What should I buy?

[Andrew Ullmann]

Hi.  I am new to this group, and new to Porsche.   I would like to buy a "summer runaround" car for fun to celebrate my "big" birthday.... I'm going to be 30 for the second time!

I have a budget of £5000, and there are quite a few good cars available, but I would like some advice, please:

I have found a 1998 R Boxster which has had lots of work done on it, with FSH.

I have found a 2001 "51" plate Boxster S, which also has lots of service history.

I have found a 1999 Boxster which has history also, but has a few more signs of age, but is over £1000 cheaper.

I am not a mechanic, and I don't know what to look for.... 

Some guidance would be appreciated.

Thanks

Andrew

[da888]

When I bought my first and only used 01 Porsche Boxster, I called several Porsche dealers and asked to speak to the service manager. Some are good, some are not. But on first try, I found a very good one. He told me what to listen, look and pay special attention to. ( like the convertible roof going up in equal amounts, very expensive repair. ) If you're going to do ANY  repairs at a dealer, it's exceedingly expensive.

 

Oil leaks in certain areas can be deadly and others repairable. ( I study these forums, and then go to an indie mech. were I direct him, what to do. He has a lift, I don't. I also pay him extra so I can be a picky pain in the ***. ) But I am a mechanically minded, just to old.

 

Read about the IMS bearing failures and figure out if you want to live with that threat to the engine. I have, and so far, so good.

If there are any codes like Check Engine, a ob2 code reader is cheap app on a smart phone, but again, you need to know how to approach it. This forum is invaluable for those codes and what they might mean. I had a code last year and Loren gave me ideas to chase, and I fixed it with just a spray cleaner on the MAS harness connection. Cost nothing.

 

Service history is important in my opinion because being a steam turbine tech, ( master welder ) in power plants for 30 years, I believe in preventable maintenance.

 

Finally, it's a gamble for sure. If you have a bad feeling, walk away. Maintenance at Porsche is crazy costly. Crazy ! But man, what a car. I love it, even as old as it is. It still runs like a new car. Perfect. If it died tomorrow, I wouldn't *****. I'm 59 and I sold my 1961 Austin Healey 3000 when I got married in 77, and always missed that open car, go-cart, feeling. So this has been my replacement and not regretting it.

 

Hope this helps.

 

Edited September 12, 2016 by da888
I don't think the guy cares.