Contemplating a Porsche...

Zascar

Whenever I do change my car next, I think I'd like to get a Porsche. I'm certainly not looking at spending big money, more at the lower end of the range, but some of the deals that can be had right now are staggering - so it would nice to have one now while I have the chance.

For example, this is a lovely Boxter S for under 13k. (In the Boxter I would only have the 'S'). The owner sent me some more pix and its gorgeous, a lot of car for the money. I really like Boxters, they are known to be great drivers cars, many friends of mine who are car nuts speak very highly of them, but the thing is they do have the 'Hairdresser car' and 'Poor man's Porsche' name for them - which p1sses me off.

However, these days a decent 911 is a lot more achievable than I previously thought, like this 2001 Carerra 4 for just over 20k. Again, also a lot of car for the money.

I'm wondering does anyone here any experience with buying a car of this class and age? The tax is obsequiously a pain in the ass but cannot be avoided. The service intervals are pretty good so I hear, I actually do very few miles as I ride a motorbike day to day - so hopefully that won't be too painful either. What does a service usually cost? I have a couple of mates who are mechanics that can sort me out if needed, I don't think a FPSH is going to be essential when reselling on a 10+ year old car, maybe I'm wrong.

Who has/had one, any tips or advice?
Thanks

Ferris

If you're going to get a boxster make it an '03 facelift like this one (for the same money as you posted)

http://www.carzone.ie/search/Porsche/Boxster/3.2-S-**/201046200256943/advert?channel=CARS

The facelift looked a lot better with the colourless indicators and it has a heated glass rear screen instead of a plastic one. The boxster S isn't a hairdressers car imo, drive one and you'll be impressed.

si_guru

Servicing costs... 911s will break your heart with servicing costs.

Zascar

Wow really? So are Boxters more reasonable? How come so much of a difference between the two?

Saaron

My Grandpa has a 911, I don't really know much about the servicing prices, tax etc, but I do know that it's always having problems!

He regularly has to bring it to be serviced and I doubt it's cheap once you add up all the different times it's had to be fixed.
He's had it quite a while now and is beginning to think it's time to sell it for a normal car.

CarMuppet

Saaron wrote: »

My Grandpa has a 911, I don't really know much about the servicing prices, tax etc, but I do know that it's always having problems!

He regularly has to bring it to be serviced and I doubt it's cheap once you add up all the different times it's had to be fixed.
He's had it quite a while now and is beginning to think it's time to sell it for a normal car.

Your Grandpa is a legend imo! Had to say it. I hope he never has to trade it for just a 'normal' car.