Cheap Boxsters

Matt82 · 28 Dec 2012 at 12:40

http://classifieds.pistonheads.com/classifieds?Category=used-cars&M=1035&MaxPrice=5000

These appear to have come down in price a lot. Who on here has bought a cheap one? At that price theyre down there with S2000s despite the car being a completely different kettle of fish.

Someone do it so we can shed some light on whether these cars are as much of a liability as they appear to be

hurfdurf · 28 Dec 2012 at 12:42

Wouldn't go near one myself

Yarde · 28 Dec 2012 at 12:44

Just remember, you've still got Porsche bills to pay when something goes wrong

Matt82 · 28 Dec 2012 at 12:48

IME Porsche parts prices are staggering.

Going to google the prices for some consumables. BRB

Housey · 28 Dec 2012 at 12:48

I wouldn't consider one at this level, you'd need to spend the purchase price again to get it straight more than likely.

ThePengu1n · 28 Dec 2012 at 12:48

Yarde said:
Just remember, you've still got Porsche bills to pay when something goes wrong

This is the reason they are so cheap, no one will buy one, cos when it goes wrong it'll cost an arm and a leg to fix it.

Dogbreath · 28 Dec 2012 at 12:49

They are a bit of a bargain on the face of it, but they can suffer from some expensive failures e.g. IMS bearing failure would probably make them disposable at that price.
Common faults.

Matt82 · 28 Dec 2012 at 12:53

From memory you would require each of the following arms at each corner, so you need four of the items below, just to replace the suspension arms/bushes.

Powerflex items are available too

TRW Suspension Arm (Wishbone With Ball Joint Coffin Arm)
Part No.: 615330015 Was £126.40
Now £94.80 Save 25%

TRW Suspension Arm (Control Arm Tuning Fork)
Part No.: 615330025 Was £67.20

TRW Suspension Arm (Track Control Arm With Ball Joint)
Part No.: 624330045 Was £94.40
Now £70.80 Save 25
Now £50.40 Save 25

TRW Suspension Arm (Control Arm Tuning Fork)
Part No.: 624330355 Was £115.12
Now £86.34 Save 25%

danza · 28 Dec 2012 at 12:56

You'd be insane to buy one of these over an S2000 at this money. Even an S2000 is pushing it a bit much under £4k.

Matt82 · 28 Dec 2012 at 12:57

£49 per front disc
£50 for front pads

£40 per rear disc
£40 for rear pads

Could only find front dampers, £250 each

Matt82 · 28 Dec 2012 at 13:00

danza said:
You'd be insane to buy one of these over an S2000 at this money. Even an S2000 is pushing it a bit much under £4k.

But people do, the morbid curiosity in me wants to see how that sort of thing works out for them.

Surely cars most cars at that price are on a fast track to the bottom of the barrel as the next sequence of crazy owners destroy them

Hades · 28 Dec 2012 at 13:03

Also keep in mind not only the repair costs but the likelihood that recent owners may have been able to maintain it properly either.

Housey · 28 Dec 2012 at 13:04

Most will need an engine rebuild at this level, they will have been affected by the common issues (liners and seals), crash damaged and generally broken in many ways. I also don't see the point in doing this sort of car badly, do it right and put quality bits on it or don't bother. A £4k Boxster unless you are VERY lucky is going to a pile of **** and slow.

Mr-White · 28 Dec 2012 at 13:07

The running/servicing costs is what put me off a Cayman. You're better off putting all these extra costs into a newer car that has a cheaper badge with equal performance.

MW

Scottland · 28 Dec 2012 at 13:12

I'd quite like to see a magazine etc run one for a year and report back though, I think it would be quite interesting to see what would happen.

danza · 28 Dec 2012 at 13:16

So, £2k+ for a fill suspension refresh, which face it, the car will need at this end of the market. That's before you get into the very expensive stuff too. I really pity the people that think these are a good idea. Could you even get a halfway decent one for £6-7k, as that's what you'd be looking at spending on a dog plus a few remedial bits?

IvanDobskey · 28 Dec 2012 at 13:41

I looked at Boxsters before I bought my Z4 over 2 years ago and was put off by maintenance / running costs. They look great value but in reality will end up costing you a small fortune to keep on the road. Go for an S2000 or Z4 instead.

Simon · 28 Dec 2012 at 13:51

I don't see how they are 'a completely different kettle of fish'. Unless you are purely judging the car by the brand rather than the fact they are both 2 seater sports cars.

A £5k S2000 is not a ticking time bomb either.

AndrewP · 28 Dec 2012 at 13:56

IvanDobskey said:
I looked at Boxsters before I bought my Z4 over 2 years ago and was put off by maintenance / running costs. They look great value but in reality will end up costing you a small fortune to keep on the road. Go for an S2000 or Z4 instead.

Same for me this time last year.

Matt82 · 28 Dec 2012 at 14:00

Simon said:
I don't see how they are 'a completely different kettle of fish'. Unless you are purely judging the car by the brand rather than the fact they are both 2 seater sports cars.

A £5k S2000 is not a ticking time bomb either.

Age wise very different

Engine, power delivery, noise all very different

Honda actually has metal bits on the gear knob and door handles, which are plastic in the Porsche

Ive heard people moan about the Porsche weight doing the car no favours. No one ever moans about the Honda