Unnecessary Porsche Shopping

"Arrivederci" (arrividerci)
06/14/2018 at 11:54 • Filed to: Porsche, Boxster, 987

Hello Oppos (or is that Obbos now?) Like many of you, !!!error: Indecipherable SUB-paragraph formatting!!! and since selling my BRZ last year for the S3, have been longing for the best of both worlds – a great DD like the S3 and something small and sporty. Since I already have the S3 and, while it’s awesome, I need the small and sporty back in my life. I also haven’t had a convertible since I sold my NC Miata.

I’ve been very casually looking for an amazing deal of something like a S2000 to fall in my lap without too much luck. Cheap ones are usually hot messes and even decent ones are pretty pricey. !!!error: Indecipherable SUB-paragraph formatting!!! and out of nowhere an opportunity at a very high mileage Boxster has fallen into my lap. The car is a 2007 S, which gives it the bigger engine, brakes and improved suspension. The vintage means its engine has the revised IMS bearing, with a miniscule failure rate. The 200k miles on its clock sort of indicate that it would’ve already failed, if it was going to, I think. The car is owned by a friend of one of my cousins that lives over 500 miles away, and is the second owner. It has always been garaged, driven primarily on rural highways (hence the mileage), maintained by an Indy and, in pictures, looks to be in really good condition given the miles. Clutch has been replaced once, new tires, new plugs/wires and new battery and they’re selling to buy a new Porsche and need the garage space. Asking price is $10k.

Casual searching finds a couple other high mileage 987.1s for about $13k with 50k fewer miles and just under $10k with 10k miles less, so price seems at least somewhat in line. KBB says it should be closer to 9k and Edmunds says it’s on the money.

All that aside, how dumb of an idea is this? The seller seems very transparent about its past, has all the maintenance documents and the car appears to have been well taken care of. That said, it’s still a 200k mile Porsche. To me, IMS isn’t a worry as much as the synchros going bad in the transmission or the cylinders being scored, both of which could have repairs that would come close to exceeding the value of the car. Before even making an offer, I’d arrange a PPI at a local shop or P-car dealer to check for those items as well as metal shavings in the filter (sorry again, Tripper), but all the other things I’m not considering worry me a bit more. What are they? What items will be more impacted by mileage than by age? Here’s my list:

- Water pump (these have plastic impellers that don’t last forever)

- Wheel bearings

- Steering components

- CV joints/boots

- Transmission synchros

- Cylinder scoring

The last two would be the non-starters for me, of course.

In a perfect world, if everything comes back okay for the major components in the PPI, what would you offer? For the mileage and with the lurking thought in the back of my mind that the motor and/or transmission will eventually pop or need to be rebuilt and at that point its value would be as a roller at maybe $3-4k. With that in mind, I think my top dollar would be somewhere in the $8000-8500 range and it would be paid for in cash. I’m located somewhat close to about three good independent shops and do have a local Porsche dealer if I needed anything.

What do you guys think? Should I even bother pursuing?

DISCUSSION (19)

nj959 > Arrivederci
06/14/2018 at 12:16

If the big ticket items are good, I would throw an $8k offer at him and see what he says. Porsches are pretty well made but any 200k mile car is going to need some miscellaneous maintenance at the very least.

SPAMBot - Horse Doctor > Arrivederci
06/14/2018 at 12:24

I would ask for a friends and family discount off the 10K, noting it will be going to a good home.

What is your risk tolerance? If the engine grenaded in a year and you lost $5k, how bad would you feel. Basically, could you get $5k in fun/experiences out of the car before it died?

In all honesty, the big ticket items will more than likely be fine. It’s the little things that can make an old car like this expensive to own. If you are going to run to the dealer every time a CEL pops up, a trim piece falls off, an intermittent electrical gremlin pops up, AND you are the type of person who scoffs at the idea of spending money on a fun car, I would pass. If you have a bit of tolerance towards things not being perfect, and you are willing to spend money because the car is fun, I would say go for it.

Future Heap Owner > Arrivederci
06/14/2018 at 12:48

Wait, is there another kind of Porsche shopping?

Mid Engine > Arrivederci
06/14/2018 at 12:50

Ask if the temp and O2 sensors have been replaced recently. My ‘07 Cayman threw codes that made me invest in replacing the sensors. Other than that the water pump, as usual.. very reliable car mind you mine only has 67k on the clock

Arrivederci > SPAMBot - Horse Doctor
06/14/2018 at 13:42

Yeah, I can’t imagine paying more than $8k, maybe $8500 if it’s in better than expected shape. If it grenaded in a year, I’d be pretty sad.. but I probably would whenever it did, hah. I think I’d be content if it made it three years, which would probably be only another 20-30k miles.

For something as old and high mileage, I wouldn’t run over to the shop everytime something popped up as long as it didn’t negatively impact use of the car. Even if the AC went kaput, I probably wouldn’t be in a rush to fix it.

I wouldn’t have a huge issue putting a little money into it periodically, but I think my wife’s tolerance would be quite a bit lower, lol.

Arrivederci > Mid Engine
06/14/2018 at 13:43

Good call on the sensors, those can go out over time too. Have you replaced your water pump?

Arrivederci > nj959
06/14/2018 at 13:44

Very true - getting nickel and dimed would eventually get old, but that’s certainly better than a major component going out, which would basically total the car.

Arrivederci > Future Heap Owner
06/14/2018 at 13:44

Hahaha, great point!

SPAMBot - Horse Doctor > Arrivederci
06/14/2018 at 13:51

It sounds like you have the right attitude towards it. I’ve really heard nothing but good things about Porsche’s reliability (other than the overblown IMS). My next step would be to see what else is in that price range. I don’t think this would be a toooo terrible of a move. But I have a very skewed sense of throwing money at cars lol

Arrivederci > SPAMBot - Horse Doctor
06/14/2018 at 14:09

This would honestly be my first foray into something that’s likely to be a little needy. I ran my old Miata until about 120k before trading it in and it literally needed nothing (as Miatae often do) except a thermostat.

Other things that I’ve considered in this sub-$10k arena are Mazdaspeed Miatas, S2000s and NC Miatas. The first two tend to be pretty rough at that point, but you can find a nice NC, which I’ve already owned.

Neil drives a beetle and a fancy beetle > Arrivederci
06/14/2018 at 14:12

I think shopping for a boxster instead of an S2000 is a good call. I’m not sure about this car; assuming they’d come down on price a little and a PPI comes back pretty good it’s probably not a bad idea.

SPAMBot - Horse Doctor > Arrivederci
06/14/2018 at 14:27

I owned two NB’s so I can’t tell you not to buy another Miata haha. It would be an interesting move to go to a Porsche. People will probably assume you are rich, owning an Audi AND a Pooorshh. So beware of that lol

Mid Engine > Arrivederci
06/14/2018 at 14:40

Yeah, water pump went @ 55k miles

Arrivederci > Mid Engine
06/14/2018 at 16:25

That’s a bummer. One of the questions I asked the seller is if this car is still on its original water pump.

Arrivederci > SPAMBot - Horse Doctor
06/14/2018 at 16:25

That’s actually one of the things that gives me a little heartburn to be honest - what co-workers and my in-laws will think.

SPAMBot - Horse Doctor > Arrivederci
06/14/2018 at 16:28

I know that feeling (minus the in-laws) No one at work knows, or will ever find out I have the 348. I generally do not bring it up in conversation either. Unless I’m talking to a car person. Be prepared for a lot of “it was only $8000" LOL

Arrivederci > SPAMBot - Horse Doctor
06/15/2018 at 07:36

Oh tell me about it - they already do it with my Audi. “You mean I could’ve had that for less than my Accord?”

SPAMBot - Horse Doctor > Arrivederci
06/15/2018 at 11:36

Then did they question you about how much you spend on repairs? I would guess a lot less than they are spending on depreciation on their Accord haha

Arrivederci > SPAMBot - Horse Doctor
06/18/2018 at 13:31

Hah, nope, they aren’t really that car-savvy. They just see a nice-looking car from a luxury brand and assume they can’t afford it, when they easily could if they shopped around.