more spacious interior, lots more trunk room, more features. More expensive to maintain. Good in snow with snow tires due to its mid-engine design.

Both brands have a limited number of dealerships. Both have active, helpful online communities to help you. Both have racing classes to test your skills against similar cars.

You'll have to sort out your priorities, risk acceptance, etc. Used cars come with more risk than new ones and the older the more risk.

If I knew I was going to have to drive 25% of the year in snow, I'd not buy either as my only car.

I owned 2 Boxsters, loved them both. Very few problems. But on the real snow and ice days, I had a 4WD to get me there. Don't drive either with regular/summer tires in snow or ice or even around freezing temps. That is why I owned 2 Boxsters.

 

So far at 34k miles, i've replaced the air and Oil seperator, the water pump, CV boots on one axle, spark plugs, battery, brake pads and rotors and tires.
Typical parts. Stock IMS still in the car.
Waterpump, AOS (with associated contaminated lines) and CV boots have cost about $2600 at a local independant dealer.

Since I have MaxCare warranty, I've paid the initial $1800 and $200 in deductible. Have 3 years left on warranty.

Love the car. It's my daily driver since I purchased 3 years ago.

Get it because you like the car, not because it makes financial sense....cause it doesn't.

 

don't get me wrong i love the car. its just that i have had cars where it was so frustrating because every 2 months something would go wrong and would cost thousands of dollars just to fix for few months. always. still looking. but i am definitely looking for a newer model even if it is little bit more expensive.
thank you guys for the comments

 

I have a 06 base. The car has been great. I have had to replace the usual ... AOS, water pump, brake pads, rotors, tires, and coils. It has 57k miles. I am going to put it up for sale in two weeks.. Pm me if you want more details

 

Join the Porsche Club of America. Depending on where you live, there are specials on service, even at Porsche Dealers.

 

FYI: I sold my 2004 Boxster S one year ago and it had just turned 50K miles. Other than tires, the only thing it needed during that time was a new batter two years ago. As a preventative thing, I did have the water pump and serpentine belt done just before I sold it (not knowing I was going to sell it). It didn't fail, I just did it as a preventative thing after reading here on Rennlist.

 

Friend of mine just bought a 06 at the collection im Miami. Red over tan interior. Hes in love.