Buying my first Porsche!

[v.peter]

Hello Everyone,

I'm looking to purchase my first Porsche in the near future! I'm 24 years old, but have been dreaming about a 911 since I first saw a poster of a '86 turbo on the wall in my dad's garage.
Just like the kid from the famous advert:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7sWPHKU1XZU

Being a petrol head, I was sucked into a PCP deal on a BMW not long ago, but as soon as it's over, I'd like to get a boxster or a cayman. Seen a few 2.7s for about £13-16k, 6-10 years old, they look like a good starting point.
The only problem is: I know Porsche parts aren't cheap and I can't afford to get a lemon.

Could you give me a couple of starting points on what to be careful with? What to look for on the car and in the service history? What's worth having as an option to help resale? Maybe some advice on where to buy from?

Thank you!
Peter

 

[MrDemon]

buy from a OPC, RSJ or 911V then options are very personal, you will get 15 posts all stating what they like, so quite pointless. for me, very basic, PCM will be old so forget that. Sports seats wind deflector heated seats that will do you. this is a nice spec as full leather (really lifts the car) and its a RS60 Spyder so will stand out come resale time. http://www.911virgin.com/porscheforsale/917/RS60SpyderManual/ or a gen 2 2.9 http://www.pistonheads.com/classifieds/used-cars/porsche/boxster-987-05-12/porsche-boxster-987-gen-ii-24v-2009/3288828 make sure it has full service history and spark plug change , this is at 4 years old ALso ask for a over revs print out and make sure it says 0 in ranges 3 to 6. but if you buy from a OPC, RSJ or 911V you will get a nice car, if you buy private or other 3rd party dealers I think it's risky if you don't know much about the brand. I like buying private and I sell private, but I tend to know what to check and what to ask about and buyers tend to know what they want from the sort of cars I own.

 

[Motorhead]

Hi Peter, Welcome to this part of the forum. I presume that you're looking for a Cayman rather than a Boxster, in which case production started in 2005 with the 3.4L S model, followed in 2007 with the 2.7L model. With your £13-£14k budget I think that there are probably a few high mileage 2.7L cars around, which shouldn't be a problem as long as they've been well cared for. As always, buy on condition and a full service and maintenance history at a PC or a recognised Porsche Indy and I'd always recommend spending a few hundred pounds getting the car checked out before purchase by an experienced Porsche shop which will include a full diagnostic check which will flag up any electrical problems. Although overplayed, there have been instances of RMS and IMS failures on the flat-6 engine but don't be put off by this since a number of upgrades had been introduced by the time the Cayman came out. Cylinder bore scoring and actual bore casting failures have been reported [less so I think on the 2.7L], but again these tend to be rare occurences and a borescope can be used to check out the bore condition if required. The coil packs are vulnerable and susceptible to failure and air-oil separator failures are not unknown. Rusting brake discs is a common fault, particularly on the inner surfaces, as is wear in the suspension arm joints but these are all things which should be picked up in a pre-purchase check. Most S-model cars seem to be better spec'd than the 2.7L cars, so you'll probably have to take what you can get in your price range. Things like auto aircon, bi-xenon headlights, sport seats, leather, auto dipping mirrors, sound system upgrades and PCM were all extra and it would be a bonus to find a car fitted with some of those options. All the above applies to the Boxster as well, and you'll have more choice. Just make sure that the roof is in good condition, doesn't leak and works properly. Good luck..! Jeff

 

[v.peter]

Thanks for the advice! I prefer the Cayman, but my fiancé prefers the boxster, so it's up for debate at the moment! I've been looking at used Porsches, the boxster is probably closer to my price range, as you could get some older ones. I'm more concerned about the mileage, rather than the age, so been looking at cars sub 50.000. Because of my age, the 2.7 would be easier to insure too, and I've driven that engine before! For £14k, there were some nice boxters with decent alloys and about 40-45k on the clock, aged about 6-8... I doubt these cars will drop much more in price. Would only keep them for 2 years maximum! Caymans are closer to £20k, but those are cars one could keep for a bit, as they're 3-4 years younger. What are your experiences with using the cars every day? Mine would stay in the garage over night, but would use it every day!

 

[Motorhead]

Mine's not a daily drive Peter, but there are plenty of owners who'll tell you that Porsches in general are fine for everday use, even in the colder months [probably better with winter tyres fitted though]. In fact, like most cars I reckon that they're probably more reliable when used on a decent daily run provided it's not a short journey in stop-start traffic. You'll have to factor in running costs, although they won't necessarily be much higher than those of the TT if you use a reputable Porsche Indy. I think given the choice, most women would prefer the Boxster over the Cayman and there'll certainly be more Boxsters available if you decide to take that route. Jeff

 

[Chris_in_the_UK]

Hi Peter, welcome. I ended up wanting a 911 and drove quite a few cars including Boxster and Caymans - I ended up buying the Cayman as it was just a better drive in terms of handling and chassis dynamics. I can recommend 911virgin - no affiliation but I ended up buying from them and you will end up with a fabulous car with solid support and back up. Good luck with the search!!

 

[keiththo]

Hi Peter I've had my 2008 Boxster 2.7 for nearly 4 years and it's been very reliable. I live in the city centre and the car is parked in the street and used almost daily. Front brake discs were replaced at about 40k miles and the rear ones have come up as advisables on the MOT due to the rust on inner surface. All servicing is done at OPC but I negotiate on price always ! Mine has lots of extras but the only essentials to me are heated seats and park assist given I routinely need to park in tight spaces. Keith