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Porsche Boxster 3.2 S (260bhp) - Your thoughts?


HassanZ

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Hi all,

 

I have never looked into these before and was just thinking what your opinions are on these?

 

Are they good cars or still referred to as 'the poor man's Porsche'?

 

I've been looking at the 2003/53 plate version and they seen to be around the £7k-£8k mark, which is quite cheap. Or am I missing something?

 

Do you think the residual value on these will drop like the 350z's have or will they hold their value more?

 

What sort of specs should be on these cars and what is there to avoid?

 

I appreciate your input guys.

 

Many Thanks,

Hassan

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The 986 Boxster really didn't do it for me when I was on the hunt for what ended up being the zed. To me, it looks like it's on stilts, and the interior is well made but boring. The engine wasn't anything to write home about either, it felt like all the power was up next to the rev-limiter. I also drove a 987 S and it was much much better. Looks better, goes better and actually felt like what I'd imagined a Porsche to feel like. The only reason I didn't get one was because I didn't fancy finance when I could buy the Zed outright.

 

I don't think I could ever own a 986 because I know the 987 is so much better, and they've gone and ruined the 987 for me as well by bringing out the 981, which I have decided I must own one day. That's just me though, your results may differ :thumbs:

 

DB

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986's are awesome IMO. I think people who are jealous say they are the poor mans porchse etc no one says to me too poor to buy the gt-r was we as the badge doesnt get the same attention.

 

I personally think they will hold their value for a few reasons

 

They are great to drive

One of the best convertibles out there

Its a Porsche they still have that prestige and dont seem to depreciate

Have relatively low running costs, even servicing

 

With the 3.2s you want it to be manual ( not sure if they did the trip) You DONT need tcs IMO. You want a nice colour of leather they made some gash ones IMO and it covers the dash. You want bose and climate control and heated seats. The ones with the clear headlights look better but you could always perform an amberectomy.

 

You want nice alloys too like the turbo styles ones ones.

 

They are great fun to drive and grip like mad. Alot cheaper to run the the 350z too as parts are very cheap. Oil service is easy to do and takes 8-9litres I think.

 

Leaky roof, rear window made from plastic clouding and starting to tear are your main problems. IMS and RMS are problems too but the serious one destroys the engine and the other one weaps oil.

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986's are awesome IMO. I think people who are jealous say they are the poor mans porchse etc no one says to me too poor to buy the gt-r was we as the badge doesnt get the same attention.

 

I personally think they will hold their value for a few reasons

 

They are great to drive

One of the best convertibles out there

Its a Porsche they still have that prestige and dont seem to depreciate

Have relatively low running costs, even servicing

 

With the 3.2s you want it to be manual ( not sure if they did the trip) You DONT need tcs IMO. You want a nice colour of leather they made some gash ones IMO and it covers the dash. You want bose and climate control and heated seats. The ones with the clear headlights look better but you could always perform an amberectomy.

 

You want nice alloys too like the turbo styles ones ones.

 

They are great fun to drive and grip like mad. Alot cheaper to run the the 350z too as parts are very cheap. Oil service is easy to do and takes 8-9litres I think.

 

Leaky roof, rear window made from plastic clouding and starting to tear are your main problems. IMS and RMS are problems too but the serious one destroys the engine and the other one weaps oil.

 

8-9 litres :scare:

 

I heard a few bad stories about the rear window, but I think it's only about £500 to get it replaced with a glass one, problem solved :thumbs:

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They're sh*t. Just buy a 911 if you want a proper Porsche.

 

;)

 

As for specs, you'd want the following:

Boroscope inspection to check for scored bores

 

Everything else is down to personal taste. If it's got the standard nav avoid as it's awful, junk the system and put something aftermarket in. Sports seats are very good, I wouldn't want the non-sport versions. A decent exhaust would be lovely but not exactly hard to fit yourself. I'm not entirely up on my 996/986 specs but a lot of it will be just colours, trim and wheels, so pick a decent one oyu like rather than getting bogged down in what options it has or hasn't got.

 

Do a lot of research into IMS issues and be aware of what you're getting into, as a £7K car can end up with a £5K bill very easily. See the documentation (and prevention measures) on the Hartech website.

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20-25 litres of coolant too. It's only Japanese cars that take little oil. All the German cars take between 7-9 litres.

 

Does the glass rear window not mean new roof?

 

Apparently it can just be replaced, but I take it it wouldn't be an OEM facelift window as I believe it's slightly smaller than the plastic one :shrug:

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as a £7K car can end up with a £5K bill very easily.

 

 

Totally different car but my mate told me last night about an E60 M5 he had into his work - these are now £15k motors easily and will be on the radar of many Zed owners. Anyway, it was a few years old and needed a little gearbox work. £9k of gearbox work to be precise. My mate worked at a specialist and not a main dealer and therefore the prices were much lower too.

 

I know it's not really relevant to this though. :)

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as a £7K car can end up with a £5K bill very easily.

 

 

Totally different car but my mate told me last night about an E60 M5 he had into his work - these are now £15k motors easily and will be on the radar of many Zed owners. Anyway, it was a few years old and needed a little gearbox work. £9k of gearbox work to be precise. My mate worked at a specialist and not a main dealer and therefore the prices were much lower too.

 

I know it's not really relevant to this though. :)

 

Totally relevant if you ask me - we're not casting aspersions about Lukes financial abilility to maintain a car and the Boxster is undoubtedly a great car...........but like with anything that is premium badge, premium money brand new they are/can be money pits.

 

Even standard servicing is stratospheric if you use main or indies - although on a 7k car you prob want to do it yourself.

 

The gearbox or ECU ETC can go on any car - we know this is a fact............if it goes on your 7k Porsche/BMW/Merc/Audi you are my friend ****ed (or at the very best raped of all spare cash)

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Servicing a 986 will be the same cost as a Zed at the indies.

 

Tbh if any one expects to be able to buy a premium car and for it to cost peanuts if something goes wrong, they're feuding themselves. Present company excepted, of course. ;)

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Servicing a 986 will be the same cost as a Zed at the indies.

 

Tbh if any one expects to be able to buy a premium car and for it to cost peanuts if something goes wrong, they're feuding themselves. Present company excepted, of course. ;)

 

986/996 don't have many serious problems bar IMS. Parts are way cheaper than Nissan more widely available too. There is a garage down there that charges £35 an hour. Proper Porsche tech aswell I think it's one half of Porsche apart.

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Boxsters are one of those cars you love or hate. I did consider them at one point as i could have bought 2 of them for the same price I paid for my 313 and still had change. But, they just didnt do anything for me. Looks, styling, the whole image. Even the performance didnt come close to the 313 zed unless you got one of the very newest ones they did, although the handling on the boxster is said to be better.

 

That said, my mate loves them and gave me no end of stick for picking a "Nissan" over a "Porsche".

 

Id try one out and see what you think.

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I have had two 986 Boxster S and 2001 and a 2000, handling was great and nice driving position and om a recent PH run one murdered some of the big boys in the twistys

 

But If you go with Porsche original parts and specialist servicing (at least up here) can be expensive to maintain

 

As mentioned read up on IMS issues but this is relatively uncommon - but does give you nightmares every time you hear a strange noise from engine.

 

Other things that go wrong are front springs break frequently, the rear mail oil seal often leaks and this is a pain in arse to sort time wise and can knacker the clutch.

 

If door membranes go water will get in and with the door control module and ECU being under passenger seat this can be expensive

 

Front control arms can creak and groan but not too expensive to replace

 

Gear boxes often need a refurb at about 60k and various bushes can go around this mileage

 

Brake discs rust very easily and are a common mot failure

 

A strange one is the keys lose their remote function and they are over £100 plus the coding time to sort - £300 it cost me for two keys

 

They are now also getting to an age where the early ones are requiring all the break pipes replaced due to rust

 

As for prices they are still going down and this will keep happening for foreseeable future in fact good 944/968 are getting better money than the very early Boxsters

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A strange one is the keys lose their remote function and they are over £100 plus the coding time to sort - £300 it cost me for two keys

 

Pretty cheaps that is! I was quoted nearly 200 quid for a replacement Mercedes key!

 

would of been nearly double from the porsche center :rant:

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I've been looking at the 2003/53 plate version and they seen to be around the £7k-£8k mark, which is quite cheap. Or am I missing something?

 

Do you think the residual value on these will drop like the 350z's have or will they hold their value more?

 

They cost a bit more than a Zed when new, I think the basic S version was around 32k, a fully loaded Zed around 30k circa 2003 and after 9 years they fetch a bit more than a Zed, so not much difference in residual value really.

 

 

Pete

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